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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/05/2005 SC minutes Director Deputy Director Glen R. Andler Sean P. Dorsey Mount Prospect Public Works Department 1700 W. Central Road, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056-2229 MINUTES OF THE MOUNT PROSPECT SAFETY COMMISSION CALL TO ORDER The Regular Meeting of the Mount Prospect Safety Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, December 12, 2005. ROLL CALL Present upon roll call: Chuck Bencic Chairman John Keane Vice Chairman Carol Tortorello Commissioner Marshall Petersen Commissioner Buz Livingston Fire Department Representative John Dahlberg Police Department Representative Donna Brown Public Works Representative Matt Lawrie Traffic Engineer – Staff Liaison Absent: Kevin Grouwinkel Commissioner Mark Miller Commissioner Others in Attendance: Dan Randolph Engineering Division APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Keane, seconded by Commissioner Tortorello, moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Safety Commission held on November 14, 2005. The minutes were approved by a vote of 5-0 with Chairman Bencic and Deputy Chief Dahlberg abstaining. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD There was no one in attendance that spoke on an issue not on the agenda. Phone 847/870-5640 Fax 847/253-9377 www.mountprospect.org OLD BUSINESS None. NEW BUSINESS A) NOTIFICATION DISCUSSION CONCERNING CHANGE IN TRAFFIC REGULATIONS AROUND FOREST VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1) Background Information Forest View Elementary School is on Estates Drive north of Golf Road and west of Busse Road. For many years, Estates Drive has been posted one-way eastbound between Carol Lane and Crestwood Lane during school hours. Parking is allowed on both sides of Estates Drive as well as the adjacent north-south streets. The current situation has resulted in disobedience to the one-way designation and congestion in the neighborhood during drop-off and pick-up. Officer Bill Roscop of the Police Department and the Engineering Staff met with the school and some parents at a recent PTO Meeting to discuss our observations and preliminary recommendations. The school has recently written a letter to the Village asking for changes to the traffic regulations around the school and requesting the issue be brought before the Safety Commission. Because the recommendations are significantly different than how traffic is operating today, the Engineering Staff is requesting input as to who should be notified in our study. 2) Discussion Chairman Bencic asked Traffic Engineer Lawrie to present the issue to the Safety Commission. Traffic Engineer Lawrie briefly explained the current conditions and concerns. He also told the preliminary recommendations and requested input as to the appropriate notification area. He also stated the Safety Commission is to notify those properties along the street affected by a proposed parking change and those properties within 200’ of a proposed intersection change. Initial comments from the Safety Commission included the belief that changes to the traffic pattern around the school will impact the entire neighborhood. They agreed that sending notification to the hundreds of homes in the area may not be necessary; however, residents should still be made aware of the issue. After some discussion, it was agreed that those directly impacted by a proposed change per the policy would be notified by mail. Also, Staff would look to add signs at key intersections in the neighborhood and at the school making motorists aware of the issue. There was also consensus that Staff will not send notification directly to the parents but rather work through the school. Staff could possibly send an information letter to the school that could be distributed to the students and parents. Feedback would come back to the school and then forwarded to the Village. Chairman Bencic and others raised questions about the preliminary recommendations. There was discussion about the best way to make it easy for parents to drop-off and pick-up their children as well as the safest arrangement for students. Ideas surrounding one-way streets, parking restrictions, turn restrictions, pavement markings and road widening were all briefly discussed. There was no formal vote or even agreement. Traffic Engineer Lawrie said he would review the suggestions and speak with the school before moving forward on a final recommended plan. Phone 847/870-5640 Fax 847/253-9377 www.mountprospect.org Commissioner Tortorello suggested meeting at the school when it comes time for the issue to be formally heard. Traffic Engineer Lawrie said he would discuss the idea with the school. B. NOTIFICATION DISCUSSION CONCERNING CHANGE IN TURN RESTRICTIONS AT RIVER ROAD & IVY LANE AND BURNING BUSH LANE & IVY LANE 1) Background Information River Road is an IDOT-owned arterial road with a posted speed limit of 45mph. Between Euclid Avenue and Kensington Road, the east side is part of the Cook County Forest Preserve and the west side is residential. There are two access streets into the neighborhood. The southern street is Hopi Lane. There are no access restrictions at this street; however, there is not a dedicated left turn lane along northbound River Road. As a result, motorists turning left into the neighborhood must do so from a thru lane. The northern street is Ivy Lane. Even though there is a dedicated left turn lane on River Road, a posted turn restriction sign prevents left turns from northbound River Road onto westbound Ivy Lane during the hours of 4pm-6pm Monday-Friday. The Village recently received a request from a resident in the neighborhood to remove the turn restriction at this intersection. The resident stated he feels safer turning at Ivy Lane with a dedicated left turn lane rather than at Hopi Lane without a dedicated left turn lane. A cursory review reveals the turn restriction was put in place in 1989 as a result of a petition complaining about speeding along Ivy Lane. In addition to the turn restriction at River Road and Ivy Lane, a turn restriction preventing left turns from southbound Burning Bush Lane onto eastbound Ivy Lane during the hours of 7am-9am was put in place at the same time to address the same issue. While the request has been to only review the turn restriction at River Road and Ivy Lane, the Engineering Staff believes it would be appropriate to review the turn restrictions at both intersections since they were concurrently put in place as part of the same issue. The Engineering Staff is requesting input as to who should be notified in our study. 2) Discussion Chairman Bencic asked Traffic Engineer Lawrie to present the issue to the Safety Commission. Traffic Engineer Lawrie briefly explained the history that lead to the turn restrictions and the concerns today. He explained that IDOT recently completed a traffic signal project along River Road that has improved traffic progression and reduced delay. With completion of this project, there is probably less concern of cut through traffic from River Road. He requested input as to the appropriate notification area. After some discussion, there was consensus from the Safety Commission that an area beyond 200’ from the intersection should be included in the notification area. It was agreed that those properties along Ivy Lane from River Road to Burning Bush Lane should be notified by letter and signs could be placed at key intersections in the neighborhood with information about the issue. With a notification area identified, Traffic Engineer Lawrie recommended that before moving forward, the resident who raised the issue should submit a petition with signatures from at least 50% of those living along Ivy Lane to be consistent with the Safety Commission’s policy. There was agreement on this recommendation. Chairman Bencic and Vice Chairman Keane commented Phone 847/870-5640 Fax 847/253-9377 www.mountprospect.org hat the turn restriction at Burning Bush Lane and Ivy Lane should be omitted from discussion unless it is included in the petition. Deputy Chief Dalhberg suggested that a turn restriction at Hopi Lane and River Road should be installed rather than at Ivy Lane because of the lack of a dedicated left turn lane. He will provide Traffic Engineer Lawrie copies of crash reports at the intersection for review. The Safety Commission decided that if there was not a crash problem at River Road and Hopi Lane then a turn restriction would not be considered and a letter would be sent requiring a petition before consideration by the Safety Commission of the issue at Ivy Lane. If there is a crash problem at River Road and Hopi Lane then the Engineering Staff would initiate the study that would consider a turn restriction at Hopi Lane and removal of the one at Ivy Lane to allow access into the neighborhood. COMMISSION ISSUES Commissioner Petersen asked the status of the traffic issue around Costco that was raised at the last meeting. Traffic Engineer Lawrie responded that Staff has been in contact with Randhurst and they are open to working with the Village. Staff is in the process of setting up a meeting with Randhurst, Costco and the Village to discuss the issue at the site. ADJOURNMENT With no further business to discuss, the Safety Commission voted 7-0 to adjourn at 8:10 p.m. upon the motion of Commissioner Tortorello. Deputy Chief Dahlberg seconded the motion. Respectfully submitted, Matthew P. Lawrie, P.E. Traffic Engineer h:\engineering\traffic\safecomm\recs&min\dec05min.doc Phone 847/870-5640 Fax 847/253-9377 www.mountprospect.org