Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/11/2024 TSC MinutesMAYOR VILLAGE MANAGER Paul Wm. Hoefert Michael 3. Cassady P Mount Prospect TRUSTEES DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS Vincent 3. Dante Sean Dorsey Agostino Filippone Terri Gens William A. Grossi Phone: 847/870-5640 John Matuszak Fax:847/253-9377 Colleen E. Saccotelli www.mountprospect.org Village of Mount Prospect Public Works 1700 W. Central Road, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056 MINUTES OF THE MOUNT PROSPECT TRANSPORTATION SAFETY COMMISSION CALL TO ORDER The meeting of the Mount Prospect Transportation Safety Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, November 11, 2024. ROLL CALL Present upon roll call: Justin Kuehlthau Chairman Tina DeAragon Commissioner Jeffrey Nejdl Commissioner Joespeh Vena Fire Department Representative Nicholas Mavraganis Police Department Representative Scott Moe Public Works Department Representative Luke Foresman Project Engineer —Staff Liaison Absent: Christopher Prosperi Vice Chairman Others in Attendance: Rick McNolty Resident 1908 Connie Lane Ron & Gayle Swier Resident 120 Audrey Lane Vito LiRosi Resident 17 Audrey Lane Vince Dante Trustee 406 S Deborah Lane Jose DeChoudens Resident 7 Audre Lane Charles Lowry Resident 813 W Dresser Lane Paul Hoefort Mayor 304 E. Evergreen Avenue B-L Pellicore Resident 112 S Owen Street APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairman Kuehlthau, seconded by Commissioner DeAragon, moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Transportation Safety Commission held on October 14, 2024. The minutes were approved by a vote of 6-0. TSC Meeting Page 1 of 8 November 11, 2024 CITIZENS TO BE HEARD None. OLD BUSINESS None. NEW BUSINESS A: Circle Drive and Frost Drive One -Way Designation Staff Liaison Foresman presented the following regarding the one-way designation near Robert Frost School: Request: Change the time frames for one-way traffic on Circle Drive and Frost Drive to better match school drop off and pick up times. Requested By: Resident Public Notice: Residents on Circle Drive were mailed a Resident Information Bulletin describing the proposed changes on 10/24/2024. Current Traffic 1. 18.2003: Schedule III — One -Way Streets Regulations: Circle Dr. — Southbound — Btw. Frost Dr. and Cottonwood Ln. (school days btw. 8:30 A.M. to 9:30 A.M. and 3 P.M. to 4 P.M.) Frost Dr. — Westbound — Btw. Cypress Dr. and Circle Dr. (school days btw. 8:30 A.M. to 9:30 A.M. and 3 P.M. to 4 P.M.) 2. Parking is prohibited between 2:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M. on all Village streets. 3. The speed limit is 25 mph. Current Layout: 1. Circle Drive and Frost Drive are 24' wide. 2. Frost Drive is an east -west street that connects directly to Circle Drive, a north -south street. 3. Sidewalk is present on both sides of Circle Drive and on the north side of Frost Drive. Current Traffic: 1. Circle Drive is a primary pedestrian access route to the school from the south. Conditions: Pedestrian refuge islands were installed a few years ago at the intersection of Circle Drive and Cottonwood Lane to increase pedestrian safety for pedestrians using this route to school. 2. Busses use Frost Drive during both pick up and drop off times. They park along the north side of Frost Drive. When they are parked, there is not enough room remaining on Frost Drive for two-way traffic. 3. During pick-up times, school staff use cones to block traffic on Frost Drive completely while students are loaded into the busses. TSC Meeting Page 2 of 8 November 11, 2024 Concerns: The existing time designations for one-way traffic do not lineup with school times: • Existing one-way designation is from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM and 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM on all school days. • Current school hours are from 8:45 AM to 3:35 PM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 8:45 AM to 2:35 PM on Wednesday Based on observations described below, removing the one-way designation would increase congestion and safety issues at the intersection of Frost Drive and Cypress Street. This would cause pedestrians to have to consider vehicles traveling eastbound on Frost Drive and would be another conflict point between vehicles and pedestrians during drop-off and pick-up. Observations: Public Works Staff observed traffic during drop-off and pick-up times on Friday 10/4/2024 — The weather was pleasant. Below are staff observations: • There is no long drop-off or pick-up line. In the morning there is a kiss and go spot. In the afternoon, most parents who drove to pick up students parked around the school or in the neighborhood and walked to the designated pick-up areas • Busses in the morning arrived between 8:25 AM and 8:35 AM. They dropped off the students and left immediately • Lots of students and parents cross Frost Drive at the intersection with Cypress Drive • The area around the school was busy by 8:20 AM and most traffic was gone by 8:50 AM • During pick-up, parents start arriving and parking around the school starting at 3:00 PM • Congestion was observed at the intersection of Cypress Drive and Eva Lane • Busses arrived at 3:30 PM. Once the busses parked, cones were put out to block Frost Drive completely • Busses left by 3:50 PM • The lack of a pick-up queue seemed to help with traffic conditions compared to other schools in the area. While the streets were congested with parking on both sides of the street, vehicles were navigating slowly around the school • Crossing guards were present on Cypress Drive at Eva lane and Frost Drive Resident Survey: Residents on Circle Drive and the school were sent a Resident Information Bulletin describing the proposed timing changes for the one-way designation on Circle Drive and Frost Drive and were invited to attend the Transportation Safety Commission Meeting. No comments were received. School Input: Public Works Staff talked to the school principal and she indicated she was in favor of keeping the one-way designation on Frost Drive and Circle Drive due to bus usage and agreed with the timing changes. She indicated there was not other major traffic issues around the school. TSC Meeting Page 3 of 8 November 11, 2024 Recommendation: Discussion: Motion: The one-way designation time frames on Frost Drive and Circle Drive no longer align with the school times. Staff recommends the Village Code be updated and existing signs replaced to reflect current school hours. Staff considered the effect removing the one-way designation would have and determined it would increase traffic and safety issues at the intersection of Cypress Drive and Frost Drive. Therefore, Staff recommends keeping the one-way designation on Frost Drive and Circle Drive. Recommendation: Adjust the one-way street designation for Circle Drive and Frost Drive to better match school hours. One-way designation shall be for not more than one hour each during both drop-off and pick-up times on all school days as signed. This recommendation will allow Staff to adjust one-way designation times in the future should the school hours change without having to revise the Village Code again. There was no discussion on the topic. Chairman Kuehlthau motioned to approve the recommendation to adjust the one- way designation for Circle Drive and Frost Drive to better match school hours. One-way designation shall be for not more than one hour each during drop-off and pick-up times on all school days as signed. Commissioner Nejdl seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 6-0. B. Sha Bonee Trail Parking Staff Liaison Foresman presented the following regarding parking regulations on Sha Bonee Trail near the intersection with IL Route 83 (Elmhurst Road): Request: Change parking restrictions on Sha Bonee Trail at the intersection with IL Route 83 (Elmhurst Road) to address traffic issues. Requested By: Resident Public Notice: Residents on Sha Bonee Trail adjacent to the proposed parking changes were mailed a Resident Information Bulletin describing the proposed changes on 10/24/2024. Current Traffic 1. 18.2006: Schedule VI — No Parking Any Time Regulations: Sha Bonee Trail north side between Illinois Route 83 and I -Oka Avenue Sha Bonee Trail north and south sides for the first 50 feet east of Illinois Route 83 2. 18.2007: Schedule VII — Sunday Parking Sha Bonee Trail south side from 6:30 AM to 1:30 PM Between I -Oka Avenue and Illinois Route 83 TSC Meeting Page 4 of 8 November 11, 2024 3. 18.2008: Schedule VIII —Weekday Parking Sha Bonee Trail north side from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM from a point 150 feet east of Elmhurst Road to Emerson Street Sha Bonee Trail south side from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM from a point 150 feet east of Elmhurst Road to Emerson Street 4. Parking is prohibited within 30' of a stop bar. 5. Parking is prohibited between 2:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M. on all Village streets. 6. The speed limit is 25 mph. Current Layout: 1. Sha Bonee Trail is 22' wide. 2. West of IL Route 83 the parking lot for St. Raymond's Church and School has a driveway to Sha Bonee Trail. 3. East of IL Route 83 there is an alley for multi family homes connected to Sha Bonee Trail. 4. The intersection of Sha Bonee Trail and IL Route 83 (Elmhurst Road) is stopped controlled on Sha Bonee Trail only. 5. The approaches to IL Route 83 on Sha Bonee Trail are concrete pavement with a striped double centerline. The rest of Shabonee Trail is asphalt without a centerline. This transition is about 55' east and west of the stop bars on Sha Bonee Trail. The existing parking regulations do not line up with this transition. Current Traffic: 1. When vehicles park near the intersection of IL Route 83 (Elmhurst Road) and Conditions: Sha Bonee Trail, only one direction of vehicle traffic can pass at a time due to the narrow roadway width. 2. When a large amount of vehicles leave the parking lot at one time, traffic gets congested on Sha Bonee Trail, making turning off IL Route 83 onto Sha Bonee Trail difficult. While there is no parking on the south side of Sha Bonee Trail on Sundays, traffic also exits the parking lot due to the school. 3. Pedestrians also access the parking lot off Sha Bonee Trail, increasing safety issues at this location. 4. On the east side of IL Route 83 there were no observed traffic issue due to the current signing, but the Village Code does not match the sign location on the street. Resident Survey: Residents on Sha Bonee Trail adjacent to the proposed parking changes were sent a Resident Information Bulletin describing the proposed parking changes on Sha Bonee Trail and were invited to attend the Transportation Safety Commission Meeting. No comments were received. Proposed Staff proposes the following changes to parking regulations on Sha Bonee Trail. Changes: East of IL Route 83 • Extend the no parking zones on the north and south sides of Sha Bonee Trail to be 60' east of IL Route 83, up from 50' east. This matches the concrete and asphalt transition in the street. • Extend the weekday parking restrictions on the north and south sides of Sha Bonee Trail to start 60' east of IL Route 83 instead of the current 150' east of IL Route 83. This will match the pavement transition and is near where the parking restriction signs are currently placed. TSC Meeting Page 5 of 8 November 11, 2024 West of IL Route 83 • Enact a no parking zone on the south side of Sha Bonee Trail from IL Route 83 to 60' west of IL Route 83. This matches the concrete and asphalt transition in the street and will provide additional room for vehicles queuing to enter IL Route 83 from Sha Bonee Trail. Recommendation: Due to traffic congestion on Sha Bonee Trail relating to the parking lot exit, inconsistences between signage on the street and the Village Code, and misalignment of current parking restriction signs and the pavement transition/pavement striping, Staff recommends parking changes on Sha Bonee Trail near the intersection with IL Route 83 (Elmhurst Road). Recommendation: Prohibit parking at all times on the south side of Sha Bonee Trail from IL Route 83 (Elmhurst Road) to 60' west of IL Route 83 (Elmhurst Road). Prohibit parking at all times on the north on south sides of Sha Bonee Trail from IL Route 83 (Elmhurst Road) to 60' east of IL Route 83 (Elmhurst Road). Prohibit parking from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM except Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays on the north side of Sha Bonee Trail from a point 60' east of IL Route 83 (Elmhurst Road) to Emerson Street. Prohibit parking from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM except Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays on the south side of Sha Bonee Trail from a point 60' east of IL Route 83 (Elmhurst Road) to Emerson Street. Discussion: There was no discussion on the topic. Motion: Commissioner Nejdl motioned to approve the recommended changes to parking regulations on Sha Bonee Trail as described above. Commissioner DeAragon seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 6-0. C. Friendly Neighborhoods Streets Program and Traffic Studies Update Staff Liaison Foresman provided updates to the Commission on the following studies that had petitions submitted as part of the Friendly Neighborhood Streets Program: Friendly Neighborhood Streets Program locations where the study is moving forward: • 0 — 100 Block of Audrey Lane o Expanded to include Hatlen Lane, Connie Lane and part of Bonita Avenue • 600 — 700 Blocks of S. William Street o Expanded to include S. William Street from Prospect Avenue to Golf Road TSC Meeting Page 6 of 8 November 11, 2024 Friendly Neighborhood Streets Program locations that did not meet minimum criteria and are not moving forward: • 100 — 200 Blocks of Hi Lusi Avenue • 0 Block of N. Edward Street o Edward Street to be included in larger neighborhood traffic study Friendly Neighborhood Streets Program locations to be further studied • 1300 — 1400 Blocks of Fern Drive o The traffic counts at this location were inconsistent day to day o Staff intends to recount the street in the spring Staff Liaison Foresman indicated that public outreach would soon go out for the two studies that are moving forward. The Village is currently finalizing the project websites and looking into ways to add a comment form directly to the website to make submitting feedback easier for residents. At the conclusion of the presentation there was a discussion on the Audrey Lane study. Many audience members spoke during the discussion, including Mayor Hoefert, Trustee Dante and resident Vito LiRosi who submitted the petition for traffic calming on Audrey Lane. Other residents from Audrey Lane also participated in the discussion. Below are some of the key items discussed: • Reiteration of concerns on Audrey Lane and Connie Lane relating to the following: o Vehicle speed o Number of vehicles o Cut through traffic o Vehicles ignoring stop signs Discussion of No Thru Traffic Signs o Representative Mavraganis indicated the signs are not enforceable due to them not being in the Village Code o Defining "Thru" traffic is difficult making writing an ordinance or any enforcement difficult to implement o Audrey Lane is a public street, meaning access to it should not be restricted based on where a motorists lives • Discussion on Police Enforcement o Residents questioned the thresholds the Police Department uses to determine when to write speeding citations o Representative Mavraganis indicated there is no set speed threshold, but it is up to the officers judgement. In general, police officers have had issues with Cook County Judges when tickets are written for speeds less than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. Generally, police officers will not stop vehicles at those speeds. Discussion on the Friendly Neighborhood Street Program process o Mr. LiRosi had the following concerns relating to the program: o Discrepancies between traffic counts presented to the Village Board and traffic counts on the 0 block of South Audrey ■ Liaison Foresman indicated Staff presented the Village Board with a compassion in traffic counts overtime on Audrey Lane. Historical traffic counts occurred at the 100 block of South Audrey Lane, therefore they were compared with current counts on that block. All recent traffic counts, including both the 0 and 100 blocks of South Audrey Lane, will be considered with the current study. o Concerns over how the Village collects traffic data Liaison Foresman explained the Village uses pneumatic tube traffic counters that are standard practice and have provided consistent results over the last 30 years. By using the same traffic counters, Staff is able to reliably compare traffic counts TSC Meeting Page 7 of 8 November 11, 2024 on different streets and evaluate traffic conditions over time on streets. Any minor errors that may exist using pneumatic tube counters are repeated in all traffic counts allowing for accurate comparisons. Further, the Friendly Neighborhood Streets Program was set up with the expectation that pneumatic traffic counters would be used. The minimum criteria thresholds were selected to allow the Village to address the next "worse" streets when it comes to traffic issues. • Trustee Dante asked for a timeline for the study moving forward o Liaison Foresman indicated Staff is currently working on the project web page and public outreach materials. Residents should receive an introductory letter within the next couple of weeks. o A public meeting is expected during the first quarter of 2025. o If traffic calming measures are supported by the neighborhood and the Commission, Staff anticipates finalizing a plan in 2025. A construction schedule will be based on available funding. COMMISSION ISSUES None. ADJOURNMENT With no further business to discuss, the Transportation Safety Commission voted 6-0 to adjourn at 8:30 p.m. upon the motion of Commissioner Nejdl. Commissioner DeAragon seconded the motion. Respectfully submitted, Luke Foresman, P.E. Project Engineer H:\Engineering\Traffic\safety_commission\_MINUTES\2024\11-November TSC Sha Bonee and Circle\TSC-11-November Minutes.docx TSC Meeting Page 8 of 8 November 11, 2024