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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/09/2007 SC Minutes Traffic Control StudyMINUTES VILLAGE OF MOUNT PROSPECT WA -FELLA TRAFFIC MEETING TUESDAY, MAY 29, 2007 6:30 PM Lincoln Junior High School Meeting convened at 6:40 PM. Those present were: Mayor Irvana Wilks, Village Manager Michael Janonis, Police Detective Bob Rzepecki, Director of Public Works Glen Andler, Deputy Director of Public Works Sean Dorsey, Village Engineer Jeff Wulbecker, and Traffic Engineer Matt Lawrie. Residents in Attendance: Roland Ulbricht Wa -Pella Ave. Laura Traviolia Wa -Pella Ave. Lara & Dan Kowalski Wa -Pella Ave. Patrick Preissing Wa -Pella Ave. Steve & Judy O'Mara Wa -Pella Ave. Julie Johnson Wa -Pella Ave. Christy Watychowicz Wa -Pella Ave. Stacia Skinner Wa -Pella Ave. Larry Lettow Wa -Pella Ave. Mayor Wilks convened the meeting at 6:40 PM, welcomed the audience, and introduced the Village Trustees in attendance: Trustee Timothy Corcoran, Trustee Paul Hoefert, Trustee Arlene Juracek, and Trustee Michael Zadel. Carol Tortorello from the Safety Commission was also in attendance. Traffic Engineer Matt Lawrie then presented the results of the latest traffic study for Wa -Pella Avenue. Village Engineer Jeff Wulbecker then opened the meeting to questions and comments from the residents. Laura Traviolia asked if skate boarders were counted. Mr. Lawrie explained that all pedestrians were counted including joggers, skate boarders, bicyclists, those with strollers, etc. Laura Traviolia asked if Zone 8 had locations that were changed in a similar fashion as ours are being proposed... stop sign intersections changed from 4 -way to 2 -way. Mr. Lawrie answered "yes" and sited Gregory Street as an example. Trustee Paul Hoefert then spoke on the results of the small group meetings that were held. These were very positive as they were able to work through the emotional element of the situation by providing the neighborhood with solid data that could be trusted. Dan Kowalski asked how the data is expected to change once the stops signs are removed... what is the expected outcome ... once the change is made, how will it effect "speed ", "volume ", and "accidents "? Mr. Lawrie commented there are no guarantees, but from all the research available it is expected that speeds will not change considerably beyond the 150' influence zone of stop signs, traffic volumes will not considerably change, and there will not be a pattern of accidents. Dan Kowalski asked then why change? Mr. Wulbecker stated those are not the only measurable results. The data shows the stop signs are not warranted. The change also allows the Village to comply with the State Laws that govern the use of stop signs and lowers the Village's liability from law suits from unwarranted signs. Mr. Lawrie added that there are other non - measurable positive results such as less noise and air pollution, and again, while there may not be a measurable problem here, the Engineering Staff is governed by certain rules and regulations that must be followed. Mayor Wilks then invited comments from the trustees. Trustee Mike Zadel started off by saying the staff is not charged with making the decisions, the staff is charged, by the Board, to collect data and study the entire Village, not just this area, and to recommend ways to meet warrants, and provide consistency page 2 of 3 Wa -Pella Avenue Trailic Meeting May 29, 2007 regarding speed and traffic flow throughout the Village. The Board then has to determine what is best for the greater good, not just this neighborhood. Stacia Skinner commented on the data that shows the traffic volume in the "0" block of Wa -Pella Avenue is about 1200 while the volume in the 100, 200, & 300 blocks are about 600. Once the signs are removed, how can it be said the volume isn't going to double in the 100, 200, & 300 blocks? How can the Village move forward without having data from Zone 8? Mr. Wulbecker explained since changes aren't recommended on Can -Dota Avenue, the majority of cars going northbound on Can -Dota Avenue will still turn on Busse Avenue and use the "0" block of Wa -Pella Avenue. Residents voiced their concerned that once the signs are removed, more cars will use the 100, 200, & 300 blocks of Wa -Pella Avenue and it will become a collector street. Mr. Wulbecker stated we cannot predict future driving habits but we have never discussed making Wa -Pella Avenue a collector street. Mr. Janonis interjected by saying the Village has gone ahead and implemented the uniform traffic controls in three zones, this is the fourth zone. It was never the Village's intention to wait until the re- study of zone 8 to dictate what goes on in other neighborhoods. When the Village gets the information from zone 8, if there are any changes, they will only be specific to the individual intersections based on the specific changes made at those intersections. If, over the course of time, the Village finds consistent anomalies occurring in each of the zones and there is an established pattern the Village did not foreseen, then the Village may go back to every zone and make necessary changes, but one zone won't necessarily give answers to this zone. Lara Kowalski was concerned about the kids crossing at Milburn Avenue. Now, they don't pay attention to the traffic and don't listen to the residents to be careful, so a crosswalk will give them a false sense of security. What is the recommendation as to how the kids will be educated after the changes are made? Mr. Lawrie answered the Village works with the schools very closely and will be notifying them of any changes. Also, red flashing lights and signs indicating the changes will be used at the intersections and these measures will be in place over a course of a few months. The Village has used this method in the other zones. Staff's goal would be to have any changes in place at the beginning of the school year and provide the schools with information packets so the kids can be educated beginning the first day of the school year. Patrick Preissing expressed his desire to have the Board postpone their decision to approve changes in their zone until the feedback from the other zones has been received. He would like to see justification for the changes before going ahead and making a critical error. Mayor Wilks, once again, reiterated the goal of the program was to make changes throughout the entire village, zone by zone, and that it was important to continue moving forward. Each neighborhood will be different. The Village has really tried to understand this neighborhood and address the concerns by doing this restudy and having small group meetings with Trustee Paul Hoefert. Trustee Arlene Juracek then commented on the positive results of the changes that have been made in the other zones. The traffic flow has improved with the pattern being more logical and making sense. She asked Mr. Lawrie if any "traffic calming" could be expected as a result of changes made in conjunction with the program. Mr. Lawrie explained that while "traffic calming" wasn't a primary goal, when the flow of traffic is such that it makes sense to drivers and their expectations at intersections are consistent, this, in general, has a calming effect. Christy Watychowicz commented that according to the MUTCD rules stated in the report, a stop sign is necessary where there are opposing pedestrian movements. Isn't the Village contradicting the rules by removing the sign and thus causing more problems for pedestrians? Also, won't there be back -ups on Busse Avenue now that they would have to wait for Wa -Pella traffic? Mr. Lawrie explained that there was a similar amount of pedestrian traffic that was observed in the north -south direction compared to the east -west direction and it was concentrated during small windows of time. Mr. Lawrie further explained page 3 of 3 Wa -Pella Avenue Traffic Meeting May 29, 2007 that Staff doesn't expect back -ups based on what is observed on Lincoln Street, which experiences an even greater volume of traffic. Residents then started to make comparisons to See Gwun Avenue and the speed humps that were installed and if this was the route Wa -Pella Avenue would eventually take. Mayor Wilks said the speed humps were put in as part of an experiment because See Gwun Avenue is a collector street and not the same as Wa -Pella Avenue. Wa -Pella Avenue will not be collector street. Residents voiced their disagreement with that comment and sited several examples of why they think Wa -Pella Avenue will become a collector street and why the volume of traffic will increase after the changes are made. Staff explained the differences between residential and collector streets and why a significant increase in traffic volume on Wa -Pella Avenue is not expected This discussion continued to go back and forth between staff and residents. Lara Kowalski wanted to know if after the stop signs are removed and the restudy proves their concerns were merited; will the stop signs be put back? Mr. Lawrie answered not necessarily. All options would have to be reviewed. The discussion then turned into a lot of "what if' questions and more concerns about why the stop signs should remain at Milburn Avenue by Laura Traviolia. Dan Kowalski ended the questioning by asking, once again, why the changes couldn't be put on hold until the data from the restudy of the other zones was completed and reviewed. Mayor Wilks commented that the rest of the Village has suffered while the changes have been put on hold in this zone and that no matter what is said at this meeting, it won't satisfy the neighborhood, but their comments have been received and will be taken into consideration. Mayor Wilks thanked the residents for attending and adjourned the meeting at 8:10 PM. Respectfully submitted, Donna M. Brown Project Engineer