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CR 96-104 Traffic Study - 17th Ave/MainstreetO P K June 11, 1996 Council Report 96 -104 TRAFFIC STUDY 17th AVENUE /MAINSTREET Proposed Action. Staff recommends adoption of the following motion: Move that Council authorize the installation of school Advance" and school Crossing• Signs on Mainstreet at 17th Ave. and on 17th Ave. North at Mainstreet. Overview. Council accepted a letter requesting "No Turn on Red" signs at the intersection of 17th Avenue and Mainstreet and authorized Staff to undertake a traffic study. The request came from Sarah Hjelmeland a resident of Hopkins and student at Hopkins West Junior High School speaking on behalf of her Girl Scout troop working on their Silver Award project. Staff completed the traffic study and makes its recommendations in this report. Primary Issues to Consider. • Results of intersection study • Alternate proposal and recommendation Supporting Information. • Location map and proposed sign installation JMKes Gessele Engineering Superintendent Y 5 • Primary Issues to Consider. • Results of intersection study CR 96 -104 Page 2 Staff undertook a study of the 17th Avenue /Mainstreet intersection to specifically address any warrants for "No Turn On Red" signs. The study was composed of five elements: • Accident reports • "No Turn On Red" criteria from Minnesota Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices • Crossing pedestrian counts • Vehicle right turn counts • School warning sign inventory Staff examined the police generated accident reports for the intersection dating back to January 1991 and found no reported incidents. Staff noted the six criteria set down by the uniform traffic control manual and could not answer in the affirmative on any of the conditions: 1. Sight distance to approaching vehicles from the left is inadequate. 2. Intersection geometrics are such that unexpected conflicts arise. 3. The stop light has an exclusive pedestrian phase. 4. Significant pedestrian conflicts arise from right- turn -on -red maneuvers. 5. More than three right- turn -on red accidents per year have been reported. 6. There is significant crossing activity by children, elderly or disabled people. Staff visited the intersection at critical hours of the day - critical in the sense of peak student pedestrian counts. Student counts in the morning between 8:15 -9:15 at the intersection in any direction totaled 5 people. The afternoon count between 3:15 -4:15 totaled 11 people. This does not qualify as significant crossing activity. Northbound vehicle counts on 17th Avenue turnings right were considerably higher: 54 in the morning hour slot and 62 in the afternoon. An inventory of existing school warning signs revealed school advance and school crossing signs for northbound 17h Avenue traffic south of Mainstreet. One school crossing sign was found on 17th Avenue for southbound traffic north of Mainstreet. No signs are to be found on Mainstreet on either side of the intersection. 1 Conclusion: CR 96 -104 Page 3 Staff found no warrants for installation of "No Turn On Red" signs at all corners of the 17th Ave. /Mainstreet intersection, but found a woeful lack of school crossing signs on Mainstreet. • Alternate proposal and recommendation Staff recommends the placement of school warning signs on 17th Avenue and Mainstreet to bring the City into compliance with recommended standards in the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control. Installation should follow that suggested on the attached location map and should match the Mainstreet sign standard in pole selection and sign backing color. This alternate proposal is satisfactory to the petitioner and will meet the test of earning the scouting award. Staff also recommends that Council extend a word of commendation to Sarah Hjelmeland and her Girl Scout troop for their interest in pedestrian safety and to wish them success in their quest for the Silver Award in scouting. 1 Jim Gesselle Hopkins Engineer City Of Hopkins 1010 1st St. South Hopkins, MN, 55343 Dear Mr. Jim Gesselle: March 31, 1996 42 North 16th Ave Hopkins, MN, 55343 My girl scout troop and I are working on the Silver Award, the second highest award in girl scouting. One of the many requirements for this award is to do a Silver Award Project. This project has four steps. Step 1: Decide what talents and abilities we could put into action through a project that will improve the lives of others. Step 2: Develop a plan to use our personal strengths to help others in the schools, community, religious groups, or with Girl Scouting. Step 3: Identify the people whom you will work with. Step 4: Carry out our plan and write a brief evaluation. Our plan is to get a sign that says, "School Crossing, No Turn On Red" put up on all four sides of the 17th Avenue & Mainstreet intersection. Of course, we do have reasons for wanting these signs put up. One of our main reasons is that this particular intersection is a very busy one, it being on main street. Another good reason these signs should be posted is for the safety of school children and people. Younger children that have to cross that intersection alone, shouldn't have to worry about getting hit by a car on their way to or from school. Also, I am an experienced crossing guard and I know how hard it is to control both younger kids and careless drivers. So now that you have heard why we want these signs posted, we hope you will help us and hopefully we can get these signs up. Si cerely, a� OpJ ( tan( OftC Sarah Hjelmeland eau } O t• a S . 0 .0 • �a AorAgilE 4 Control PYk 1 r.