Title
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROPOSED 3RD AVENUE AND 30TH AVENUE MIDBLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS AND STATUS OF OTHER PEDESTRIAN AND CROSSING IMPROVEMENTS
COUNCIL INITIATIVE ADDRESSED:
Improve transportation systems
Address quality of place issues
CITY ATTORNEY REVIEW:N/A
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
At the August 24th, 2017 City Council meeting, the City Council discussed installing midblock crosswalks with warning devices at two locations: 3rd Avenue north of Hudson near the two Canterbury facilities, and 30th Avenue in front of Columbia Valley Gardens Elementary School (CVG). The City Council concurred with staff’s recommendation to hire a traffic engineering consultant to evaluate the two locations to comply with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices requirement for an engineering study before installing a midblock pedestrian crossing. The traffic engineering firm Kittelson and Associates (KAI) was retained to study the proposed crossings; however, their work was delayed due to Cascade Natural Gas construction significantly disrupting traffic along 3rd Avenue until mid-February 2018, at which time accurate data could be collected.
KAI met with constituents, performed field observations, and collected vehicle and pedestrian data. KAI used methodology from the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 562, “Improving Pedestrian Safety at Unsignlized Crossings,” to develop findings and recommendations for crossing treatments.
KAI’s findings for the 3rd Avenue location do not support installing a midblock crossing due to insufficient pedestrian crossing volume. KAI recommends monitoring the location and considering installing a midblock crossing if pedestrian crossing volumes increase to a consistent 20 or more crossings in any one hour each day. KAI does recommend making the following upgrades at the 3rd Avenue/Hudson Street intersection to improve pedestrian safety:
• Modify eastbound approach to provide a dedicated left-turn lane and shared through/right-turn lane
• Modify signal timing to provide a lagging protected left-turn phase
• Upgrade pedestrian signal heads to countdown heads and increase the walk time for the east/west pedestrian crossing movement.
KAI’s findings for the 30th Avenue location do not support installing a midblock crossing because it would improve safety only if pedestrian crossings were shifted from one or both of the school crossings at Pine Street or Pennsylvania Street, and it would not alleviate the pickup and drop off congestion and safety issues on the school property. Because of the intense circulation issues at CVG, KAI did not feel confident that shifting pedestrian crossing patterns would be successful and recommends working to improve the existing school crossings with the following improvements:
• Advance stop bars
• “Stop Here For Pedestrian” Signs
• Continued training for crossing volunteers
• Parent pick-up education relating to alternate pick-up locations.
Long term, KAI recommended:
• Staggered release times
• Separating bus traffic from parent traffic in the drive aisle
• Remove on-street parking on the west side of 30th Avenue to discourage midblock crossings
At the workshop, KAI and City staff will discuss the report findings and recommendations. Staff will also provide a status update regarding other pedestrian safety and crossing improvements.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY:
At the October 12, 2017 Workshop, the City Council approved use of the Public Safety Fund to pay for crossing improvements. The costs of the midblock crossings were previously estimated at $120,000 each, but the costs for the signal modifications have not yet been estimated.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Motion directing staff to
• Upgrade the 3rd Avenue/Hudson Street intersection
• Periodically count pedestrian crossings on 3rd Avenue north of Hudson Street
• Install recommended additional signs and markings on 30th Ave
• Work with Longview School District on circulation and safety improvements at Central Valley Gardens school
STAFF CONTACT:
Manuel Abarca, PE, Traffic Engineer
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