Agenda Item:

            12       

                            COUNCIL COMMUNICATION

                                      City Manager’s Office

GENERAL INFORMATION

Agenda Date:               November 21, 2005                                                     Communication No.: 05-662

Agenda Item Type:       Receive/File                                                                  Roll Call No.:  

Submitted by:               Jeb E. Brewer, P.E., City Engineer

SUBJECT—

Submittal of the “Hickman Road Traffic Study” completed by the Engineering Department, Traffic and Transportation Division in November 2005.  

SYNOPSIS—

Receive, File, and Approve staff report “Hickman Road Traffic Study” dated November 2005, and authorize implementation of the report’s recommendations.

FISCAL IMPACT—

The total estimated cost to implement staff’s recommendations is $300,000.  Funding will be requested from the Iowa Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Funds for most or all of these costs.  The remainder will be funded from the city’s Capital Improvements Program, “Citywide Traffic Signals, Channelization, and School Crossing Protection Program,” CP038, ENG990000, TFC091. 

RECOMMENDATION—

Approval

BACKGROUND—

On June 20, 2005, City Council discussed a request for traffic signals on Hickman Road at the intersections of 38^th Street and at 48^th Street.  Concern was expressed regarding the speed and volume of traffic on Hickman Road.  By Roll Call No. 05-1555, this request was referred to the City Manager and Engineering Department, Traffic and Transportation Division for review.

Staff conducted a study of this area during the fall of 2005 to determine if traffic signals are warranted at either of these intersections.  The study consisted of a general review of the Hickman Road corridor between 30^th Street and Merle Hay Road, and then a more detailed review at the intersections of 34^th, 38^th, 48^th, 50^th, and 56^th Streets.  The study included a review of the crash history, traffic counts, and speed data at each of these locations.  The study and recommendations are attached.

The study was reviewed by the Traffic Safety Committee at its November 8, 2005 meeting, and the Committee concurred in Staff’s recommendation.

In summary, the report recommends the following implementation items with timetable:

1. Spring 2006--Re-stripe Hickman Road between 30^th Street and Merle Hay Road to a five-lane roadway (similar to University Avenue between 31^st and 48^th Streets).  At the same time, revise the speed limit on Hickman Road to 30 miles per hour.

2. Summer 2006--Submit a request for funding to the Iowa Department of Transportation for State Traffic Safety Funding for five-lane striping, along with a request for funding for a traffic signal at either 48^th Street or 50^th Street (location to be determined based on input from Parks Department and neighborhood meetings).

3. Summer 2007--Subject to approval of Iowa Department of Transportation funding of Item 2, implement five-lane pavement markings on Hickman Road as part of the scheduled Resurfacing Project on Hickman Road between 30^th Street and Merle Hay Road.  Install traffic signals at 48^th or 50^th Street.

Traffic signals are not recommended for the intersection of 38^th Street and Hickman Road.

Attachment