Wauwatosa, WI - File #: 25-0190

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Action Details	Meeting Details	Video
3/11/2025	1	Transportation Affairs Committee	informational only		Action details	Meeting details	Not available

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Discussion relative to the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program, an Arterial Safety Management Program, and Street Maintenance investments using vehicle registration fee revenues

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Submitted by:

Michael May, PE, PTOE, RSP1

Department:

Department of Public Works - Engineering Division

A. Issue

The Common Council, via the 2025 budget process and ordinance, instituted a vehicle registration fee with the goals of reducing reckless driving, improving the safety of all street users, and accelerating roadway maintenance on streets.

B. Background/Options

Introduction

The Common Council, via the 2025 budget process and ordinance, instituted a vehicle registration fee with the goals of reducing reckless driving, improving the safety of all street users, and accelerating roadway maintenance on City of Wauwatosa streets. Staff proposes the following three investment categories to accomplish these goals.

• Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP) investments on city local and collector streets.

• Arterial Safety Management Program (ASMP) investments on city arterial streets.

• Street maintenance investments on all city streets.

Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP) Investments

The City has had a NTMP since March 2016, with updates in November 2016 and December 2020. The existing program involves a lengthy and time-consuming process. With just over 180 applications since the program’s inception, the program has resulted in the construction of one pilot project on Kavanaugh Place and minor sign and speed limit changes. The pilot project and minor sign and speed limit changes were fully paid for and constructed by the City of Wauwatosa. The program has resulted in zero resident-funded traffic calming installations. Based on research of other communities around Wisconsin and North America, it is surmised that the lack of resident-funded installations is due, in large part, to the requirement for residents to pay the full costs of installations through property assessments.

A streamlined NTMP framework is proposed that will reduce staff time involved and prioritize the deployment of permanent installations to improve safety on local and collector streets using measurable data.

• Revised process:

o Anyone can submit a request for traffic calming. The requestor becomes the “sponsor” and contact person for the request.

o If minimum qualifications for participation are met as outlined below, staff will collect speed and volume data.

o Next, if speed and/or volume thresholds for participation are met as outlined below, the location will be added to a once-per-year prioritization process based on a point system.

o City will design and construct projects based on their points relative to others, and will do so at 100% City cost - no property assessments to property owners.

• Minimum Qualifications for Participation:

o Local and collector streets under Wauwatosa jurisdiction.

o Street must be greater than 500-feet in length and not cul-de-saced.

o Speed limit at or below 25 mph for local streets, 30 mph for collector streets.

• Minimum Speed & Volume Thresholds for Participation (one or more of the following):

o 85^th percentile speed greater than 5 mph over posted speed limit.

o Excessive speeding: 10% of traffic travels at or greater than 10 mph over the posted speed limit.

• Point System for Streets Meeting Threshold(s):

o Points for 85^th percentile speed

o Points for excessive speeding

o Points for daily traffic volume

o Points for crash history and severity

o Points for location on a Safe Route to School and/or Neighborhood Greenway

o Points for location within a specific distance of schools, civic centers, parks, trails, transit stops, etc.

o Points for presence or lack of pedestrian accommodations

o Points for years on the prioritization list

• Prioritization

o Locations with the highest points will be constructed based on the available funding allocation for the year.

o Locations that do not meet funding for the year will be kept on the list and reevaluated in the subsequent year. A location meeting threshold(s) will be kept on the list for up to three years, at which time a new request can be made.

• Example Projects (Engineering Discretion)

o Speed humps or tables

o Chicanes or medians

o Curb extensions

o Neighborhood traffic circles

Arterial Safety Management Program (ASMP) Investments

Arterial streets are different from local and collector streets, as they carry higher volumes of people further distances and sometimes at greater speeds. These streets typically see higher instances and severities of crashes.

Similar to the NTMP framework, anyone can submit a request through the ASMP framework on arterials within the City’s jurisdiction. Staff will annually review crash history within the city to define locations with high crash patterns and high crash costs. A benefit-to-cost review may be performed to determine where the community can see the highest returns on safety investment.

Example projects:

• Daylighting (curb extensions)

• Relocation or protection of frequently struck objects

• Traffic signal modifications (adding turn indications, signal backplates, detection)

• Rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs)

Street Maintenance Investments

Example street maintenance investment projects include, but are not limited to, increased crack sealing, sealcoating, anti-skid applications on hills or curves, and improved crosswalk surfaces for ADA compliance. This category is not intended to reduce reckless driving, rather, extend the useful life of City streets and reduce lifecycle costs to reduce long term roadway maintenance costs.

C. Strategic Plan (Area of Focus)

Priority 2: Public Safety, Goal 2. Proactively address pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular safety.

D. Fiscal Impact

No additional fiscal impact. Investments are made through existing vehicle registration fee revenues. The amount of funding allocated yearly on each of the three categories will vary based on need which will be determined based on resident applications and data analysis as well as road condition ratings.

E. Recommendation

Staff recommends that it return to the Transportation Affairs Committee with a detailed, revised Neighborhood Traffic Management Program that follows the framework described herein. Staff recommends moving forward with Arterial Safety Management Program Investments and Street Maintenance Investments as described herein.