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Consideration of request from Engineering Division to adopt proposed new Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program Guidelines
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Submitted by:
Michael May, PE, PTOE, RSP1
Department:
DPW - Engineering Division
A. Issue
The existing Neighborhood Traffic Management Program involves a lengthy and time-consuming process and has resulted in zero resident-funded traffic calming installations.
B. Background/Options
The Engineering Division presented to the Transportation Affairs Committee a basic framework to streamline the traffic calming program. This presentation occurred on March 11th.
As a reminder, the City has had a neighborhood traffic management program in place 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 as the existing program envisioned. 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.
Attached please find a copy of the proposed new Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program Guidelines and the existing Neighborhood Traffic Management Program Guidelines. The following is a high-level description of the steps involved with the proposed new guidelines.
• Anyone can submit a traffic calming application. The application will need to provide their contact information with the completed application.
• The Engineering Division will review traffic calming applications and determine if the request meets the minimum qualifications for participation in the program (see Section IV, Part A of proposed guidelines). Engineering will contact applicants to inform them if their request meets minimum qualifications and, if not, will summarize why it does not.
• If an application qualifies for the neighborhood traffic calming program, Engineering will collect traffic volume, speed, and/or crash data. The data will be compared against program thresholds (see Section IV, Part B of proposed guidelines). If no volume, speed, or crash data thresholds are met, the application will be dropped from consideration for traffic calming and the applicant will be notified.
• Applications meeting minimum thresholds will be ranked based on various factors (see Section IV, Part C). These factors include measured traffic speeds, traffic volumes, and crash experience. Additional factors considered in the ranking include, but are not limited to, official Safe Routes to School, official greenway routes, pedestrian accommodations, and proximity to schools or parks.
• Preliminary concepts will be prepared at least once a year for the top-ranking applications (see Section V, Part B). The concepts will be prepared to understand the feasibility and approximate cost of construction, or to determine if additional study is required.
• The Engineering Division will program projects for construction in the current and/or subsequent years dependent on the traffic calming solution, available funding, and level of interagency and public interaction deemed necessary (see Section V, Part B).
A project priority list will be shared with the Transportation Affairs Committee each year, ideally at its May meeting. Additionally, notification will be given to abutting property owners of upcoming projects. Updates may be provided on the City’s construction updates webpage.
The primary funding source for the program is an allocation from the City’s vehicle registration fee. As such, the merits of a traffic calming application are not measured by an applicant’s or a neighborhood’s ability to pay. Rather, the merits of an application are based solely on the safety-related evidence gathered through the neighborhood traffic calming program guidelines.
C. Strategic Plan (Area of Focus)
Priority 2: Public Safety, Goal 2. Proactively address pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular safety.
D. Fiscal Impact
No additional financial impact. The primary funding source for the program is an allocation from the City’s vehicle registration fee. The number of traffic calming measures implemented in the program is dependent on the program’s allocation.
E. Recommendation
Adoption of the proposed Neighborhood Traffic Management Program Guidelines.