HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-291JUNE 28, 2011 11 -291 ORDINANCE
FIRST READING
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PURPOSE: APPROVAL OF THROUGH STREET DESIGNATION FOR
WAUKAU AVENUE, PARKING REGULATIONS ON DIVISION
STREET AND SHERMAN ROAD, AND DESIGNATION OF A
PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON ON HIGH AVENUE
INITIATED BY: TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
A GENERAL ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF OSHKOSH AMENDING SECTIONS 27-
23(A-8) AND 27- 23(A -11) OF THE OSHKOSH MUNICIPAL CODE PERTAINING TO
PARKING REGULATIONS ON DESIGNATED STREETS AND ALLEYS AND TO
DESIGNATED THROUGH STREETS, AND CREATING SECTION 27- 23(A -7.2) IN THE
OSHKOSH MUNICIPAL CODE PERTAINING TO DESIGNATED PEDESTRIAN HYBRID
BEACONS.
The Common Council of the City of Oshkosh do ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. That Section 27- 23(A -8) of the Oshkosh Municipal Code pertaining
to designated through streets is hereby amended as follows
A-8 THROUGH STREETS DESIGNATED
Remove Therefrom Waukau Avenue, at its intersection with Bradley Street
and Bellfield Drive.
Add Thereto Waukau Avenue, at its intersection with Bradley Street,
White Tail Lane, Elk Ridge Drive, Enterprise Drive and
Bellfield Drive.
SECTION 2. That Section 27- 23(A -11) of the Oshkosh Municipal Code pertaining
to parking regulations on designated streets and alleys is hereby amended as follows
A-11 PARKING REGULATIONS ON DESIGNATED STREETS AND ALLEYS
DIVISION STREET
Remove Therefrom 4 -hour parking, east side, from 107 feet north of
Algoma Boulevard to 50 feet south of Church Avenue
between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. daily
except on Sundays and New Year's Day, Memorial
Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day
and Christmas Day.
JUNE 28, 2011 11 -291 ORDINANCE
FIRST READING CONT'D
Add Thereto
No parking, east side, from 152 feet north of Algoma
Boulevard to 305 feet north of Algoma Boulevard.
Add Thereto 4 -hour parking, east side, from 107 feet north of
Algoma Boulevard to 152 feet north of Algoma
Boulevard between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00
p.m. daily except on Sundays and holidays.
Add Thereto 4 -hour parking, east side, from 305 feet north of
Algoma Boulevard to 50 feet south of Church Avenue
between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. daily
except on Sundays and holidays.
SHERMAN ROAD
Add Thereto No parking, east side, from 400 feet north of Butler
Avenue to 200 feet south of South Drive.
Add Thereto No parking, west side, from 400 feet north of Butler
Avenue to South Drive.
SECTION 3. That Section 27- 23(A -7.2) of the Oshkosh Municipal Code pertaining
to designation of pedestrian hybrid beacons is hereby created as follows:
A -7.2 PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACONS DESIGNATED
The following locations in the City of Oshkosh are hereby declared and
designated as pedestrian hybrid beacons.
High Avenue, 190 feet east of Rockwell Avenue
SECTION 4. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its
passage, publication and placement of the appropriate signage.
SECTION 5. Publication Notice. Please take notice that the City of Oshkosh
enacted ordinance #11 -XXX (A GENERAL ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF OSHKOSH
AMENDING SECTIONS 27- 23(A -8) AND 27- 23(A -11) OF THE OSHKOSH MUNICIPAL
CODE PERTAINING TO PARKING REGULATIONS ON DESIGNATED STREETS AND
ALLEYS AND TO DESIGNATED THROUGH STREETS, AND CREATING SECTION 27-
23(A-7.2) IN THE OSHKOSH MUNICIPAL CODE PERTAINING TO DESIGNATED
PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACONS) on July 13, 2011. The ordinance changes on- street
parking on Division Street and Sherman Road and designates a pedestrian hybrid
beacon on High Avenue.
JUNE 28, 2011 11 -291 ORDINANCE
FIRST READING CONT'D
The full text of the ordinance may be obtained at the Office of the City Clerk, 215
Church Avenue and through the City's website at www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us Clerk's phone
920/236-5011.
OfHKCLfH
ON THE WATER
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mark A. Rohloff, City Manager
FROM: Christopher Strong, Transportation Director
DATE: June 22, 2011
RE: Explanation of Traffic Regulations Ordinance Changes
SECTION 1: SECTION 27- 23(A -8) — THROUGH STREETS
This ordinance change is a correction to actual street conditions.
SECTION 2: SECTION 27- 230-11) — PARKING REGULATIONS
A REQUEST FOR NO PARKING ON THE EAST SIDE OF DIVISION STREET FROM
152 FEET NORTH OF ALGOMA BOULEVARD TO 305 FEET NORTH OF ALGOMA
BOULEVARD.
This is a Police Department request.
Parking is currently prohibited throughout this area due to driveways and fire hydrants, except for
about 15 -20 feet in length at the southern end of this section. When vehicles park at this one
section, it hinders the ability of delivery and service trucks to access the Kitz and Pfeil building.
Removing parking in this one section should make it easier and safer for trucks to access the
property.
This request would effectively eliminate one parking space in this area. There is a high demand
for on- street parking in this area; however, off - street parking is available in the 400 Block West
parking lot, so this impact should be able to be absorbed.
PASSED BY TRAFFIC REVIEW BOARD (5 -0)
A REQUEST FOR NO PARKING ON THE EAST SIDES OF SHERMAN ROAD FROM
400 FEET NORTH OF BUTLER AVENUE TO 200 FEET SOUTH OF SOUTH DRIVE.
(CURRENT CONDITION: UNRESTRICTED PARKING.)
AND
A REQUEST FOR NO PARKING ON THE WEST SIDE OF SHERMAN ROAD FROM
400 FEET NORTH OF BUTLER AVENUE TO SOUTH DRIVE. (CURRENT
CONDITION: UNRESTRICTED PARKING.)
These are Transportation Department requests.
Page 2 of 6
Explanation of Traffic Ordinance Changes
The purpose of these requests is to update the ordinance so that it reflects existing signage. The
current field signage largely replicates this request. Street widths on Sherman Road are narrow,
ranging from 18 feet to 22 feet, so it is appropriate to prohibit parking.
PASSED BY TRAFFIC REVIEW BOARD (5 -0)
SECTION 3: SECTION 27- 23(A -7.2) — PEDESTRIABN HYBRID BEACONS
A REQUEST FOR A PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON ON HIGH AVENUE AT THE
UWO SAGE BUILDING.
This is a University request.
The Sage Building is a new academic building at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh, which
is anticipated to attract significant pedestrian traffic from students, faculty and staff. The building
is located on an uncontrolled section of High Avenue, and the University is concerned about
protecting the safety of pedestrians accessing this building. Two pedestrian- activated traffic
signals have been installed on Algoma Boulevard to assist pedestrians in crossing an otherwise
uncontrolled street. The university is interested in a similar installation by the Sage Building.
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) contains a warrant for traffic signals
based on pedestrian volumes. The warrant is based on a combination of pedestrian volumes and
vehicle traffic volumes as measured in the same time period. The warrant is not written to protect
pedestrian safety per se, but is rather intended to show whether there are sufficient gaps for
pedestrians to safely cross the street based on current vehicle traffic volumes.
The warrant may be met in a couple of ways: a four -hour volume warrant or a peak hour volume
warrant. Figure 1 shows the condition that must be met for four hours in a given weekday for the
pedestrian warrant to be satisfied. Four points (representing combinations of vehicular and
pedestrian traffic volumes) must be above the line in order for the warrant to be satisfied. Figure
2 shows the condition that must be met for the peak hour warrant.
Page 3 of 6
Explanation of Traffic Ordinance Changes
�«
TOTAL OF ALL
PEDESTRIANS 300
CROSSING
MAJOR STREET
PEDESTRIANS 200
PER HOUR (PPH)
M
1'00
107'
340 400 540 600 700 800 904 1000 1100 1200 1300 1404
MAJOR STREET - -TOTAL OF BOTH APPROACHES- -
VEHICLES PER HOUR (VPH)
'Piste: 1017 pph applies as the tower threshold volume.
(Source: http: / /mutcd.thwa.dot.gov /htm /2009 /part4 /fig4c 05 longdesc.htm
Figure 1: Pedestrian W arrant for Traffic Signal, Four -Hour Volume
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TOTAL. OF ALL 5 t . �_ _
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PEDESTRIANS
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MAJOR STREET -
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139'
300 400 500 600 709 800 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 18M
MAJOR STREET- -TOTAL OF BOTH APPROACHES —
VEHICLES PER HOUR (VPH)
't ote: 133 pph applies as the lower threshold vfAume,
( Source: http: / /mutcd.thwa.dot.gov /htm /2009 /part4 /fig4c 07 longdese.htm
Figure 2: Pedestrian Warrant for Traffic Signal, Peak Hour Volume
Vehicle traffic counts on High Avenue at Woodland Avenue were conducted in 2009. These
counts indicate that the fourth highest vehicle traffic hour is about 560 vehicles. To satisfy the
graph shown in Figure 1, the pedestrian traffic would need to be well over 300 per hour. The
highest hourly vehicle traffic count was 675. To satisfy the graph shown in Figure 2, the
pedestrian traffic would need to be around 450 in the peak hour. The amount of pedestrian traffic
which will occur after the Sage Building opens is unknown. While the Sage Building is expected
to receive a significant amount of usage, it is unclear how many users will be crossing High
Avenue at a crosswalk at the building.
Page 4 of 6 Explanation of Traffic Ordinance Changes
The pedestrian warrant for a traffic signal may be satisfied at this location. However, I believe
that a "pedestrian hybrid beacon" might make more sense at this location. A pedestrian hybrid
beacon is a special type of beacon used to warn and control traffic at an unsignalized location to
assist pedestrians in crossing a street or highway at a marked crosswalk. The MUTCD says that a
pedestrian hybrid beacon may be an option to facilitate pedestrian crossings at a location that
does not meet traffic signal warrants or at a location that meets traffic signal warrants but a
decision is made to not install a traffic control signal. An example of a pedestrian hybrid beacon
installation is shown in Figure 3.
Figure 4 shows how the pedestrian hybrid beacon works. The signal heads are normally dark. A
pedestrian who wishes to cross the street presses the button, which immediately starts the hybrid
beacon's cycle. The beacon goes into a flashing yellow, followed by a steady yellow. When the
steady red shows, vehicle traffic is required to stop (just as at a traffic signal). A steady red shows
for the duration of the pedestrian walk interval; i.e. the interval during which the walking person
is displayed. This is followed by a "wig -wag" pattern of flashing reds for the duration of the
pedestrian clearance interval; i.e. the interval during which the upraised hand is displayed. The
beacon goes dark at the end of this sequence. Once the beacon goes dark, vehicular traffic can
resume.
Page 5 of 6 Explanation of Traffic Ordinance Changes
R R R R R SR rR SR
Y FY s =! Sy
1. Dark Until Activated 2. Flashing Yellow 3. Steady Yellow 4. Steady Red During
Upon Activation Pedestrian Walk Interval
FR R R T FR R R legend
Y Y SY Steady yellow
FY Flashing yellow
5. Alternating Flashing Red During 6. Dark Again Until Activated SR Steady red
Pedestrian Clearance Interval FR Flashing red
(Source: bLtp://www.mutcd.fliwa.dot.gov/htm/2009/part4/fig4f 03 longdesc.htm
Figure 4: Sequence for a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon
There are no warrants for installation of pedestrian hybrid beacons, but rather guidelines. As
shown in Figure 5, the guidelines for installing the pedestrian hybrid beacons are based on
vehicle volume, pedestrian volume, and crosswalk length. It is likely that the relatively short
crossing distance on High Avenue means that the pedestrian volume requirement is not much
lower for the pedestrian hybrid beacon than it is for a full traffic signal.
Figure 4F -1. Guidelines for the Installation of Pedestrian
Hybrid Beacons on Low -Speed Roadways
5W Speeds of 35 mph or less
L = crosswalk length
400
TOTAL OF ALL 3o4
PEDESTRIANS CROSSING w
THE MAJOR STREET - PEDESTRIANS
PER HOUR (PPH) Zoo
r6 tP�
1 00
20'
0 250 500 750 1000 12N 1500 1750 2000
MAJOR STREET — TOTAL OF BOTH APPROACHES —
VEHIGLES PER HOUR (VPH)
'Note: 20 pph applies as the lower threshold volume
(Source: http : / /www.mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov /htm /2009 /part4 /fig4f 01 lon#ydesc.htm
Figure 5: Guidelines for the Installation of Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons
It is not clear whether a signal -type device would be appropriate at this location, since many
pedestrians may not used the marked crosswalk and the street width is relatively narrow. If a
signal -type device is to be used at this location, I recommend a pedestrian hybrid beacon instead
of a traffic signal for the following reasons.
Page 6 of 6
Explanation of Traffic Ordinance Changes
• The pedestrian hybrid beacon uses less energy than a signal, because the beacons will be dark
when not in use.
• The pedestrian hybrid beacon is activated immediately when a pedestrian hits the button,
unlike a traffic signal. The immediate activation may tend to encourage pedestrians to choose
to cross at this location.
• The pedestrian hybrid beacon may represent a good tool to improve pedestrian safety at other
crosswalks in the City, and this may be a good location to try an initial one.
• It is possible that the cost of installation of a pedestrian hybrid beacon would be less than that
of a permanent traffic signal.
• It is easier from a traffic engineering perspective to justify installation of a pedestrian hybrid
beacon that may not comply with guidelines instead of a full traffic signal that may not
comply with warrants.
Pedestrian traffic served by the pedestrian hybrid beacon would likely be exclusively related to
the University.
PASSED BY TRAFFIC REVIEW BOARD (5 -0)