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The Town Council has approved an updated version of the Neighborhood Traffic Management Process (NTMP) for the Town of Fountain Hills.
The NTMP outlines traffic management and calming measures providing detail on traffic calming measures such as chokers, gateways, intersection channelization, median barriers, neckdowns, raised intersections, speed humps, delineators and other options.
The current plan adopted in 1998 also predates the Town’s Traffic Safety Committee for speed studies and speed hump/cushions and includes some obsolete material.
Town Engineer David Janover told the council the update streamlines the process to focus on the speed hump/cushion request process and includes the latest standards and technology for these items.
It includes the qualifying criteria as well as petition process including requirements and review, construction process and costs responsibility.
The plan also includes criteria and process for removal of traffic calming humps or cushions.
Janover provided the definition for speed humps and cushions. Speed humps are used to slow the flow of traffic on local two-lane streets and are placed across the entire roadway. Speed cushions are also used to slow traffic but only on three-lane collector streets (one lane each direction with a center turn lane). Speed cushions also provide road level gaps to allow emergency vehicles to pass through the center with minimal bump at higher speeds. Janover said he worked with the fire department to establish a design that would place the gaps at the width of the tires on firetrucks.
To qualify for one of these calming devices the roadway must have a volume of 5,000 vehicles per day, a maximum posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour, streets no wider than three lanes, measured speed must meet criteria, public safety agencies must approve device and they are subject to approval by the Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee.
The speed criteria are based on the 85th percentile speed, which is the speed at which 85% of the traffic is traveling at or below. The town will monitor speed and traffic flow for a three-day period. If a more accurate measure is deemed necessary, speed tubes will be installed for a one-week period.
The monitoring will also be used to determine how the device is paid for. For instance, if the speed limit is 25 miles per hour and the 85-percentile speed is 31 to 37 miles per hour, the project is neighborhood funded. If the 85-percentile speed is greater than 37 miles per hour, the project is Town funded. If the speed limit is 30 miles per hour, the 85th percentile measures are at 36 miles per hour or 42 miles per hour to determine neighborhood or Town funded.
If the measured speed is at 30 mph where it is posted 25, or 35 where it is posted at 30, the traffic calming will not be considered warranted.
Traffic calming devices are neighborhood initiated and require petitions from property owners before the process can go forward.
Petition requirements include determination by the Town Engineer of a boundary for the “affected area,” including but not limited to where normal travel routes may be impacted by the device.
A neighborhood liaison is responsible for circulating the petition among the affected property owners. The petition must be supported by 75% of the affected property owners. All property owners within 50 feet of where the device is placed must approve.
Petition signers must be owners of the respective property, unless the owner provides an affidavit allowing the tenant/occupant to respond.
If speed measurements indicate the device is to be neighborhood funded, petition language must include language stating all affected owners will share in the cost.
The Town would handle construction details and install signs after the device is installed. If the project is to be neighborhood funded, the Town will provide an invoice to the liaison. Janover said the approximate cost per device including installation and signs and striping would be $3,500 for a speed hump or $5,500 for speed cushion. The town would be responsible for ongoing maintenance.
To request removal the device must be in place for at least six months and a petition with 51% of property owners is required. The cost of removal is borne by the affected residents.
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