[Added 3-9-2023 by Ord. No. 23-O-02]
The purpose of this article is to promote and maintain safe
vehicular speeds on residential streets and to enhance the livability
of neighborhoods.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
These devices physically reduce the width of the road, thereby
forcing the driver to reduce the vehicle speed to safely travel through
the device.
These markings are used to delineate lane widths, thereby
potentially reducing vehicle speeds. The area between the edge of
the road and the lane marking can be used for parking in selected
situations or as a bike lane.
Changing the intersection by restricting through movements
or raising the pavement height to effectively regulate vehicle speeds.
These changes can also include reducing the corner radius at the intersections.
These devices are generally used with multilane roadways.
They are used to reduce the width of a road which can regulate vehicle
speeds and provide improved pedestrian crossing opportunities.
These devices can range in length, width and architectural
features. They are effective in reducing the width of the street and
reducing the turning radius of intersections.
These devices create tire noise and are used primarily to
alert drivers to a change in road conditions.
These devices are designed to produce an elongated pavement
rise that is designed to allow vehicles to travel over them safely
at or below the posted speed limit.
The terminology used to describe various methods of reducing
vehicular speeds and volumes on residential neighborhood streets.
These methods typically require the installation of physical devices
such as traffic circles, rumble strips, edge lines markings and speed
humps that were developed for the purpose of discouraging vehicular
speeding.
These devices are generally installed in intersections. The
roadway alignment is deflected around the center island thereby reducing
vehicle speeds.
A request for the installation of a traffic calming device by
residents can be made by petition.
A.
Petition request.
(1)
Homeowners of property on a street can submit a petition to the Town
requesting that a traffic calming device be installed on that street.
The petition shall define the portion of the street for which the
request for a traffic calming device is made. The petition must be
signed by at least 75% of the homeowners of the properties that:
(2)
If a traffic calming device is requested for an intersection, the
petition must be circulated to the homeowners of all properties facing
on intersecting streets within 500 feet of the requested installation
site.
(3)
The Town Clerk shall review the petition to determine the total number
of eligible homeowners on the street(s) and shall compute the percentage
of homeowners signing the petition. If that percentage is 75% or greater,
the Town Clerk shall validate the petition and inform the Mayor and
Council that a petition has been validated for the installation of
a traffic calming device at a particular location.
(4)
A previous petition made in the same area after a prior refusal by
the Town to install traffic calming devices shall not be considered
by the Town without findings that the traffic conditions, volumes
or other relevant factors have materially changed.
B.
To assist homeowners in petitioning for traffic calming devices,
the Town Clerk is authorized to distribute a standard petition form.
A.
Upon receipt of a validated petition, the Town Traffic Engineer,
or other Town-authorized person, shall evaluate the petition and conduct
all necessary studies. A report shall be issued by the Town Traffic
Engineer or other authorized person within 90 days of receipt of a
validated petition. Upon request, this time frame may be extended
by the Mayor and Council. The report shall, if warranted, contain
a recommended traffic calming method and a recommended installation
site. The report shall take into consideration any hill, curve or
street condition that may affect the placement of the traffic calming
device. In addition, the Town Traffic Engineer or other authorized
person will include estimated costs for the recommended solution or
solutions, so that the cost effectiveness of such solutions can be
evaluated.
A.
Conduct of public hearing.
(1)
Upon receipt of the completed report, the Mayor and Council shall
schedule a public hearing to solicit the opinions of the Town's residents.
(2)
The public hearing shall be advertised in the Town newsletter.
(3)
After conducting the public hearing, the Mayor and Council shall
announce its decision within 45 days of the close of the hearing record.
This time may be extended by majority vote of the Council.
(4)
The Mayor and Council may approve, approve with modifications or
deny the request for the installation of a traffic calming device.
(5)
The Town Clerk shall notify the petitioners of the Mayor and Council's
decision, which shall also be published in the newsletter.
B.
Guidelines for evaluating a request for the installation of a traffic
calming device. Petitions requesting the installation of a traffic
calming device shall be evaluated in accordance with the standards
established by the State Highway Administration and the Institute
of Traffic Engineering guidelines. The following criteria are intended
to further guide the Mayor and Council in determining whether a request
for a traffic calming device is reasonable and justified. These shall
not be considered exclusive criteria:
(1)
The street proposed for a traffic calming device has an identified
speeding problem which cannot be alleviated any other way than by
a traffic calming device. Such a problem can be identified through
a combination of resident complaints, police radar surveillance and
ticketing practices and the history of the previous efforts to control
speeding on the street. Traffic calming devices will only be installed
to address documented safety or traffic concerns supported by traffic
engineering studies. Devices can be implemented individually or in
conjunction with other traffic calming measures depending upon area
conditions and characteristics.
(2)
The street carries a higher volume of nonresidential traffic than
would normally be expected. Streets considered for traffic calming
must be primarily residential with a majority of residential homes
and driveways fronting on the street.
(3)
The installation of traffic calming devices shall be assessed for
their potential impact on public transportation, fire and rescue operations
and street maintenance operations, e.g., street sweeping and snow
plowing.
(4)
The potential impact of traffic calming devices on adjacent neighborhoods
shall be assessed.
(5)
Speed humps may be considered when 15% of the total volume of the
traffic is exceeding the posted speed limit by five miles per hour
or more.
(6)
If a problem is determined during the engineering study, the Department
of Public Works will consult with the homeowners of the particular
street and develop a plan for the type and location of traffic calming
devices.
(7)
The costs of a recommended solution or solutions by the Traffic Engineer
or other authorized person should be evaluated by the Council.
Upon request of the 75% of the homeowners of property facing
on the street within 500 feet of a traffic calming device, at least
six months following the installation of the traffic calming device,
the Mayor and Council shall consider removing or altering the traffic
calming device. The request for removal or alteration must be made
by petition subject to the procedures set forth in this article.
A.
The Mayor and Council may initiate the installation, alteration or
removal of traffic calming devices at any time as they deem appropriate.
B.
Nothing in this article shall be construed as preempting the Mayor
and Council from installing, altering, maintaining or removing a traffic
calming device. Town residents will have an opportunity to comment
on any proposed installation, change or removal by the Mayor and Council
at a public meeting prior to adoption.
C.
If, by decision of the Mayor and Council, a specific traffic calming
device identified in a petition is deemed inappropriate for the location
or purpose, other speed control devices may be substituted.
