Columbus Consolidated Government
Neighborhood Traffic Calming Policy
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
What Does Neighborhood Traffic Calming Mean:
The term ?Neighborhood Traffic Calming? is used to describe ways to control the
flow of vehicular traffic through neighborhoods in such a way as to not disrupt
the normal serenity of the neighborhood. Normally Traffic Calming will be
applied to address excess volume or speed within or through a neighborhood.
Increased volume and increase speed can lead to more dangerous, less pleasant
streets and discourage their use by bicyclists and pedestrians. Neighborhood
Traffic Calming seeks to provide an atmosphere where automobiles, pedestrians,
and bicyclist can safely share the roadways.
Goals of Traffic Calming:
Traffic Calming is the implementation of measures including Driver Education,
Enforcement and Structural measures or any combination of these elements to
bring about a favorable change in the behavior of the motorist along a
particular section of roadway. Traffic Calming measures will be applied to some
extent to any street that exhibits a problem, however arterial and collector
streets are not usually considered appropriate for Structural Traffic Calming
measures.
Interim or First Response Measures:
When Traffic Calming may be warranted or and conditions may be change by other
than construction of Traffic Calming measures, the following plans of action
may be implemented. If they bring about the desired results then no further
measures will be needed. These measures may be considered prior to the receipt
of the ?Initial Interest Petition? or used after the petition is returned to
the Traffic Engineering Division, at the discretion of the City.
Education will target a project area and use various methods to make people
aware of the danger of speeding. Options include the use of Public Safety
personnel to speak to neighborhood organizations and provide printed
information to be distributed throughout the neighborhood. The use of Speed
Trailers to instantly display the speed of vehicles in the project area. The
Speed Trailers will alert drivers of their speed. Many motorists who are guilty
of speeding may not be aware that they are exceeding the speed limit. Should
one if the educational methods resolve the issue, no further action will be
necessary.
Enforcement enlists the help of our Public Safety Departments to focus
enforcement efforts on the project area. Should this effort resolve the issue,
no further action will be necessary.
Temporary Speed Tables are being considered as an interim measure for some
locations. We are planning to use ?portable? speed tables constructed of
rubber, which can be installed and later removed. These devices may solve less
sever problems. It is anticipated these speed tables may be in an area for up
to 6 months and then relocated to another area for use.
Non-Qualifying Streets for a Traffic Study:
While the focus of installing structural Traffic Calming measures will be
primarily on local streets, some local streets will not qualify for Traffic
Studies. In order to be considered for a Traffic Study streets must meet a
minimum criteria listed below:
1. A prospective street must be a minimum of 1/4th mile in length or 1,320 feet
in length, between uninterrupted intersections.
2. A prospective street must carry at least 500 vehicles per day.
3. No Private Streets
II. REQUEST FOR A TRAFFIC STUDY
1. Report the Concern ? Notify the Citizens Service Center by calling 311 or
706-653-4000, and request a Traffic Study.
2. The Citizen Service Center will collect the following information for
CitiLink assignment to Traffic Engineering:
a. Name of person requesting the petition. (the requesting person must be a
home owner on the street where the Traffic Study is requested.)
b. Correct mailing address including zip code.
c. Daytime telephone number or contact phone number
d. Street name where study is requested.
3. Traffic Engineering will make contact with the requestor and provide them
with:
a. ?Initial Interest Petition Form?:
b. A Tax Map identifying the affected area:
c. A point of contact in the Traffic Engineering Division:
d. Written Explanation of what the requestor needs to do before the Traffic
Study can continue:
4. The Initial Interest Petition Form requires that a minimum of 20% of the
residents in the affected sign the petition before the Traffic Study is
scheduled. The Initial Requestor or a representative of a neighborhood group
will be responsible for circulating the petition and returning it to the
Traffic Engineering Division.
5. The Initial Interest Petition must be returned to the Traffic Engineering
Division within 30 days or the request is dropped. Should circumstances prevail
that require a short extension of up to 10 days, the petitioner is required to
contact the Traffic Engineering Division with the request for and extension.
III. CERTIFICATION OF PETITION
The Traffic Engineering Division will validate the signatures on the petition
and schedule the study. If there are discrepancies the requestor may be
contacted for clarification. If sufficient signatures are not obtained the
petitioner will be notified and the request closed. A new request may be
submitted after a 12 month waiting period.
IV. TRAFFIC STUDY
1. A Traffic Study will be scheduled as soon as practical but in no case longer
than 60 days after the petition is turned in and verified. The study shall be
conducted for a period of at least 5 days unless otherwise requested by the
petitioner, or unless circumstances dictate a study to be extended over a
weekend.
2. Roadside Traffic Counters will be used to gather data on Speed, Volume and
Vehicle Classification. Depending on the length of the street, several traffic
count stations may be installed in order to obtain a true picture of the
traffic pattern on the roadway.
3. All Traffic Studies will be scheduled on a ?First In / First Out? basis. The
City reserves the right to adjust this schedule if circumstances warrant.
V. EVALUATION OF STUDY
1. The Traffic Engineer will evaluate the study results based on pre set
criteria to determine if a problem exists with either speed or volume. (see
Table 1)
2. Information from the completed study is evaluated in accordance with the
criteria in this policy. These criteria are used as bench marks to identify
the presence of problems:
A) Speed Criteria - The 85th percentile speed exceeds the posted speed limit by
more than 10 mph, based on the total number of vehicles counted for the study
period. (Study period shall be at least 5 days and include at least 3 week
days).
B) Volume Criteria - The volume of traffic on the project street exceeds the
normal traffic volume by 20% for a period of 3 of 5 week days. Normal traffic
volume is calculated by:
1. Single Family Detached = Number of homes times 10 trips per day.
2. Multifamily = Number of units times 7 trips per day.
When a Traffic Study shows the need for Traffic Calming measures to be
installed, the Traffic Engineering Division will design suitable measures to
accomplish Traffic Calming. The Criteria in the in Table 1 will be used to set
priorities in choosing streets where Traffic Calming measures will be
constructed.
Table 1
Priority Criteria to Rank Streets Needing Traffic Calming
Criteria Basis for Point Assignment
Speed Speeds 10 mph above posted speed limit (assign 5 points for every 1 mph)
Volume Average daily traffic volumes (1 point assigned for every 100 vehicles)
Accident History Accidents per mile of roadway (assign 2 points per accident, per mile
of roadway within the past 3 years of accident history)
The need to set priorities is extremely important since the placement of all
Traffic Calming measures will be dependant upon the yearly funds allotted in
the budget process. Therefore setting priorities using the numerical value
system will insure that areas with the greatest need are considered first.
VI. NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS
The petitioner is notified of the results of the Traffic Study. If Traffic
Calming is warranted, a public meeting will be scheduled to present the
designed Traffic Calming Plan. At that meeting, the petitioner will be given a
copy of the plan and a ?Petition for Traffic Calming? to begin circulating. The
petition must be signed and filled out by PROPERTY OWNERS. A minimum of 65% of
the property owners within the affected area must sign the petition in favor of
the traffic calming measures proposed.
VII. PETITION FOR TRAFFIC CALMING
The Petition for Traffic Calming will be given the petitioner for circulation.
The petition must be returned to the Traffic Engineering Division within 45
days of the public meeting.
During this 45 day time frame the citizens will have the opportunity to
request, in writing, changes and or additions / deletions to the proposed
Traffic Calming Plan. If the changes can be accommodated and still accomplish
the goal of Traffic Calming the City Staff will consider the requested changes.
VIII. FAILURE OF A PETITION
Should the Petition for ? Traffic Calming? fail by not getting the required 65%
of the property owners to sign the petition, the request is considered closed.
City Staff will not consider a new request no sooner than 12 months from the
time of closure.
IX. REMOVAL OF TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES
Once permanent Traffic Calming measures are approved by the residents and
installed by the City, they will not be removed for any reason until they
remain installed for a period of not less than 12 months, unless circumstances
dictate or it becomes in the best interest of the City. Should citizens wish to
have Traffic Calming measures removed from a street after they have been in
place for 12 months, a ?Petition to Remove a Traffic Calming Measure? must be
presented to the Traffic Engineering Division. The ?Petition for Removal of a
Traffic Calming Measure? must contain signatures from a minimum of 65% of the
property owners in the affected area. The affected is defined as the same area
required for installation of traffic calming measures.
X. FUNDING - The funding is limited and established each budget year by the
action of the Council of Columbus. If funding is not available the project may
be rejected or placed on hold until such time as funding becomes available.
XI. OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS - Public Safety and Public Services Departments will
provide input into design of any Structural Traffic Calming Device. Structural
Traffic Calming Devices will require funding approval by City Council.
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