HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Transportation Advisory Commission - 06/27/2011 RECEIVED
Transportation Advisory Committee DEC 12 P011
Meeting Minutes CITYSECRETgRy�
Monday, June 27, 2011 SOFFICE
Call Meeting to Order - Mr. Curtis A. Rock, Chairman, called the meeting to'order at
2:30 p.m.
II. Approval of Minutes - Minutes of May 23, 2011 were approved.
III. Presentations and Discussions -
a. Monthly Traffic Fatality Report: Monthly Traffic Fatality Report: Sgt. Pena
reported five (5) new fatalities, which brings the total to eighteen (18) for the.
year 2011. He said fatality fourteen (14) occurred on June 5 at the 5200 block of
SPID. This was a two-vehicle accident, speed was definitely a factor and it was
alcohol related. He said the driver at fault was traveling at around 96 mph and
the driver of vehicle number two was killed at the scene. . Sgt. Pena discussed
fatality accident number fifteen (15), said this accident happened on June 10 at
the 2800 block of SPID near Richter, and stated it was a .one-vehicle accident.
The vehicle ran straight into the New Jersey barricade at a t-intersection. He said
this accident might have been a suicide. Sgt. Pena said accident number sixteen
(16) occurred on June 12 at SPID near Dodd. He said this accident was a two-
vehicle accident between a car and a motorcycle and was alcohol related. Sgt.
Penasaid fatalities seventeen (17) and eighteen (18) occurred on June 24 at the
700 block of SPID.. He said this was a two-vehicle accident and they are still
trying to figure out which vehicle was driving the wrong-way on the freeway.
b. Monthly Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee Report: Ms. Beard reported
there have been some productive meetings and said "Safe Passing is still on the
table. Ms. Beard said she had a conversation with Chief Riggs in April and he
wanted to know what Mr. Valdez thinks about this ordinance. She said Ms. Arnold
and herself met with Mr. Valdez, Mr. Reining, Ms. Ocanas and other people in the
Attorney's Office. She said Mr. Reining stated his reasons why it should.not be
passed. He feels there is already an ordinance on the books that protects
everyone. Ms. Beard stated Mr. Valdez wants an ordinance that would be
enforced by police the day after it has been passed by City Council. She said he is
not opposed to it but he does not want it to conflict with what is already in the
books and he wants it very enforceable. She said, however, part of the problem
is unless a police officer witnesses the event, there is nothing that can be done.
Ms. Beard said two other attorneys in town have looked at it. She said one used
to be a prosecuting attorney and Mr. Valdez wanted his opinion on it, whether it
would stand up in court. While this attorney is in favor of the ordinance, he does
not think it would stand up in court because of the transportation laws that are
already on the books. Therefore, the last recommendation she had made at one
of the meetings was to change`this ordinance into a resolution. Mr. Valdez
thought changing this into a resolution was a great idea but there is still conflict
on how it is written and what laws are on the books so Mr. Reining has offered to
write up the resolution. He will list the laws on the books and state we want the
Police Department and everybody to make a consorted effort to bring-awareness
to it. Ms. Beard said several of the subcommittee members would like it to be an
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annual event; for this reason, every year during the summer, it will be brought to
the awareness of the public regarding safety on bikes. Ms. Beard said in the near
future, she would bring the resolution and would like to make a recommendation
to do away with the old ordinance that was approved and change it into.a
resolution. Next, Ms. Beard reported that she and Ms. Arnold had met with TxDOT
staff to talk about a list of projects they are resurfacing and as we all know,
overlay vs. seal chip is very different for bicyclists. She said TxDOT is very happy
to work with the subcommittee. They did not say they could always
accommodate bike riders because it depends on their budget but they can at least
make an effort to do the correct coating of the pavement to where it is conducive
for bike riders. She said there is need to make them aware of any streets that are
heavily ridden for bike routes. Ms. Beard said Mr. Casey stated they could make a
shoulder on some of them but do not have the funds to do the signs, markings and
everything to make them all bike lanes. She told him if we have a shoulder that it
is properlyprepared, maybe a year or two from now the Federal Government will
give the state funds to make bike routes and we have half of the work done if the
shoulder is already done and still there. She also reported Mr. Carlos Valdez
asked the subcommittee to look at some old ordinances on the books concerning
bicyclists.
Ms. Beard stated that next month she would bring a list of them because this
committee needs to approve them. Mr. Jacobi asked even though it is just a
resolution, if a police officer observes something that it is unsafe. Does he still
have the right to pull him over? Ms. Beard answered it is still a law and the
resolution is just going to be enforcing laws that are already on the state books..
She stated it just reinforces what we already have. Ms. Cudd said the law does
not specify how many feet. Ms. Beard said it does in some areas. Ms. Ocanas said
it does not allow you to pass unsafely so reinstating what is in state law will
provide for no conflicts and will allow for a police officer's judgment based on
what he thinks or witnesses or whatever he wants to testify too. The likely hood
of prosecution is much better and much stronger option.
c. Police Department Traffic Enforcement Complaints: Lt. Sherman reported that
for the month of June, to date, there have been eight complaints, which is a little
bit lower than during the school year. He stated they have been addressing the
complaints as they come.
d. TXDot Construction Projects: Mr. Vourcos discussed. TxDOT upcoming
construction projects for the remainder of this fiscal year and fiscal year 2012.
He said he would like to focus on the projects in Nueces Countybecause they
have a ten county district. He stated TxDOT does not have the funding they used
to have; therefore, their focal point is on maintaining their system. He said the
"work type" in the handout is mainly maintenance work. Mr. Vourcos stated the
City of Corpus Christi does the same thing. He continued to explain that the first
couple of projects in July in Nueces County are on US-77 and Business US-77 near
Robstown. He said that in the month of August they have many projects they will
be letting. The third one in August is on Business SH-286A; this is Ayers St. He
said this in an important project because it is like a complete street project.
Right now, Ayers St. between Holly Rd. and Saratoga Blvd. is four lanes but it is
undivided, no sidewalks and no shoulders and there are ditches. This project is
going to add a left turn lane, curb Et gutter and underground storm drain system.
In addition, to help the bicycle community, pavement bike lanes will be
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installed. This is very similar to Kostoryz Rd. between Holly Rd. and Saratoga
Blvd., where you have the four lanes, left turn lane and the other two bike lanes
that are actually striped. Mr. Vourcos said this is going to be a very nice project
because this is going to connect the bicycle community of Holly Rd. and Saratoga
Blvd. He said going down the list,, there are still a few projects on SH-77 and
there are two landscape projects,on SPID. He said one is at the Interchange of
SH44 and SH358 and the other one is at the Interchange of SH358 and Flour Bluff
Dr. He said they do landscape jobs not to just beautify the city but also helps our
environment. He said thesetwo projects are going to be important to the City of
Corpus Christi because they are going to be our partners in helping maintain these
landscape projects. The next project Mr. Vourcos discussed was the lighting
project for the Harbor Bridge. He said the Harbor Bridge used to have lighting
about 10-20 years ago, it looked like downtown, and it had many white lights on
top of the buildings. Mr. Vourcos said the lighting went across the Harbor Bridge
but that system rusted out and fell,apart. He said they are getting ready put in a
high-tech led lighting system that is going to have canisters, which are going to be
mounted to the bridge at strategic locations. He said these lights would be
controlled by a computer. The lights would have different colors schemes. The
lifespan of these lights will be about ten years but TxDOT is actively pursuing the
possible replacement of the Harbor Bridge. That bridge takes a lot of
maintenance and care just to keep it looking good. We have just finished roughly
about $40,000,000 worth of rehab of painting, and we cannot be doing that every
ten years. We want to replace that structure and we are starting an
environmental statement study. The goal is to replace this structure if possible
with a new structure that is taller so larger ships can get underneath the bridge,
is easy to maintain, has more traffic lanes which includes a separated hike and
bike area. Ms. Beard asked if any of the traffic lanes would be blocked while the
lighting is being installed. He said yes probably some of the traffic lanes would be
closed. Mr. Vourcos continued to discuss some other TxDOT construction projects
in Nueces County and a brief question and answer period ensued after that.
e. Discussion on Proposing to Establish a 55 MPH Speed Limit Zone on US-77
Frontage Roads between Northwest Blvd. a IH-37 with Possible Action Taken:
Mr. Cardenas mentioned several years ago, in order for TxDOT to set the speed
limit, they needed a City Council approved minute order. He said about, seven
years ago, TxDOT built the main lanes on US-77 from the interchange past FM-624
towards Robstown. He said there were two lanes out there and they ended up
making it a freeway section. Mr. Cardenas said several years ago this committee,
passed and presented to the City Council to establish the speed limit of 70 mph on
the main lanes. He said this portion would be part "b" to that request and this is
to set the speed limits to the frontage roads. Apparently, it starts near Labonte
Park and terminates at milepost 1.7. There is not an established speed limit on
the frontage road. TxDOT has done some speed studies and are proposing a 55
mph speed limit. Mr. Cardenas said at .this point he is just prepared for
discussion and would like to create the formal exhibits that will be presented to
City Council. Mr. Cardenas said the speed limit is difficult to enforce because
the Police Department enforces a,40 mph speed limit with the assumption that it
is 40 mph. Ms. Cudd inquired is it 40 mph from Labonte Park. Mr. Cardenas said
yes and that was established through minute order and then it stops and that is
because they have built out this new section, like a new roadway. Mr. Price
asked if the access roads have 55 mph now around Corpus Christi. Mr. Cardenas
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said probably US181 and somewhere else is 55 mph. He said this is according to
the engineering speed studies that they do and how they establish it is through
the 85th percentile. Ms. Cudd asked if there is a frontage road going past
Northwest Blvd. Mr. Cardenas said yes, there is a frontage road all the way down
to Robstown. Ms. Cudd asked what the speed limit there is. Mr. Cardenas said he
thinks it has not been established there but if it has been then it is through a
different entity, like Nueces County or the City of Robstown. He said this is past
the city limits. The committee members mentioned the speed limit has to be
consistent. Mr. Cardenas said this is just for discussion and would like TxDOT to
explain their speed studies and the engineering process that is involved.
f. Top Intersection Crashes for the Month: Lt. Sherman reported Leopard St. and
Violet Rd. is the intersection with most accidents with five (5). He said there
were three crashes at this intersection that involved following' too closely.
Accident number four was an unsafe lane change from direct course and the fifth
one was failing to yield on a left turn. He said Saratoga Blvd. and Weber Rd. had
four (4) accidents and they were all failure to control speed. Lt. Sherman said at
2501 US-181 southbound, which is the Harbor Bridge; there were four '(4)
accidents. He said two were out of control speed and two were unsafe lane
changes. Next, he said at 4900 US-181, further down from the Harbor Bridge,
closer to the Whataburger in North Beach. He said there were four (4) accidents
and three were failure to control speed and one failure to yield while entering the
highway. Capt. Vesely mentioned this item will be a monthly report and will be
included in the TAC agenda packet from now on. He said, although they get the
top 20 intersections, generally, it is just the top four or five of the interesting
ones because there are four or five different accidents during that month. Capt.
Vesely reported he and Mr. Cardenas have discussed putting up moveable signs at
the top ten accident locations for the month. He said this should be at the
beginning of the month and should say something like "Number One Intersection
Accident Location for the Previous Month" and so on and have it at each
approach. He said, hopefully this should make motorists more aware to be extra
careful at each location. He said they would conduct an analysis, see how it
decreases the amount of accidents during the month with the signs up, and see if
they have a positive correlation between the signs and the accident occurrences.
g. Red Light Camera Update: Capt Vesely reported that the Texas Legislature has
finished all the changes to the laws. .He stated that red light cameras in the State
of Texas are not changing in any significant way. The big thing was attaching the
fines to the vehicle registrations for those in Nueces County. Capt. Vesely said
things for the next two years would probably be the same as they were for the
following two years. This is significant because we are looking at the idea of
installing more cameras in the City of Corpus Christi. He has asked the, Redflex
Corporation to help them with this, which it looks like we are extending our
contract with them for as much as ten more years. He said he has given them a
list of 27 intersections for them to look at across the City of Corpus Christi, in a
widevariety of areas. He said Redflex is sending someone to do physical surveys
of each of the approaches to these 27 intersections to see which would be the
best approach, which has most of the violations so we can alter the driving habits
of those people who run the red lights at a particular approach. He said he had
talked to Mr. John Casey, the District Engineer for TxDOT. Capt. Vesely said he
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and Mr. Casey had some kind of offline dialogue back and forth about the ability
to install red light cameras along SH358, which seems to be the highest violation
areas in Corpus Christi. He seems to be amiable to that fact; therefore, they are
working towards this. Capt. Vesely asked the committee if they are in favor of
adding more red light cameras. He said generally every month the number of
fines that are paid to the City of Corpus Christi for the violations of the red light
cameras tend to be about $25,000 - $30,000 a month. He said it does not sound
like a lot of money but again there are only 13 red light cameras. He said in the
month of May, which is the first month that they have had the registration
attachment to the fines in effect. They have collected about $115,000, therefore
there is going to be extra funds that can be spent for traffic enforcement,
engineering upgrades, these types of things. The committee members mentioned
they are in favor of the installation of new red light cameras in the city. Capt.
Vesely said the vast majority the Police Department spends its red light cameras
money is paying for the crossing guards, which is about $200,000 a year. He said
the crossing guards have been written off the budget beginning the middle of the
fiscal year. Therefore, starting February 1, there will be no more funding for the
crossing guards. He said the school districts are being strongly pushed to take
over their own crossing guard programs for each of their individual schools. Ms.
Beard said to keep in mind that fifty percent of the money goes to the Texas
Trauma Registry, they have bought car seats, and they have done all kinds of
traffic safety. She said this money goes to education.
h. Moore Plaza/Staples St. Traffic Signal: Mr. Cardenas said this signal is the one at
Moore Plaza and HEB. He said we have optimized it as best we can yet it still
backs up traffic. He said it is a problem going southbound and northbound as
well. This signal is too close to the intersection of SPID. Under the Manual of
Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) guidelines, you have to be a certain
distance and that distance has to be 1 of a mile. This signal is much closer to 1/4
of a mile to SPID; therefore, this makes it a very dangerous combination.. This
signal was installed in 1991, when HEB was built there but only as a temporary
traffic control device. The poles are wooden poles, not typical metal ones and it
was installed as a temporary fix. Unfortunately, this became the signal that
everyone got used to and development grew around it. Ms. Cudd asked what the
purpose of making it temporary was. Mr. Cardenas said in his opinion it was a
loophole at the time to say it was a temporary signal and not a permanent signal.
He said no files or warrant studies were found for this signal. Mr. Cardenas said
warrants have to be met before the installation of a signal, even at a driveway.
He said there are several things that need to be done. The first would be to
conduct a warrant study. It is going to take some time but we are going to count
the vehicles that are going in and out of HEB. Mr. Cardenas said he already has
the counts on Staples St. but can set up a counter on Staples St. and do three
counts. He said he could easily say it does not warrant because it is too close to
SPID but he needs justification to remove it. He said there was a warrants study
done at the signal on McArdle Rd. at Sunrise Mall and it did not meet warrants.
They met with the business owners at Sunrise Mall and explained to them about
the studies and it was eventually removed. Almost the same process has to
happen here. Mr. Rock asked how much longer for the warrants studies to be
completed. Mr. Cardenas said typically they like to do traffic counts during the
scholastic year because there is more "true" traffic around. Generally, when
school is in session there is more "true" traffic. It is inefficient to conduct traffic
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counts during the summer but if it is the request of this committee and it is
justified then we will do the traffic counts. Mr. Cardenas said when traffic counts
are conducted they are done for a long period not just one day.
i. Pedestrian Crossing Flasher on Staples St. @ Ray High School: Ms: Cudd
mentioned this item was brought to her attention by a person that was caught in
the 4:00 p.m. traffic on Staples St. She.said what his suggestion was why we
cannot do something with that crossing like the Lipan St crossing, in front of the
Nueces County Courthouse. Ms. Cudd asked Mr. Cardenas what was his
recommendation. Mr. Cardenas responded he is going to make students getting
out of school go to the Kostoryz Rd. and Texan Trail crosswalks. He said he would
like to explain the HAWK System and maybe this could be an application that can.
be obtained from red-light camera funds or maybe put it on the bond project. Ms.
Cudd inquired if this would have to come out of the city budget or does CCISD
help. Mr. Cardenas said that unfortunately CCISD would not come to the table.
Mr. Rock asked what usually occurs, in an instance like this, where you have very
close crosswalks so close together with a lot of traffic on Staples St. Mr. Cardenas
responded in this case, we have to look at the engineering part of it. He said that
is why it is a bad idea to build schools at a major arterial. Mr. Cardenas said we
have .to find out how many kids are crossing and then we will see what the right
solution would be. Therefore, we have to come out with the cost estimate for
the right solution: Once we come out with the cost estimate, then we need to
find out how we are going to fund it. He said if there is a 2012 Bond election then
we can put some of these scholastic safety improvements on that election. He
said he needs regular school zone flashers also and these cost about $10,000
each. Ms., Cudd inquired and to place a controlled flasher there would be about
$150,000. He responded if it is a signal then it could range up to $150,000. Mr.
Cardenas said he would be presenting what he will be doing across the street from
City Hall on Staples St. by the RTA bus station. He said this is called the "HAWK
System" and it is a partnership between the City and RTA. Mr. Cardenas said he
would put it in next month's agenda.
j. Yield Sign at Louisiana Ave. ® Ocean Dr.: Mr. Cardenas said this is the same
condition like the one at IH-37 Et Shoreline Blvd. and Airline Rd. a Ocean Dr. He
said the purpose of the yield is because there is a big turning radius, it is not a
perfect t-intersection and it is signalized. It is made to flow with traffic
smoothly; therefore, you can yield and turn on a right on red because you are
yielding it. There are some conditions when you have to stop'and that is because
the geometrics will not allow you to yield. In this condition, if you would take off
the yieldyou have to make a stop condition, which can restrict traffic flow. He
said Louisiana Ave. does not have a lot of traffic like Airline Rd. or IH-37 does but
it still will restrict traffic flow: Mr. Cardenas stated he will look into this more
thoroughly. Mr. Rock requested to keep this on the agenda, obtain more
information, and bring an aerial map to the next meeting.
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IV. Staff Recommendations requiring Committee Review for Recommendations/
Actions - -
a. Appointments to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Sub-committee: Ms. Beard
motioned to recommend the re-appointment of Ms. Amanda Drum to serve
another term. Ms. Cudd seconds. Motion passes.
b. Motion to Approve to Establish a 55 MPH Speed Limit Zone on US-77
Frontage Roads between Northwest Blvd. Et IH-37 with Possible Action
Taken: No Action Taken.
V. Identify items to be placed on a future agenda -
• HAWK System
• Traffic Engineering Budget
VI. Public Comment -
Capt. Vesely mentioned that beginning this Friday, the taxicab inspector from his
section has approved horses and carriages. He said there is a company out of San
Antonio wanting to start this over here; it is just two people and their horses and
carriages. Mr. Cardenas stated there is a horse and carriage ordinance already in
place with the route included.
Capt. Vesely talked about a stop sign at Shoreline Blvd. and Buford St., past the
Methodist Church. He said there used to be a yield sign there for many years. This
changed to a stop sign when all the streets were redone in that area. He stated there
is only room for one vehicle at the stop sign but there is room for two vehicles at the
turn lane, which causes traffic to back up. Capt. Vesely said a yield sign would be
better but does not know if a warrant would be require to check this out. Mr.
Cardenas said he would take a closer look at this but be advised that because of the
Bayfront Phase III Project, all of this might change. He said there is no warrant to go
- from a stop to a yield condition.
VII. Adjournment - Meeting adjourned at 4:22 p.m.
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