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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Transportation Advisory Commission - 02/28/2011 - Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, February 28, 2011 Call Meeting to Order - Curtis A. Rock, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 2:30 p.m. II. Approval of Minutes - Minutes of January 24, 2011 and January 31, 2011 were approved. III. Presentations and Discussions - a. Monthly Traffic Fatality Report: Monthly Traffic Fatality Report: Sgt. Pena reported ten (10) fatalities for the year 2011. b. Monthly Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee Report: Same as item d. c. Police Department Traffic Enforcement Complaints: Police Department Traffic Enforcement Complaints: Capt. Vesely reported since the last meeting there has been about the same number of complaints and most of them deal with school zones such as people speeding in school zones and people talking on cell phones in school zones while driving. Capt. Vesely said one of the big winners that we are starting to see now is the constant complaints that are starting to center around Carroll High School. Apparently, more in the mornings but also in the afternoons. There is a significant traffic flow problem where parents are dropping the kids off in the middle of the street. The kids just walk across the street in front of traffic without looking and they assume vehicles are going to stop. Additionally, the center turn lane is being utilized as another school lane. Capt. Vesely said people are supposed to stop to keep the intersections open but they are blocking the intersections so people in the neighborhood are boxed in there literally for minutes waiting for people to open up and give a chance for them to merge into traffic. There have been four different complaints about Carroll High School since the beginning of the year and it is probably not going to let up until summer gets here. Ms. Beard inquired if something could be done. Capt. Vesely said he has been working with Mr. Cardenas who would be able to provide at least some idea of some of the measures that are being done. He said they are going to send all the traffic officers out there to see what we can be done as far as flagrant traffic violations. He said enforcement would be part of the solution. Mr. Cardenas reported the signals would be upgraded at Weber Rd. and Tiger Rd. and will be doing some intersection improvements but construction would not be completed until sometime in the fall. This is funded through TXDot but the engineering was done by the city. We are working some coordination on to deal with some of these problems in addition to traffic flow problems. Mr. Cardenas continued to say that there is a combination of student drivers and parents dropping off their kids. He said they would be talking to the school as well before the fall starts and see what could be done with minor costs. Maybe striping and no parking and see what innovations we can come up with to get traffic flowing. He said Capt. Vesely is correct, it is a traffic flow problem, and the results are traffic backing up on Weber Rd., past Holly Rd. He said they have been working with TXDot to come up with a more permanent solution at this intersection. Page 1 of 4 SCANNED Ms. Cudd asked if the traffic signals would be adjusted at Weber Rd. and Tiger Rd. Mr. Cardenas responded something they are doing is cleaning the cameras if they are dirty and adjust the timing of the cameras if they need adjusting. He said these are some of the minor repairs that can done and it would not fix the problem but it will help the situation. d. Discussion to Approve "Safe Passing" Ordinance to take to City Council with Possible Action Taken: Ms. Beard began the meeting with various opening statements and proceeded to go over the adjusted proposed "Safe Passing" ordinance rough draft. Ms. Beard said that the committee had passed a previous Bike Texas ordinance that went throughout Texas. She commented that Veronica Ocanas had said when this item first started the one thing they might look at is the mover over aspect. Therefore, they went back to look at it and kept it as simple as possible. A number of cities in Texas have agreed with Jay Reining and the City Attorneys that there is already an ordinance on the books but the ordinance just states to pass safely and it is very vague. This is why cities are passing an additional ordinance because they do not feel it is specific enough. She said it was kept very simple; Bicyclists, pedestrians and disabled persons, and they mirrored the Texas Transportation Code 545.157. If there are two marked lanes running in the same direction you must pass at a safe distance and then it defines what a safe distance is, per the Texas Transportation Code. Ms. Beard said they also added it is the responsibility of the vulnerable bicyclists to use a debris free bicycle lane when available and for a pedestrian or disabled person to use a sidewalk when available. She said they tried to identify all these. One of the things in Bike Texas everyone wanted to keep was the harassment aspect. Ms. Beard said Jay Reining would still be submitting a letter of objection to City Council. Ms. Beard and committee members added obstruction free to the ordinance. e. Traffic Signal at Ayers St. and Ocean Dr.: Mr. Cardenas stated that there are other issues involved with this intersection. The pedestrian crossing is an issue and there is no ped-heads on one side of the crosswalk and is looking into doing a change order to another ADA project to get the peg-pole and peg-head. It was not part of the Overlay and ADA project that was done on Ocean Dr.; the ADA project that was done on Ocean Dr. was strictly ramps, no electrical work. Each ramp costs $3,000 and the prices are going up. This intersection costs over $12,000, just on ramps. Mr. Cardenas said that another issue they are looking at is signal timing. He said the area along Ocean Dr. was timed by the Corpus Christi Metropolitan Planning Organization where HDR consultants were hired to conduct signal coordination. The corridor was part of the study and have not adjusted HDR's timing planner but it has to work where there is coordination along Ocean Dr., at the same time allowing for pedestrians to cross because there is no ped-button on one side of that. Ocean Dr. is the major street in this case; therefore, it takes priority when it comes to setting up the timing. Mr. Cardenas said he would discuss this item in more detail at the next meeting. The committee tabled item for next month. f. Possible Installation of Delineators on Everhart Rd. at Whataburger Way: Mr. Cardenas demonstrated a map of the area where the road closure for Whataburger Way is. He said Whataburger Way is between Gollihar Rd. and Everhart Rd. This intersection is geared towards right out only. However, you can still turn left onto Whataburger Way; therefore, by installing the delineation in this area, it would similar to the delineators on Everhart Rd. and SPID by Best Buy. There are several kinds of delineators; however, we need to be mindful of the restriction of movement. The Page 2 of 4 right-out is what needs to be accomplished and we want to make sure someone does not turn left there. He said people live on Mildred Dr. and the delineators would restrict the left turn movement into this neighborhood. He continued to say that if they need to get on Staples St., they need to go the other way towards Gollihar Rd. because their left turn movement will be restricted. Mr. Cardenas stated he wants to be clear this committee is aware of those restrictions. Ms. Beard said to keep in mind technically, when that road was first granted to Whataburger; it was supposed to be closed by them. Therefore, those residents a year ago or so should not have had access to go in there at all. Mr. Cardenas said this roadway is being treated right now, as it was still an open roadway. In addition, if I am treating this roadway as an open roadway by putting in the delineators then I need to be mindful it is still an open roadway. Ms. Beard asked what other entrances the residents have. Mr. Cardenas believes that it is way down south to get out on Gollihar Rd. Ms. Cudd asked how far back it is for them to get to Everhart Rd. and what do residents have to go through to get to Everhart Rd. Mr. Cardenas said they have to go all the way to Lamont St. to get to Everhart Rd. Ms. Beard stated she sees this as a huge problem that needs to get resolved. Mr. Rock stated in his opinion, a closure would be a closure; this road should not be used by the public. He asked if there is a way to mandate that Whataburger curve it off and stated it is their responsibility. Ms. Beard said as far as she remembers the city sent Whataburger a letter awhile back requesting them to close the roadway and there was no response from them. Mr. Cardenas said he does not know if there are any rules that dictate closing the roadway. Mr. Price asked who maintains it right now. Mr. Cardenas responded that Whataburger is responsible for the maintenance of the roadway. Ms. Beard said when the Wal-mart opens up in August or September the traffic flow in this area is going to be worse. He said traffic flow studies would be conducted by Traffic Engineering. Mr. Cardenas said the delineators would be cost effective. Ms. Beard commented that she would like to see the delineators installed. Mr. Rock requested this item to be brought back next month. IV. Staff Recommendations requiring Committee Review for Recommendations/ Actions a. Appointments to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Sub-committee: None b. Motion to Approve "Safe Passing" Ordinance to take to City Council with Possible Action Taken: Motion to Approve Corrected "Safe Passing" Ordinance to take to City Council. Ms. Cudd motions to approve. Mr. Carrizales seconds. Motion passes. V. Identify items to be placed on a future agenda - • Median Crossover at Leopard St. in front of HEB by Violet Rd. VI. Public Comment - Freddy Ramirez said he would like to applaud the Bicycle 8 Pedestrian Sub-committee for going back and trying to find a compromise. Mr. Ramirez said what upsets him is the cities of San Antonio, Helotes, El Paso, Austin, New Braunfels, Edinburg and Beaumont have already passed this law. However, our Page 3 of 4 • City Legal staff could not figure out how to make this work. Again, the comments were primarily for City Legal. He said he would like to make a point and hopes that this ordinance could be brought to City Council very quickly. Mr. Ramirez said this committee passed "Safe Passing" in April 2010. It took about seven months to inform us that they did not like it. Mr. Ramirez commented Legal would be objecting to this and all we can do is fight it. VII. Adjournment - Meeting adjourned at 3:45 p.m. • Page 4 of 4