Scottsdale commission approves exceptions to traffic‑calming policy for 70 Eighth Street

The Scottsdale Transportation Commission on Sept. 18 approved exceptions to the city’s Neighborhood Traffic Management Program so staff can move forward with traffic‑calming work on 70 Eighth Street at Gold Dust, including two speed cushions, a lowered speed limit and a street reclassification.

Commissioners voted unanimously to approve two deviations requested by staff and to require a pedestrian crossing study to determine the need and placement of marked crosswalks at all four legs of the intersection. Vice Chair Wilcoxon made the motion, Commissioner Davis seconded it, and the motion passed with all commissioners voting yes.

The issue began after a petition filed with the City Council in January 2025 from La Cuesta residents. Sam Taylor, transportation staff, told the commission that the petition contained about 40 signatures and requested all‑way stop control at 70 Eighth and Gold Dust, a reduction of the speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph and reclassification of the street from a minor collector to a local street. Taylor said staff’s recommended physical treatment is two speed cushions and striped high‑visibility crossings if warranted.

Why this matters: Taylor said traffic counts on the 70 Eighth Street segment are about 1,144 vehicles per day; Gold Dust shows about 726 vehicles per day. Collision data for the segment showed one reported crash in the past five years (December 2024). Taylor said speed data show a meaningful percentage of vehicles exceeding the posted limit, and that neighborhood meetings produced strong support for action.

At a public meeting described by staff, 27 community members attended and the neighborhood provided comment cards indicating broad support for reducing speeds. Wayne Mooney, president of the La Cuesta homeowners association, told commissioners, “We put our support behind Sam and the transportation department’s recommendation.” A resident identified as Mr. Amoni estimated that about 80% of traffic through the corridor is through‑traffic and 20% local.

Staff told the commission the city manager already intends to lower the posted speed to 25 mph and reclassify the street; those changes would proceed regardless of the Commission’s decision. Staff presented alternatives considered: raised crosswalks and raised intersections, chicanes, and speed cushions. The fire department objected to the raised crosswalk concept for this specific location, staff said, so speed cushions — which fire and solid‑waste departments have previously accepted — were recommended.

The Commission’s action specifically approved exceptions to (1) the NTMP criterion that requires more than 50% of frontage on a segment to be direct residential driveway access, and (2) the NTMP petition signature requirement (70% of affected residents). The motion as amended added a requirement that staff conduct a pedestrian crossing study to verify whether marked crosswalks are warranted at the intersection legs and to determine the best locations for any marked crossings.

Staff indicated the initial physical design would install two speed cushion sets placed to meet engineering guidance (ideally keeping cushions roughly 500 feet or less apart). Taylor said the city will collect follow‑up speed counts after installation (standard practice is a 24‑hour speed/count period) to evaluate effectiveness; additional cushions could be added if warranted. He estimated design would take “a couple of months” and construction procurement another three to four months, with a broad timeline of six months to a year if everything proceeds smoothly. Staff also estimated typical contractor pricing previously observed at roughly $5,000–$10,000 per cushion set, depending on contractor proposal.

What the decision does and does not do: The Commission’s approval is an exception to NTMP procedural criteria allowing staff to proceed without the standard driveway‑frontage petition and without initiating a new neighborhood petition under NTMP rules. It does not itself adopt a final detailed design or authorize construction contracts; staff will return with final designs, conduct the pedestrian crossing study and post‑installation evaluation results for informational follow up.

Commissioners raised concerns about precedent and policy consistency, the potential for motorists to steer around cushions into bike lanes, and the need to ensure marked crosswalks meet warrants rather than being installed primarily as a traffic‑calming device. Vice Chair Wilcoxon emphasized the need for the crossing study as a condition of the exception. Taylor and multiple commissioners asked staff to distribute post‑installation evaluation results to the commission.

Ending: With the motion approved as amended, staff may proceed with design under the exception, conduct the pedestrian crossing study, install two initial speed‑cushion sets if design and procurement proceed, and later report the results of follow‑up counts and any further recommended changes.

Discussion (as distinct from action): The record shows community support for slowing traffic and staff concerns about fire apparatus access shaped the choice of countermeasure; the formal decision was limited to approving NTMP exceptions and the crossing study requirement.