Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Traffic Calming topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee approves Alberta Street speed cushions after traffic-calming policy briefing
Summary
The Transportation Committee approved installation of two sets of modular speed cushions on Alberta Street after staff reviewed the city's traffic-calming policy, scoring system and resident-vote process.
The Fayetteville City Transportation Committee voted to approve a speed-cushion installation plan for Alberta Street after staff presented the city's traffic-calming policy and an eligibility study.
Staff told the committee that Alberta Street qualified easily under the policy's scoring system and that the proposal calls for two locations, each containing three modular speed cushions spaced about 700 to 750 feet apart. Staff said the locations were chosen to slow traffic at an uncontrolled mid-block crossing near an existing trail segment and to serve Holland Park and adjacent residential properties. Staff also said the trail crossing will be upgraded to a standard trail crossing when the planned trail segment is constructed in roughly two years.
Traffic-calming policy overview: staff explained that the city's process is complaint- or resident-driven and uses an eligibility test based on street classification (residential or urban-center streets are eligible; arterials and higher-volume streets generally are not). Points are awarded for posted speed, measured speed (80th percentile), average daily traffic and presence of sidewalks and school zones. Staff said they aim to place counters where free-flowing speeds are highest (typically near the posted speed-limit sign) and that they also use aggregated vehicle-GPS data to screen requests before field studies.
If a street qualifies, staff said residents are given a follow-up ballot; staff described a one-vote-per-household ballot threshold (described in the presentation), and said policy provisions require neighborhood-level approval thresholds for installations. For the Alberta Street proposal staff said the Property Owners Association had unanimously approved the locations and that the Transportation Committee then voted to recommend approval.
Committee action: a committee member moved to approve the proposed Alberta Street speed-cushion installation, a second was recorded and the committee chair called for the vote. The committee responded “Aye” and the motion carried. The mover and seconder were not named in the committee record excerpt.
Other details discussed: staff described the city's toolbox (speed cushions, modular concrete options, and existing concrete speed tables installed prior to the current policy) and the tradeoffs for emergency responders; the city's fire chief said speed cushions were an acceptable compromise. Staff also explained that some older concrete speed tables had been installed outside the current policy and that removal or conversion to other devices could be pursued through the policy and capital project schedules.
Next steps: staff said they will proceed with design and installation of the Alberta Street cushions and that they will continue to present traffic-calming proposals to the Transportation Committee; public outreach and resident ballots are part of the implementation process per the policy.
