Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Traffic Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council reviews speeding data for 156th Avenue NE; staff outline engineering and enforcement options
Summary
Staff presented speed and collision data for 156th Avenue NE, noting downhill grades contribute to higher southbound speeds; options range from education and portable radar to a major CIP redesign or expanding automated enforcement (which would require equity analysis). No immediate action was taken.
City staff presented data and potential responses to persistent speeding on 156th Avenue Northeast on March 17, cautioning that the corridor’s steep downhill profile complicates typical traffic calming measures.
Public works director Asha summarized multi‑day radar and driver‑feedback sign data showing 80th‑percentile speeds often 5–10 mph above the posted limit on the downhill segment; staff said southbound (downhill) speeds were measurably higher than northbound. Staff noted collision history (2020–2025) shows relatively few crashes on the corridor and that those recorded were commonly attributed to driver error or distraction.
Staff outlined response options: continued education and targeted enforcement, routine use of portable trailer radar units and driver‑feedback signs, realignment or a major capital redesign of the initial downhill segment (a significant CIP investment), and the possibility of automated speed enforcement similar to the city’s school‑zone pilot. Staff cautioned that speed bumps and typical speed cushions are generally poor candidates on steep grades and on a collector arterial used for emergency access.
Police Chief Myers told the council that some data supplied by the county and by mobile devices corroborate local speed patterns; he also said enforcement‑only approaches have limited impact without broader engineering or ongoing automated measures. Staff recommended continued monitoring, occasional enforcement and public outreach, and said any automatic enforcement expansion would require an equity analysis and council authorization.
Why it matters: 156th serves as a collector arterial connecting low‑density residential areas and, given its grades and limited shoulders, higher speeds raise safety concerns for residents, pedestrians and school routes. The city must weigh the cost of major engineering versus targeted, lower‑cost interventions.
Next steps: Staff will continue monitoring speeds and collisions, refine its presentation of driver‑feedback sign data, compare this corridor with others for prioritization, and return to council with scoped options should council prioritize a capital or automated‑enforcement response.
