Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 11-01-11 special kenwood — reading text

neighborhood. We have recived the study and I am writing to let you know that it has been posted on the City' s website at www.fwb.ore. Please contact my office if you do not have access to the website, and my staff will be pleased to furnish a hard copy. As always, thank you for your patience and I will let you know when this issue is prepared for City Council consideration. Sincerel obert T. Meams City Manager CC: Mayor and City Council Members Packet Pg. 34  3. t. c City of Fort Walton Beach Y Amriim'a MoslBroWifui Bta06a 10] Miracle Sv P Y. SW' Pon Wa Dm* r132 8%) U3-95M' FU( 850) 8939 '- w M1b ore Ton( 850) 933 -9925 lNS1 T..1%/ Y MM VOr October 13, 2011 Country Club Avenue Residents When I wrote to you on September 26 ", l promised to contact you again when the Kenwood Traffic Analysis was scheduled to go to Council. A Special Council Meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, November 1°', 2011 in the Council Chambers. It will begin at 6: OOpm. We will prepare additional seating in the Annex if there is a need, and the meeting will be broadcast in the Annex. The agenda for this meeting will be posted on the website no later than Friday, October 21". If you need any assistance in viewing the agenda or the backup documents, please contact my office and my staff will gladly assist you. m0N Please call my office with any comments you would like to share with City Council and we will ensure your comments are circulated to the Mayor and all the Council Members. As always, thank you for your patience and please call if you have any questions or need assistance. Sineerel eobert T. Meams City Manager CC: Mayor and City Council Members Packet Pg. 35  a? r.' Evaluation of Traffic and Safel r r ji, Characteristics of Country Club Avenu _ o F in Kenwood Neighborhoo av ° too Prepared by z Vmm the John Scott Nike x F L(ORIDA I NSTITU M O r G OVERNMENT at Merida State University Ren Moses, Ph. D., P. E. NN Robert Lee, DPA, ICMA -CM A ae e a cm Yy ao P em i R Q July 2011 Packet Pg. 36  3. 1. d DISCLAIMER The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Florida State University. METRIC CONVERSION FACTORS I ti = 03045 to 1 mph = 1. 609 km/h Packet Pg. 37  EXECUTIVE SUMMARV Background At the request of the City of Fort Walton Beach, traffic safety and operating characteristics of some streets in the Kenwood neighborhood were reviewed. Kenwood Neighborhood is sandwiched on the north by the Eglin Air Force Base, on the east by Garmier Bayou, on the s<wth by Dons Bayou, and on the west by Lewis Turner Boulevard. The neighborhood is largely residential and is comprised of single family homes and multiple family complexes. There are three K -12 schools in this neighborhood — that is, Kenwood Elementary School, Pryor Middle School, and Choctawhatchee High School. The existence of school children in this area adds to the concern for highway safety by residents, particularly on the Country Club Avenue which carries a substantial amount of traffic as revealed by recent traffic volume surveys and accident experience. Objectives The overall goal of this study was to investigate traffic operations and safety characteristics of a network of roadways in the Kenwood neighborhood. Consistent with this goal, the objectives of this study were to quantify speed and volume characteristics of " through" traffic using the neighborhood streets to access Lewis Turner Boulevard and Racetrack Road, which are the major arterial roadways in the area; and to investigate traffic calming and other improvement measures aimed at alleviating safety and operational problems, particularly on Country Club Avenue which, together with Mooney Road, were observed to be the main streets preferred by through" traffic as cut through roadways. Findings The results of traffic studies showed that Lewis Turner Boulevard and Racetrack Road are the major arterials surrounding the neighborhood each carrying approximately 30,000 vehicles per day. The review of 5 -year accident data showed that a total of 13 accidents were reported to have occurred in this neighborhood but no definitive trend in crash type was observed from the data. However, 11 of the 13 reported crashes occurred on Country Club Avenue ( five) and Mooney Road ( six). The through traffic intending to access Lewis Turner Boulevard and Racetrack Road use Kenwood neighborhood streets, particularly Country Club Avenue, as cut through streets. Traffic data collected on Country Club Avenue show that it carries on the average 3, 000 vehicles per day with an 85th percentile speed in excess of 35 miles per hour. Two out of three " through" drivers choose the Country Club Avenue over Mooney Road as a cut through street. In addition, the operating speed data showed that, on the average, seven out of ten drivers exceed the 25 MPH speed limit on Country Club Avenue. From data analysis, it can be sumtised that the level of tragic volume and the prevailing traffic speeds are quite high for a roadway with geometries and neighborhood character resembling those seen on Country Club Avenue. Packet Pg. 38  u Evaluation of Alternatives Five alternative engineering improvement strategies aimed at reducing traffic volumes and lowering traffic speeds along the Country Club Avenue were analyzed. The alternatives were: i) the installation of slam route signs directing through traffic to Racetrack Road and Lewis Tumor Boulevard; ( ii) the installation of radar speed feedback signs on Country Club Avenue in the school zone area; ( iii) the installation of " chicane" traffic calming islands on the tangent section of Country Club Avenue; ( iv) the installation of speed tables on the tangent section of Country Club Avenue, and ( v) splitting the Country Club Avenue at Rue De Le Roi Street. All alternatives were carefully analyzed in terms of their effectiveness in reducing traffic volume and /or traffic speed, cost, case of implementation and preservation of neighborhood aesthetics. The predicted eficcliveness of each alternative was graded either as LOW, MODERATE, or HIGH as shown in Table 1. fable I. Snmmarc of Improvcmmnt Alternatives Considered Predicted Initial Alternative Effectiveness Cost 1. Install signs directing through traffic to SR 188 and to SR 189 LOW 51, 000 Install Radar Driver Speed 1 Feedback Signs on Country MODERATE 8, 000 Club Avenue 3 Install " Chicanes" on Country Club Avenue HIGH 20, 000 4 Install Speed Tables on HIGH 30, 000 Country Club Avenue 5 Split Country Club Avenue at Rue De Le Roi Street MODERATE 15. 000 Recommendations As shown in Table I above, the alternatives that are likely to have high impact on improving operations along Country Club Avenue are the installation of chicanes or speed tables. It is predicted that the implementation of either of these two alternatives would result in significant speed reduction and lowering of the high level of traffic volume that currently passes through Country Club Avenue. However, some residents in neighborhoods around the United States in which speed tables were installed have complained of increased traffic noise and increased emergency vehicles' response time. The installation of chicanes seems to be the most cost - effective alternative with an added benefit of preserving neighborhood aesthetics. It is thercfone recommended that the installation of chicanes on Country Club Avenue between Wedgewood Lane and Mooney SE should be considered for implementation by the City of Fort Walton Beach. Packet Pg. 39  TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVESUMMARY ........................................................... ........................... I.................. to LISTOF TABLES ........................................................................................ ..... I......................... vi LISTOF FIGURES .................................. . ..........................................I