Title
Resolution to Approve the Installation of Traffic Calming Devices on Fernwood Avenue (Packard Street to Lorraine Street) ($152,435.00)
Memorandum
Attached for your consideration is a resolution for the installation of traffic calming devices on Fernwood Avenue (Packard Street to Lorraine Street). The construction is expected to take place during this construction season by the City of Ann Arbor’s contractor for the 2020 Annual Local Street Resurfacing project, and to be paid for from the approved FY 21 Local Street Fund Operations and Maintenance budget. The traffic calming plan includes two (2) speed tables, one (1) raised intersection, one (1) raised crosswalk, and one (1) median island as shown on the attached final plan.
The residents and property owners of Fernwood Avenue have been polled and support the proposed traffic calming plan (attached) for their neighborhood (based on the level of support required for the program). The Fernwood Avenue (Packard Street to Lorraine Street) traffic calming project began with the residents’ petition received in October 2018. After the initial evaluation and completion of the speed study, the traffic calming public meetings were scheduled using the established traffic calming process. The first meeting was held near the study site at Cobblestone Farm on March 5, 2020. The second meeting would typically include walking a portion of the study street. However, amid public health concerns surrounding COVID-19 and the inability to safely hold in-person public meetings, the second meeting was held electronically on June 4, 2020. Materials were mailed to residents in advance, and temporary informational signage was installed at each potential device location.
The adopted program allowed us to send an initial questionnaire to each address in the project area to determine their concerns and location of those concerns, among other information. This information was used to prepare starter concepts for the first meeting. Staff and the residents/property owners discussed neighborhood interests and concerns, worked through a table top exercise with initial concepts, finalizing the concepts to be reviewed at the second meeting. In advance of the second meeting staff shared the revised plan, painted the device locations on the street, and posted informational signage, allowing neighbors to conduct a self-guided tour. At the meeting staff discussed the plan with project area participants and gathered an informal poll of neighborhood preferences.
A final plan was developed, considering feedback from the second meeting. The final plan was mailed to the residents and property owners in the project area. Each household was polled to determine their support, or opposition, for the proposed plan. The project passed the criteria requiring 50% of the responses support the plan.
The results are as follows:
120 No. of valid addresses in project area
22 No. of surveys supporting the final plan as shown
28 No. of survey responses received
79%* Percent of surveys received supporting the plan as shown
*to pass criteria must receive 50% or higher
Budget/Fiscal Impact: Funding for the project is available in the approved FY 21 Local Street Fund Operations and Maintenance Budget .
Staff
Prepared by: Raymond Hess, P.E., Transportation Manger
Reviewed by: Craig Hupy, Public Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Tom Crawford, Interim City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The residents of Fernwood Avenue petitioned for traffic calming devices on their street;
Whereas, The final poll results support the proposed traffic calming plan;
Whereas, the Transportation Commission recommended approval of the Fernwood Avenue (Packard to Lorraine) traffic calming project on August 19, 2020;
Whereas, The total estimated construction cost for the traffic calming devices is estimated to be $152,435.00; and
Whereas, Funding for the construction of the traffic calming project is included in the approved FY 2021 Engineering Local Street Fund Operations and Maintenance Budget.
RESOLVED, That City Council approve the installation of the traffic calming devices on Fernwood Avenue from Packard Street to Lorraine Street; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take the necessary administrative actions to implement this resolution.