Title
Resolution to Prioritize the Installation of Streetlights at the Fuller Road Crosswalk at Huron High School and the Entrance to Gallup Park and to Evaluate Pedestrian Crosswalk Locations Near Ann Arbor Schools and Identify Where Lighting or Other Crosswalk Improvements May Be Appropriate
Body
Whereas, In February 2015, City Council lifted the moratorium on installation of new streetlights in the City that had been in place since 2006;
Whereas, In May 2015, Council adopted a FY16 budget amendment that:
• Created a new, dedicated fund for the purpose of installing new streetlights and allocated $100,000.00 to the fund
• Directed the City Administrator to develop a process to evaluate and prioritize new streetlight requests;
Whereas, In May 2016, Council adopted a FY17 budget amendment that allocated another $100,000.00 to the new streetlight fund, bringing the total balance in the new streetlight fund to $200,000.00;
Whereas, City Council approved funding for improvements to the pedestrian crosswalk on Huron Parkway North of Geddes at Huron High School in March 2016 and the improvements were installed prior to the start of the 2016-17 school year;
Whereas, Staff completed the development of a new streetlight prioritization model utilizing eight criteria and on October 17, 2016, City Council approved resolution R-16-404 titled “Resolution to Approve New Streetlight Installations and Smart Lighting System Preparation” that was based on that prioritization model;
Whereas, Resolution R-16-404 identified installation of two DTE lights on Fuller Road at the crosswalk at Huron High School and Gallup Park entrances as a Second Tier location, meaning streetlights would be installed if the costs of the First Tier locations came in below estimates;
Whereas, It is City Council’s desire that streetlights be installed at the location on Fuller Road at the crosswalk at Huron High School and Gallup Park entrances in addition to (and not as a replacement for) the locations identified as First Tier priority in resolution R-16-404;
Whereas, In response to a question raised regarding the timing for streetlight installation under resolution R-16-404, staff indicated that “The portion of planned streetlight requests that would not affect residents could be on a slightly accelerated timeframe, and may be installed in the first quarter of calendar year 2017” and it is Council’s desire that the two Fuller Road streetlights be installed as soon as is possible; and
Whereas, It is also City Council’s desire that City Staff, in collaboration with Ann Arbor Public Schools, evaluate all pedestrian crossing locations near Ann Arbor schools and provide a report to Council and prioritized recommendations regarding locations where pedestrian crosswalk and/or other safety-related improvements would be appropriate;
RESOLVED, That City Council directs the City Administrator to re-prioritize from the Second Tier to the First Tier the installation of 2 DTE lights on Fuller Road at the crosswalk at Huron High School and Gallup Park entrances and to install these streetlights expeditiously;
RESOLVED, That City Council directs the City Administrator to work with Ann Arbor Public Schools to evaluate all pedestrian crossing locations near Ann Arbor schools and within 60 days, provide a preliminary report to Council with prioritized recommendations and rough cost estimates of those locations where improvements should be made and the type of improvement recommended (e.g., improved street lighting; signage, RRFB’s, reduced speed limits, and new school zones; increased moving violation enforcement; crosswalk re-design and re-painting; and/or new crosswalks); and
RESOLVED, That if the costs for streetlights at all of the First Tier locations (including Fuller Road-Huron High School) and to conduct the evaluation exceed $200,000.00, the excess is funded by the Alternative Transportation Fund and/or General Fund balance at the discretion of the City Administrator.
Sponsored by Councilmembers Lumm, Grand, Kailasapathy, Westphal, Eaton, Briere and Mayor Taylor