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Carefree Truth
Issue #818, March 16, 2020
Issue #818, March 16, 2020
Dale Miller from Rick Engineering presented their final recommendations for improving the safety of the pedestrian crosswalks on Tom Darlington Drive and on Cave Creek Road.
Dale Miller
Photo by Herbert Hitchon
He said they studied the crosswalks, worked closely with the Town staff, and received input from Carefree citizens. The primary goals are to enhance safety by slowing vehicular traffic approaching the crosswalks, alert drivers of pedestrians using the crosswalks, and implementing improvements as funding allows.
Rick Engineering recommended 4" raised crosswalks with yellow and white markings.
Photo by Herbert Hitchon
He said they studied the crosswalks, worked closely with the Town staff, and received input from Carefree citizens. The primary goals are to enhance safety by slowing vehicular traffic approaching the crosswalks, alert drivers of pedestrians using the crosswalks, and implementing improvements as funding allows.
Rick Engineering recommended 4" raised crosswalks with yellow and white markings.
Mayor Les Peterson asked if this posed problems for large trucks or motorcycles. Mr. Miller replied that it is meant to slow the traffic, and would only be problematic to those who are considerably exceeding the speed limit. This type of crosswalk has been proven safe and efficient in other jurisdictions. Councilman Stephen Hatcher asked how much maintenance was required on the striping. Mr. Miller explained that it is done with thermoplastic material that is heated and bonds to the street surface, lasting for approximately 10 years.
Each crosswalk would have pedestrian or bicycle activated solar powered flashing red lights in each direction, at each side, for a total of 4 lights per crosswalk. Gary Neiss pointed out that the lights would be placed where those crossing could see they were activated, as opposed to the existing light on Tom Darlington that is not visible to the pedestrians.
Another way to slow traffic is to narrow the lanes at the 2 traffic circles by increasing the diameter of the central islands with the use of wide yellow reflective markings and reflective low yellow Bott's dots. Emergency vehicles are able to drive over the Bott's dots.
Mr. Miller suggested re-striping the streets and bulbing out the sidewalks near the intersections and extending up to the first crosswalks, turning the streets there into single lanes to slow traffic. Currently, both arterial streets vary between single and double lanes in each direction through the downtown area, causing traffic to weave in and out of the lanes. The right and left turn lanes would remain. Pedestrian Crossing and Stop Bar markings would be added in front of the crosswalks. Small pedestrian refuge islands should be added where there are not traffic circles, so those crossing would only have to cross one lane at a time.
The estimated cost for these improvements on Tom Darlington Drive is $200,000 and $250,000 on Cave Creek Road, which is a longer stretch of road, provided the project is done all at once. If it is done individually, the cost would rise. There are potential funding sources through the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), but they would not be available immediately, and there is no guarantee that Carefree would be awarded any of these grants, which are very competitive.
Each crosswalk would have pedestrian or bicycle activated solar powered flashing red lights in each direction, at each side, for a total of 4 lights per crosswalk. Gary Neiss pointed out that the lights would be placed where those crossing could see they were activated, as opposed to the existing light on Tom Darlington that is not visible to the pedestrians.
Another way to slow traffic is to narrow the lanes at the 2 traffic circles by increasing the diameter of the central islands with the use of wide yellow reflective markings and reflective low yellow Bott's dots. Emergency vehicles are able to drive over the Bott's dots.
Mr. Miller suggested re-striping the streets and bulbing out the sidewalks near the intersections and extending up to the first crosswalks, turning the streets there into single lanes to slow traffic. Currently, both arterial streets vary between single and double lanes in each direction through the downtown area, causing traffic to weave in and out of the lanes. The right and left turn lanes would remain. Pedestrian Crossing and Stop Bar markings would be added in front of the crosswalks. Small pedestrian refuge islands should be added where there are not traffic circles, so those crossing would only have to cross one lane at a time.
The estimated cost for these improvements on Tom Darlington Drive is $200,000 and $250,000 on Cave Creek Road, which is a longer stretch of road, provided the project is done all at once. If it is done individually, the cost would rise. There are potential funding sources through the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), but they would not be available immediately, and there is no guarantee that Carefree would be awarded any of these grants, which are very competitive.
Vice Mayor John Crane asked if, should Carefree win some grant funding, the improvements could be completed and the Town be reimbursed by MAG when the grant money became available. Mr. Miller said normally no, but perhaps an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) could be negotiated.
Mr. Hatcher said the crosswalk safety issue must be addressed and done right, but it shouldn't look like an industrial park in south Phoenix, with signs and flashing lights. Mr. Miller responded that maintaining an appearance appropriate to Carefree was an original goal. But at a public meeting, a resident suggested that the focus was too much on appearance and not enough on safety, so that was removed from the presentation. However, Rick Engineering was recommending the inclusion of attractive decorative block and landscaping to create a look and feel similar to the existing medians, as well as rust colored sign and light posts rather then shiny metal ones. Mr. Miller said if the Council is in line with the basic direction of the improvements, Rick Engineering could advance with the designs and costs.
Mayor Peterson noted that this would be a major change. He asked if someone from Rick Engineering could arrange a workshop at the sites, so they could walk them to better visualize how the suggested changes would look. Mr. Miller said that was beyond their scope of work, but that they would be willing to accommodate the request.
Mr. Neiss said the #1 issue the Town hears from residents is that the traffic is going too fast for them to be able to cross the street. The #1 issue the Town hears from drivers is that they don't see the pedestrians. Narrowing the lanes slows traffic, and raising the crosswalks by 4" makes the pedestrians much more visible. If a raised crosswalk could be found near Carefree, the Council members could see how it works and looks. Mr. Miller also offered to have their survey teams come out to make outlines of the proposed refuge islands. Mayor Peterson acknowledged that would be very helpful. Councilwoman Cheryl Kroyer, who worked on this project, assured the Mayor that their committee made every effort to assure the crosswalk improvements kept the look of Carefree while maximizing the safety of the crosswalks.
The Council unanimously agreed to table the decision until after the workshop.
https://vimeo.com/395743315
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
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