TO: Mayor Collins and Town Council Members
FROM: Kevin Burke, Town Manager
Peter Wingert, Chief of Police
DATE: February 23, 2017
DEPARTMENT: Police Department
Staff Contact Peter Wingert, 480-948-7418
End
AGENDA TITLE:
Title
Review and Consideration of Invergordon Speed Study
Body
Council Goals
• Improve Public Safety Services including prevention, enforcement, communication and community/victim outreach.
• Maintain and Improve the Paradise Valley quality of life.
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
Arizona Revised Statute 28-703 and Paradise Valley Town Code 11-2-1 allow Town Council to set speed limits on streets by resolution.
In 1977, the Paradise Valley Town Council adopted Resolution 227, which set the speed limit on Invergordon Road for 700 feet north of McDonald Drive at 25-miles per hour (mph) due to school and church traffic in the vicinity. At that time, a school was located at 6050 McDonald Drive. This action was taken pursuant to a traffic and engineering investigation.
In 1985, the Paradise Valley Town Council adopted Resolution 472, which set the speed limit on Invergordon Road for 700 feet north of McDonald Drive at 25-mph due to church and school traffic in the vicinity. A school was located at 6050 McDonald Drive. A traffic and engineering investigation was required prior to the establishment of a speed zone.
In 2009, after the school located at 6050 Invergordon Road had closed, the Paradise Valley Town Council rescinded Resolutions 227 and 472 by the passage of Resolution 1192.
The Montessori Academy is located on Invergordon Road between McDonald Drive and Lincoln Drive. The Montessori Academy has been operating at this location since 2012.
In 2012, the Paradise Valley Engineer authorized the placement of 15-mph signs by the Montessori Academy for one hour during “drop off” and “pick up” times, five days a week. The signs were to be placed and removed in the roadway by Montessori employees. No formal traffic investigation was completed and no Town Council action was taken prior to the reduction of the speed limit by the Engineer.
A request for enforcement of the 15-mph speed limit was placed by a concerned citizen. At this time, it was determined that the 15-mph speed limit could not be legally enforced because no formal Council action had set the speed limit. To comply with Arizona Revised Statute 28-703, a traffic investigation on Invergordon Road was conducted to recommend the appropriate speed limit and speed limit signage for the area.
The EPS Group was contracted to provide the traffic analysis on Invergordon Road. The traffic investigation determined that Invergordon Road:
• has the capacity for the amount of vehicles traveling on it daily.
• sees traffic with higher speeds south and north of the school.
• sees a significant reduction of speeds during the morning and evening school peak hours.
• the 85th percentile speed generally falls within the 5 mph range from the posted speed limit, except for the section north of the school, which has an 85th percentile over 10mph above the 35-mph speed limit.
• suggests minimal pedestrian traffic occurs in this area.
The traffic analysis completed by the EPS Group recommends:
• the speed limit be reduced to 25 mph in the area of the Montessori Academy between 7:30am and 8:30am and again between 2:30pm and 3:30pm, Monday through Friday.
• two (2) Yellow school signs, one for southbound traffic at Keim Drive and one just north of McDonald Drive for northbound traffic.
• two (2) 25 mph signs with Monday-Friday sub-signs and 7:30-8:30 AM and 2:30-3:30 PM sub-signs.
This project was heard by ACOPS and received unanimous support on November 15, 2016.
The cost of this project is estimated to be less than $500 in materials and labor.
ATTACHMENT(S):
• Resolution 227
• Resolution 472
• Resolution 1192
• Arizona Revised Statute 28-703, governing speed limit alteration
• Town Code 11-2-1
• EPS Traffic analysis
• Quote from Desert Highway Signs for the appropriate signage
• Powerpoint