Speed Limit on Pennsylvania Avenue
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ORDINANCE NO. 43 -00
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY
OF DUBUQUE, IOWA BY REVISING SUBSECTION (C) OF SECTION 32-
231 THEREOF PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SPEED
LIMITS ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. That the Code of Ordinances of the City of Dubuque, Iowa be
amended by adding the following to Subsection (c) of Section 32-231 thereof as follows:
"Sec. 32-231. Limits Generallv."
(c)
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TWENTY-FIVE (25) MILES PER HOUR
Pennsylvania Avenue, from University Avenue to Hickson Street
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THIRTY (30) MILES PER HOUR
Pennsylvania Avenue, from Hickson Street to John F. Kennedy Road
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Passed, approved and adopted this 15th day of
May
,2000.
Attest:
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eanne F. Schneider, City Clerk
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Nathan & Nicole Baker
2249 Garfield Avenue
Dubuque, IA 52001
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Dear Dubuque City Council:
In recent months my husband and I have encountered very dangerous driving
conditions on Pennsylvania Avenue. It is no longer safe to follow the law by doing the
speed limit on this street. We have been witnesses to many accounts of road rage,
aggressive driving, and just plain inattentiveness that have resulted in many near
collisions. All of these occurances were because other drivers encountered our vehicle
NOT exceeding the speed LIMIT of 25 MPH on this street. We have been passed
illegally on the right and on the left (with oncoming traffic) resulting in several near
collisions. Each time the police department was either unable or unwilling to help us.
Finally, we contacted the city engineer with our problem. He told us that a study had
been done and that it was determined that it would be in everyone's best interest to
raise the speed limit on that particular stretch of Pennsylvania A venue; however, the
local residents disapproved. We now feel that it is absolutely necessary to change the
speed limit and the lane markings to allow other law abiding citizens, such as ourselves,
to be safe while travelling according to the dictates of the law on this street. Please
consider the enclosed petition.
We, the undersigned, believe that it is necessary to raise the speed limit on
Pennsylvania Avenue in both directions from John F. Kennedy Road to University
Avenue from the current 25 MPH to 30 or 35 MPH. We also believe that it would
be safer to change the lane markings to match those of Pennsylvania West of JFK,
two traveling lanes and a center turn lane.
Sincerely,
Nathan R. Baker _
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Nicole D. Baker
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We, the undersigned, believe that it is necess i e the seed limit on
Pennsylvania Avenue in both directions fro ohn F. Kennedy Road to Universl
Avenue from the current 25l\1PH to 30 or 35 MPH. We a so e leve t at It would be
safer to change the lane markings to match those of Pennsylvania West of JFK, two
traveling lanes and a center turn lane.
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We, the undersigned, believe that it is necessary to raise the speed limit on
Pennsvlvania Avenue in both directions from John F. Kennedy Road to University
Avenue from the current 25 MPH to 30 or 35 MPH. We also believe that it would be
safer to change the lane markings to match those of Pennsylvania West of JFK, two
traveling lanes and a center turn lane.
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We, the undersigned, believe that it is necessary to raise the speed limit on
Pennsylvania Avenue in both directions from John F. Kennedy Road to University
Avenue from the current 25 MPH to 30 or 35 MPH. We also believe that it would be
safer to change the lane markings to match those of Pennsylvania West of JFK, two
traveling lanes and a center turn lane.
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
May 9, 2000
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Pennsylvania Avenue Speed Limit
In response to a citizen petition and at the direction of the City Council, Public
Works Director Mike Koch examined the appropriateness of the 25 MPH speed limit
on Pennsylvania Avenue from University Avenue to John F. Kennedy Road.
. After performing extensive research and conducting a speed study, Public Works
Director Mike Koch is recommending that the speed limit on Pennsylvania Avenue
from McPoland Street to John F. Kennedy Road be raised to 30 MPH.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
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M1chael C. Van Milligen
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Attachment
cc:
Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Tim Moerman, Assistant City Manager
Mike Koch, Public Works Director
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
May 8, 2000
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Michael A. Koch, Public Works Director Jl/L/{"CL/
FROM:
SUBJECT: Pennsylvania Avenue Speed Limit
INTRODUCTION
The following is in response to a February 18, 2000 request initiated by Nathan R. and
Nicole D. Baker, along with 51 petitioners, to increase the speed limit on Pennsylvania
Avenue from its present 25 miles per hour.
BACKGROUND
The most widely-accepted method of establishing speed limits by the traffic
engineering profession is to post the speed limit at the 85th percentile speed of the
actual traffic flow. The 85th percentile is that speed at which 85 percent (85%) or
less of the traffic is driving under normal conditions.
Pennsylvania Avenue is an arterial street in the City's system of street networks; and
as a general rule, such streets are wider and have a higher speed limit to facilitate the
movement of traffic, rather than having traffic short-cut through local neighborhoods.
Because of its arterial status and after a speed study, a recommendation was made
in 1981 to raise the posted speed limit from 25 to 35 miles per hour. This
recommendation was based upon a measured prevailing 85th percentile travel speed
at that time of 35 miles per hour. This recommendation of City staff and the City
Manager was approved from John F. Kennedy westerly; however, the section between
Kennedy and University was not given approval because of neighborhood objection.
Several other streets were included in the 1 981 speed study. Some of these streets
were also recommended for speed limit increases, of which some were approved by
Council and some were not. Rhomberg Avenue was one of the streets for which the
speed limit was increased. In this case, the 85th percentile travel speed was found
to be 31 miles per hour, with a posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour. Two years
later, after the speed limit was changed to 30 miles per hour, speed studies were again
performed at the same locations on Rhomberg Avenue. At the first location, the 85th
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percentile travel speed remained at 31.0 miles per hour. At a second monitoring point
along Rhomberg Avenue, the 85th percentile was found to have risen only 1 mile per
hour. This same pattern was found with nearly all of the streets for which the speed
limits were increased in 1981.
Historically the City's speed studies taken after speed limit increases have shown that
speeds do not increase simply because speed limits are raised. Whenever the City
raises a speed limit, a "before" and "after" speed study is done to determine whether
there is any effect on actual traffic speeds. Invariably, the studies point out that
drivers tend to travel at what they consider to be a reasonable rate of speed for a
given area, street type and width, and traffic volume, despite posted legal speed limit
designations.
In late 1999, the speed limit on Fremont Avenue between Simpson and Cedar Cross
Road was raised from 25 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour. Again "before" and
"after" studies were performed, with the following results:
Fremont Avenue Before After
Posted Soeed 85th % Posted Soeed 85th %
Soeed Soeed
100 Ft. East of Valentine 25 mph 34.6 mph 30 mph 36.1 mph
. 100 Ft. West of Knob Hill 25 mph 39.4 mph 30 mph 39.3 mph
Without an increase in travel speeds, the speed violation rate west of Knob Hill has
dropped from 61 % to 39%, and east of Valentine, it has dropped from 87% to 63%.
This indicates that the 30 mile-per-hour speed limit is considered by most drivers to
be a more reasonable speed limit than the previous 25 miles per hour.
DISCUSSION
With regard to the petition on Pennsylvania Avenue, a speed study was performed,
and the following 85th percentile speeds were determined:
Pennsvlvania Avenue
- At Ruann
Year Posted Soeed 85th Percentile Soeed
1981 25 mph 35.0 mph
1983 25 mph 33.0 mph
1999 25 mph 33.6 mph
1981 25 mph 33.0 mph
1983 25 mph 31.0 mph
1999 25 mph 31.0 mph
- At Wisconsin
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The traffic speed on this arterial street is actually decreasing over time, which is likely
the result of the street carrying more traffic. Since 1983 traffic on Pennsylvania
Avenue has risen from about 6,700 vehicles per day to 11,800 vehicles per day in the
Year 2000.
The travel speed study indicates that there is a high violation rate of the posted 25
mile-per-hour speed limit. The study showed 85th percentile speeds ranging from a
31 miles per hour to 37 miles per hour.
Shown below are violation rates comparing the existing 25 mile-per-hour speed limit,
to an assumed increase to a 30 mile-per-hour speed limit.
Assumed
Pennsvlvania Avenue Posted % Violation Posted % Violation
Soeed Rate Soeed Rate
Earl Drive - Eastbound 25 mph 62.6% 30 mph 20.2%
Earl Drive - Westbound 25 mph 75.5% 30 mph 34.4%
Alpha Street - Eastbound 25 mph 83.2% 30 mph 51.4%
Palm Court - Westbound 25 mph 71.0% 30 mph 27.7%
Wisconsin Avenue - Eastbound 25 mph 58.2% 30 mph 16.4%
Based upon previous studies, there should be a significant reduction in speed violation
rates if the speed limit were increased to 30 miles per hour, without an increase in
actual travel speeds on the street. Such a decrease in violation rates should also
require a significantly less speed enforcement effort by the Police Department.
RECOMMENDATION
The existing 25 mile-per-hour speed limit on Pennsylvania Avenue between University
Avenue and John F. Kennedy Road, with its high violation rates indicate that the
posted speed limit is too low for the existing roadway conditions.
Time after time, traffic speed studies have shown that increases in posted speed limits
do not normally result in increased travel speeds on the street. Studies have shown
that when posted speeds are too low for existing conditions, this often leads to greater
variations in speed between slower and faster moving vehicles, which can be a source
of tail-gating, and perhaps the cause of some accidents.
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. ACTION TO BE TAKEN
It is my recommendation that the speed limit be maintained at 25 miles per hour for
Pennsylvania Avenue from University Avenue to McPoland Street because of Irving
School, and that the speed limit be raised to 30 miles per hour from McPoland Street
to John F. Kennedy Road.
MAK/vjd
cc: John Mauss, Police Chief
Bill Schlickman, Traffic Engineering Assistant
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