VNA - 4 Way Stop 15th & Iowa
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MEMORANDUM
December 13, 2005
TO:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) Request for Four-Way Stop (Response
to August 23, 2005 Letter)
A request has been received from Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) Board of Directors
Chairperson Dale Leibfried for a four-way stop at the intersection of 15th Street and Iowa
Street. Mr. Leibfried indicates that there are "many pedestrians from the church, park,
VNA clients, and residents in the surrounding area who are at risk when they walk
through the intersection."
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos recommends City Council approval of the placement of
stop signs on Iowa Street at 15th Street, making it a four-way stop intersection.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
/liI ~~/JtJL-
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
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MEMORANDUM
December 13, 2005
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer YO
TO:
SUBJECT: Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) Request for Four-Way Stop
(Response to August 23, 2005 Letter)
INTRODUCTION
This is in response to the August 23, 2005 letter from Board of Directors
Chairperson Dale Leibfried of the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) requesting
City consideration of a four-way stop at the intersection of 15th Street and Iowa
Street.
Mr. Leibfried indicates that there are "many pedestrians from the church, park,
VNA clients, and residents in the surrounding area who are at risk when they
walk through the intersection". VNA staff has also observed from the VNA
windows several crashes and many near crashes.
BACKGROUND
Iowa Street and 15th Street are both 37 feet wide. The speed limit on both
streets is 25 miles per hour (mph).
15th and Iowa Intersection
The intersection of 15th and Iowa is currently controlled by STOP signs on 15th
Street. Pedestrian crossing warning signs are present for traffic on Iowa
ap~roaching the 15th Street intersection. Parking is allowed on both sides of
15 h Street except for the south side of 15th from Iowa to the alley east of Main.
There is also a parking prohibition on the east side of Iowa from 15th Street to
a point approximately 38 feet south of 15th Street. While not considered a
prohibition, the first parking stall on the east side of Iowa Street north of 15th
Street is designated as a "Reserved Parking" stall for persons with disabilities.
(Note Attachment 1.)
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) states that: "The
responsibility for the design, placement, operation, maintenance, and
uniformity of traffic control devices keep rest with the public agency or the
official having jurisdiction. The MUTCD serves as the national standard for all
traffic control devices installed on any street, highway, or bikeway open to
public travel. The City of Dubuque Engineering staff has considered all
applicable criteria when evaluating the appropriateness of multi-way stop
control at this intersection.
The following data was collected with respect to traffic volumes and speeds:
Iowa Approaching 15th Street
. 883 northbound vehicles per day on Iowa approaching 15th Street with an
85%tile speed of 25 mph.
. 426 vehicles per day were southbound on Iowa approaching 15th Street
with an 85th %tile speed of 27 mph.
15th Street Approaching Iowa Street
. 466 eastbound vehicles per day approaching Iowa Street.
. 410 westbound vehicles per day approaching Iowa Street.
. Speed data is not relevant due to the existing STOP signs at Iowa.
The MUTCD minimum vehicular volume for multi-way stop requires at least
300 vehicles per hour for any 8 hours on the major street approaches. The
volumes at this intersection fall well short of the requirement.
Accidents
. 6 intersection-related occurrences from 2001 through November 15, 2005:
5 crashes were right-angle collisions--2 of which a vehicle ran the STOP
sign and 3 failed to yield the right-of-way after stopping at the STOP sign.
. 6 crashes in 5 years would not be considered high based on the traffic
volume entering the intersection.
. The assertion regarding the near crashes cannot be corroborated or
disputed.
The MUTCD crash criterion uses a minimum of 5 crashes in a 12-month
period. This intersection has experienced 6 crashes in 5 years.
Traffic Volumes - 15th & Iowa, 15th & Main, 15th & Locust
The total traffic volume entering the intersection of 15th and Iowa on a
weekday in August of this year was 2,185. By comparison the traffic
volume entering the intersection at 15th and Main was 3,706 and at 15th
and Locust it was 3,465.
The corresponding crash data at 15th and Main includes one right-angle
crash since 2001. At 15th and Locust, there were no right-angle
collisions. The one crash that was reported at the intersection involved
a northbound vehicle being rear-ended while slowing to make a right
turn onto 15th Street.
DISCUSSION
The difference in crash history at the three intersections could arguably be
attributed to the differences in parking restrictions at the intersections and the
presence of a one-way street such as in the case of Locust Street.
On Main Street, parking is prohibited on the east side for 50 feet south of and
65 feet north of 15th Street. This would have a positive effect on the visibility of
westbound motorists on 15th Street. On the west side of Main Street, parking is
prohibited for 64 feet south of and 74 feet north of 15th Street. This would have
a positive impact on the visibility of eastbound motorists on 15th Street.
At Locust Street, motorists on 15th Street have only to observe traffic from one
direction, that is, northbound traffic on Locust Street. Although there are no
parking prohibitions on Locust Street south of the intersection, there is an
advantage in having to look for oncoming traffic in only one direction.
There appear to be two options available to address the concerns of the VNA.
Option 1 would be to install STOP signs on Iowa Street at 15th Street making it
a four-way stop intersection. Option 2 would be to remove parking on both
sides of Iowa Street, north and south of 15th Street, which would provide better
visibility at the intersection. However, removal of parking is not recommended
due to the lack of off-street parking and the existing parking demands from the
VNA, St. Patrick's Church, and Jackson Park.
RECOMMENDATION
I would recommend that STOP signs be installed on Iowa Street at 15th Street,
making it a four-way stop intersection.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
The City Council is requested to adopt the two attached ordinances relating to
the installation of STOP signs on Iowa Street at 15th Street. The first
ordinance deletes Iowa Street from the Sec. 32-213 providing for through
street designation. The second allows for the placement of STOP signs on
Iowa Street at 15th Street.
cc: Bill Schlickman, Traffic Engineering Assistant
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ORDINANCE NO. 70-05
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA, BY DELETING A PORTION OF IOWA STREET
FROM SUBSECTION (b) OF SECTION 32-213 THEREOF PROVIDING FOR
THE DESIGNATION OF THROUGH STREETS
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 deleting Iowa Street from Subsection (b) of Section 32-213
thereof as follows:
Sec. 32-213. ThrouQh Streets.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Iowa Street, from the north property line of East First Street to the south
property line of West Seventeenth Street.
Section 2. That the Code of Ordinances of the City of Dubuque, Iowa,
be amended by adding Iowa Street to Subsection (b) of Section 32-213 thereof
as follows:
Sec. 32-213. ThrouQh Streets.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Iowa Street, from the north right-of-way line of West Fourth Street to the
south right-of-way line of West Fifteenth Street.
Passed, approved and adopted this 19th
day of December
2005.
Terrance M. Duggan, Mayor
Attest:
,
Jeanne F. Schneider, City Clerk
eanne F. Schneider, CMC, City Clerk
ORDINANCE NO. 71-04
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA, BY MODIFYING SUBSECTION (b) OF SECTION
32-214 THEREOF PROVIDING FOR THE ADDITION OF STOP SIGNS ON
IOWA STREET AT WEST FIFTEENTH STREET
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 Iowa Street and West Fifteenth Street to Subsection (b)
of Section 32-214 thereof as follows:
Sec. 32-214. Stop Intersections.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Northbound and Southbound
Iowa Street and West Fifteenth Street
Passed, approved and adopted this 19th
day of December
2005.
Terrance M. Duggan, Mayor
Attest:
Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC, City Clerk
EXISTING
SITE LOCATION MAPS
1 "=200'
VICINITY MAP
1"=1000'
PROPOSED
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EXHIBIT "A"
PROPOSED SIGN CHANGE
INTERSECTION OF 15TH STREET
AND IOWA STREET
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