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A Motion to Concur with the Transportation Commission’s Recommendations for Traffic Calming on the 500 Block of South Humphrey Avenue
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Introduction
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At the January 13, 2025, Transportation Commission (TC) meeting, the TC reviewed a traffic calming petition for the 500 block of South Humphrey Avenue. The TC voted to concur with the staff recommendations to install the recommended traffic calming items including a paint-and-post pinch point south of the alley entrance.
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Recommended Action
Adopt the Motion.
Prior Board Action
There is no prior Board action associated with this item.
Background
On March 15, 2023, the Village of Oak Park received a petition to implement traffic calming measures on the 500 Block of South Humphrey Avenue. The residents expressed concerns regarding excessive speeds and cut-through traffic on 500 South Humphrey Avenue between Adams Street and the alley.
See Attachment A for a copy of the letter of explanation. No written public testimony was received by the Village for this petition. See Attachment B for the aerial imagery of the area.
The petition was reviewed by the Transportation Commission at its January 13, 2025 meeting. Staff gave a presentation on the issues including background on the petition, history of the area, analysis of the collected traffic data, collision diagram, and recommendations. Residents provided public testimony on the items. After hearing the staff’s presentation and public testimony, the Transportation Commission deliberated on the items.
At the January 13, 2025 meeting, the Transportation Commission voted five to zero to:
- Install paint and post pinch point to line up with the south side of the alley entrance on the 500 block of S Humphrey Avenue (Attachment F)
Pending Village Board approval, pavement markings, and posts will be installed as part of the upcoming 25-2 Resurfacing of Various Streets project.
Analysis Section
Traffic Study - Volume and Speed (Attachment C)
Twenty-four-hour traffic data was also collected along the 500 blocks of South Humphrey Avenue, Lyman Avenue, and South Taylor Avenue using radar. The data was collected on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 14 and 15, 2024. One component of the traffic data is Average Daily Traffic (ADT), which is the number of vehicles counted over a 24-hour period. Volumes along South Humphrey Avenue are around 800 vehicles per day while volumes on Lyman Avenue and South Taylor Avenue are 500 and 600 vehicles per day respectively. These three north-south streets have similar characteristics, so it is possible that the slightly higher volume of traffic on South Humphrey is indicative of some non-local drivers using this roadway. However, given an average of slightly more than one vehicle per minute during the peak hours, these volumes are not excessively high.
Speed data was another component of the mid-block data collection effort. A review of the 500 block of South Humphrey Avenue speed data shows a higher than 70% compliance rate with the 25-mph speed limit and more than 95% of the vehicles are traveling less than 5 mph over the speed limit. The 85th percentile speeds tend to be highest during the early morning hours and lowest during the middle of the day.
See Attachment C for a summary of the results.
Traffic Study - Turning Movement Counts (Attachment D)
In order to quantify vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle volumes at the South Humphrey Avenue/Adams Street intersection and at the S Humphrey Avenue alley intersection, six-hour counts were conducted on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, using a video camera system. The traffic data was collected on a weekday with typical traffic patterns while school was in session. Conditions were sunny with a high of 70 degrees and a low of 54 degrees. The weather was conducive to pedestrian and bicycle activity. The traffic count data shows that the morning peak hour is between 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. The evening traffic volume is highest between 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at both locations. Overall, volumes at these intersections are low. See Attachment D for a summary of the results.
Crash History - Collision Diagram (Attachment E)
In order to evaluate safety trends on the 500 block of South Humphrey Avenue, reported crash data was obtained from the IDOT Safety Portal and the Village of Oak Park from July 2019 through June 2024, a five-year period. This data shows that there were no mid-block collisions along this block during the five-year period.
Crashes at the intersection of S Humphrey and Adams Street were also assessed. There was one crash reported at South Humphrey Avenue/Adams Street. This was a parked vehicle collision without any reported injuries. There are no crash patterns that indicate any issues or adverse safety trends. See Attachment E for the collision diagram.
Timing Considerations
Pending Village Board approval, staff will include this work as part of the design of the upcoming 25-2 Resurfacing of Various Streets project which is anticipated to be constructed in the summer of this year.
Budget Impact
Staff estimates it will cost $3,650 to install the pavement markings and bump-outs using paint and post treatments. Pending Village Board approval, staff will include this work as part of the upcoming 2025 resurfacing of various street projects. The Fiscal Year 2025 Budget includes $250,000 in the Capital Improvement Fund (CIP), Public Works - Engineering, Traffic Calming Improvements, account no. 3095-43780-101-570955 to fund these improvements.
Staffing Impact
This is a core service responsibility of the Engineering Division of the Public Works Department. Implementing this item has minimal staffing impact. Preparing the materials for the Transportation Commission for this traffic calming petition took around 100 hours, including obtaining and analyzing traffic data, preparing exhibits, and making the presentation. Including the design of the traffic calming improvements into the street resurfacing project and future bike boulevard project is a minimal effort and would take somewhere in the range of 10 hours.
DEI Impact
The Vision Zero plan highlights that traffic accidents disproportionately affect minority communities within the Village. Traffic calming improvements will enhance safety for all users, with particular benefits for these vulnerable groups.
Community Input
On March 15, 2023, the Village of Oak Park received petitions to implement traffic calming measures at the 500 Block of S Humphrey Avenue. The petition organizers were notified of the January 13, 2025, TC meeting regarding these petitions, and public comments from residents were heard at the TC meeting. TC meeting minutes are attached for reference.
At the January 13, 2025, Transportation Commission (TC) meeting the TC recommended installing a paint-and-post pinch point to line up with the south side of the alley at the 500 block of S Humphrey Avenue.
Staff Recommendation
Staff concurs with the Transportation Commission’s recommendations for traffic calming on the 500 Block of S Humphrey Avenue. Staff recommends adopting the motion.
Advantages:
• Traffic calming improvements will be installed per the Transportation Commission’s recommendation, which will slow traffic on the 500 block of S Humphrey Avenue. The proposed pinch point and pavement markings will improve safety.
Disadvantages:
• The proposed pinch point on the 500 block of S Humphrey Avenue will require removing approximately 4 on-street parking spaces along the street frontage.
• It will cost approximately $3,650 to install the recommended improvements using the paint and post treatments as part of the upcoming 25-2 Resurfacing of Various Streets project.
Alternatives
Alternative 1:
The Board can delay to gain additional information
Advantages:
• The Board can receive an additional presentation with the requested information.
Disadvantages:
• Significant delays could impact the staff’s ability to incorporate the recommendations in 2025.
Alternative 2:
The Board can vote down the Motion
Advantages:
• Potential cost saving of $3,650.
Disadvantages:
• Misalignment with Transportation Commission and Staff’s recommendation to address resident concerns.
• Potentially unsafe traffic conditions would persist.
• Resident concerns would not be addressed.
Anticipated Future Actions
Staff will continue to bring Transportation Commission Traffic Petition Recommendations to the Village Board in the future.
Prepared By: Ron Burke, Transportation Commission Chairperson; Bill McKenna, Village Engineer/Assistant Public Works Director
Reviewed By: Rob Sproule, Public Works Director
Approved By: Kevin J. Jackson, Village Manager
Attachment(s):
1. Letter of Explanation - Attachment A
2. Aerial Images - Attachment B
3. Speed and Volume Traffic Data - Attachment C
4. Turning Movement Counts - Attachment D
5. Crash History - Attachment E
6. Recommended Improvements - F