Submitted By
Bill McKenna, Village Engineer
Reviewed By
LKS
Agenda Item Title
Title
A Motion to Refer the Transportation Commission’s Recommendation to Install a Pinch Point or a Brick Street for Traffic Calming on the 500 and 600 Blocks of North Euclid Avenue to the Historic Preservation Commission for Recommendation
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Overview
Overview
The Village of Oak Park received petitions for traffic calming from the 500 and 600 blocks of North Euclid Avenue. The Transportation Commission recommended to install a pinch point or a brick street for traffic calming if the residents agree to pay the cost of the brick street. The two blocks of North Euclid are in the Frank Lloyd Wright-Prairie School of Architecture Historic District and staff is recommending referring the Transportation Commission’s recommendations to the Historic Preservation Commission for review before the items are reviewed by the Village Board.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Approve the Motion.
Fiscal Impact
The referral of the item to the Historic Preservation Commission for review has no fiscal impact. A summary of costs for the various traffic calming items recommended by the Transportation Commission is below.
Temporary pinch points can be installed for approximately $5,000 each with delineator posts. There are available funds for the purchase of materials to install the temporary pinch points in the FY2019 Capital Improvement Fund, Public Works - Engineering, account no. 3095-43780-101-570955 for Traffic Calming Improvements. The temporary delineators will be removed and reused at other locations once the permanent pinch points are installed.
Permanent pinch points cost approximately $25,000 each and include new curbs, asphalt, sod, and typically require some storm drainage work. For the two proposed pinch points the work would cost approximately $50,000 in FY2020.
The two blocks of Euclid are currently scheduled to be resurfaced in 2020 based on their pavement condition. The estimated cost to resurface the two blocks is $80,000 (without pinch points). Pending Board concurrence, the permanent pinch points would be constructed in 2020 as part of the street resurfacing project using the FY2020 Capital Improvement Fund, Public Works - Engineering, Local Street Construction, account no. 3095-43780-101-570951 for street resurfacing.
The cost to construct one block of brick street using reclaimed brick pavers is approximately $404,000. Similar pavers can be seen on the 700 block of Belleforte and 500 and 600 blocks of North Humphrey. The total cost for constructing two blocks of brick streets would be approximately $808,000.
Pending Board concurrence costs for the construction of the brick streets would be funded through a special service area tax (SSA). Construction of the brick street would be scheduled for 2020 due to the condition of the existing street. The Village would need to front the money using the CIP fund for local street resurfacing and the CIP fund would be paid back over the term of the SSA which is proposed to be 20 years.
Background
The Village received petitions for traffic calming from the 500 and 600 blocks of North Euclid Avenue. The Transportation Commission reviewed the 600 block of North Euclid at its July 22, 2019 meeting and the 500 block at its August 26, 2019 meeting. The Transportation Commission voted unanimously for both traffic calming items at both meetings to recommend: 1) the installation of a pinch point for each block of Euclid. However, if a sufficient number of the block’s residents approve the installation of brick street pavers and agree to pay the added cost, then the Transportation Commission recommends installation of brick street pavers; 2) install a temporary pinch point in order to evaluate its effectiveness; and 3) request increased police enforcement on the 500 and 600 blocks of North Euclid Avenue during peak traffic hours.
The 500 and 600 blocks of North Euclid are within the Frank Lloyd Wright-Prairie School of Architecture Historic District. The transportation Commission’s recommendations for pinch points or a brick street both can significantly alter the look and character of these blocks. Staff is recommending the Village Board refer the Transportation Commission’s recommendations for the pinch points and brick street to the Historic Preservation Commission for review and comments. Staff will present the recommendations from the Transportation Commission for each block along with the findings from the Historic Preservation Commission at an upcoming Village Board meeting.
Village staff supports the Transportation Commission’s recommendation from a traffic calming perspective. Pending Board concurrence, staff will install a temporary pinch points on the 500 and 600 blocks of North Euclid Avenue to reduce the width of the driving lanes to slow traffic using delineator posts since it is too late in the year to design and install the permanent version. The permanent pinch points which include new curbs and grass parkways would then be installed as part of the 2020 local street resurfacing project next summer. Based on the Traffic Calming Toolbox, traffic chokers/pinch points are paid for by the Village.
Pending Village Board concurrence, staff will mail a ballot to the residents on the two blocks of Euclid Avenue to have the residents vote on whether or not they would be in favor of paying for the installation of a brick street on their individual block. Should the Village receive 50% or more responses indicating the residents would be willing to pay for the installation of a brick street on their block, staff will prepare the necessary Village Board items to start the process of establishing a Special Service Area (SSA) to fund the installation of the brick street. A memo describing the process for establishing a SSA is attached for reference.
Staff recommends using reclaimed brick pavers to maintain the historical character of the block and since the old reclaimed pavers are more rounded and irregular they should provide the best traffic calming effect for slowing traffic.
An exhibit showing examples of a pinch point, potential locations for the pinch points, and examples of a brick street using reclaimed pavers is attached for reference.
A detailed background for the petition process and traffic analysis is attached for each block.
Alternatives
The Village Board may direct staff to install the temporary pinch points on the 500 and 600 blocks of North Euclid while the proposed permanent pinch points or brick street recommendations from the Transportation Commission are being reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission.
Previous Board Action
N/A.
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
The Transportation Commission recommended the following at its July 22, 2019 and August 26, 2019 meetings:
1. Install a pinch point on the 500 and 600 blocks of North Euclid Avenue. However, if a sufficient number of the block’s residents approve installation of brick street pavers and agree to pay the added cost, then the Transportation Commission recommends installation of brick street pavers;
2. Install a temporary pinch point in order to evaluate its effectiveness;
3. Request increased police enforcement on the 500 and 600 blocks of North Euclid Avenue during peak traffic hours.
Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
Following review of the item by the Historic Preservation Commission, staff will present two items for a Motion to concur with the Transportation Commission’s recommendations to install a pinch point on the 500 and 600 blocks of North Euclid Avenue.
Pending Village Board concurrence, staff will mail a ballot to the residents on the two blocks of Euclid Avenue to have the residents vote on whether or not they would be in favor of paying for the installation of a brick street on their individual block. Should the Village receive 50% or more responses indicating the residents would be willing to pay for the installation of a brick street on their block, staff will prepare the necessary Village Board items to start the process of establishing a Special Service Area (SSA) to fund the installation of the brick street.
Intergovernmental Cooperation Opportunities
None at this time.