1dCITYOF
C HASSE
7i{y Center Drive, PO Box 147
~nhassen, Minnesota 55317
Phone 612.93Z 1900
'eneral Fax 612.937.5739
ineering Fax 612.937.9152
!lc Safe~ tax 612.93<2524
wwmci, chanhassen, mn. us
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor
City Council
Scott A. Botcher, City Manager
September 22, 1999
Establishment of a School Speed Zone on Coulter Boulevard, East
of Galpin Boulevard/Bluff Creek Elementary School
FROM:
DATE:
SUB J:
Please find attached a memo from the Assistant City Engineer discussing the
establishment of a school speed zone on Coulter Boulevard near Bluff Creek
Elementary. Having read the memo and visited the site during the school day, I
am in concurrence with the recommendation made therein. Thank you.
;ity of Cha,hassen. A ~row/n~ commu,/tv with dean lakes, ~uality schooh, a charmin~ downtown, thriving businesses, and beauti£ul oarks. A creat v/ace to live. work. and
MEMORANDUM
CITYOF
CH I SEI
690 Ci{y Center Drive, PO Box 147
Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317
Phone 612.937.1900
General Fax 612.937.5739
Engineering Fax 612.93Z9152
Public Safe{y Fax' 612.934.2524
Web www. ci.&anhassen, mn. us
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUB J:
Background
Anita Benson, City Engineer
Dave Hempel, Assistant City Engineer-l)C/4/f.~l,{
September 22, 1999
Consider Establishment of School Speed Zone on Coulter
Boulevard East of Galpin Boulevard - Bluff Creek Elementary
File No. PW-070D-5
Staff has received requests from some parents whose children attend Bluff Creek
Elementary School to establish a school speed zone along Coulter Boulevard and
Galpin Boulevard (County Road 19) adjacent to Bluff Creek Elementary School.
Since the opening of Bluff Creek Elementary School in 1995, residential
development in the area has increased. In addition, Coulter Boulevard has been
extended east and west of the school. Our records indicate no previous traffic
studies have been performed.
General
According to State Statutes, local authorities may establish the school speed limit
within school zones of a public or non-public school on the basis of an
engineering and traffic investigation on streets and highways under a City's
jurisdiction in accordance with the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices (MMUTCD). School speed limits are in effect when children are present,
going to, or leaving school during the opening and closing hours or during school
recess periods. School speed limits shall not be lower than 15 MPH and shall not
be more than 20 MPH below the posted speed limits on the affected streets if the
Speed limit is 40 MPH or greater. This evaluation has been prepared by following
the criteria as outlined in MnDOT's "A Guide To Establishing Speed Limits in
School Zones".
The definition of a "school speed zone" is a section of street or roadway which
abuts the ground of the school where children have access to the street or highway
from the school property or where children use an established school crossing as
provided by the "school crossing signs" prescribed by the MMUTCD.
The purpose of a school speed zone is to re-route or direct school pedestrian
traffic to use a single or common route and crossing point which will enable the
use of crossing guards and/or added traffic control signs to effectively safely direct
school pedestrian traffic. Studies have shown that most drivers respond favorably
with increased care in driving when children are visibly present. Statistics show
The Gtv of Chanhassen. A erowin~ commun&, with clean lakes, aualit~ schooh, a cha~ni,v doumtown, thrit,inv hminesse~, and heauti/~d aark~ A areat
Anita Benson
September 22, 1999
Page 2
the greatest causes of child pedestrian accidents are children crossing between
parked cars in school bus loading or stopping zones. Whenever possible, loading
and stopping zones should be off the street.
Engineering and Traffic Investigation Results
A traffic study was performed during the morning hours between 8:15 a.m. and
9:15 a.m. on September 16 and 20, 1999 to monitor pedestrian/vehicle
movements at the intersection of Galpin Boulevard and Coulter Boulevard.
Galpin Boulevard (County Road 19) is under the Carver County Public Highway
Department's jurisdiction, our traffic study did not include this portion of
roadway. Staff did, however, contact Carver County Public Works to request a
school speed study be performed along Galpin Boulevard. Mr. John Weller with
the Carver County Public Works Department requests a letter from the City to
initiate a study.
A sidewalk/trail runs along the north side of Coulter Boulevard and the east side
of Galpin Boulevard. There are three crosswalks established at the intersection of
Galpin Boulevard and Coulter Boulevard, two across Coulter Boulevard (one on
each side of Galpin Boulevard) and one across Galpin Boulevard south of Coulter
Boulevard. Vehicle access to the school is limited to Coulter Boulevard. A bus
loading and unloading zone is located on the south side of the school. School
crossing guards were present at the driveway entrance to the school and at the
intersection of Galpin Boulevard and Coulter Boulevard.
Coulter Boulevard is classified as a collector street in the City's Comprehensive
Plan. It is also designated as a Municipal State Aid (MSA) route. The street
width is 36 feet wide with parking prohibited on both sides. The average daily
traffic (ADT) on Coulter Boulevard is 2090 vehicles per day. The speed limit on
Coulter Boulevard is 30 MPH.
Attached is a survey of vehicle/pedestrian counts along Coulter Boulevard at the
intersection of Galpin Boulevard. The first column of the survey represents the
number of pedestrians and/or bikes traveling to the school in five-minute
intervals. As noted, the amount of pedestrian traffic is relatively low. All
pedestrians and bicycles used the established crosswalk at the intersection of
Galpin Boulevard and Coulter Boulevard to access the school. The direction of
the pedestrians was all from south of Coulter Boulevard and east of Galpin
Boulevard. Staff did not witness any pedestrian movements across Galpin
Boulevard from the west or further to the east along Coulter Boulevard. The
second column represents the number of vehicles traveling along Coulter
Boulevard, east of Galpin Boulevard. By comparing the vehicles' average daily
Anita Benson
September 22, 1999
Page 3
traffic during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., indicates that approximately 100
additional cars that travel to the school during this period versus when school is
not in session. The third column represents the number of buses dropping off
children and the fourth column represents the number of vehicles dropping off
children into the school grounds. Staff also contacted the Carver County Sheriff's
office for a report of traffic accidents in the area over the past year. The Sheriff's
Office indicated that no accidents had occurred along Coulter Boulevard adjacent
the school or at the intersection of Galpin Boulevard and Coulter Boulevard.
Conclusion
Given the relatively low pedestrian and traffic counts along Coulter Boulevard,
the location and use of the established crosswalks and sidewalks, and isolated
school bus drop-off and loading zone, staff does not recommend the establishment
of a'school speed zone along Coulter Boulevard. Staff believes that the existing
crosswalks at Galpin Boulevard and Coulter Boulevard along with the crossing
guards are effectively and safely directing school pedestrians to the school.
However, staff does recommend two additional traffic signs (school advance sign
- Attachment No. 5) be installed along Coulter Boulevard adjacent to the school
grounds.
Attachments:
2.
3.
4.
5.
Excerpts from MMUTCD.
Traffic counts dated June 21, 1999.
Survey of pedestrian/vehicle counts dated September 16, 1999.
Survey of pedestrian/vehicle counts dated September 20, 1999.
Proposed traffic signage plan.
c: John Weller, Carver County Public Works
g:\eng\dave\ccXschool speed zone.doc
ATTACHMENT# 1
Part VII. TRAFFIC CONTROLS FOR SCHOOL AREAS
A. GENERAL
7A-1 Need for Standards
Traffic control in school ar6as is a highly sensitive subject. If all the
demands of parents and others were met, there would have to be many
more police and adult guards for school duty; and many more traffic
signals, signs, and markings. Such demands, however, are not always in
line with actual needs.
Analyses often show that at many locations, school crossing controls
requested by parents, teachers and other citizens are unnecessary and
costly and tend to lessen the respect for controls that are warranted. It is
therefore important to stress the point that regardless of the school
location, safe and effective traffic control can best be obtained through
the uniform application of realistic policies, practices and standards
developed through engineering studies.
Pedestrian safety depends in large measure upon public understanding
of accepted methods for efficient traffic control. This principle is never
more important than in the control of pedestrians and vehicles in the
vicinity of schools. Neither school children nor vehicle operators can be
expected to move safely in school zones unless they understand both the
need for traffic controls and the ways in which these controls function for
their benefit.
Non-uniform procedures and devices cause confusion among
pedestrians and vehicle operators, prompt wrong decisions, and can
contribute to accidents. In order to achieve uniformity of traffic control in
school areas, comparable traffic situations must be treated in the same
manner. Each traffic control device and control method described in this
part fulfills a specific function related to specific traffic conditions.
The type of school area traffic control used, either warning or
regulatory, must be related to the volume and speed of traffic, street width
and the number of children crossing. For this reason, the traffic controls
necessary in a school area located on a major highway would not be
needed on a residential street away from heavy traffic. Yet, the important
point to be made is that a uniform approach to school area traffic controls
must be developed to assure the use of similar controls for similar
situations (which promotes uniform behavior on the part of vehicle
operators and pedestrians).
A school route plan for each school serving elementary and
kindergarten students is useful in developing uniformity in the use of
school area traffic controls. The plan, developed by the school and traffic
officials responsible for school pedestrian safety, consists of a simple map
showing streets, the school, existing traffic controls, established school
routes, and established school crossings. A typical school plan map is
shown in figure 7-1.
VICTORIA
ST,
LEGEND
~- SAFE .~k~:X. ROUTE
TRAFFIC
Sl0~[ h C~SSI~
Figure 7-1. Typical school mute plan map.
The plan permits the orderly review of school area traffic control needs,
and the coordination of school pedestrian safety education and
engineering activities.
The following treatment of signs, signals, and markings for school areas
is intended to provide in effect a comprehensive handbook in its field, to
be applied as a national standard. It establishes general principles to be
observed in designing, installing, and maintaining traffic control devices
in school areas, and prescribes specific standards where possible. While it
constitutes a part of this Manual, it is designed so that it can be used
independently, for the convenience of those who are not concerned with
the many other phases of traffic control. To that end some material
concerning specifications and devices having more general application is
repeated here from preceding parts of this Manual.
Reference to reduced speed signs for school areas and crossings is
included in this Manual solely for the purpose of standardizing signing for
these zones. However, this is not to be considered an endorsement of the
practice of mandatory reduced speed zones for all school areas and
crossings.
7A-2 School Routes and Established School Crossings
School routes should be
afforded by existing traffic
necessary for children to
established school crossing
and to avoid the use of a
existing traffic control.
planned to take advantage of the protection
controls. This planning criterion may make it
walk a non-direct, longer distance to an
located where there is existing traffic control,
direct, hazardous crossing where there is no
Factors to be considered when determining the feasibility of requiring
children to walk a longer distance to a crossing (at a location with existing
traffic control) are:
1. The availability of adequate, safe sidewalks or off roadway sidewalk
areas to and from the location with existing control,
2. The number of children using the crossing,
3. The age levels of the children using the crossing, and
4. The total extra walking distance.
7A-3 School Crossing Control Criteria
Alternate gaps and blockades are formed in the vehicular traffic stream
in a pattern peculiar to each crossing location. For safety, a pedestrian
must wait for a gap in traffic that is of sufficient duration to permit a
street crossing without interference from vehicular traffic. When the delay
between the occurrence of adequate gaps becomes excessive, children may
become impatient and endanger themselves by attempting to cross the
street during an inadequate gap. This delay may be considered excessive
when the number of adequate gaps in the traffic stream, during the period
the children are using a crossing, is less than the number of minutes in that
same time period. With this condition (when adequate gaps occur less
[requently than an average of one per minute) some form of traffic control
is needed which will create in the traffic stream the gaps necessary to
reduce the hazard.
A recommended practice for determining the frequency and adequacy
of gaps in the vehicular traffic stream is given in the Institute of
Transportation Engineers publication, School Trip Safety Program
Guidelines. *
· Available from Institute of Transportation Engineers, see page iv.
7A-3 Rev. 3186
7A-4 Scope
This part sets forth basic principles and prescribes standards to be
followed in the design, application, installation and maintenance of all
traffic control devices and other controls required for the special
pedestrian conditions of school areas. Such devices and controls include
signs, signals, markings, adult guards, student patrols, and grade
separated crossings.
7A-5 Application of Standards
The standards of this Manual apply to all streets and highways open to
public travel regardless of type or the level of governmental agency having
jurisdiction.
All traffic control devices used in school areas shall conform to the
applicable specifications of this Manual.
7A-6 Engineering Study Required
The decision to use a particular device at a particular location should be
made on the basis of an engineering study of the location. Thus, while this
Manual provides standards for design and application of traffic control
devices, the Manual is not meant to be a substitute for engineering
judgment. It is the intent that the provisions of this Manual define the
standards for traffic control devices, but shall not be a legal requirement
for their installation.
7A-7 Maintenance of Traffic Control Devices
Maintenance of devices must be of high standards to assure that
legibility is retained, that the device is visible, that it is functioning
properly, and that it is removed if no longer needed.
Devices which are used on a part-time basis shall be in operation only
during the time periods they are required.
Regulatory traffic control devices for school areas should be removed,
covered or not operated when they are not needed for extended periods of
time, such as during summer vacations.
7A-8 Placement Authority. (Refer to Section lA-3.1.)
7A-9 Removal of Confusing Advertising
There should be legal authority to prohibit the display of any
unauthorized sign, signal, marking, or device which interferes with the
effectiveness of any official traffic control device. The enactment of
Section 11-205 of the Uniform Vehicle Code will provide this authority.
7A-10 Meaning of "Shall," "Should" and "May"
In the Manual sections dealing with the design and application of traffic
control devices, the words "shall," "should" and "may" are used to
describe specific conditions concerning these devices. To clarify the
Rev. 3186 7A-4
MN
Rev. 8 I
neV. 8
7B-9 School Advance Sign (SI-l)
The School Advance sign (S 1-1) shall be used in advance of any signed
school crossing. The School Advaqce sig9 ...may. ~.e ._used ~i_n_adva.nce .o,f
.!.ocations_wh~.r.e s_~c_h~_ol__b_u_!l~gs_, or grounds are adjacent to the highway.
It may also be used in advance of established schOOl.. &o's'slngs "hot-
adjacent to a school ground.
The color, fluorescent yellow-green may be used with a black border
and legend for the School Advance sign. When fluorescent yellow-green
signs are installed, a systematic approach of using one color within a zone
or area should be used. The mixing of standard yellow and fluorescent
yellow-green signs of the same type, within a selected site area, should be
avoided.
Where used. the sign shall be erected not less than 150 feet nor more
than 700 feet in advance of the school grounds or school crossing. The
sign shall have a minimum height and width of 36 inches in rural areas,
and 30 inches in urban areas.
S1-1
36" x 36"
OR
7B-10 School Crossing Sign (S2-1)
MU ] The School Crossing sign assembly may be used to identity the exact
.er. 8I location of established crossings including signalized locations used by
pupils going to and fi'om school, except that at crossings controlled by
stop signs, the sign should be omitted. Crossings not adjacent to schools
or not on established school pedestrian routes shall not be signed. When
used, the sign shall be erected at the crosswalk, or at the minimum
distance possible in advance of the crosswalk.
The color, fluorescent yellow-green may be used with a black border
and legend for the School Crossing sign assembly. When fluorescent
yellow-green signs are installed, a systematic approach of using one color
within a zone or area should be used. The mixing of standard yellow and
Rev. 8 I fluorescent yellow-green signs of the same type, within a selected site
area, should be avoided.
Rev. 6
6/98
Rev 6
6/98
Rev 6
6/98
MN 7B-3 1/aa
MN
Rev. 8
S2-1
36" x 36"
i S1-1
OR 36" x 36"
" i S2-P2
30" x 24"
Fluorescent yellow-green School Crossing Sign and sign assembly
OR
S1-1
36" x 36"
$2-1
36" x 36"
S2-P2
30" x 24"
Standard yellow School Crossing Sign and sign assembly
Rev. 6
6/98
MN
Rev. 8
MN
Rev. 8
MN
Rev. 8
The School Crossing sign assembly shall consist of the School Advance
sign (S1-1) and a supplemental plaque (S2-P2) mounted directly below
the School Advance sign to more easily identify the exact location of the
crosswalk. An optional method is to install a School Crossing sign (S2-1)
adjacent to the crosswalk.
The School Crossing sign and the School Advance sign shall have a
minimum height and width of 36 inches in rural areas, and 30 inches in
Iurban areas. The 24" x 18" supplemental plaque shall be used with all sizes
of School Crossing or School Advance sign.
MN 7B-4 1/99
:29176
PORTABLE
TRAFFIC
RECORDER
ATTACHMENT #2
DATA SHEET
DAY MO N
5-6 ii
6-7 Ii
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5
WED
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5'7
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SUN
AVERAGE of COUNT
WEEKDAY I WEEK END
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................ A'~Y~C~IMENT.
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..............................ATTACHMENT'"' #4 .
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ATTACHMENT
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