Agenda Information Sheet
DEPARTMENT: Engineering Services
CM/ ACM: Mario Canizares
Date: September 14, 2017
SUBJECT
Title
Receive a report, hold a discussion and provide direction relating to speed limit along Hickory Street between Avenue A and Welch Street.
Body
BACKGROUND
Recently, City staff received a request from Commissioner Michael Hennen for lowering the posted speed limit along Hickory Street between Avenue A and Welch Street. The existing speed limit along this segment of Hickory Street is 30 miles per hour (mph).
Hickory Street is a one-way (eastbound) street that borders the University of North Texas (UNT) campus. Consistent with section 18-72 of the City’s municipal code (maximum speed limit within the same block of any school, church or hospital shall be 20 mph,…), the posted speed limit along Hickory Street between Avenue C and Avenue A is 20 mph. The segment of Hickory Street between Avenue A and Welch Street does not border the school (UNT) property and hence, has a posted speed limit of 30 mph.
The primary criterion used in establishing a speed limit is called the 85th percentile speed which is determined by performing a speed study for calculating the speed at which 85 percent of the vehicles are traveling long a given stretch of roadway. The 85th percentile speed has been determined as being the speed at which a prudent driver, given the type of street, will drive that roadway under normal driving conditions.
As part of the review of existing conditions, the City collected speed data (attached) along the segment of Hickory Street between Avenue A to Welch Street. Based on the data, the 85th percentile speed along this segment of Hickory Street is 26 mph which is lower that the posted speed limit of 30 mph.
The segment of Hickory Street between Avenue A and Welch Street does not border a school and currently has an 85th percentile speed of 26 mph. Additionally, there have been no reported accidents along this segment that can be attributed to speeding. As such, the City staff does not recommend any changes to the posted speed limit along this segment of Hickory Street at this time.
OPTIONS
1. Recommend no changes to posted speed limit along Hickory Street between Avenue A and Welch Street.
2. Provide staff with additional direction.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Option 1.
STRATEGIC PLAN RELATIONSHIP
The City of Denton’s Strategic Plan is an action-oriented road map that will help the City achieve its vision. The foundation for the plan is the five long-term Key Focus Areas (KFA): Organizational Excellence; Public Infrastructure; Economic Development; Safe, Livable, and Family-Friendly Community; and Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship. While individual items may support multiple KFAs, this specific City Council agenda item contributes most directly to the following KFA and goal:
Related Key Focus Area: Choose an item.
Related Goal: Choose an item.
EXHIBITS
1. Site Map
2. Speed Survey
Respectfully submitted:
Pritam Deshmukh
Traffic Engineer