City of Ashland

TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

SUBCOMMITEE MEETING

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Council Chambers, 1175 East Main Street

Summary Minutes

I.                 CALL TO ORDER: 9:07 AM

            Attendance: Tom Burnham (for Brent Thompson), Colin Swales, Julia Sommer

            Staff: Jim Olson, Nancy Slocum

II.               ACTION ITEMS

A.     Terrace Street

1.      Request for Traffic Calming on Terrace Street (Debra Anderson)

Staff set out classifiers measuring both north and south traffic. Historic records showed three minor accidents since 1998. Average speed north downhill was 23.7 mph average and 28 mph for the 85^th percentile. Southbound measured uphill was 22.7 mph average and 27.2 mph for the 85^th percentile. Staff normally became concerned if the 85^th percentile was over 30 mph. Applicant asked for a speed hump. Staff recommended no action. Burnham recommended a “deer crossing” sign and/or Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 signs. Sommer noted that parking allowed on both sides of the street would further slow traffic.

Subcommittee recommended staff research if there was a police procedure for neighbors reporting speeding cars and animal control for procedures on dead or dying deer and write a letter to Ms. Anderson.

B.     Ashland Village Subdivision Traffic Calming Review

        (Phil Eschtruth-Harrison, President, Ashland Village Home Owners Association)

1.      Olson reported he received an email from Phil Eschtruth Harrison who said that vehicles cut through the subdivision to get from Mountain Avenue to Fordyce Street and drive higher than the posted speed limit of 25 mph. Olson noted that the subdivision was designed knowing that through traffic would occur. Connectivity was a Community Development goal and several other street stubs would eventually connect Mountain and Fordyce. This would one day reduce some through traffic. The “squared” design with 90° angles was meant to reduce speeds.

This issue was brought before Traffic Safety Commission in 1999 and 2003; the last official traffic study was conducted in 1999. On 11/25/09 Olson conducted two Field Observation Reports and reported that the average speed was less than 20 mph and found that the vehicles cutting through the subdivision used caution. He noted that on-street parking also slowed traffic. He found no other traffic control problems, recommended no action and asked for further direction.

Sommer lives in the subdivision and estimated that 90% of the traffic was through traffic. She suggested a new traffic study be done.

Swales noted that Portland had examples of home owner’s associations putting custom pavement markings to act as a gateway and also slow traffic. He recommended Commissioners read the book “Mental Speed Bumps.”

Subcommittee recommended a new speed study and to research allowing parking on both sides of the street to further slow traffic.

III.             OTHER

1.   Burnham noted that the flashing beacon on Siskiyou at Avery is malfunctioning.

2.   Burnham reported that the light on Siskiyou at Sherman is difficult to trigger for bicyclists.

III.       ADJOURN: approximately 10:15 am