Presenter/Contact
Presenter
Garry Ford, P.E., Assistant Public Works Director/City Engineer
Contact Info
(830) 221-4020 - gford@nbtexas.org
Subject Header
SUBJECT:
Title
Approval of the second and final reading of an ordinance to amend Section 126-346 to establish no parking zones on E San Antonio Street at Comal Avenue and S Gilbert Avenue.
Body
BACKGROUND / RATIONALE:
Council District: 5
City Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance to amend Section 126-346 to establish no parking zones on E San Antonio Street at Comal Avenue and S Gilbert Avenue on December 14, 2020.
With the completion of the San Antonio Street Bridge, E San Antonio Street was repaved and restriped, including the pavement markings of the downtown two-hour parking spaces. City staff has received concerns about parking space proximity to the intersections of E San Antonio Street and Comal Avenue and E San Antonio Street and S Gilbert Avenue. The requestors believe the obstruction of intersection sight distance is impacting safety at these locations.
Staff conducted multiple site visits to the intersections and studied the previous striping layout, current striping layout, and the sight distance triangles for both engineering and zoning ordinance standards. The current parking striping is similar to the previous layout near intersections and driveway connections. The total number of parking spaces had been reduced due to increasing the lengths of individual spaces to meet sizing standards for parallel parking. It appears that the changes in pavement markings on E San Antonio Street has resulted in more vehicles traveling in the outside lane adjacent to parked vehicles.
According to A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, the guiding document for street design, engineering sight distance standards for intersections on E San Antonio Street would require over 300 ft of lateral visibility based on a posted speed of 30 miles per hour. Implementing engineering sight distance at each intersection would virtually eliminate parallel parking downtown.
Zoning sight distance and visibility are covered in Sec.144-5.21-1.(d) of the Code of Ordinances. Zoning sight distance in this area is more lenient with 25 ft of lateral visibility based on the curb location along E San Antonio Street. The distance is without consideration for on-street parking.
Maintaining visibility and sight distance in urban areas is a challenge. Strict adherence to engineering sight distance standards at intersections is oftentimes impractical given considerations to on-street parking, vehicular activity, and adjacent land use. Major changes should be based on crash risk and history.
Staff recommends the establishment of a no parking zone on eastbound E San Antonio Street east of the intersection with Comal Avenue which will result in the removal of one existing parking space. The prohibition will improve the sight distance for vehicles stopped on Comal Ave looking east.
Staff recommends relocating the stop line on S Gilbert Avenue closer to the intersection with E San Antonio Street and reducing by 5 ft each the two nearest parking spaces to the intersection on eastbound E San Antonio Street. The changes will improve safety of the intersection by providing more sight distance to combat the topography without removing parallel parking spaces at this location.
Staff plans to further evaluate intersection changes to improve overall vehicular and pedestrian visibility at the intersections. Potential changes could include curb extensions or other geometric changes.
ADDRESSES A NEED/ISSUE IN A CITY PLAN OR COUNCIL PRIORITY:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
Signs and pavement markings are estimated at $500. Sufficient funding is available in the FY 2021 approved streets and drainage budget.
Recommendation
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
This request was considered by the Transportation and Traffic Advisory Board at their meeting on November 19, 2020. The Board recommended that Section 126-346 be amended to establish no parking zones on E San Antonio Street at Comal Avenue and S Gilbert Avenue on a motion that passed unanimously.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends revising the city ordinance to establish no parking zones on E San Antonio Street at Comal Avenue and S Gilbert Avenue.