Presenter/Contact
Presenter
Garry Ford, Assistant Public Works Director/City Engineer
Contact Info
(830) 221-4020 - gford@nbtexas.org
Subject Header
SUBJECT:
Title
Discuss and consider approval of the installation of speed humps on Kowald Lane between Post Road and IH-35.
Body
BACKGROUND / RATIONALE:
Council District: 5
Citizens submitted a request for the installation of speed humps on Kowald Lane between Post Road and IH-35. Kowald Lane is a residential street with a speed limit of 30 mph. Speed limit signs were not posted on Kowald Lane at the time of this request but are scheduled to be installed in the next month. The request was evaluated based on petition, operational and geometric requirements established in the City of New Braunfels Speed Hump Policy approved in 1999.
Nine signatures were required to meet the two-thirds requirement, and nine signatures were received. An operational requirement in the policy is that the 85th percentile speed must be at least 5 miles per hour over the regulatory speed limit of 30 mph. Traffic data collected over 24 hours on Thursday, November 19th, 2020, showed the 85th percentile speed of 28 miles per hour which does not meet the speed criteria in the Speed Hump Policy. Additionally, the volume requirement in the approved speed hump policy is a daily traffic volume of at least 800 vehicles per day. The traffic data collected measured only 452 vehicles per day. These requirements are listed in the attachment to this report.
The Speed Hump Policy also requires proposed speed humps on a street to be approved by the emergency services departments. The New Braunfels Fire Department and the New Braunfels Police Department approve of the installation of speed humps on the requested street.
If the request is approved, the street will be placed on the list of streets eligible for speed hump installation for up to three years. Speed hump projects will be prioritized according to the criteria established in the Speed Hump Policy.
This portion of Kowald Lane does not have curbs, so curb extensions will need to be installed with the speed humps to ensure that drivers do not circumvent the speed humps.
The Speed Hump Policy also states that the alteration or removal of speed humps requires the same petition process as the installation request, with at least two-thirds of all adjacent households and businesses in favor of speed hump removal. The city will not provide any funding for the removal of speed humps if it is requested.
ADDRESSES A NEED/ISSUE IN A CITY PLAN OR COUNCIL PRIORITY:
Envision New Braunfels Strategy 7: Connect All: Action 7.16: Develop a program and process for consideration of citizen requests for neighborhood traffic calming.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Speed hump installation cost including speed cushions, signing and pavement markings for two sets of speed humps costs approximately $14,000 to $18,000 depending on location. The cost of the required curb extensions is estimated to be approximately $1,200 for each set of speed humps. Funding for speed humps are included in the FY 2021 streets division operating budget and sufficient funds are currently available.
Recommendation
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
This item was considered and discussed by the Transportation and Traffic Advisory Board at their meeting on February 11, 2021. The Board passed a motion opposed to the installation of speed humps on Kowald Lane between Post Road and IH-35 with six in favor of Staff’s recommendation and one opposed.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff does not recommend approval of speed humps on Kowald Lane between Post Road and IH-35 as it does not meet the speed or volume criteria established in the Speed Hump Policy.