HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form datedNovember 12, 1991 COUNCIL ACTION FORM
Item #
Date: November 12, 1991
SUBJECT: Ordinance designating speed limits on Bloomington Road.
BACKGROUND:
A request has been received from Gary Warning, 3431 Taft Avenue, to
post additional 25 mph signage on Bloomington Road. Currently there is a
25 mph sign posted west of Hoover, however, no official speed regulation
is designated on Bloomington Road within the city limits. Since
Bloomington Road is an arterial street, staff believes that a higher speed
limit than 25 miles per hour should be designated, especially due to the
future development and increased traffic along this route. Currently, the
County has the western 2,380 feet of this roadway from County Road R-50
to the Chicago & Northwestern railroad right-of-way, whereas the City has
the eastern 3,340 feet of this roadway to Hoover Avenue.
Under the City's roadway system, Bloomington Road is an arterial street.
Currently, it serves as a direct route between county road R-50 to Hoover
Avenue, with plans for it to extend to Grand Avenue. This route will
gain in importance in the near future since Bloomington Heights is being
developed and roadway volumes will increase along this roadway.
Bloomington Road has been designed and should carry the predominant
traffic volumes, and speed limits should be established to facilitate traffic
movements.
A 30 mph speed limit would be more appropriate than the 25 mph on
Bloomington Road from Hoover to 393 feet west of Taft. Most speed limits
on arterial streets exceed 25 mph with the exceptions of the 20 and 25 mph
speed limits established along streets next to school crossings and business
districts. These speed limits are shown on the City arterial system on the
attached sheet #2. The reason for establishing speed limits higher than 25
mph is that the arterial route's primary purpose is to carry through traffic
efficiently. Unless these streets have conditions favorable for moving
traffic, including appropriate speed limits, motorists will bypass these
streets and use local residential streets. This in an undesirable alterna-
tive because local streets are not designed to accommodate through traffic
due to parking, street widths, and intersection controls.
A 40 mph speed limit should be designated from 393 feet west of Taft
Avenue, west 1,550 feet to the city limits. This 40 mph speed limit
designation would be an intermediate zone between the 30 mph and 55 mph
speed limit zone (designated on the county's portion of the roadway).
Staff proposes that this 40 mph speed limit zone should be designated for
the purpose of reducing driver's speeds into the residential area. Also
the 40 mph speed limit is appropriate due to motorist's 85th percentile
speed of 42 mph on this roadway. (The 85th Percentile speed is the speed
which traffic engineering standards suggest that speed limits should be
posted. At this speed, prudent drivers feel they can drive safely under
the existing conditions.)
CAF - Bloomington Rd. Speed Limits
November 12, 1991
Page 2
Also taken into consideration for determining the two speed limits were the
limited number of accesses, roadway conditions, on-street parking, and
speed limits on adjacent collector/arterial roadways. Along the City's
3,340 foot section of roadway, there are only 2 driveway accesses, and 5
intersections. There are two vertical curves in the proximity of Hoover
Avenue that are designed for a 30 mph speed limit. The only collec-
tor/arterial street intersecting Bloomington Road other than R-50 (55
mph), is Hoover Avenue that has a 30 mph posted speed limit.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Designate a 30 mph speed limit from Hoover to 393 feet west of Taft,
and a 40 mph speed limit east 1,550 feet to the Chicago and North-
western railroad right-of-way (city limits).
2. Designate a continuous 25 mph speed limit from Hoover west to the
Chicago and Northwestern railroad right-of-way (city limits).
3. Designate a continuous 30 mph speed limit from Hoover west to the
Chicago and Northwestern railroad right-of-way (city limits).
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
It is recommended by the City Manager that the City Council adopt alter-
native number 1 above, thereby directing the City Attorney to draft an
ordinance designating a 30 mph speed limit from Hoover to 393 feet west of
Taft, and a 40 mph speed limit east 1,550 feet to the Chicago and North-
western railroad right-of-way (city limits).
COUNCIL ACTION•
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