HomeMy WebLinkAboutAdmin Order 58-17-23ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 58-17-23
of the
Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene
ESTABLISHING A SCHOOL SPEED ZONE ON EAST AMAZON DRIVE
NEAR FOX HOLLOW STREET
The Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene finds that:
A. ORS 810.010 states that "[t]he governing body of an incorporated city is the road
authority for all highways, roads, streets and alleys, other than state highways, within the
boundaries of the incorporated city." OAR 734-020-0014 defines road authority as "the governing
agency which has the jurisdiction to place, maintain and operate traffic control devices, as defined
in ORS 810.010."
B. EC 5.040 authorizes the City Manager or the Manager's designee to take
administrative action to establish, maintain, remove, or alter all traffic control areas and traffic
control devices. EC 5.055 sets forth the criteria the City Manager or the City,Manager's designee
should consider when taking administrative action authorized by EC 5.040.
C. On September 24, 2009, the City Manager issued Administrative Order No. 58-09-
14 granting the Traffic Engineer and the Public Works Department the authority to exercise all of
the duties and responsibilities specifically defined as those of the City Manager in Section 5.040
and 5.050 of the Eugene Code, 1971.
D. By Administrative Order No. 58-17-08, the City Manager appointed me as the
City's Traffic Engineer and delegated to me authority to exercise all duties and responsibilities
granted to the City Manager by EC 5.040 and 5.050.
E. ORS 801.462(1) defines "school zone" to mean both of the following: "(a) A
specific segment of highway that is adjacent to school grounds and that is marked by signs
described in subsection (2) of [ORS 801.462]. (b) A crosswalk that is not adjacent to school
grounds and that is marked by signs of [ORS 801.462]." The marked crosswalk crossing the north
leg of the intersection of East Amazon Drive and Fox Hollow Road, once the school crossing is
marked with signs, will fall within the definition of "school zone" set forth in ORS 801.462(1)(b).
The school speed zone will begin at the SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT 20 signs and end at the END
SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT signs, which will be installed approximately 200 -feet north of Fox
Hollow Road and 230 -feet south of Fox Hollow Road.
Administrative Order -- Page 1 of 5
F. ORS 811.111(1)(e)(B) states that a person commits the offense of violating the
speed limit if the person: "Drives a vehicle in a school zone at a speed greater than 20 miles per
hours if the school zone is:.... (B) A crosswalk described in ORS 801.462 (`School zone') (1)(b)
and; (i) A flashing light is used as a traffic control device and operated as provided under ORS
810.243 (Operation of flashing light indicating children in school zone); or (ii) Children are
present, as described in ORS 811.124 (Meaning of `children are present' in ORS 811.111)."
ORS 811.124 defines "children are present" as follows: "For purposes of ORS 811.111 (Violating
a speed limit), children are present at any time and on any day when: (1) Children are: (a)
Occupying or walking within a crosswalk described in ORS 801.462 (`School zone') (1)(b); or (b)
Waiting on the curb or shoulder of the highway at a crosswalk described in ORS 801.462 ('School
zone') (1)(b); or (2) A traffic patrol member provided under ORS 339.650 (`Traffic patrol' defined
for ORS 339.650 to 339.665) to 339.665 (Intergovernmental cooperation and assistance in
connection with traffic patrols) is present to assist children at a crosswalk described in ORS
801.462 (`School zone') (1)(b)."
G. Pursuant to the above -authority, I intend to establish a school speed zone on East
Amazon Drive from approximately 200 -feet north of Fox Hollow Road to 230 -feet south of Fox
Hollow Road. In making the decision to establish the school speed zone, I considered all of the
applicable criteria set forth in EC 5.055, including the consideration of state law, Oregon
Department of Transportation guidelines, traffic engineering principles and traffic investigations.
Based on the applicable criteria set forth in EC 5.055, the following findings support my decision
to establish a school speed zone on East Amazon Drive from approximately 200 -feet north of Fox
Hollow Road to 230 -feet south of Fox Hollow Road:
1. The 4J School District Safe Routes to School Program has requested establishment of
a school speed zone on East Amazon Drive at the Fox Hollow -Road crossing.
2. East Amazon Drive from approximately 200 -feet north of Fox Hollow Road to 230 -
feet south of Fox Hollow Road is a minor arterial with a posted speed of 35 mph. The
street has one eastbound through lane, one west bound through lane, a southbound bike
lane and curbside parking on the eastside. The pavement is predominately 36 -feet
wide.
3. Three 4J School District schools are located within 1/2 mile of the crossing of East
Amazon Drive at Fox Hollow Road. Charlemagne Elementary School is located
approximately 1/10 of a mile from the crossing with the main entrance located at 39th
and Kincaid Street. Ridgeline Elementary is located approximately 1/5 of a mile south
of the crossing with the main entrance located on West Amazon Drive. Spencer's Butte
Administrative Order -- Page 2 of 5
Middle School is located approximately 1 /2 mile west of the crossing with the main
entrance on East 43rd Avenue.
4. Establishment of a school speed zone on East Amazon Drive from approximately 200 -
feet north of Fox Hollow Road to 230 -feet south of Fox Hollow Road is consistent with
Eugene 2035 Transportation System Plan goals, policies and potential action items set
forth below. Specifically, establishment of the school speed zone is consistent with
Goals 1 through 5, System Wide Policies 2 and 3, Potential Action for System -Wide
Policies C, Pedestrian Policy 1 and Potential Actions for Pedestrian Policies B and C.
Goals
Goal 1: Create an integrated transportation system that is safe- and efficient; supports
the Metro Plan's land use diagram, Envision Eugene, A Community Vision for 2032
(2012), the City of Eugene's target for a 50 percent reduction in fossil fuel
consumption, and other City land use and economic development goals; reduces
reliance on single -occupancy automobiles; and enhances community livability.
Goal 2: Advance regional sustainability by providing a transportation system that
improves economic vitality, environmental health, social equity, and overall well-
being.
Goal 3: Strengthen community resilience to changes in climate, increases in fossil fuel
prices, and economic fluctuations by making the transportation networks diverse,
adaptable, and not reliant on any single mode.
Goal 4: Address the transportation needs and safety of all travelers, including people
of all ages, abilities, races, ethnicities, and incomes. Through transportation
investments, respond to the needs of system users, be context sensitive, and distribute
the benefits and impacts of transportation decisions fairly throughout the City.
Goal 5: By the year 2035 triple the percentage of trips made on foot, by bicycle, and by
transit from 2014 levels.
System -Wide Policies
2. Consider safety first when making transportation decisions. Strive for zero
transportation -related fatalities and severe injuries by reducing the number and severity
of crashes through design, operations, maintenance, education, and enforcement. In
furtherance of the City Council's adopted Vision Zero goal (Resolution No. 5143),
prioritize safety improvements for people who walk, bike and use mobility devices
because no loss of life or serious injury on our streets is acceptable.
Administrative Order -- Page 3 of 5
3. Improve community health by designing streets and paths to encourage increased
physical activity by the public.
Potential Actions for System -Wide Policies
C. Create a strategy to facilitate 90 percent of Eugene residences to be within "20 -
minute neighborhoods." The strategy might include methods to improve proximity of
residences to services and prioritizing projects that improve convenience and safety for
walking, biking, and connections to transit stops.
Pedestrian Policies
1. Encourage walking as the most attractive mode of transportation for short trips (e.g.,
within one half miles) within and to activity centers, downtown, key corridors, and
major destinations, and as a means of accessing transit.
Potential Actions for Pedestrian Policies
B. Provide street crossing enhancements and expanded crosswalk education and
enforcement programs.
C. Provide support for Safe Routes to School programs and other programs that create
safe walking conditions between residences and schools and other neighborhood
destinations.
5. The Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) "A Guide to School Area Safety"
describes five conditions, stating that "[w]here all of the following conditions exist, a
school speed zone is recommended when supported by an engineering study:
• The roadway is adjacent to the school grounds (not limited to front of school
buildings);
• There is at least one marked school crosswalk within the proposed school zone which
is not protected by a signal or STOP sign;
• The property houses a full time public or private school;
• The school is elementary or middle level (schools that include grades K-8) instruction;
and,
• The posted speed is 40 MPH or below.
Four of the above-described five conditions exist on East Amazon Drive from
approximately 200 -feet north of Fox Hollow Road to 230 -feet south of Fox Hollow
Road. As described in paragraph 10, further evaluation done through an engineering
study demonstrates the need for a school speed zones in these locations.
6. In accordance with ODOT's "A Guide to School Area Safety" and the Federal Highway
Administration's "Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices," the City completed an
Administrative Order -- Page 4 of 5
engineering study to determine the need for a school speed zone on East Amazon Drive
near the intersection with Fox Hollow Road. The engineering study supported the
establishment of a school speed zone on East Amazon Drive from approximately 200 -
feet north of Fox Hollow Road to 230 -feet south of Fox Hollow Road.
On the basis of these findings, I order that:
1. A school speed zone is established on East Amazon Drive from approximately 200 -
feet north of Fox Hollow Road to 230 -feet south of Fox Hollow Road. The school speed
zone shall be implemented when "children are present", as described in ORS 811.124.
2. Signs designating the school speed zones established by Section 1 and 2 shall be posted
in accordance with state statute and ODOT's Sign Policy and Guidelines.
Dated and effective this 8 day of September, 2017.
Matthe odrigues
Traffic Engineer
Administrative Order -- Page 5 of 5