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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAdmin Order 58-96-02 58 -9~ - oz, Administrative Order of the Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene, Oregon Establishing Two-Way Traffic on Washington Street between 5th Avenue and Clark Street The Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene finds that: A. The Eugene Code provides that the City Manager or the manager's designee shall exercise specific traffic duties by administrative action, including: the implementation of ordinances, resolutions, and motions of the Council and his or her own orders by installing traffic control devices; designating the direction of traffic flow, and establishing, maintaining, removing or altering all traffic control areas and traffic control devices including traffic control signals, signs, and pavement markings. B. The Whiteaker Plan was adopted on August 3, 1994 by Ordinance 19978. The Transportation Element of the plan addresses traffic circulation and through traffic in the neighborhood through the policies and implementation strategies. . Policy Number 4: "Encourage reduction of through traffic on non- arterial streets within the Whiteaker neighborhood." . Policy Number 5: "Maintain and improve the operation of the street system to facilitate circulation within the neighborhood." . Implementation Strategy 5.1: "Change Washington Street between 5th Avenue and Clark Street to two-way operation." . Policy Number 6: "Encourage through truck traffic within the Whiteaker neighborhood to use designated truck routes and discourage the use of residential streets." C. City staffhas evaluated traffic conditions in the area and determined that two-way traffic operation on Washington Street will improve the efficient use of Washington Street by the public, benefit the use of abutting property, and increase access to the area by emergency vehicles. D. On December 28, 1995 the Public Utility Commission of Oregon issued Order No. 95-1395. This order approved the alteration of the railroad-highway grade crossing at Washington Street and the Southern Pacific Lines, Valley Main Line and Siding Track to accommodate two-way operation on Washington Street. NOW, THEREFORE, Based on the above findings, and pursuant to the authority contained in Eugene Code 5.040, the Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene orders that: Washington Street between 5th Avenue and Clark Street shall be a two-way street. Dated this~#J. Day of January, 1996 Administrative Order Number 58-96-02 Administrative Order of the Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene, Oregon Establishing Two-Way Traffic on Washington Street between 5th Avenue and Clark Street Criteria for Administrative Action The administrative action of the Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene, Oregon, establishing two- way traffic on Washington Street between 5th Avenue and Clark Street is based on the following criteria: (a) Traffic engineering principles and traffic investigations: . Roadway and intersection capacity: two-way operation will not cause capacity problems on the roadway or at any of the intersections. . Safety: In the six years from 1989 through 1994, there were 17 reported accidents on Washington Street between 5th Avenue and Clark Street. Thirteen of the accidents occurred at 5th Avenue. The two-way operation may result in a slight increase in traffic accidents, as it requires motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians to observe traffic coming from two directions. Traffic conditions and accidents will be monitored to determine if any changes are necessary to increase the safety of the two-way street. . Transit: Two-way operation will increase possible transit options. . Traffic signs, markings and signals: Motorists will be informed of changes with appropriate signing. Signs, markings and signals will be added, removed, or modified as needed to comply with the Manual on Uniform TraincConuolDewces. . Intersection Control: Traffic signal controls will be added to the traffic signal at 5th Avenue for southbound Washington Street traffic. At 1st Avenue, the existing east-west stop controls will be changed to north-south controls. At Clark Street, the existing Stop control for westbound Clark Street will be retained and the Stop control for southbound Washington Street traffic will be removed. . Railroad crossing: Southern Pacific will move the crossing gate at the southwest corner of the crossing to the northwest corner. . Roadway lighting: No changes will be made to the existing roadway lighting. . Access control: No changes will be made to any existing access. . Speed zoning: No changes will be made to the existing Speed 30 zone. . Environmental effects: Conversion to two-way operation will have negligible environmental effects. (b) Standards, limitations, and rules promulgated by the Oregon Transportation Commission or the Oregon Public Utility Commission. . Oregon Public Utility Commission Order No. 95-1395 (December 28, 1995) approved the alteration of the railroad-highway grade crossing to allow for two-way operation. @ Other recognized traffic control standards. . Signing and markings will comply with the Manual on Uniform Trainc Conuol Devices and ODOT's Sign Policy and Guidelines for the State Highway System. (d) The city's adopted transportation-related plans and policies. . The Whiteaker Plan advocates changing Washington Street to two-way operation (Transportation Element, Implementation Strategy 5.1) . Washington Street between 1st Avenue and 5th Avenue is shown as having on-street bike lanes in the Eugene Bikeways Master Plan. There will be one northbound bike lane and one southbound bike lane. when the street is converted to two-way operation. (e) Existing state and local laws regulating use of public ways. . Provisions of the 1993-94 Oregon Vehicle Code will apply when Washington Street is operating as a two-way street. (f) The efficient use of the public way by the public. . Two-way operation will allow the public to use Washington Street more efficiently by reducing travel distances for some trips. (g) The use of abutting property. . Businesses and residences on the east side of Washington Street will have improved access to their property. Access to Washington-Jefferson park, on the west side of Washington Street, will also be improved. (h) The intensity of use of the street by vehicles and pedestrians. . The existing ADT is 3,000 . No bicycle or pedestrian counts have been done. Two-way operation will result in changes in traffic patterns, but ADT will remain about the same, as Jefferson Street will also become a two-way street. The creation of a northbound bike lane will result in increased bicycle use. Pedestrian volumes, both crossing and walking parallel to the street, won't be affected by the two-way traffic pattern. (1) The physical condition and characteristics of the street and abutting property. . Washington Street is a 34 foot wide asphalt street. The one-way configuration of three northbound travel lanes will be changed to one travel lane and one bike lane in each direction. Parking issues are addressed in (n), below. . Abutting property. Washington-Jefferson Park abuts Washington Street on the west side between 1st Avenue and 5th Avenue. Between 1st Avenue and Clark Street, the west side is abutted by the 1-105 right-of-way. The property on the east side of Washington Street is a mix of industrial, commercial, and residential property. G) Emergencies. . Two-way operation will provide more flexibility for routing of emergency vehicles. Response times will stay the same in most cases, but will decrease in certain instances. (k) The public health, safety, and welfare. . The two-way operation will promote the public health, safety, and welfare, as it facilitates emergency vehicle access. . The two-way operation may result in a slight increase in traffic accidents, as it requires motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians to observe traffic coming from two directions. (I) Special events of community interest including parades and public gatherings. . Organizers of events held in Washington-Jefferson Park occasionally request a partial closure of Washington Street. These half-street closures are easily accommodated on a one-way street. Two-way operation will make a half-street closure more difficult, as it will require both a lane closure and a detour plan. (m) Construction within or adjacent to the street. . Two-way operation will complicate traffic control plans around construction sites in the street. Construction adjacent to the street may be facilitated, as construction vehicles could approach the site from either direction. (n) Establishing conditions upon the use of parking. . Except for two parking bays on the west side of the street, parking is prohibited on Washington Street between 1st Avenue and 5th Avenue. Parking is permitted on Washington Street between 1 st Avenue and Clark Street. There will be no changes to parking facilities, other than to reverse the direction of permitted parking on the west side of the street.