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Neighborhood Tra ffic Calming Program One of the most sensitive topics faced by transportation professionals is traffic on neighborhood streets. What the public finds satisfactory on major thoroughfares is quite different than what is acceptable for a local street lined by residences. While a major arterial is intended to serve primarily thru-traffic, the primary function of local residential streets is to provide access to the abutting properties. However, in reality, as the major thoroughfares become overloaded, thru-traffic frequently spills onto neighborhood streets, causing unacceptably high traffic volumes and speeds. It is under these circumstances that neighborhood traffic studies are typically initiated. The first task in any neighborhood traffic study is to define the problem. The most common resident concerns are: high traffic volumes, high speeds, safety, and difficult access to/from driveways. After concerns are defined, a data collection program is used to quantify the problem. Typical data collection tasks include: manual traffic counts, mechanical tube counts (to record volume and/or speed), spot speed surveys using radar, license plate studies (where cars entering and leaving the study area are tracked), and origin-destination surveys. Based upon the information collected, various neighborhood traffic control techniques may be proposed. Some of the easiest and least costly neighborhood traffic control techniques include the installation of signs prohibiting certain turn movements, photo radar, pavement markings, and speed bumps/humps. Other more costly measures of addressing neighborhood traffic issues include the installation of traffic circles, chokers, diverters, median barriers and sometimes even street closures. Public involvement is key in the selection of traffic control techniques that are both effective and acceptable to the neighborhood. Hexagon staff has been retained by the Cities of San Jose, Cupertino, and Sunnyvale to investigate neighborhood traffic problems and evaluate the effectiveness and cost of potential traffic control measures. Hexagon has also worked with Saratoga residents to solve neighborhood traffic problems in a creative and cooperative way. While residents traffic concerns are often narrow in scope, Hexagon also investigated City staff concerns regarding the potential impacts of proposed traffic control measures on the adjacent roadways. Some representative projects are described below. Hexagon Neighborhood Traffic Calming Project Examples San Mateo Traffic Calming Policy c San Mateo, California Hexagon was retained by the City of San Mateo to develop a traffic calming policy. This included the production of a traffic calming policy and procedures document as well as a public outreach effort to ~ educate the city's residents. The policy document entailed the following: identifying the streets eligible for 3 traffic calming, classifying the traffic calming devices, developing criteria for the application of the devices, ~ and the outlining a process for conducting traffic calming studies. This policy document was presented to various neighborhood groups and city commissioners for input and acted on by the San Mateo City Council. N C ~= Gary Heap m City of San Mateo X (650)522-7307 _ 520,000 Brett Walinski 27