Administrative Procedure #7.13 - Traffic Calming Program

Purpose

The purpose of the Corvallis Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program (NTCP) is twofold: reduce speeds on neighborhood streets and reduce cut-through traffic on adjacent local neighborhood streets.

Scope

The NTCP applies to residential streets with the functional classification of local street or neighborhood collector street as identified in the Corvallis Transportation System Plan (TSP).

Arterial and collector streets and streets that are transit routes are not eligible for the NTCP.

Definition

85th percentile speed: the speed at or below which 85 percent of vehicles travel.

Goals

The following goals for the Corvallis NTCP help ensure that City resources are used appropriately, that there is true neighborhood support for the Program, and that neighborhood traffic issues are effectively addressed.

• a. Improve neighborhood livability by mitigating the negative impacts of vehicular traffic and excessive speeds in residential neighborhoods
• b. Encourage broad citizen involvement in all phases of traffic management activities
• c. Forge partnerships and empower neighborhoods to work together and solve issues within the context of a City-wide transportation system
• d. Make efficient use of City resources by assessing and prioritizing traffic calming proposals
• e. Handle through-traffic on arterial and collector streets as designated in the Corvallis TSP
• f. Minimize the potential to reroute traffic from one local street to another as a result of a traffic-calming proposal
• g. Maintain reasonable emergency vehicle access
• h. Encourage and enhance pedestrian, bicycle, and public transit opportunities and access to neighborhood destinations
• i. Continue to employ and emphasize public education and traffic enforcement program
• j. Periodically assess the effectiveness of traffic-calming initiatives
• k. Design traffic calming solutions to maintain consistency with Corvallis TSP objectives

Procedures

Existing neighborhoods may request a review of eligible streets in order to determine if they are eligible for traffic calming measures.

• a. NTCP proposals can be requested by individual citizens or by neighborhood associations at any time.
• b. The cost of traffic calming measures selected for implementation will be borne by the neighborhood.
• c. Traffic calming measures considered under this program will not include structures that reduce connectivity, such as traffic diverters.
• d. These processes and procedures do not apply to traffic calming under consideration for Neighborhood Bikeways as identified in the Corvallis TSP.
• e. The following procedures apply to the Corvallis NTCP and are intended to ensure consistent evaluation and decision-making regarding neighborhood proposals and project implementation.
  • 1. Step 1 - Preliminary Actions - In attempting to mitigate the negative effects of traffic, neighborhoods should first contact the Corvallis Police Department regarding the use of a speed reader board, neighborhood speed watch, and directed traffic enforcement on the affected street(s). If these measures do not resolve the neighborhood's concerns, the process may continue to Step 2.
  • 2. Step 2 - Petition-To-Study - A petition-to-study is circulated within a specific neighborhood area established by City staff and is generally defined as those households fronting the project street. Staff will prepare a petition that describes the neighborhood traffic issue, the need for neighborhood agreement, the neighborhood funding requirement, and subsequent NTCP steps. The project requestor is responsible for circulating the petition for neighborhood consideration.
    • a) Signatures representing a majority of the households or business operators within the petition-to-study area are required to move the project to Step 3. Each single- or multi-family unit, vacant lot, and business is entitled to one signature. Signature by the property owner or tenant is acceptable.
  • 3. Step 3 - Neighborhood Meeting - A neighborhood meeting will be scheduled by the neighborhood to inform residents of the NTCP process, and to gather additional information about the traffic issues. City staff will attend this meeting to provide Program information and technical assistance.
  • 4. Step 4 - Evaluation and Documentation of Existing Conditions - City staff will assist the neighborhood to assess traffic conditions including measurement of the 85th-percentile speed and average daily traffic volume on the project street(s). To move to Step 5, 85th-percentile speeds must exceed the posted speed limit by at least 5 miles per hour (MPH), and traffic volume must exceed 300 vehicles per day for local streets or 1,200 vehicles per day for a neighborhood collector street. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the Public Works Director in special cases, including school zone speed/volume issues, sight distance issues, significant impacts from new development, and unreasonably high traffic speeds.
  • 5. Step 5 - Project Development - A Neighborhood Traffic Committee (NTC) is formed to work with City staff in developing a traffic calming mitigation plan, cost estimate, and project funding plan. City staff will assist the NTC with development of traffic calming proposals. Input from emergency service providers will be sought at this time. The NTC will develop baseline 85th-percentile traffic speeds and volumes in the project area. The project area will typically be larger than the petition-to-study area and include all properties located on the street and adjacent streets within approximately one block of the project street. The NTC may use equipment provided by City Public Works or Police Departments to gather this data. The speed and volume data gathered by the NTC must be developed in accordance with City traffic engineering standards. Staff and the NTC will then develop a traffic calming plan.
  • 6. Step 6 - Test Installation and Evaluation - Following the traffic calming plan development, after notice to the City Council, a test installation will occur for the particular traffic calming device(s) for one month or longer as needed. Measurable traffic calming goals will be established by City staff and the NTC for the proposed devices. Goals will include 85th-percentile speed reduction on the subject streets, volume reduction on local streets, and minimal secondary traffic impacts. Progress toward these goals will be reviewed during the post­construction evaluation period.
    • a) Speed humps included in the traffic-calming plan will not be tested since the cost to install and later remove them cannot be minimized, and data supports speed humps as effective speed control at 25 MPH. The proposed speed hump locations will be marked.
    • b) During the test period, the NTC will compile further traffic speed and volume surveys. The test period must provide an adequate time period to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the traffic-calming choices. The test-project evaluation will be completed by City staff and the NTC and will address impacts to the project and area streets, before-and-after speeds, before-and-after traffic volumes, impacts on emergency vehicles and other large vehicles, and overall safety. The City of Portland Impact Threshold Curve will be used to evaluate any secondary or unintentional impacts of the traffic calming proposal.
    • c) If the NTC and/or City staff is not satisfied with the test results, the plan may be modified and additional testing conducted. Staff would then forward a project proposal to Step 7 if the test results show the proposal is safe and effective and does not violate City codes or policies.
  • 7.  Step 7 - Project Area Ballot - City staff will test support for the project proposal within the project area via a confidential mail ballot. The ballot will include an estimate of the cost to be allocated to the address for each single- or multi-family unit, business, or vacant lot. Each single- or multi-family unit, business, or vacant lot (property owner or tenant) is entitled to one ballot. To proceed to Step 8, City Council Action, at least 60 percent of the ballots must be returned, and at least 70 percent of the ballots returned must be in favor of the project.
  • 8. Step 8 - City Council Action - City staff will prepare a report with recommendations for City Council consideration. The report will outline the process that was followed, the project findings, and the reasons for the traffic-calming recommendations. City Council may accept the project, modify the project, reject the project, or request additional information or study.
  • 9. Step 9 - Design and Construction - Once the City Council approves the project and neighborhood funding is secured, City staff will undertake the design and construction phase of the project. The design standards and typical drawings of the Portland Bureau of Traffic Management will be the guideline followed by staff. The project will typically be installed in one work effort, including landscaping, pavement marking, and signs as necessary, and the schedule may, therefore, be weather and workload dependent.
  • 10. Step 10 - Six-month Evaluation - The project will be monitored for at least six months following construction. Monitoring conducted during that time will include periodic site evaluations by City staff and analysis of the "after" traffic impact data to be gathered by the NTC. The "after" traffic impact data will include traffic speed and volume, re-routed traffic creating secondary impacts on nearby streets, and emergency services vehicle or other large vehicle access. Consideration will also be given to pedestrian and bicycle user friendliness
    • a) Staff will prepare a report to the City Council on the effectiveness of the project. The staff report will include the results of a second survey of the project area, with results for the residents fronting the project street tabulated separately from the other residents in the project area. The survey will be conducted by confidential City balloting as previously described to assess the neighborhood's satisfaction with the effectiveness of the traffic calming devices to mitigate the negative impacts of traffic. General citizen comments received by the City during the six-month evaluation period will also be included.
    • b) The City Council will make a decision to formally approve permanent installation of the devices, extend the post-construction evaluation period, modify, or remove the devices.
• f. Traffic-calming devices may be removed under the following procedures:
  • 1. Step 1 - Removal Process Initiation
    • a)   By City Council - By motion, the City Council may initiate the traffic calming device removal process
    • b) By neighborhood petition - Signed by 70 percent or more of the current owners located in the project area with concurrence of the City Council.
  • 2. Step 2 - Report to City Council - The report will include current and historic traffic data (speeds, volume, accidents), a summary of a current survey of the original neighborhood requesting the traffic-calming project, and an estimate of the cost to remove the traffic-calming devices. The report will be furnished to the City Council for consideration.
    • a) The survey will be conducted to assess the neighborhood's satisfaction with the effectiveness of the traffic-calming devices to improve neighborhood livability, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and any problems the neighborhood expects will occur if the traffic-calming devices were to be removed. The survey will specifically ask if any modification to the devices, not just removal, would improve performance of the street.
  • 3. Step 3 - City Council Action - The City Council will approve, modify, or deny removal of the traffic-calming devices. 
  • 4. Step 4 - Removal - If removal is approved, the devices will be removed. All costs will be borne by the City.

Review/Update

The Public Works Director will prepare the Administrative Procedure for review as needed for City Manager approval.

Last reviewed: 08-2021

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