Placement: New Business
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Request to Reduce Speed Limit on S.W. Becker Road Between Veranda Gardens & Gilson Road to 40 MPH
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Submitted By: John A. Bolduc, Chief of Police
Strategic Plan Link: The City's Goal of safe, clean, and beautiful.
Executive Summary (General Business): To maintain consistency along S.W. Becker Road, the Public Works Department has recommended the speed limit along S.W. Becker Road between Veranda Gardens and Gilson Road be reduced from 45 MPH to 40 MPH.
Presentation Information: N/A
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council approve the reduction of the speed limit on S.W. Becker Road between Veranda Gardens and Gilson Road to 40 MPH for speed limit consistency.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and approve the reduction of the speed limit on S.W. Becker Road between Veranda Gardens and Gilson Road to 40 MPH for consistency.
2. Move that the Council amend the request for reduction of the speed limit to 40 MPH and provide feedback to staff or maintain the current speed limit on S.W. Becker Road.
Background: The new roadway improvements on Becker Road, such as tapers, transitions, and roundabout approaches were designed based upon a design speed of 45 MPH. As is typical engineering practice, the roadway posted speed will be 5 MPH lower than the design speed or 40 MPH. This is done to build in an additional factor of safety. So, per the design plans, the speed limit has been changed from Southbend Boulevard to the recently constructed roundabout from 45 MPH to 40 MPH. The segment of Becker Road east of the roundabout is still posted at 45 MPH. For consistency and overall safety of the traveling public, the Police and Public Works Departments are recommending reducing the speed from 45 MPH to 40 MPH for all of Becker Road, east of Southbend Boulevard.
MacKenzie Engineering & Planning Inc. was retained to review the speed change for Becker Road and concluded reducing the posted speed limit to 40 mph is expected to improve the safety related to the roundabouts and provide drivers additional time to react to and safely navigate the roundabouts, as well as add consistency to the speed limits along Becker Road.
Florida State Statute 316.189 states: “A municipality may set speed zones altering the speed limit, both as to maximum, not to exceed 60 miles per hour, and minimum, after investigation determines such a change is reasonable and in conformity to criteria promulgated by the Department of Transportation, except that no changes shall be made on state highways or connecting links or extensions thereof, which shall be changed only by the Department of Transportation.” Florida Administrative Code 14-15.012 incorporates FDOT Manual Number 750-010-002, Speed Zoning for Highways, Roads, and Streets in Florida (hereinafter referred to as “the manual”), Rev. 7/17 by rule as the criteria promulgated by FDOT for the purposes of speed zoning. The Manual (page3) states: “Any alteration of speed limits on municipal or county streets and roads, as set forth in Section 316.189, F.S., shall be based on an engineering and traffic investigation that determines such a change is reasonable and in conformity to criteria promulgated by Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Altered speed limits established solely based on opinion are contrary to the intent of the statute.” The Manual provides for the types of measurements to be conducted in the investigation to determine speed limits. These are 85th percentile speed, upper limit of 10mph pace and average test run speed. The 85th percentile speed is defined as the speed at or below which 85 percent of the observed free-flowing vehicles are traveling. The 10 MPH pace is defined as the 10 MPH range containing the highest number of such vehicles contained in the study sample data. The average test run speed is measured using agency vehicles and is usually unnecessary to obtain unless the roadway segment observed has low volumes where a sufficiently large number of vehicles cannot be observed in a reasonable period. The manual states (page22): “The posted speed limit shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of 5 mph on the observed 85th percentile speed or the upper limit of the 10 MPH pace, whichever is less. With rounding, the posted speed limit should not differ from the 85th percentile speed or the upper limit of the 10 MPH pace (whichever is less) by more than 3 MPH. Speed limits of more than 8 mph below the 85th percentile speed is not authorized.
Issues/Analysis: To ensure consistency, it is recommended to reduce the speed limit on Becker Road between Veranda Gardens to Gilson to 40 MPH, which will assist law enforcement and decrease possible collisions.
Financial Information: The cost would be incurred by the Public Works Department to replace speed limit signs on Becker Road. The maintenance of these signs will also be acquired by the Public Works Department.
Special Consideration: N/A
Location of Project: Becker Road between Veranda Gardens and Gilson Road.
Attachments:
1. Email received on August 25, 2020 from Heath Stocton, Assistant Public Works Director
2. Memorandum dated October 28, 2020, from Mackenzie Engineering & Planning, Inc. regarding Becker Road Speed Limit Reduction.
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: N/A
Legal Sufficiency Review:
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