Traffic calming involves multiple jurisdictions, oversight, and policies. On October 6, 2021, following a presentation by staff and subsequent to City Commission discussion, the City Commission consensus was to review traffic calming procedures.
The current policy was established in November 2000, with the adoption of Chapter 18, Residential Traffic Calming and Street Closures, within the City's Code of Ordinances (attached).
The purpose of the Chapter was to establish procedures for administering, evaluating, and implementing applications for residential traffic calming and street closures within residential neighborhoods. Due to jurisdictional authority, the procedures set forth within Chapter 18 are intended to apply only for residential local streets and are not intended to cover the following:
1. The modification of any arterial street, a county collector road or state highway.
2. The modification of local streets other than a residential neighborhood.
Chapter 18 is the current established City Commission policy that staff follows when implementing requests for traffic calming devices on local streets.
The Ordinance provides the process whereby residents can petition a review of traffic calming options. The City Commission is vested with final approval. As provided for in the Ordinance, the Ordinance is not intended to limit the City Commission from authorizing the implementation of any street closure and traffic calming within the city boundaries upon its own initiative for the public's health, safety, and welfare.
This item reviews the process under Section 18-5 of the City's Code of Ordinances to request a Speed Table on a residential street.
As presented on October 6, 2021 this is the current process to request a speed table:
1. Resident Initiates Request. Per Section 18-5 of the City's Code of Ordinances this step requires that a Neighborhood Group submit the application. Staff accepts the request from a resident representing the Neighborhood Group. A Neighborhood Group is defined as a group of residents or homeowners, or condominium association residing or located within the City of Oakland Park. (Sec. 18-2).
2. The City provides an application which includes:
- A blank application form and petition form(s)
- A map of the affected street(s)
- A list of property owners on the affected street(s), as determined by folio numbers, from the current Broward County tax roll
3. The City sends a request to:
- Broward County for Speed and Volume study
- Broward Sheriff Office for traffic/crash data
- Oakland Park Fire for impact on response times should a traffic calming device be installed
4. The Neighborhood Group secures the required signatures (67% of Affected Property Owners). Each folio number listed on the Broward County tax roll will count as one (1) vote and only one (1) property owner per folio number will be needed to sign the petition. Per Sec. 18-5.
5. City staff verifies signatures
6. Neighborhood Traffic Committee (NTC) convenes in a publicly noticed meeting. Upon receipt of a completed application, the City's Neighborhood Traffic Committee (NTC) meets in a publicly noticed meeting, to review the application and provide a recommendation to the City Commission through the City Manager.
The NTC Is comprised of representation of the following departments:
- Public Works Department
- Engineering Department
- Fire Department
- Broward Sheriff's Office
- Planning Division
The NTC's review and recommendation is based on a technical review and analysis which includes:
- Verification of the names on the signed petitions.
- Recommendation from those city departments, and other governmental entities, whose functions may be impacted by the installation of speed tables.
- Review of Speed and Volume Study performed by Broward County to determine if the volume of vehicles on the road per day exceeds 300 and if the speed is greater than the 85 Percentile. The 85th percentile is the standard to measure speeding on a street. It is the speed at or below which 85 percent of vehicles travel.
- Identification of alternative actions which would alleviate the problems identified by the neighborhood group.
- Recommendation on the area to be provided with notices of the public hearing.
- An estimated cost of completing the proposed installation of speed tables.
7. The recommendation from the NTC is presented to City Commission at a Public Hearing.
The hearing is advertised as a public hearing and staff performs a mailing to those within the affected area. Based on a review of the report by the neighborhood traffic committee and the input from the public hearing the city commission may:
- Approve the Request
- Disapprove the proposed installation
- Amend the request
8: Installation Upon Approval: Upon approval by the City Commission, staff will schedule the installation of the speed table. Speed Tables are paid for and maintained by the City.
Attached is a survey conducted of other cities and their requirements for traffic calming devices.