[Added 12-12-2005 by L.L. No. 2-2005]
This article is adopted pursuant to the authority
granted in § 1640(a)16 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of
the State of New York.
The Board of Trustees of the Village of Sea
Cliff hereby finds:
A.
The number of successful traffic calming programs
in the United States is increasing, and reports of these successes
are generating strong interest in New York State. Traffic calming
techniques were first used and developed to stem the rise of speeds
and accidents, to improve the environment in residential settings,
and to reduce speeding problems and heavy traffic flow on residential
streets to make the neighborhood more livable. A livable neighborhood
provides residents with the ability to feel safe and secure, the opportunity
to interact with neighbors, the ability to experience a sense of home
and privacy, and a sense of community identification.
B.
Increased public awareness of traffic calming is resulting
in a call to use it to resolve many traffic problems. However, traffic
calming cannot solve all traffic problems. In each situation, attention
should be given to the examination of project circumstances, establishment
of project objectives, and considering whether traffic calming should
be an alternative or an element of the design.
C.
The purpose of this article is to set forth the requirements,
guidelines, process and criteria by which the installation or implementation
of traffic calming measures may be recommended to the Village Board
of Trustees and to identify the conditions under which they may be
installed on public streets.
D.
The policy of the Village of Sea Cliff shall be to
consider the application of traffic calming, as appropriate, on Village
streets in accordance with the guidelines, requirements, and criteria
contained in this article.
For the purposes of this article, unless the
context or subject matter otherwise requires, the terms used herein
aware defined as follows:
The self-enforcement aspect of traffic calming; the lowering
of speeds, the reduction of aggressive driving, and the increase in
respect for nonmotorized street users.
To promote walking and cycling, increase safety, create a
feeling of safety, and improve aesthetics, etc.
Changing the design and the role of the street to reduce
the negative social and environmental effects of motor vehicles on
individuals (e.g., speed, intrusion, etc.), and on society in general
(e.g., pollution, urban sprawl, etc.).
Areas of raised pavement constructed or placed in, on and
across a roadway. Road undulations are a roadway geometric design
feature whose primary purpose is to reduce vehicular traffic speed
along a roadway. Road undulations shall consist of deflections in
the paved roadway surface for a uniformly varying height to a maximum
of 2 and 5/8 inches plus or minus 1/8 inch over a twelve-foot long
base, or as otherwise recommended and permitted by designs and specifications
approved and adopted by the New York State Department of Transportation
and/or the design guidelines and standards set forth in the "Guidelines
for the Design and Application of Speed Humps," prepared by the Institute
of Transportation Engineers.
[Amended 5-12-2008 by L.L. No. 9-2008]
The combination of policies and physical measures that help
decrease the negative impacts to local streets and neighborhoods caused
by motor vehicles, reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use,
alter driver behavior, and improve conditions for nonmotorized street
users.
A.
The policy and guidance in this article create a hierarchy
for the application of traffic calming techniques which strives to
consider and balance the many conflicting needs between the highway
users (motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists) and adjacent land owners,
with safety being of paramount concern. It is essential to determine
if traffic calming measures are warranted and implementable, or if
traditional approaches or strategies are more appropriate. Whenever
possible, traffic calming measures shall be designed in accordance
with all applicable standards, criteria, and guidelines.
B.
Traffic calming measures should be considered as a
tool to address congestion, safety, and quality of life issues where
one or more of the following situations or circumstances exist:
(1)
A neighborhood group or area of the Village
has proposed or requested a traffic calming plan to address and reduce
one or more existing concerns.
(2)
Initial investigation indicates that traffic
calming measures for a Village street, school zone or other subarea
may satisfy identified subarea needs such as a significant existing
accident problem whose severity could reasonably be expected to be
reduced by the application of traffic calming.
(3)
Community requests for speed limit modifications,
traffic control devices, safety improvements or other concerns are
not satisfied by more traditional measures and/or enforcement.
C.
Drivers should be warned before they enter, and when
they drive through, a traffic-calmed area. Isolated and unanticipated
street narrowing, road undulations, tight curves or reduced sight
distances could be potential hazards if encountered without warning.
D.
Public safety concerns must be addressed. The effect
that traffic calming measures may have on the access for fire vehicles
and the response times for fire, ambulance and police traffic should
be determined and considered.
E.
When the implementation of traffic calming measures
may cause drivers to divert to use alternate routes, it may lead to
increased volumes, and perhaps speeds, on those routes. When traffic
calming measures may result in significant diversions of traffic to
alternate routes, residents or people who live or work along the alternate
routes to which traffic will be diverted should be given the opportunity
for input. Traffic calming measures should only be used where it is
important to give priority to residential area character or to nonmotorized
users of the roadway.
F.
It is desirable to use forgiving, frangible, or crash-worthy
traffic control devices, plantings, etc., for permanent traffic calming
measures. Design speed, traffic, pedestrian and bicycle volumes, project
geometries, and aesthetics are factors to be considered in determining
the treatment to be used.
A.
When appropriate, the installation of temporary, more
forgiving traffic calming measures such as pavement markings, temporary
delineators or channelizing devices should be considered on a trial
basis before installing permanent measures, particularly in those
situations where traffic calming may require significant driving adjustments.
Temporary deployment will provide a transition to the permanent measures
proposed, an insight into the effectiveness of the proposed calming
measures, and the opportunity to make modifications before installing
a permanent device.
B.
A trial period should be developed and implemented
with notice to all affected residents. Trial measures should encompass
all affected streets as deemed appropriate by the Building Department.
A trial period should be long enough to evaluate the effectiveness
of the measures and acclimate users of the street through the full
range of traffic and environmental conditions expected.
Traffic calming is not applicable to every situation
or concern. To determine if traffic calming is a feasible alternative,
each situation or concern should be assessed with reference to the
following considerations and criteria. Not all considerations and
criteria are applicable to all situations or concerns. Only those
that do apply should be considered. If a majority of the considerations
and criteria are applicable, traffic calming measures should probably
be considered as an alternative.
A.
Traffic calming measures have been requested by users,
residents, or other affected local citizens.
B.
A local desire exists to create a more livable area
by improving the environment through motor vehicle speed and/or volume
control.
C.
Continuous requests from local residents have been
received for speed limit reductions.
D.
Emergency services will approve the use of the proposed
traffic calming measures.
E.
A problem exists which should be addressed with a
traffic calming measure.
F.
A significant number of pedestrian/bicycle traffic
generators (schools, community or recreational facilities) are located
on the street or in the vicinity.
G.
The existing speed limit is generally not complied
with.
H.
Excessive through traffic exists on a local street.
I.
The street's relationship or importance to the general
flow of traffic in the Village.
J.
The use of traffic calming will complement the intended
function of the street.
K.
Concerns for speeding, pedestrian safety, or other
issues exist on streets where traffic signals or stop signs are not
warranted or appropriate and speed control, and the elimination or
discouraging of through traffic, can be achieved by physical means
in combination with appropriate warning signs.
L.
Any detrimental effects on safety that the traffic
calming measures will create.
M.
Accidents between autos, bicycles, and pedestrians
are prevalent in the area.
N.
The effect the introduction of a proposed traffic
calming measure will have on adjoining streets.
O.
Conformity of a proposed traffic calming measure with
the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines.
A.
Road undulations have become one of the most popular
traffic calming measures in the United States because they are effective
in reducing speeds at minimal costs in certain situations. The use
of road undulations is not intended as a solution for all traffic
and speed control problems. The Building Inspector shall carefully
review each request for the installation of a road undulation to ensure
that the proposed location and attending circumstances meet all the
procedures, requirements, and criteria outlined in this article.
B.
The initiation of requests for a road undulation installation
shall be in accordance with the following procedures and requirements:
(1)
All requests shall originate from the residents
of the street on which it is requested that the road undulation be
installed.
(2)
The Village Building Inspector shall determine
the approximate location of the proposed speed undulation(s) and the
affected area required for petition circulation.
(3)
All requests shall be by written documentation
which demonstrates substantial interest on the specific street, or
segment thereof, being considered. To be considered, the petition
shall bear the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the residents
abutting a specific street, or the segment thereof, where it is requested
that the road undulation be located.
(4)
Only one signature per residence is allowed.
The petition shall include a printed name, signature and address for
each person signing and the name of a contact person.
(5)
All petitions shall be circulated by the residents
themselves.
(6)
A separate petition shall be used for each street.
(7)
Each petition supporting the installation of
a road undulation shall be considered acceptable if it contains the
signatures of residents representing at least 75% of the residences
in the petition area, as previously determined by the Building Inspector,
who are in favor of the proposed road undulation installation.
(8)
Completed petitions shall be returned to the
Village. When the petition is submitted to the Village, the person
indicated as the contact person for the neighborhood on the petition
will be sent a letter confirming receipt of the petition. The contact
person will be informed of any additional procedures required for
consideration of the road undulation installation.
C.
The installation of road undulations on public streets
will not be considered unless all of the following conditions are
met over the entire proposed street segment as determined by the Building
Department:
(1)
The average daily traffic volume shall be more
than 100 but less than 2,500 through vehicles per day.
(2)
The street shall have a posted speed limit of
no more than 30 miles per hour.
(3)
A minimum of 40% of the surveyed motorists exceed
the posted speed limit and/or a minimum of 15% of the surveyed motorists
exceed the posted speed limit by 10 miles per hour or more.
(4)
The paved portion of the street shall not be
over 44 feet wide.
(5)
The street shall have no more than two through
traffic lanes.
(6)
The street shall have good vertical sight distance,
pavement surface quality horizontal sight distance, drainage and street
lighting. It must be free of unusual features which might affect the
operation of road undulations.
(7)
Installation of a road undulation may not be
permitted where substantial diversion of traffic to other local streets
will occur as determined by the Building Department.
(8)
Road undulations shall not be installed on a
street where they would cause an aggregate thirty-second delay in
Fire Department or emergency vehicle response time.
(9)
Street lighting must exist on the street blocks
where road undulations are proposed to be installed.
D.
After a petition is received, the Building Inspector
shall process the petition in the following manner:
(1)
Verify that each petition contains the requisite
number of signatures by calculating the total number of residents
that are entitled to sign the petition and ensuring that the criterion
of 75% has been met.
(2)
Obtain the necessary traffic data.
(5)
Review all relevant issues and make a recommendation
to the Board of Trustees as to whether or not a street should receive
a road undulation.
(6)
Submit the proposed road undulation installation
to the police, fire, ambulance and other emergency service departments,
and the Department of Public Works for their review. All comments
received shall be fully considered in the decision-making process.
(7)
A public hearing shall be conducted to obtain
input from the community prior to the installation of a road undulation.
Comments received shall be fully considered in the decision-making
process. Notice of the public hearing shall be published in accordance
with the Village Code to notify all residents in the petition area.
E.
Road undulations shall be located and installed in
conformance with the following guidelines:
(1)
Prior to the installation of a road undulation,
the Building Inspector shall notify the Fire Department, the Police
Department and ambulance services of each installation.
(2)
Road undulations shall be installed across the
entire roadway to the lip of the gutter with the last one foot or
more, as required, tapered flush with the pavement to minimize gutter
running and to preserve gutter flows.
(3)
Road undulations should be placed from 200 to
300 feet away from intersections, stop signs or sharp curves so that
drivers are unlikely to approach them at high speed and to ensure
that sufficient driver reaction time is provided.
(4)
Road undulations should be spaced from 200 to
400 feet apart.
(5)
No road undulation shall be located over manholes.
(6)
All road undulations should be located downstream
of storm drains, where possible.
(7)
All road undulations should be located at least
10 feet away from driveways.
(8)
Vertical curves and grades should be evaluated
with respect to advance visibility of road undulations. Typically,
all road undulations should be placed at least 200 feet away from
sharp horizontal curves and should be readily visible from at least
200 feet if placed near vehicle curves.
(9)
Road undulations should not be placed on horizontal
curves of less than three-hundred-foot radius.
(10)
Road undulations should not be placed on streets
with grades greater than 10° approaching the road undulation,
or in a location that is not clearly visible for at least 200 feet.
F.
Road undulations shall be designed, installed, and
constructed in conformance with design guidelines and standards set
forth in the "Guidelines for the Design and Application of Speed Humps,"
prepared by the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the New York
State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) design manual, and in
conjunction with good engineering practice.
G.
Signs and pavement markings shall be installed as
warning devices in connection with the installation of all road undulations.
Signs and pavement word and symbol markings shall be installed in
conformance with the guidelines set forth in the National Manual of
Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), the New York State Department
of Transportation (NYSDOT) design manual, and the "Guidelines for
the Design and Application of Speed Humps," prepared by the Institute
of Transportation Engineers. To the extent that they are not inconsistent
with the standards and requirements set forth in the MUTCD, the NYSDOT
design manual, and the "Guidelines for the Design and Application
of Speed Humps," and to the extent that additional or alternative
signs and markings are not required, the following signs and pavement
markings shall be installed and provided:
(1)
A standard Caltrans W37 thirty-inch warning
sign stating "BUMPS AHEAD" with five-inch series E letters shall be
installed at least 100 feet prior to each road undulation in both
directions.
(2)
A thirty-inch-by-thirty-inch warning sign stating
"BUMPS" with five-inch series E letters shall be installed at least
30 feet prior to each road undulation in both directions. Speed advisory
signs stating “15 mph” shall be installed below the "BUMPS"
warning signs.
(3)
Eight-foot high "Bump" legends shall be painted
in white approximately 50 to 100 feet in advance of each road undulation
in both directions. These legends shall remain for up to one year
after installation of the undulation, after which time the legend
may be removed.
(4)
One-foot-wide longitudinal ladder markings shall
be painted on each road undulation at six feet on center.
(5)
A double-yellow center line may be provided
in the vicinity of a road undulation.
H.
Road undulations shall be modified and/or removed
in accordance with the following criteria and procedures:
(1)
Road undulations shall be monitored for a period
of six months to one year. If safety problems develop due to improper
installation, maintenance, or emergency issues, the Village shall
modify or remove the road undulation.
(2)
If, after a road undulation is installed, residents
in the vicinity who wish to have the road undulation removed may submit
a petition requesting removal of the road undulation. The petition
shall contain the signatures of residents representing at least 60%
of the residences included in the original petition area and all residences
that immediately access the street segment. The petition for removal
shall be submitted to the Building Inspector, who shall evaluate the
request and make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees based upon
the requirements and criteria stated herein and the information submitted
with the petition.
(3)
Removal of a road undulation shall be considered
only after an adequate review period and subsequent analysis has been
performed to determine the traffic characteristics along the route
and the impacts to the remaining street system.
If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section,
word, part, or provision of this article shall be adjudged by any
court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall
not affect, impair or invalidate any other part of this article, but
shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph,
section, word, part or provision of this article directly involved
in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.
