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ST0601-CS061013 MEMORANDUM FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING To: Jim Witt, City Manager From: Ken Griffin, P.E., Director of Engineering /Public Works Date: October 13, 2006 RE: Town Center /Denton Tap Intersection This memo is written as a follow -up to our Monday, October 9, 2006 meeting concerning the Denton Tap /Town Center intersection. Items that were discussed at the meeting included: 1. Adding a marked crosswalk across Denton Tap on the south side of Town Center. 2. Adding a "Countdown Pedestrian Light" possibly with audible sound. 3. Adding a sign at the pedestrian button explaining the meaning of the various stages of the pedestrian light. 4. Adding flashing yellow lights for northbound and southbound traffic on Denton Tap Rd. to generally correspond with the time that school lets out with an attached sign stating "watch for pedestrians when flashing ". 5. Investigate the possibility of posting "No U Turns" for northbound Denton Tap Rd. at Town Center. 6. Investigate lengthening the amount of time allocated for the pedestrian crossing. 7. Meet with Coppell High School to place an article in the school newspaper, and potentially a spot on the school's television station 'KCBY', about the operation of pedestrian buttons and crossings. 8. Meet with a traffic engineering firm to receive their input on either the above recommendations or any other ideas appropriate for this intersection. The following is the current status of the above items: 1. The location has been reviewed and it appears to be possible to provide a marked crosswalk on the south side of Town Center, across Denton Tap Rd., without having to reconfigure the existing median nose. We are waiting on a report from the traffic engineer prior to proceeding with the installation of the marked crosswalk. 2. We have received cost for a "Countdown Pedestrian Light ". There is a firm in Carrollton that sells the lights at a relatively inexpensive cost of approximately $250 /per light. When placed, "CITY OF COPPELL ENGINEERING - EXCELLENCE BY DESIGN" these lights would be synced with the pedestrian buttons and would provide an actual countdown of the amount of time left to cross the roadway. 3. The signs have been installed at the pedestrian buttons on the south side of Town Center at Denton Tap explaining the various stages of the pedestrian lights. 4. We are waiting on the report from the traffic engineer prior to purchasing and /or installing the flashing lights at each end of the intersection. 5. We are waiting on the report from the traffic engineer prior to posting "No U Turns ". 6. The current time allowed to cross Denton Tap Rd. at Town Center provides 7 seconds of walk time and 28 seconds of flashing time (to not enter the intersection). The 28 seconds was based on 3.7 feet /per second. The Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices recommends that a maximum of 4 feet/ per second be utilized for timing pedestrian crossings. However, there has been some discussion concerning revisions to the Federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to require that the maximum time be changed to 3.5 feet /per second. Therefore, we will be adjusting the pedestrian time from 35 seconds of total walk time (7 seconds of walk time, plus 28 seconds of flashing time) to 42 seconds of total walk time (7 seconds of walk time, plus 35 seconds of flashing time). 7. There have been discussions with the school's newspaper reporters concerning the opportunity to place an article in the next issue to be published, in November 2006, concerning pedestrian crosswalks. 8. I have met with a representative of Kimley -Horn, and Associates, to perform an analysis of the Town Center /Denton Tap intersection and provide input on what could be done to make the crossing safer and /or to comment on each of the suggestions that we noted in our Monday morning meeting. I hope to have information from the traffic engineer by October 20, 2006. Once that report has been received, my Traffic Division will begin the process of making necessary changes to the crosswalk, i.e., striping of the crosswalk, adding the "Countdown Pedestrian Buttons ", and any other items noted in the traffic engineer's report. If you should have any questions or need any additional information please feel free to contract me. "CITY OF COPPELL ENGINEERING - EXCELLENCE BY DESIGN"