Consider Recommending City Council Authorization for Flashing Yellow Arrow Study at the Intersection of Sunwood Drive and Ramsey Boulevard/CSAH 56 

Purpose:
The purpose of this case is two-fold. First, Staff will provide updates to the Committee on Anoka Counties plans for updating their signal systems to include flashing yellow arrow operations. Second, the Committee will consider a recommendation to the City Council to authorize a feasibility study for adding flashing yellow arrow operations to the existing signal system at the intersection of Sunwood Drive and Ramsey Boulevard/CSAH 56. 
 
Background:
In December 2009, after extensive testing, the Federal Highway Administration authorized use of flashing yellow arrows nationwide. A study conducted by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program determined that drivers had fewer crashes with flashing yellow left-turn arrows than with traditional yield-on-green signal configurations.  
 
Flashing yellow arrow traffic signals feature a flashing yellow arrow in addition to the standard red, yellow and green arrows. When illuminated, the flashing yellow arrow allows waiting motorists to make a left-hand turn after yielding to all oncoming traffic and to any pedestrians in the crosswalk. Oncoming traffic has a green light. Drivers must wait for a safe gap in oncoming traffic before turning. When not illuminated, signals with flashing yellow arrows work the same as traditional signals.
 
Flashing yellow arrows offer more opportunities to make a left turn than with the traditional three-arrow, red, yellow and green indications. They also provide traffic engineers with more options to handle variable traffic volumes. A flashing yellow arrow signal has the same meaning it always has: left turns may proceed with caution after yielding to oncoming traffic. In the past, flashing yellow arrows in Minnesota were only used when the entire traffic signal was in flash-mode. Use of the flashing yellow arrow has been shown to have several benefits including minimizing delays and enhancing safety by reducing driver errors.
 
The majority of newly installed traffic signals are constructed to allow flashing yellow arrow operations, though sometimes the flashing yellow arrow heads are not immediately installed. The flashing yellow arrow may be used at any intersection at any time but the most typical use will be at intersections and times-of-day that have lower volumes, lower speeds and other favorable conditions. Retrofitting existing signals to include flashing yellow arrows can be costly and are typically only done on a limited basis, when necessary.
 
Attached is two-page brochure produced by the Minnesota Department of Transportation with additional information on flashing yellow arrows.  
 
2022 Proposed Anoka County Flashing Yellow Arrow (FYA) Upgrades
Anoka County typically budgets up to $200,000 each year to add flashing yellow arrow operations to their 200+ existing signal systems across the County, most of which were not constructed to accommodate FYA operations since they were constructed before FYA operations existed.
 
In 2022, Anoka County proposes to construct FYA improvements to their signal systems at 14 intersections in the City of Coon Rapids as follows;

• CSAH 52/109th
• CSAH 52/Quail Creek
• CSAH 78/113th
• CSAH 18/131st
• CSAH 18/133rd
• CSAH 116/Rose St.
• CSAH 116/Heather St.
• CSAH 116/CR 18
• CSAH 116/Jay St.
• CSAH 51/91st
• CSAH 51/101st
• CSAH 51/Egret Blvd.
• CSAH 51/105th
• CSAH 51/109th

 
Anoka County is employing SEH, Inc. to prepare feasibility studies to evaluate the use of FYA operations at each of these intersections, including estimating costs to modify each signal system to include FYA operations, and to prepare plans and specifications for constructing the required FYA improvements. Anoka County expects to receive final studies for each intersection in early 2022 to allow construction to occur in the summer/fall of 2022.
 
Anoka County is not proposing to complete any FYA improvements to signal systems in the City of Ramsey in 2022. No improvements are currently proposed at the intersections of Alpine Drive & Sunfish Lake Boulevard/CSAH 57 and Alpine Drive & Nowthen Boulevard/CSAH 5, which have been a topic of discussion in recent years.
 
FYA Operations at Sunwood Drive & Ramsey Boulevard/CSAH 56
During the regular City Council meeting on September 22, 2020, the City Council received a request from a resident to install FYA’s at the intersection of Sunwood Drive & Ramsey Boulevard/CSAH 56. The resident stated that he frequently waits at this signal system to turn left when no vehicles are approaching from the other direction.
 
In 2017, the City of Ramsey worked with Anoka County to install FYA improvements at the intersection of Armstrong Boulevard/CSAH 83 and Sunwood Drive. To start this process, the City was first instructed to hire SEH, Inc. to complete a feasibility study for modifying the signal system to include FYA operations, including estimating costs to modify the signal system to include FYA operations, and to prepare plans and specifications for constructing the required FYA improvements. This cost for this study was $1,700.  The current estimated cost to complete a feasibility study for one intersection is around $1,800 if counts are available, and $3,500 if SEH, Inc. is required to collect traffic counts.
 
If Staff is directed to pursue this, City Staff will contact SEH to request a proposal to study the feasibility and costs of installing FYA improvements at the intersection of Sunwood Drive & Ramsey Boulevard/CSAH 56, similar to the process followed at Sunwood Drive & CSAH 83/Armstrong Boulevard, and will present the proposal to the City Council as soon as possible to request authorization to proceed. Staff will then work with Anoka County to add this work to Anoka County’s 2022 FYA improvement projects.

Copies of SEH's study proposal and Feasibility Study are attached.   
 

Staff anticipates 20 minutes will be needed to present and discuss this case. 

Observations:
Below are a few other concerns and questions that have been raised regarding FYA improvements in the City of Ramsey.  
 
Hours of FYA Operations
Over the last year or two one or more Planning Commission members have questioned the need to turn flashing yellow arrow operations off during rush hours. Anoka County does not routinely evaluate signal systems to determine if FYA’s can be operated all hours of the day. Their standard process for evaluating FYA operations is to monitor all new FYA operations for a period of several years after FYA improvements are made, then to review crash data and traffic volumes to determine if FYA operation modifications are warranted. In general, most signal systems with FYA operations do not permit FYA operations during rush hours. Typically, the only intersections where FYA operations are permitted during rush hours are at intersections with low traffic volumes and low posted speed limits. City Staff will continue discussing options for allowing 24/7 FYA operations at signal systems in the City of Ramsey with Anoka County Staff.
 
FYA Operations at Sunwood Drive and Bunker Lake Boulevard/CSAH 116
The new signal system at this intersection will be equipped with FYA improvements, but as of today the County is not certain which legs will utilize FYA operations and/or what the timing of the FYA operations will be where FYA operations are utilized. In summary, a significant number of left turning traffic crashes are not anticipated and sight distance is good so it is anticipated that FYA operations can be utilized at this intersection during several hours of a typical day. Below are recommendations from the County’s consultant related to time of day FYA operations for both roads. 

• CSAH 116 - Due to higher posted speeds on CSAH 116, FYA operations are not recommended for CSAH 116 during peak traffic periods. During non-Trunk Highway 10 impacted traffic periods, their consultant is recommending that the signal system operate with protected left turns between the hours of 6:00 am - 9:00 am and also between 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm. During Trunk Highway 10 construction, their consultant is recommending that both CSAH 116 approaches operate with protected left turns for all hours between 6:00 am - 10:00 pm due to much higher anticipated traffic volumes on CSAH 116 and higher posted speeds. 
• Sunwood Drive - If the County implements FYA operations for Sunwood Drive, these should be able to be operated all hours of the day given lower traffic volumes and lower posted speeds.  

  
Alternatives:
Alternative #1 – Motion recommending City Council authorization to hire SEH, Inc. to analyze the feasibility of modifying the signal system at the intersection of Sunwood Drive and Ramsey Boulevard/CSAH 56to add flashing yellow arrow operations.

Alternative #2 – Motion of other.   
 

The final construction cost for the FYA modifications to the signal system at Armstrong Boulevard & Sunwood Drive/147th Avenue was $29,760. The estimated average cost to modify an existing signal system to include FYA operations is $20,000 to $50,000.
 
Plans and specifications would be required to advertise for bids for construction of any FYA modifications, which would require future City Council approval. Costs to prepare plans and specifications for the FYA improvements at Armstrong Boulevard & Sunwood Drive/147th Avenue were around $6,500.
 
Traffic volumes and patterns will likely change after the grade separation improvements occur at CSAH 56/Ramsey Boulevard & Highway 10 in 2024/2025, and after a signal system is installed at CSAH 116/Bunker Lake Boulevard and Sunwood Drive this fal/winter. These improvements will also likely have an impact on FYA operations at Sunwood Drive & CSAH 56/Ramsey Boulevard, which may result in a future Anoka County request to modify the FYA improvements. This will be addressed as part of the study. 
 
The estimated cost for studying the feasibility of adding FYA operations to this intersection is $1,800 if the City provides traffic counts, and $3,500 if SEH needs to provide traffic counts.  The Public Improvement Revolving Fund is proposed to fund the study.  

Staff supports either alternative.  

Motion recommending City Council authorization to hire SEH, Inc. to analyze the feasibility of modifying the signal system at the intersection of Sunwood Drive and Ramsey Boulevard/CSAH 56 to add flashing yellow arrow operations.