Consider Policy Implementation for Traffic Control and Streetlight Requests

Purpose:
Discuss potential revisions to the Traffic Control Modification Requests Policy.

Background:
On occasion, the City receives requests from the public to add or modify traffic control devices, primarily stop signs, as well as to add or remove streetlights.

The city does not have a policy addressing streetlight modification requests.

The city's current policy for addressing traffic control modifications is as follows; "It shall be the policy of the City that any request for a modification to existing traffic control devices be accompanied by a petition signed by a minimum of five property owners or residents residing within 500 feet of the requested traffic modification. Upon receipt of a qualifying petition staff shall notify the Public Works Committee of the request and shall undertake the necessary studies to evaluate the requested modification in accordance with the guidance provided in the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Staff shall present an analysis along with their recommendation on the request to the Public Works Committee. Petitioners shall be notified when the recommendation for their request is to be presented to the Committee. A recommendation from the Public Works Committee shall be forwarded to the City Council for final action."   This policy language was recommended for City Council approval by the Public Works Committee on October 17, 2006, and was ratified by the City Council on November 14, 2006.

Many cities have traffic control policies, many of which include the ability for the public to fill out a form requesting modifications.  Attached are policies from the cities of New Hope and Richfield for reference.  City staff are requesting feedback from the Public Works Committee on whether the City of Ramsey's current policy should be amended to add a traffic control modification request form that the public can fill out and submit to the city in lieu of contacting staff by phone, email or in person, along with any other conditions that the Committee would like Staff to gather additional information on to present and discuss at a future meeting.  

Staff are also requesting feedback from the Committee on whether streetlight requests should be incorporated into the Traffic Control Modification Requests Policy, or whether a new policy should be implemented specifically for streetlight requests.  When staff currently receive such requests, they are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  The following two examples illustrate typical concerns raised by the public and what staff's typical response is to such requests.

A streetlight request was recently received from a resident requesting a new light at the intersection where his child's school bus stops to pick them up.  Staff typically does not approve such requests due to the time of year these requests are received, which is typically in the Fall when it i dark until after 7 Am.  These requests are typically denied since it takes several months to process a request for a new light through Connexus and for the light to be installed.  In addition, bus stop locations change frequently so if each request was honored the city would eventually end up with streetlights at a majority of intersections across the city.  The resident that made this request plans to attend the meeting to listen to the discussion and provide additional context to his request.  

Another streetlight request was recently received requesting numerous streetlights be added in the Riverstone South residential development.  The development plans were approved by the City Council and the development is building out fast so adding more streetlights may not be appreciated by other residents. 

Based on discussion.

Based on discussion.