Title
SE 2nd Place Traffic Operations and Parking Changes (B)
Explanation
At the August 28, 2000 City Commission meeting, the Public Works Department presented a proposal to make traffic operations and parking changes on SE 2nd Place. The proposal was to convert the two-block portion of SE 2nd Place between SE 1st Street and SE 3rd Street to one-way eastbound and install a parking bay/loading zone on the north side of the street. The City Commission instructed the Public Works Department to obtain traffic data and make temporary modifications to allow parking for a two-week period.
The Public Works Department obtained traffic count and field data on SE 2nd Place. The 24-hour traffic count in the 100 block was 1,734 vehicles eastbound (61%) and 1,115 vehicles westbound (39%). The 24-hour traffic count in the 200 block was 768 vehicles eastbound (47%) and 865 vehicles westbound (53%). If these two traffic counts are combined, the traffic flow on this two-block portion of SE 2nd Place is 56% eastbound and 44% westbound. Vehicular turning movements were also obtained on SE 2nd Place at the vacated SE 2nd Street intersection.
The width of SE 2nd Place in the 100 and 200 blocks was measured. The 100 block is 23.1 feet wide and the 200 block is 19.7 feet wide. If a parking bay was installed (eight feet wide), the width of SE 2nd Place for two way traffic would be 15.1 feet in the 100 block and 11.7 feet in the 200 block. These widths are not sufficient for two-way traffic to safely travel on SE 2nd Place. For this reason, the Public Works Department did not implement a temporary parking plan.
The Public Works Department recommends that SE 2nd Place be converted to a one-way street between SE 1st Street and SE 3rd Street and a parking bay/loading zone be installed on the north side of the street. This action is consistent with the traffic flow on SE 2nd Place. This plan will provide additional parking and loading zones adjacent to Union Street. The parking/loading bay in the 100 block will be approximately 185 feet in length and in the 200 block will be approximately 140 feet in length. In addition, the one way street will improve pedestrian safety at the intersection of SE 2nd Place and 1st Street by simplifying the traffic flow. At its September 7, 2000 meeting, the Downtown Redevelopment Advisory Board discussed this issue and concurred with the Public Works Department recommendation. If the one-way plan is not implemented, the existing traffic configuration on SE 2nd Place will remain in place (two-way traffic with parking prohibited).
Recommendation
The City Commission authorize converting SE 2nd Place from SE 1st Street to SE 3rd Street to one-way eastbound and install a parking bay/loading zone on the north side of the street.