Bailey Hill Road Safety Coalition Report to Churchill Area Neighbors Julia Pommert and Sue Palsbo January, 2008 Contact:

Bailey Hill Road Stretch between Warren and 18 th Ave; 4 lanes wide 4 schools, 1 assisted living home, fire station, skate boarding park, softball field, playground, community garden, shopping center, dental office, multiple bus stops, multiple bicycle paths 3 pedestrian crosswalks –Lesser volume crosswalks have a signal –Greatest volume crosswalk has no signal Long-standing community concern about pedestrian safety –Letters going back at least 5 years

Sentinel Event Fatality in August, 2007 –Child on bicycle crossing Bailey Hill Road from skate park to convenience store –Speeding car changing lanes clipped the rear wheel of bike –35 mph speed limit in effect school not in session –Inexperienced driver did not realize how fast he was traveling (>65 mph)

Problems Identified by Community Excessive speeding Confusing for pedestrians Confusing for drivers Most frequently cited problem is confusion at Westleigh crosswalk –Youths dribble across in a long string, interrupting flow of traffic (especially in morning and at lunch hour) –Youths “play chicken” and taunt drivers –Youths do not look when crossing; assume drivers will see them and stop on a dime

Improvements Suggested by Community at Various Meetings Reduce speeding –Lower speed limit –Reduce number of lanes (“road diet”) Add full signal, pedestrian-activated signal, or stop sign at Westleigh Add crosswalk at skatepark –Reroute bicycle paths to end at crosswalk Install fence to funnel kids to Westleigh crossing Shift traffic to Bertelson Rd … and some others

Major Cause of Speeding, Accidents and Near-Misses: Bailey Hill Road has too many lanes

Solution Package – Priorities and Constraints Priorities –Improve driver clarity ASAP –Improve pedestrian and cyclist safety ASAP –Allow quick and safe exit for Fire Station #10 emergency responses –Facilitate safe crossing between the skate park and the shopping center Diversionary sign to “use existing crosswalks” is not working well –Maintain steady flow of traffic during peak time periods Constraint: Limited funds

Solution Package – Proposal Two phases Phase 1 –Should not cost a lot to “undo” when Phase 2 is implemented –Should be do-able in a short time period so City can squeeze it in during 2008 –Should make significant progress towards long-term goals –Should “stand alone” and not make things worse, in case Phase 2 can’t be done for several years Not divert traffic to neighborhood streets Not create a false sense of security for pedestrians/cyclists

Solution Package – Phase 1 Change Bailey Hill Road (BHR) from 4 lanes to 3 lanes –BHR is 2 lanes south of Warren, 3 lanes north of 18 th Ave –“Road diet” will encourage drivers to comply with 35mph speed limit Add pedestrian refuge island and stop-for-pedestrians sign at Westleigh –Pedestrians, cyclists and drivers have fewer lanes to monitor Add crosswalk and yield-to-pedestrians refuge island at skate park –This would significantly reduce chance of a similar fatal accident –As funds permit, converge the two bicycle paths to end at new sidewalk, and at 90º angle to BHR ($3000 or neighborhood sweat equity).

Solution Package – Phase 1 (continued) Maintain 4 lanes just north of Westleigh and convert 2 of these to left-turn only lanes Concern: Fire station egress –How often does traffic turning into the Churchill parking lot queue up and block the fire station? –If this is a problem, how can it be solved? Temporary barricade preventing turns into/from driveway Move driveway north Concern: Stacking south of Westleigh crosswalk –If we dedicate a lane south of the crosswalk to people intending to turn, will that overload the through lane? –How much of the day and how many cars are we talking about?

Solution Package – Phase 2 Signal at Westleigh –Installed when BHR is repaved in 2009 or later –Type of signal will depend on available funds Pedestrian- and fire station-activated light $100,000 Full signal, with fire station-activated light $300,000 A fence may be evaluated as part of Phase 2 –Prefer to see how well Phase 1 works