Brooks Street
Buckhouse Bridge to Paxson Street
Corridor Safety Audit (CSA)
Presentation to Missoula
Public Works Committee
(February 29th, 2012)
1
Introduction
• Introductions
• Partners
• City of Missoula
• MDT
• FHWA
• Consultant team
2
BROOKS STREET CSA
F E B R U A R Y 2 9 TH, 2 0 1 2
CSA PROCESS AND AUDIT TEAM
3
CSA Process Flowchart
Engineering
Perspective
Identify
Corridor
Data
Analysis/Identify
Audit Team
Audit
Team
Meeting
Field
Review/Debrief
Draft
Report/Manage
ment Review
CSA
Report
Completed
Behavioral
Perspective
4
BROOKS STREET CSA
F E B R U A R Y 2 9 TH, 2 0 1 2
Audit Team Composition
Name
Organization
Title
Shane Stack
Montana Department of Transportation (Missoula)
District Preconstruction Engineer
Glen Cameron
Montana Department of Transportation (Missoula)
District Traffic Engineer
Kraig McLeod
Montana Department of Transportation (Helena)
Safety Engineer
Carol Strizich
Montana Department of Transportation (Helena)
Transportation Planner
Danielle Murphy
Montana Department of Transportation (Helena)
Operations Research Analyst
Jonathan Floyd
Montana Department of Transportation (Helena)
Civil Engineering Specialist
Marcee Allen
Federal Highway Administration
Safety Engineer
Dick Haines
City of Missoula
Ward 5 Councilor
Renee Mitchell
City Council
Ward 5 Councilor (Outgoing)
Mike O'Herron
City Council
Ward 5 Councilor (Incoming)
Steve King
City of Missoula
Public Works Director
Kevin Slovarp
City of Missoula
City Engineer
Rick Larson
City of Missoula
Traffic Communications Supervisor
Phil Smith
City of Missoula
Bicycle / Pedestrian Project Manager
Wayne Gravatt
City of Missoula
Traffic Services Coordinator
John Weber
City of Missoula
Sergeant
Jeff Brandt
Missoula Fire Department
Assistant Fire Chief
Dave Prescott
Missoula County OPG
Transportation Planner
Lewis Kelley
Missoula County OPG
Transportation Planner
Sean Finley
Montana Highway Patrol
Trooper
Scott Hoffman
Montana Highway Patrol
Sergeant
Ray Hoff
Mountain Line Transit
Operations Supervisor
Debra Minez
Mountain Line Transit
Transit Operator
Robert Mitchell
Beach Transportation
General Manager
Jeff Key
Robert Peccia & Associates
Consultant Project Manager
Scott Randall
Robert Peccia & Associates
Consultant Traffic Engineer
BROOKS STREET CSA
5
F E B R U A R Y 2 9 TH, 2 0 1 2
BROOKS STREET CRASH DATA REVIEW
6
Crash Data - General
• Based on three-year period of analysis (July 1, 2008 to
June 30, 2011)
• Crash data for 1.5 mile corridor between Buckhouse
Bridge and Paxson Street
• Review includes driver, roadway and environmental
factors
• See graphics overview
7
BROOKS STREET CSA
F E B R U A R Y 2 9 TH, 2 0 1 2
CSA Crash Locations
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BROOKS STREET CSA
F E B R U A R Y 2 9 TH, 2 0 1 2
CSA Crash Data
• Highest occurrence during evening peak hour(s)
• Peaks during early winter
• Highest number of crashes on Fridays
• Low occurrence of alcohol / drug related crashes
• Almost 30% of drivers were 15-25 years old
• Weather conditions do not appear to be a major
contributing factor
9
BROOKS STREET CSA
F E B R U A R Y 2 9 TH, 2 0 1 2
CSA Crash Data
• Almost 80% of crashes occurred during the
daytime
• No indication of corridor lighting issues
• Rear end collisions accounted for 56% of all
crashes, followed by right angle (15.8%) and left
turn (8.1%)
• 69% of crashes are in intersections or related to
intersections or driveways
• Low occurrence of single vehicle crashes
10
BROOKS STREET CSA
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AUDIT TEAM WORKSHOP
11
Audit Team Workshop
• Office Review
• December 15th (12:30 to 3:00 PM)
• Reviewed study location characteristics and crash analysis
• Field Review
• December 15th (3:00 to 5:00 PM)
• Bus provided by Mountain Line Transit
• Nighttime field review between 5:00 and 6:00 PM
• Audit Debrief
• December 16th (8:00 to 10:00 AM)
12
• Debrief from the previous day
BROOKS STREET CSA
F E B R U A R Y 2 9 TH, 2 0 1 2
Audit Team Observations
• Corridor Wide
• High occurrence of rear end crashes
• High vehicle speeds
• Buckhouse Bridge
• Single vehicle crashes
• Ice on the bridge
13
BROOKS STREET CSA
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Audit Team Observations
• Miller Creek Road / Old Highway 93 Intersection
• 2 fatal crashes
• High occurrence of angle crashes
• Current signal phasing and geometrics do not provide protected
left-turn movements along Miller Creek Road and Old Highway
93
• No defined transition into Missoula urban area
14
BROOKS STREET CSA
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Audit Team Observations
• Dore Lane Intersection
• Change in speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph
• No change in road characteristics
• 2 recent fatal crashes, both involving high vehicle speeds and
alcohol / drugs
• Apparent high traffic volumes for an unsignalized intersection
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BROOKS STREET CSA
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Emergency
Services
Engineering
4 E's
Education
Enforcement
RECOMMENDATIONS - BEHAVIORAL
16
Behavioral Recommendations
ID
Recommendation
Description
Proposed Follow-Up
Responsibility
Implementation
Timeframe
1
Portable speed
trailer(s)
The audit team suggested that portable speed trailers be
placed at one or two locations as soon as possible, until which
time a speed zone study can be completed.
City of Missoula
Immediate
2
Increase impaired
driving education
Expanding public outreach efforts to target impaired drivers is
desirable and can consist of public service announcements,
billboards targeting high risk groups, print advertising,
promoting designated driving programs, and expanding free
ride home and taxi services.
MDT, City of Missoula,
and other stakeholders
Short-term
3
Education on
pedestrian
countdown timers
Pedestrian countdown timers have recently been installed at
signalized intersections along Brooks Street. The audit team
expressed a desire to reach out to area citizens to better
explain what countdown timers are and what the various
information depicts for the pedestrian.
City of Missoula
Immediate
4
Inattentive/distracted
driving education
School based education and incentive programs could be
enhanced via existing driver’s education and/or school based
health curriculum. Additional instruction to new, young drivers
pertaining to various transportation safety topics such as
impaired driving, texting/cell phone use, seat belt use, etc.
could be beneficial to help curb the observed trends of younger
driver collisions.
Missoula School District
Short-term
17
BROOKS STREET CSA
F E B R U A R Y 2 9 TH, 2 0 1 2
Emergency
Services
Engineering
4 E's
Education
Enforcement
RECOMMENDATIONS - ENGINEERING
18
Engineering
Recommendations
ID
Recommendation
Description
Proposed Follow-Up
Responsibility
Implementation
Timeframe
CORRIDOR WIDE
5
Speed zone study
Posted speed limits within the corridor range from 35 mph to 65 MDT Traffic and Safety
mph. The location of speed changes should be evaluated
Bureau
through a speed zone study. Due to the adjacent land use
characteristics within the corridor, it may be desirable to extend
the 35 mph farther southwest from its present location at Dore
Lane.
Immediate
6
Replace pavement
markings
The placement of new pavement markings to delineate lanes,
turn bays, shoulders, etc., should be considered to improve
visibility. Existing roadway delineations are worn and can be
difficult to see, especially during nighttime or poor weather
conditions.
MDT Maintenance
Short-term
7
Trim vegetation along There were some areas observed along the corridor where
boulevard plantings appeared to obscure some directional and
corridor
regulatory signs.
MDT Maintenance
Immediate
8
Update signage to
meet current
standards
Due to the adjacent roadside environment and visibility
MDT Safety Engineering
concerns, it is suggested to review and update all signage within Section
the corridor to ensure compliance with current standards for
visibility and retroreflectivity.
9
Develop access
management plan
Numerous “full movement” driveways to private businesses are
located throughout the corridor. These add conflict points,
contribute to crash frequency, and present conflicts for
pedestrians and bicyclists. Developing an access management
plan would be desirable to identify and eliminate duplicative
driveways, and to regulate the size and operations of the
driveway.
BROOKS STREET CSA
Short-term
MDT Planning in
Short-term
partnership with the City
of Missoula
19
F E B R U A R Y 2 9 TH, 2 0 1 2
Engineering
Recommendations
ID
Recommendation
Description
Proposed Follow-Up
Responsibility
Implementation
Timeframe
BUCKHOUSE BRIDGE
10 Install “icy bridge”
signs with solar
flashers for bridge
Roughly half of the crashes at the Buckhouse Bridge are due to MDT Safety Engineering
icy bridge conditions. The installation of “icy bridge” signs may Section
increase driver awareness of changing road conditions. The
flashers could be activated when the surface of the bridge deck
or air temperature drops below a certain level.
Mid-term
11 Install a high friction
and/or anti-icing
overlay on the
Buckhouse Bridge
deck
It is suggested that a high friction or anti-icing overlay on the
MDT Safety Engineering
Buckhouse Bridge be installed to reduce skidding of vehicles
Section
during icy conditions. Some research should be completed prior
to implementation.
Mid-term
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BROOKS STREET CSA
F E B R U A R Y 2 9 TH, 2 0 1 2
Engineering
Recommendations
ID
Recommendation
Description
Proposed Follow-Up
Responsibility
Implementation
Timeframe
DORE LANE INTERSECTION
12 Install street lighting
The intersection currently does not have street lights. Although MDT Safety Engineering
there are some adjacent lights in private parking lots, the
Section
intersection as a whole is very dark. Placement of street lights on
opposite quadrants may improve visibility for all travel modes.
13 Complete traffic signal It is likely that a traffic signal at this intersection will be beneficial MDT Traffic and Safety
to reduce certain types of crash trends. However before
warrant study
Bureau
recommending installation of a traffic signal, a traffic signal
warrant study must be executed. A traffic signal warrant study is
currently being developed by MDT.
14 Install traffic signal
If the traffic signal warrant study confirms a signal is warranted MDT Safety Engineering
at this location, it is recommended to install traffic signal control Section
to better meter traffic by providing gaps for side street traffic to
make turning movements.
15 Install raised medians Raised center medians may be beneficial to help mitigate the
minor street turning movements that lack definition. Raised
medians would also provide a refuge for pedestrians crossing
Brooks Street at this location.
Mid-term
Immediate
Mid-term
MDT Traffic and Safety
Long-term
Bureau, Missoula District
and City of Missoula
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BROOKS STREET CSA
F E B R U A R Y 2 9 TH, 2 0 1 2
Engineering
Recommendations
ID
Recommendation
Description
Proposed Follow-Up
Responsibility
Implementation
Timeframe
MILLER CREEK ROAD INTERSECTION
16 Reconstruct minor
legs of intersection
To promote more efficient intersection operation, it is
MDT and City of
suggested that the south leg of the intersection (i.e. Miller
Missoula
Creek Road) be modified to provide a dedicated northbound to
westbound left-turn lane, combination thru/right-turn lane,
and a dedicated right-turn lane. This would require expanding
the approach limits to the west. For symmetry, adjustments to
the north leg of the intersection (Old U.S. Highway 93) would
be required.
17 Evaluate split-phase Presently, the traffic signal is timed such that northbound
timing of intersection traffic (i.e. Miller Creek Road) and southbound traffic (i.e. Old
U.S. Highway 93) runs opposite each other. Split phasing the
intersection should be explored such that each of these legs
can run as a protected phase. Split phasing, although
potentially inefficient, may help to mitigate the prevalence of
left-turn crashes at the intersection.
MDT and City of
Missoula
Long-term
Short-term
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F E B R U A R Y 2 9 TH, 2 0 1 2
Conclusion
• Questions
23
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