ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Public Works Director with a Request to ADOPT an ORDINANCE to RESCIND ORDINANCE #17103 which Amended SCHEDULE “N” of CHAPTER 28 of the CODE of the City of Peoria, by Designating the 1000 Blocks of NORTH UNDERHILL STREET and NORTH BOURLAND AVENUE (from WEST RUSSEL STREET South to the Alley) ONE-WAY STREETS in TRAFFIC SCHEDULE “N”. (DISTRICT 2)
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BACKGROUND: As part of the design of the Main and University intersection improvements, City of Peoria staff held several meetings with area residents. The residents were concerned that the “road diet” on Main Street and University Avenue would cause more traffic to cut-through their neighborhoods. A portion of the budget for the Main and University project was reserved for working with the neighborhoods to calm the traffic and to help discourage cut-through vehicles.
One of the residential areas that staff met with was the West Bluff. These residents were concerned with increased traffic from motorist bypassing the intersection of Main and University, as well as speeding traffic in their neighborhood. In discussions with the residents, staff determined that to help discourage additional traffic the city would need to install several traffic calming measures. These included adding stop signs at strategic locations, adding a speed hump crosswalk on Columbia Terrace east of University, replacing the existing traffic calming diverter islands with neighborhood traffic circles, and restricting the 1000 blocks of North Underhill Street and North Bourland Avenue to one-way operation, southbound from West Russell Street to the alley. This last measure was addressed in Council Item #14-212, which was adopted on May 27, 2014 and required traffic to travel one-way southbound in the 1000 block of North Underhill Street and North Bourland Avenue.
In additional meetings and contact from the residents over the past few years, it was determined that the residents felt that restricting the 1000 blocks of North Underhill Street and North Bourland Avenue to one-way operation, southbound from West Russell Street to the alley was not an effective deterrent from cut-through traffic from West Main Street, since many vehicles violated the measure and drove northbound against the one-way posting. Therefore, it was determined that the next step would be to close both North Underhill Street and North Bourland Avenue at the midblock location. The closures were made in April 2020 by installing planters and collapsible bollards, which allow for emergency and maintenance access, on the roadway. This closure makes the one-way designation of the 1000 blocks of North Underhill Street and North Bourland Avenue an untenable situation, resulting in this request to rescind Ordinance #17103.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. One-way and Do Not Enter signs have already been removed, as they do not make sense with the road closures in place.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: The City has attempted to address neighborhood concerns of cut-through traffic by closing the roadways of North Underhill Street and North Bourland Avenue midblock between West Main Street and West Russell Street.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: The 1000 blocks of North Underhill Street and North Bourland Avenue would be removed at one-way streets on traffic Schedule “N” and will be changed from one-way to two-way operations. This will allow vehicles that enter these dead-end roadways to exit without violating an ordinance.
IMPACT IF DENIED: The 1000 blocks of North Underhill Street and North Bourland Avenue will remain in one-way operation, causing any vehicle that drives southbound into these roadways to violate an ordinance to exit.
ALTERNATIVES: NA
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: NA
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2017 - 2032 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Safe Peoria
2. Grow Peoria
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Reduce crime.
2. Reinvest in neighborhoods.
DEPARTMENT: Public Works