For more information, call the Blacksburg Police Department at 540-443-1402.

Memorandum                                                                                Blacksburg Police

To:               Traffic Committee Members

From:           Kristel Dickerson, Administrative Assistant Sr.

Date:            June 1, 2018

Subject:        Traffic Committee Meeting Agenda – June 5, 2018

The Town of Blacksburg Traffic Committee will meet on Tuesday, June 5, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. in the Training Room at Blacksburg Police Department, 200 Clay Street, S.W. in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Citizens are always provided the opportunity to voice their views/concerns regarding any item before the Committee.  It is the policy of the Traffic Committee to move the agenda item to the beginning of the meeting when citizens are in attendance to avoid detaining guests for the entire meeting.  However, citizens are always welcome to stay for the full meeting.

Financial Update:

Capital Project:  C10412 (820-3101-852.70-99)

• Available Funding (prior to July 1, 2017):$4,668.32

   

   

• Additional Funds (added July 1, 2017):+$15,000.00

   

• Current Available Funding:$19,668.32

(balance available to spend in this project to date)

Old Business:

1. Wayne Garst, with the Fire Department, has a concern for safety at the new development at the corner of UCB and Prices Fork (where the new hotel and Chipotle are located).

Committee Recommendation from October 2017 Meeting:  Tabled

Cars are still trying to make a left out of the left-hand side, despite the arrows and concrete.  A question was proposed as to whether the nose of the median coming the other direction could be extended, or perhaps reflective poles could be utilized to create a channel, physically restricting left turns.  This would channel the left turn lane in, and restrict the left turn lane out.  John Boyer with Public Works will do a site visit to make a proposal between delineators or extended median.  Perhaps the delineators could be installed now, and the median could be extended later on as part of a CIP project.  From an emergency standpoint, however, the delineators would be a better option because it is not a permanent barrier.  Mountable curbing is another option, as it would discourage cars but emergency vehicles can still drive over it.  Onsite signage may also be effective.  Kali Kasper will ensure that the specifics on their site plan were constructed correctly, and P&E will also contact the owners to see if they would add more onsite signage.  Tabled for November

Committee Recommendation from November 2017 Meeting:  Tabled

In the Prices Fork/UCB area, drivers are taking a left out of the new hotel onto Prices Fork.  This is a “no left turn”, and they are coming out of the wrong side of the island to make the prohibited left.  Randy Formica had talked to the previous owners and instructed them that they needed more signage, but they have now sold to new owners.  Lt. Goad will go out and take updated pictures.  He personally saw a car drive up the wrong side and turn left.  Ideas were brainstormed about how best to correct this behavior, and the Committee agrees that the thru arrow needs to be a left turn arrow, increased signage, and a sign in the median would help.  The Committee was advised that without signage it’s not enforceable.  It was also agreed that perhaps a letter from the Committee to the new owners would be effective.  Lt. Goad will draft up a letter to the new owners and include the possibility of meeting with them onsite; if they have not noticed the safety issue thus far, perhaps a meeting in person to point out the concern would be helpful.  Tabled for December

Committee Recommendation from December 2017 Meeting:  Tabled

Lt. Goad has drafted a letter to the new owners of the development, and will be working to obtain their contact information.  Several members of the Committee have personally witnessed this dangerous driver behavior, including that by a driver of a tractor trailer.  The median has been lengthened, however the geometry of the lane is very wide on the entrance side.  The least cost to the developer would be signage, and if that is found to be ineffective, concrete could be used to neck it down.  A “no left turn” sign in the median would make it more enforceable from a PD standpoint.  There was also some discussion about using small, reflective bollards to create an “avenue”.  The Committee agrees to table the item for February, but in the meantime Lt. Goad/PD and Norman/PW will conduct a site visit to assess installation location for a “no left turn” sign on the site side by the stop bar at the edge of the island on driver’s side.  The owners also need a “do not enter” sign on their site.  Tabled for February 2018   

Committee Recommendation from January 2018 Meeting:  Tabled for February 2018

While this item wasn’t on the agenda again until February, discussion ensued since Chris Lawrence was in attendance to participate.  He personally saw a driver doing this unsafe maneuver and would like to discuss measures to curb it.  Lt. Goad recommends installing 3-4 small bollards to channel traffic in the correct path and prevent them from making a left turn.  The median has already been extended out some, but people are still coming out of the wrong side of the complex.  The thought is that Kirk and Shivon still own the two hotels, so Randy Formica will email Lt. Goad their contact info so he can reach out and request some safety measures be taken on the actual property as well, such as pavement markings and signage.  In the meantime, Public Works will proceed with a “one-way” sign on the nose of the median and a “no left turn” sign on the grassy side of the complex exit.  No routing form need for the signage.  Tabled for February 2018

Committee Recommendation from February 2018 Meeting:  Tabled

Lt. Goad is attempting to make contact with the owners.  The initial party he spoke with was not the correct person.  We are trying to establish ownership.  Several committee members believe that the current owner is still Shivon.  Work will continue on this item.  Tabled

Committee Recommendation from March 2018 Meeting:  Tabled

Although originally thought that the part of the development in question had been sold, it has been confirmed that the ownership actually remains the same.  Lt. Goad has a meeting pending for an undetermined date in the upcoming weeks.  Tabled

Committee Recommendation from April 2018 Meeting:  Tabled

The “no left turn” sign has now been installed in the median.  The Committee agrees to await further update from Lt. Goad upon his return.  Tabled for May 2018

Committee Recommendation from May 2018 Meeting:  Tabled

Lt. Goad has a meeting set with the property owner to discuss signage on the property.  Tabled for June 2018

New Business:

1. BT has requested the input of the Traffic Committee regarding several bus stops along Prices Fork in the Plantation Road area.A presentation will be provided by representatives from BT. (Agenda Item #2 supports this item as well.)

    

2. A concern has been received from Laura Robinson regarding safety at bus stops in the Prices Fork/Plantation Road area due to congestion and jaywalkers.(Also reference Agenda Item #1.)

    

   “Would you consider moving the Bus Stops near Prices Fork and Plantation Road? And please provide stricter enforcement of “no jaywalking” for a week and again in August?

   Issue:

   ·         Young adults who live at the new “Retreat at Blacksburg” community are jaywalking between the times of 8 am – 9:30 am to catch the buses near Prices Fork/Plantation Road.

   ·         There are two bus stops on Prices Fork Road in close proximity to Plantation Road and near the exit to 460-Business. The cars on Prices Fork are trying to avoid the buses, but also merge so they can exit onto 460-B.

   ·         The jaywalkers add to this chaos. They often dart across the road to get to the Bus Stop near Plantation Road instead of using the crosswalk. 

   ·         Many auto accidents have occurred in this area due to the congestion, which increased after the “Retreat at Blacksburg” was built.

   Possible solution:

   ·         Move the bus stops off of Prices Fork Road for this area. One can go onto Plantation Road? Maybe put the other onto Brightwood Manor Drive?

   ·         Temporarily enforce the anti-jaywalking now and again when the students return in the fall.”

    

3. A concern has been received from Kyle Saylor via the Mayor’s Office regarding the amount of time it takes to get through the intersection of Prices Fork and Heather Drive.

    

4. The Police Department has requested the input of the Traffic Committee regarding the possibility of reconfiguring traffic on Center Street from Houston to Green to become one-way only due to the lack of width sufficient to accommodate two-way traffic.

    

5. An At-Your-Request submission has been received from Jill Schwab on behalf of her daughter Emily Schwab regarding pedestrian safety in the vicinity of the bus stop (#1300) located at Toms Creek/Winston Nbnd and Hillel at Virginia Tech.The request is to install a crosswalk in this location.In her correspondence, she specifically mentions students riding the bus to this stop and then crossing without a crosswalk on Toms Creek Road to get to Hillel (710 Toms Creek Road).    She also mentions hearing from friends that live at the Edge wanting to cross Toms Creek Road somewhere between the signalized intersection at Prices Fork Road and the median refuge island at Gilbert Linkous/Watson Avenue. 

NEXT MEETING DATE:  The next Traffic Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 3, 2018 in the Training Room of the Blacksburg Police Department, located at 200 Clay Street, SW. 

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