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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />ENGINEER'S REPORT — COVE ROAD SPEED LIMIT REDUCTION REQUEST <br />PUBLIC HEARING DATE JUNE 2, 2020 <br />ACTION REQUESTED CONSIDER REDUCING THE POSTED <br />SPEED FROM 50 MPH TO 35 MPH <br />LEAD STAFF: Mark R. Cook, Public Works Director/County Engineer <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Maintain the existing speed along Cove Road from MP 3.04 to MP 3.59. Make no changes to <br />Title 10. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Currently the speed limit along Cove Road from MP 3.04 to MP 3.59 is 50 MPH. A county resident <br />requested a speed reduction for this road segment on February 04, 2020 (EXHIBIT 1). Public Works <br />staff conducted a speed study form 02/10/2020 to 02/24/2020 and recently produced results of the <br />study for evaluation (EXHIBIT 2). Cove Road is posted 35 MPH from Thorp Highway to Robinson <br />Canyon Road and then 50 MPH to Manastash Road. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />A variety of factors must be considered when determining safe and reasonable speed limits. <br />The prevailing speed is a major consideration in setting speed limits. Engineers recommend <br />setting speed limits so that 85% of the freely flowing traffic travels at or below that speed (the <br />85th percentile). Guidance is provided in MUTCD 213.13 (EXHIBIT 3), recommending posted <br />speed limits to be set "within 5 mph of the 85`h percentile speed of free-flowing traffic." <br />Another consideration is the highest safe speed for which the road was designed. This takes <br />into account road type, road geometry, and adjacent land use. Other factors include presence <br />of non -vehicular road users, driver or vehicle characteristics, enforcement capability, and <br />public attitudes. Accident data is also evaluated during a County speed study to further inform <br />decision-making. <br />The requested speed reduction along Cove Road (MP 3.U4 to MP 3.59) does not appear to be <br />supported by the results of the speed study. Cove Road drivers are generally doing the posted speed <br />(average north and south bound 85' percentile speeds of 53.9 and 52.3 MPH). Most drivers are <br />driving at the 85' percentile or within 5 MPH of the speed of free-flowing traffic. <br />Cove Road MP 2.15 to MP 3.14 reports two accidents in the past five years: one property damage and <br />one fatality. The fatality is recent (early February 2020). The death appears to have resulted from the <br />driver running the stop sign at the intersection of Hanson and Cove Roads. No accidents have <br />occurred for the past five years from MP 3.14 to MP 3.72 (EXHIBIT 4) <br />Page I of 6 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ENGINEER'S REPORT <br />