2023-07-10-minutes-public-works-study-session

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KITTITAS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT STUDY SESSION DATE: July 10, 2023 TOPIC: Wilson Creek Road Speed Study Results ACTION REQUESTED: Schedule a Public Hearing receiving the Engineer's Report on the Request for Speed Increase LEAD STAFF: Joshua Fredrickson RECOMMENDATION: Schedule a public hearing receiving the County Engineer's report on the request for speed increase on Wilson Creek Road (MP 0.50 to MP 1.01) BRIEFING SUMMARY: • A resident requested a speed increase on Wilson Creek Road (MP 0.50 to MP 1.01) on June 8, 2023 • The speed study was conducted on June 14, 2023, to June 21, 2023 • Speed study data collected at MP 0.55 • Average daily traffic (ADT) of 1,583 vehicles, with 403 trucks (28%) • ADT distribution is 50.1 % northbound and 49.9% southbound. • 85% speed at 46 Miles Per Hour (MPH) northbound and 50 MPH southbound • Five crashes in the past five years BACKGROUND: Responding to a request received on June 8, 2023, to increase the posted speed on Wilson Creek Road between Judge Ronald Road and Game Farm Road, Public Works deployed traffic data collectors June 14, 2023 and collected through June 21, 2023. Traffic and speed data was collected at mile post 0.55. This road segment has 28 percent truck traffic within the average daily traffic distribution of vehicle size. Traffic at this location is split 50.1% northbound and 49.9% southbound. Overall 85`h percentile speed at this location is 48 MPH, with directional speeds of 46 MPH northbound and 50 MPH southbound. DISCUSSION: 85`h percentile speeds show traffic is operating at a speed greater than the current posted speed limit of 35 MPH. The 85ih percentile speeds suggest this roadway segment is more accommodating to an increased speed than the current posted speed limit. The roadway alignment is tangent through this section. There are 16 approaches along this section of