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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: July 22, 2024 <br />TOPIC: Speed Study Process Change <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direct staff regarding finalizing the process <br />change to Speed Study requests. <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Cameron Curtis <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct staff to alter the process in which Speed Study requests are processed. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• Public Works has received approximately 62 Speed Study requests over the last <br />ten years. Only 11 of these studies resulted in a change to the Speed Limit. <br />• Currently, all Speed Study requests require physical data collection which is <br />condensed into a report. The results of every report are presented to the Board of <br />County Commissioners and potentially a Public Hearing. <br />• PW reviewed alternatives for evaluating speed revision requests including Grant <br />County utilizes screening criteria to minimize County resources spent on Speed <br />Studies. <br />• Public Works has identified criteria by which Speed Studies requests could be <br />screened for advancement. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Public Works receives speed revision requests which require a Speed Study every year, <br />and very few requests are supported by engineering evidence. Posted speed limit <br />revisions are requested by residents, county officials and staff. Typically speed revision <br />requests come from a property owner along the road segment. In 2023 alone, 7 speed <br />studies were requested and only 1 was deemed valid enough to set a adjust the speed limit <br />(14%). This pattern is consistent with the last ten years when a total of 62 speed studies <br />were requested and only 11 resulted in a change to the Speed Limit (18%). <br />To perform a Speed Study, the following are typical steps taken by Public Works staff: <br />