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CC Resolution No. 13122521 RESOLUTION NO. 1312 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS, ESTABLISHING A MID -BLOCK CROSSWALK POLICY AND PROVIDING FOR THE EFFECTIVE DATE THEREOF. WHEREAS, the prevalent occurrences of excessive speed on arterial streets result in dangerous conditions for pedestrians attempting to cross; and WHEREAS, mid -block crosswalks are designed to protect both pedestrians and drivers by warning drivers of pedestrian crossings through the use of appropriate signs; and WHEREAS, the City Council hereby finds that in order to ensure that mid -block crosswalks will be effective, the crossings must be selectively located in accordance with well- defined criteria and available to organizations sensing a need for the same; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS: Section 1: That the City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, hereby adopts the Mid -Block Crosswalk Policy, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein for all intents and purposes. Section 2: This resolution shall take effect immediately from and after its passage by the City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas. INTRODUCED, READ and PASSED, by the affirmative vote of the City Council of the City of Baytown this the 12 "' day of June, 1997. _'e� (. gey�!'v PETE C. ALFARO, Mayor ATTEST: EILEEN P. HALL, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Ctrs CTfI ACIO RAMIREZ, S City Attorney c:klh40\ Council\ Resolutions \MidblockCrosswalkPol icy. Resolution CITY OF BAYTOWN MID -BLOCK CROSSWALK POLICY PedestrianCrosswalk Policy. doc Run Date: June 1, 1997 MID -BLOCK CROSSWALK POLICY A. FINDING OF PURPOSE The prevalent occurrences of excessive speed on arterial streets result in dangerous conditions for pedestrians attempting to cross. As such, it is desirable that mid -block crosswalks be permitted in certain instances if in accordance with this policy, which is designed to protect both pedestrians and drivers by warning drivers of the crossings through the placement of appropriate signs and allowing the drivers to safely reduce vehicle speeds. B. GENERAL In order for mid -block crosswalks to be effective, mid -block crosswalks must be located selectively in accordance with defined criteria. Proper location with adequate visibility will enhance safe pedestrian crossing. This policy promotes reasonable opportunities for organizations requesting mid - block crosswalks to participate in the process that leads to mid -block crosswalk installation. C. DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF INTERPRETATION N "APPLICANT" refers to the designated representative of the organization submitting a written request for the installation of a mid -block crosswalk on an arterial street. "COMMISSION" unless otherwise specifically noted, refers to the Growth Management and Development Advisory Commission. "DIRECTOR" refers to the Director of Planning and Community Development and such other persons authorized by the Director of Planning and Community Development to act in the same capacity for the purposes of this policy. "MID -BLOCK CROSSWALK" or "CROSSWALK" refers to a designated pedestrian crossing location on an arterial street. "ORGANIZATION" shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, association, or other similar entity. "STREET" refers to an arterial street as defined in the Major Thoroughfare Plan of the City of Baytown. Mid -Block Crosswalk Policy, Page I D. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS All of the following criteria must be satisfied for a street to be considered eligible for a mid -block crosswalk. 1. Property Usage: The organization must own, lease or otherwise have control over two (2) or more properties which are separated solely by an arterial street. The properties must be regularly used by and accessible to the general public. The arterial street on which the mid -block crosswalk is proposed to be located must intersect at least two (2) arterial streets at the intersections closest to and surrounding the proposed crosswalk. 2. Operational Characteristics of the Street: The street must satisfy the following: a. the street must be used to provide pedestrian access between the organization's properties; b. the street must have one or more moving lanes of traffic; and C. one hundred (100) or more pedestrians must cross the street between the properties for access to the same during any one (1) hour within a twenty -four (24) hour period on a weekly basis. 3. Geometric Characteristics of the Street: a. The street must have adequate sight distances to safely accommodate the mid -block crosswalk markings and warning signs in accordance with the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. b. A crosswalk may be located only at those locations where the eighty -fifth (85'") percentile speed is no greater than forty (40) miles per hour and the nearest traffic signal on the street on which the crosswalk is proposed is greater than five hundred feet (500') from the crosswalk. C. The mid -block crosswalk cannot be closer than three hundred feet (300') to another established crosswalk. E. GENERALPROCEDURES The following procedures are to be followed in determining whether or not a crosswalk is to be approved or denied: Mid -Block Crosswalk Policy Page 2 I . A written request for mid -block crosswalk installation must be submitted by the applicant to the Director. The applicant shall submit all information that it wishes the Director to consider in determining whether the crosswalk is preliminarily eligible for installation. 2. After the receipt of the request, the Director will make a preliminary determination as to whether the street is eligible for a crosswalk using available transportation data and the criteria in D. The applicant will be notified in writing of the Director's decision. a. If the Director preliminarily determines that the street is eligible for the installation of a crosswalk, the Director shall perform an engineering study and ensure that the proposed mid -block crosswalk will have adequate visibility. Thereafter, the Director shall place the matter on the Commission's agenda for its consideration. b. If the Director preliminarily determines that the street is not eligible for the installation of a crosswalk and if the applicant believes that such preliminary determination was made in error, the applicant may appeal the denial of the request to the Commission by fling a letter requesting an appeal. Such appeal letternmust be filed with the Director within ten (10) days of being notified that the request was denied and must specify why the applicant believes that the Director's preliminary determination is erroneous. All Commission actions are appealable in accordance with the Commission's appeal procedures. If the applicant timely perfects its appeal, the Director shall place the matter on the Commission's agenda for its consideration. 3. If the street is determined by the Director to be eligible for the requested crosswalk installation or if the applicant timely prefects its appeal, the Director will submit the comments, recommendations, and results of all studies to the Commission for its consideration. The applicant will be notified in writing of the Commission's decision. a. If the Commission approves the mid -block crosswalk, based on the criteria in D, the Commission will make a recommendation to City Council for mid -block crosswalk installation. b. If the Commission denies the mid -block crosswalk, the applicant will be notified in writing of the decision and can appeal in accordance with the Commission's appeal procedures if the Mid -Block Crosswalk Policy, Page 3 applicant perfects such appeal in writing within ten (10) days of being notified that the Commission denied the request. 4. The City Council, based upon as the eligibility criteria enumerated in this policy, the recommendation of the Commission and the comments, recommendations, and results of the studies submitted by the Director, shall make the final determination as to whether the requested mid -block crosswalk will be installed. The applicant will be notified in writing of the City Council's decision. a. If the City Council approves the installation of the requested mid - block crosswalk, the Director will inform the Public Works Department of the approved mid -block crosswalk location for installation. Thereafter, the Public Works Department shall install the mid -block crosswalk at the approved location with markings and signs in accordance with the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. b. If the City Council and /or the Commission denies the request for the installation of the crosswalk, the organization may not reapply for such installation until the expiration of one (1) year after such denial. G. REASSESSMENT The City Staff, in consultation with the Commission, will reassess this policy six (6) months from the effective date of adoption of this policy and every six (6) months thereafter. c:kIh39\ Planning \PedestrianCrosswaIkPoIicy 1 Mid -Block Crosswalk Policy Page 4