2011-05-24_PWETC_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

This section describes the various traffic control measures which form the menu from which the final recommendations for each neighborhood are to be selected. Many of these are items which are in place in Evanston and have proven to be effective measures to control a specific problem or condition. Some are new to Evanston, but are in use in other communities and are effective in addressing their traffic issues. They are divided into subsections and follow the order listed in the text of this report. Not all measures are appropriate in all situations and most are acceptable for use only on local streets. Also, they each have different impacts and different levels of inconvenience on the neighborhoods. Changes to Traffic Control Turn Restrictions ALLOWABLE TRAFFIC CONTROL MEASURES This measure involves restricting turning movements into or out of neighborhood streets, primarily at intersections with major streets. This is in use at several locations in Evanston and has been shown to be effective in reducing cut through traffic, especially traffic desiring to avoid traffic signals. While most of our restrictions are in effect 24 hours /day, it is possible to have peak -hour restrictions as well. These require an ordinance and are relatively inexpensive to install. However, regular Police enforcement is necessary to maintain the effectiveness of these restrictions. Traditional One -way Streets One -way streets have been used in Evanston for many years to organize and control the flow of traffic in neighborhoods. The common application is the one -way pair (two parallel streets with each carrying traffic in only one direction), but sometimes a single street is designated one -way. Many people believe these are safer in neighborhoods because the traffic only comes from one direction and there are fewer conflicts for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles. The reduced conflict tends to increase speeds, so there is a trade -off. One -way streets are also used when both sides of the street are needed to satisfy the neighborhood parking demand, but the street width is insufficient to handle traffic in both directions. One way streets are relatively self- enforcing, but sometimes it is necessary to provide Police enforcement to ensure compliance. These can be relatively inexpensive to install, but do incur significant cost if modifications must be made to traffic signals to accommodate the new traffic patterns. Non traditional One -way Streets Non traditional one -way streets involve designating a traffic flow pattern which is intended to make it more difficult for vehicles to travel through a neighborhood. Sometimes this is called a "maze" approach, because the one -way pattern leads people in directions they did not intend to go. This is in use on Harvard Terrace 8