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CITY OF KENNEWICK – MUNICIPAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT Traffic Signal & Roundabout Priority Rating Policy Purpose: The primary purpose of traffic signals and modern roundabouts is controlling the movements of vehicles and pedestrians. Unwarranted traffic controls can result in excessive delay, cause drivers to use less adequate routes in order to avoid the unnecessary congestion, and increase crash frequency. Warranted signals and modern roundabouts provide for orderly movement of traffic, reduce frequency and severity of certain types of crashes, and can increase the traffic handling capacity of an intersection. Policy: Limited budgets necessitate the need to establish a prioritization system for the installation of traffic signals or modern roundabouts. To install a traffic signal, locations must meet at least one warrant as established within the latest edition of the "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Street and Highway" (MUTCD). Even though a location may meet signal warrants, alternative methods to control traffic movements should be considered, where feasible, in lieu of installing a traffic signal. Examples include, flashing beacons, advance warning signs, relocating the stop bar to improve sight distance, adding turn lanes or changing lane configurations, providing intersection illumination, restricting certain traffic movements, or providing a modern roundabout. Due to lower overall maintenance cost and delay roundabouts should always be considered a primary alternative prior to installing a traffic signal. Signal prioritization will normally be updated on a biennial basis. Locations with lower priority may be installed prior to locations with higher priority depending on the funding source or other factors as determined by the City. New traffic signal locations will be assigned points based upon the criteria presented below. Roundabouts have no established warrants; the Traffic Engineer shall determine their use in lieu of signals, 4‐way stops, or other controls. Signal Warrant Number Description Points 1 Eight‐Hour Vehicular Volume Warrant 10 2 Four‐Hour Vehicular Volume 4 3 Peak Hour 2 4 Pedestrian Volume 6 5 School Crossing 8 6 Coordinated Signal System 2 7 Crash Experience 8 8 Roadway Network 3 If two or more locations have equal points then the following shall be used to differentiate the locations (in descending order): 1) Meets Crash Experience Warrant 2) Meets Eight‐Hour Vehicular Volume Warrant 3) Meets School Crossing Warrant 4) Meets Pedestrian Volume Warrant 5) Traffic Engineer's judgment Locations that currently have approved funding, except those for which the city is collecting fees, are exempt from prioritization but may be listed. Upgrades or modifications to existing signals or signals conditioned upon a development are not included in this procedure. Peter M. Beaudry, Director of Public Works Revised: Jan. 2009