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EAST SPRUCE STREET LANE AND PARKING RECONFIGURATION ---PAGE BREAK--- HISTORY ´ Street Division chip sealed E. Spruce St. ´ Mayor's Office requested Public Works to narrow vehicular lanes in an attempt to calm speeds ´ Reconfigured vehicular and bike lane layout allowed enough space for angled parking ´ Back-in angled parking was considered ´ Traffic Services Crews restriped E. Spruce St. (August 17, 2009) ´ Emergency Ordinance and Ordinance went into affect allowing back-in angled parking (MMC 10.22.110 Angle parking) ---PAGE BREAK--- ´Public Works and the Missoula Parking Commission are using back-in angle parking on East Spruce Street as an experimental treatment to increase safety for motorists and bicyclists on the roadway. ---PAGE BREAK--- ´Back-in parking is safer for motorists and bicyclists for several reasons. It’s easier for drivers to pull into traffic pointing forward, with the driver getting a clear look to the left for oncoming traffic. ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ´It’s also safer for passing bicyclists because the driver in the parked car would be less likely to pull out and hit a bicycle. ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- NEXT STEPS ´ Return to PW Committee to present accident history and vehicular speed data ´ Publicly discuss experimental back-in angle parking ´ Restripe roadway ---PAGE BREAK--- ACCIDENT HISTORY ON E. SPRUCE ST. ´ 2004 to Present ´ Higgins, Pattee, Washington, Adams and Jefferson ´ August 17, 2009 inception date of lane reconfiguration and back-in angle parking ´ 40 Total Accidents: All prior to reconfiguration ´ Average is 7 accidents per year for prior six years ´ No reported accidents since the change (9 month period) ´ Ryman: 24 accidents, 12 of which were related to pull-in parking ---PAGE BREAK--- VEHICULAR SPEEDS (APRIL 20 & 21) ´ Westbound between Jefferson and Madison: « Average speed: 22.6 mph « 85%: 29.3 mph ´ Eastbound between Jefferson and Madison: « Average speed: 25.3 mph « 85%: 29.4 mph ´ Construction ongoing on N. Higgins would have likely affected speed counts if taken further west of Jefferson ´ Previous speed counts were not taken prior to lane reconfiguration ---PAGE BREAK--- RECOMMENDATION ´ Successful experiment ´ Keep back-in angle parking ´ Reduction of accidents ´ Apparent traffic calming ´ Potential adjustments in lane location ´ Institute back-in angle parking on south side of E. Spruce St. between Higgins and Pattee