Explanation
BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Service to request the Ohio Department of Transportation to establish a safe operating speed on King Avenue from Olentangy River Road to High Street.
Per the Ohio Revised Code, The City of Columbus' Department of Public Service performed an engineering study per the regulations for speed zones and speed limits set forth in the Ohio Department of Transportation Traffic Engineering Manual and the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The results of this study support decreasing the current prima-facie speed limit from 35 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour.
After approval from ODOT, the City will post the recommended enforceable speed limits and begin to implement cost effective traffic calming measures in Spring 2014. After the cost effective traffic calming measures are installed, new speed studies can be conducted within a year. If the speeds decrease, and a posted 25 mph speed limit is justified, the City will resubmit speed studies to ODOT for consideration.
EMERGENCY
An emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that the prima-facie speed limit on King Avenue from Olentangy River Road to High Street from 35 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare
Title
To request that the Director of the Ohio Department of Transportation decrease the prima-facie speed limit on King Avenue from Olentangy River Road to High Street from 35 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour; to repeal any and all speed limit ordinances and resolutions on said roadway; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, the current prima-facie speed limit on King Avenue from Olentangy River Road to High Street is 25 miles per hour; and
WHEREAS, per the Ohio Revised Code, The City of Columbus' Department of Public Service performed an engineering study per the regulations for speed zones and speed limits set forth in the Ohio Department of Transportation Traffic Engineering Manual and the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, and
WHEREAS, this traffic engineering study and investigation, performed under the direction of a professional engineer, indicate a posted speed of 30 miles per hour is reasonable and safe under existing conditions; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus will continue to monitor traffic crashes and volumes and revise necessary regulations to promote a safe roadway operation; and
WHEREAS, the Transportation and Pedestrian Commission approved this speed limit reduction on January 14, 2014; and
WHEREAS, after approval from ODOT, the City will post the recommended enforceable speed limits and begin to implement cost effective traffic calming measures in Spring 2014, and
WHEREAS, after the cost effective traffic calming measures are installed, new speed studies can be conducted within a year, and
WHEREAS, if the speeds decrease, and a posted 25 mph speed limit is justified, the City can resubmit those speed studies to ODOT for consideration, and
WHEREAS; Section 4511.21 of the Ohio Revised Code provides for the establishment of a reasonable and safe prima-facie speed limit under such conditions by the Director of the Ohio Department of Transportation upon request of a local authority; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Ohio, Department of Public Service, Division of Planning and Operations, recommends a reasonable and safe prima-facie speed limit of 30 miles per hour be established for King Avenue from Olentangy River Road to High Street; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that the prima-facie speed limit on King Avenue from Olentangy River Road to High Street from 35 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That any and all previous speed limit ordinances and resolutions on King Avenue from Olentangy River Road to High Street be and are hereby repealed.
SECTION 2. That, upon the basis of the aforesaid engineering and traffic investigations, it is hereby determined that a posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour for King Avenue from Olentangy River Road to High Street is reasonable and safe under existing conditions.
SECTION 3. Be it further ordained that the Director of the Ohio Department of Transportation is hereby requested to review the engineering and traffic investigation and to determine and declare a reasonable and safe prima-facie speed limit of 30 miles per hour for King Avenue from Olentangy River Road to High Street.
SECTION 4. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.