Streets and Maintenance Department
City Council Meeting Sept 18, 2018 Agenda item 30.1
“Delivering Outstanding Services�
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Montoya Drive General Facts • Montoya Drive, between Meadowlark Drive and Montoya Road is an approximately 2.53-linear mile collector street • The road was built before being annexed into the City; it was not built to City of El Paso standards • Unique Characteristics:
o No sidewalks, curb or gutter o Onsite ponding – designed to accept water into abutting properties o This is a narrow street – mostly a 40 foot ROW with small sections at 50 feet (pavement averages 20-ft in width) o Minimal street lighting – none where accident took place, additional lighting would require trimming of mature trees to make effective. o Most of the street abuts the Montoya drain on east side and private homes on the west o Residents typically use the elevated Montoya drain as a walking path o The elevated drain is owned and managed by the El Paso County Water Improvement District “Delivering Outstanding Services”
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Montoya Drive Looking northbound from Country Club Road
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Limited right of way space Minimal room for sidewalks Private fencing in onsite ponding areas impact water run off
“Delivering Outstanding Services”
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Montoya Drive Looking southbound near Redd Road • Some points have turning angles and shrubbery that impact visibility • Utilities in the shoulder • Minimal lighting
“Delivering Outstanding Services”
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History of Requested/Recommended Improvements • The Upper Valley Traffic Study o
Approved by City Council in May 2009 – Improvements recommend for Montoya Drive o o o
2017: Intersection Modifications at Country Club 2025: Roundabout at Redd Road and Intersection Modifications at Lindbergh 2035: Land Reconfiguration at Country Club
City Council unanimously voted to accept the study and directed staff to advance projects; no funding was allocated for specific projects at that time. Some City projects advanced to date: Country Club Reconstruction, Lindbergh Reconstruction, Redd Road Reconstruction, Country Club Roundabout, Bird Traffic Signal (designed and funded)
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Redd Road Extension was part of The Upper Valley Traffic Study o
Montoya served as a detour route during Country Club construction – and recent dialogue with residents cite that commuters continue to use this route extensively o o o
Lack of connectivity exacerbates traffic congestion in the Upper Valley Primarily used arterial streets in the Upper Valley are Country Club Road and Artcraft Road – but commuters sometimes use other streets like Montoya to avoid congestion The Upper Valley Traffic Study and the City’s Major Thoroughfare Plan (MTP) include a future extension across the Rio Grande between Gomez Road and Redd Road – this could provide more connectivity, reduce congestion, and disperse traffic to avoid “short-cutting”
“Delivering Outstanding Services”
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History of Requested/Recommended Improvements • Plan El Paso (Pg. 2.40) o
Adopted in 2012, Plan El Paso was the product of public input and recommended that the Upper Valley be preserved and trails be favored over sidewalks.
“Streets in the Valley should be Different than Streets Elsewhere in the City
Another aspect that sets the valley apart from the rest of the City is its rural roads. Even as development comes to the valley, the scenic nature of the rural roads should remain. This includes narrow lanes, drainage swales instead of gutters, and trails instead of sidewalks. Mobility via horseback riding and biking should be emphasized, however, so that not every errand is by car or truck.”
“Delivering Outstanding Services”
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Unique Challenges in the Upper Valley •
Annexation – Many of the Upper Valley streets were accepted by annexation and were not constructed to comply with City standards of construction
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Opposition to modern street standards – Organized groups in the Upper Valley have expressed desire to retain a rural country environment in the area and oppose modern street standards; sidewalks, lighting, etc. • •
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Of the 695 streets in the Upper Valley, 301 have sidewalks Although new subdivisions typically do install sidewalks, smaller lot development projects have received sidewalk waivers in the past for purpose of keeping the street in character with the larger neighborhood (allowable under Title 19 of the El Paso Municipal Code)
Upper Valley Storm Water Management – Many Upper Valley streets have on-site ponding instead of drainage infrastructure; meaning rain run off is captured onto abutting properties that tend to be a lower grade than the street; an elevated sidewalk could impede flow of water from leaving the street resulting in hazardous driving conditions
“Delivering Outstanding Services”
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Montoya Annexation History
Montoya (and surrounding properties) were annexed into the City of El Paso at five different time periods: 1954, 1968, 1978, 1980, & 1987
“Delivering Outstanding Services�
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Upper Valley Traffic Study Recommendations
Mulberry Lindbergh
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“Delivering Outstanding Services�
Upper Valley Traffic Study Recommendations
Mulberry Lindbergh
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“Delivering Outstanding Services�
Upper Valley Traffic Study Recommendations
Mulberry Lindbergh
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“Delivering Outstanding Services�
Next Steps Because of policies set by state Law and municipal government the department will proceed with traffic studies and report back findings • • •
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Speed Trends – Determining if at least 15% of traffic is driving in excess of 5 MPH over the speed limit Daily Volume – Verifying the amount of daily traffic (required 500 ADT for NTMP) Crash Rate – The crash rate is a comparison tool that allows staff to use volume, length of study area, and crash frequency to determine if a street is experiencing a higher-than-average amount of accidents Pedestrian Activity – Video equipment allows staff to determine volume, frequency, and paths used by pedestrians Review history of public requests for infrastructure improvements on Montoya
Once the study is completed, staff will use the data to develop recommendations. Both the study results and recommendations will be presented to City Council for discussion, action and funding “Delivering Outstanding Services”
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Streets and Maintenance Department
City Council Meeting Sept 18, 2018 Agenda item 30.1
“Delivering Outstanding Services�
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