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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPO 7190: REDUCING THE SPEED LIMIT City of www.PortArthurTx.gov INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM Date: October 26, 2023 To: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Through: Ronald Burton, City Manager From: Flozelle Roberts,EIT, MEng, MBA, Director of Public Works W RE: P.O. No. 7190 — Permanently Reducing the Speed Limit along North- and Southbound Lanes of US 69 from Mile Post 13.074 to Mile Post 17.127 from 75 mph to 70 mph Introduction: Proposed Ordinance No. 7190 seeks City Council's approval to permanently reduce the speed limit along US 69 from milepost 13.074 to milepost 17.127 from 75 mph to 70 mph. Background: The Texas Department of Transportation(TxDOT)has reviewed and studied the speed zone and crash rates along US 69,including a section within the Port Arthur city limits. TxDOT found an above-average crash rate for this portion of the highway and proposes reducing the speed limit from 75 mph to 70 mph to reduce the severity and quantity of crashes. The change in speed will also extend beyond the city limits,as indicated in the attached map. TxDOT has therefore requested that the City pass an ordinance that permanently reduces the speed zone of 75 mph along US 69 near the northernmost city limits (milepost 13.074) to US 69/SH 73 interchange (milepost 17.127)to 70 mph. Budget Impact: There will be no budgetary impact to amend the ordinance. "Remember,we are here to serve the Citizens of Port Arthur" 444 4tb Street X Port Arthur,Texas 77641-1089 X 409.983.8182 X FAX 409.983.8294 Recommendation: It is recommended that the City Council approve P.O. 7190 authorizing the permanent speed limit reduction along north- and southbound lanes of US 69 between milepost 13.074 (at the northernmost city limits) to milepost 17.127 (at the US 69/SH 73 interchange) from 75 mph to 70 mph. "Remember,we are here to serve the Citizens of Port Arthur" P.O.Box 1089 X Port Arthur,Texas 77641-1089 X 409.983.8101 X FAX 409.982.6743 P.O.No. 7190 10/26/2023 FCR Page 1 of 4 ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR,TEXAS,AMENDING CHAPTER 106—TRAFFIC,ARTICLE III— SPECIFIC STREET REGULATIONS,DIVISION 4—SPEED,SECTION 106- 143—SPEED ON STATE AND FEDERAL HIGHWAYS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, TO ESTABLISH THE PERMANENT MAXIMUM PRIMA FACIE SPEED LIMIT ALONG THE NORTH- AND SOUTHBOUND LANES ALONG UNITED STATES ROUTE 69 FROM THE NORTHERNMOST CITY LIMITS (MILEPOST 13.074) TO THE UNITED STATES ROUTE 69/STATE HIGHWAY 73 INTERCHANGE(MILEPOST 17.127);AUTHORIZING THE POSTING OF PROPER SIGNS; REPEALING CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; CONTAINING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PRESCRIBING A PENALTY OF NOT LESS THAN ONE DOLLAR($1.00)NOR MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS($500.00)FOR EACH VIOLATION THEREOF; AND PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE THEREOF. WHEREAS,the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has made it known to the City of Port Arthur,Texas,that it desires to permanently alter the prima facie speed limit on United States Route 69 from milepost 13.74 to milepost 17.127; and, WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 545.356 of the Texas Transportation Code, the City Council of the City of Port Arthur may alter the prima facie speed limits with respect to highways or portion thereof with the corporate limits of the City of Port Arthur based upon engineering and traffic studies; and, P.O.No.7190 10/26/2023 FCR Page 2 of 4 WHEREAS, the Texas Department of Transportation requested the City of Port Arthur permanently adjust the speed zone to 70 miles per hour to reduce the severity and quantity of crashes and to increase safety, copy attached as Exhibit A; now,therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR: THAT,Chapter 106—Traffic,Article III—Specific Street Regulations,Division 4—Speed, Section 106-143 —Speed on State and Federal Highways,of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Port Arthur, is hereby amended by establishing the following maximum prima facie speed limit: United States Route 69 from milepost 13.074 to milepost 17.127(north-and southbound lanes)to 70 miles per hour; and, THAT, necessary signs for posting the speed limit will be furnished, installed, and maintained by the direction of the Texas Department of Transportation's engineer in charge of the project; and, THAT, it shall be unlawful for a driver of a vehicle to disobey the instructions of a sign placed in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance,unless at the time otherwise directed by a police officer; and, THAT,all ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent with the terms of this ordinance are hereby repealed;provided,however,that such repeal shall be only to the extent of such inconsistency and in all other respects this ordinance shall be cumulative of other ordinances regulating and governing the subject matter covered by this ordinance; and, THAT, if any provision, section, exception, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase of this ordinance or the application of same to any person or set of circumstances, shall for any reason be held unconstitutional,void or invalid,such invalidity shall not affect the validity of the P.O.No.7190 10/26/2023 FCR Page 3 of 4 remaining provisions of this ordinance or their application to other persons or set of circumstances and to this end all provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable; and, THAT,any person who shall violate any provision of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not less than One and No/100 Dollar($1.00)nor more than Five Hundred and No/100 Dollars ($500.00); and, THAT,this ordinance shall take effect from and after ten(10)days from its passage by the City Council. The City Secretary is hereby directed to give notice hereof by causing the caption of this ordinance to be published in the official newspaper of the City of Port Arthur at least twice within ten(10) days after passage of this ordinance; and, THAT,the City Secretary shall sign the Certification of Ordinance attached as Exhibit B,and return it to the Texas Department of Transportation along with a copy of this ordinance; and, THAT, a copy of the caption of this ordinance be spread upon the minutes of the City Council. READ,ADOPTED,AND APPROVED,this the day of 2023 AD, at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Port Arthur, Texas, by the following vote:AYES:Mayor: Councilmembers: • NOES: Thurman Bill Bartie Mayor P.O.No.7190 10/26/2023 FCR Page 4 of 4 ATTEST: Sherri Bellard, TRMC City Secretary APPROVED AS TO FORM: d (...) Valecia R. Tizeno, Esq. City Attorney APPROVED FOR ADMINISTRATION: Ronald Burton City Manager A f 0 f 1/I El, •zelle ri Roberts, : ng, MBA Direct•a Public W• • Timothy Duriso Chief of Police P.O. 7190 Exhibit A Flozelle C. Roberts From: Thurman Bartie Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2023 1:13 PM To: Flozelle C. Roberts Subject: FW: [NON-CoPA] RE: US 69 Speed Zone Change in the City of Port Arthur From:Cade Flebbe<Cade.Flebbe@txdot.gov> Sent:Wednesday,October 18, 2023 1:54 PM To:Thurman Bartle<thurman.bartie@portarthurtx.gov>;Shanell Perkins<shanell.perkins@portarthurtx.gov>; Latonya James<latonya.james@portarthurtx.gov> Cc: Robert Webb<Robert.Webb@txdot.gov>; Peter Jungen<Peter.Jungen@txdot.gov> Subject: [NON-CoPA] RE: US 69 Speed Zone Change in the City of Port Arthur I would like to follow up on this speed zone change request that was previously sent in August. What is the status of this request? Regards, CADE FLEBBE, EIT FNGINEERING ASSISTANT 8350 EASTEX FwY, BEAUMONT TX 77708 ,Texas Department of Transportation From: Cade Flebbe Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2023 7:38 AM To:thurman.bartie@portarthurtx.gov Cc: Robert Webb<Robert.Webb@txdot.gov>; Peter Jungen <Peter.Jungen@txdot.gov> Subject: US 69 Speed Zone Change in the City of Port Arthur Honorable Thurman Bartle Mayor, City of Port Arthur 444 4th Street Port Arthur,TX 77640 Dear Mayor Bartie, We have prepared and attached for your review a proposed speed zone map for the City Limits on US 69 in the City of Port Arthur. A review and study of the speed zone and crash rates has been completed on US 69 that includes a section in the City of Port Arthur.TxDOT found an above average crash rate for this stretch of roadway and proposes a reduction in the speed limit from 75 mph to 70 mph. We believe that this reduction in the speed will better serve the public by reducing the severity and quantity of crashes along this stretch of highway.The change in speed will extend beyond the city limits as indicated on the attached map. The crash rates are as follows: Control Section It Length Meetin Criteria .,,,�i-v-•.�. _,:_sa..�,-a�z,.�tc¢eM .' x. . j...:. ��....�..,:.�.M,aa�,N:=,ec€:u. .�: �.� -- �-=.,�Ku�a ��:- � �. .o.M .,,. �-��:_, ,„ „*a__. w,.�,<.,,w..<., .. Beaumont Jefferson US0069 0200-15 7.720 14.224 6.504 6.504 Beaumont Jefferson US0069 0200-16 14.224 17.127 2.903 2.903 If you agree with the proposed speed limit, please proceed with a City Ordinance. Please have the City execute an ordinance making the speed zone enforceable and send us a copy of the ordinance. Please reach out to me if you have any questions. Thank you, CADE FLEBBE, EIT ENGINEERING ASSISTANT 8350 EASTEX FwY, BEAUMONT TX 77708 Torras Department of Transportation A Texas Department of Transportation message #EndTheStreakTX End the streak of daily deaths on Texas roadways. 2 an _ = Ev 2 2 a o N 0 cu cc c 0 0 = d v 2 2 tx a Ln Ln n r` I I o a a ti rz 0 0 un m en m c• , C N c N N `! to o 2 V NO a \ ON • O _c •> co O al Vf \ • D_00 H U D_ N N to > 11 N N C IN CI- .... Q U CC ON coo 00 t O! N Ol n D t t0 f0 N O N N U C N O L(1 m N N y r-i rn M 00 N 00 CO O Dl Dj V1 Q („) co N ICI ID L Y N N kn D O N 05 co U N ti M tu. _c4 O 0 0 N Q d' O O O U N tO ID ,c N O , N N (0 D re,V CC ON r 00 m tc t b0 to 0 C O N N V0 m rn U en - c< U OD N - c M 00 0 0 O to 00 J tD N V N O N N I— N . V i� '-1 N E O N 0 N N LL U on 00 O) '-I In O O c O O U 0 0 0 0 0 0 I >, c c 0 0 c r2 `w v U v w c c u o 0 E E O m v v on CO lL |; M 2 I |;i; p, .§|; ® 4 0 w % o/ mo \ \i- t\! h CO ,----- § )| 'ciai Co e) §(:( o.44r1 AJ ƒ ,,, L(,N_o___ ,, 14 . 2 !i o co 6 z )\II �• §} __\._.,._„\_— ,_ ;... . k2 /\ 0) \/ O.° ° • ' fik ) \ ° � ! ! 2 /O _ [ ( 2 a {° e : e °z a \� o ' '} !! !j ' } £ § \ ) d \ CO / \ �f. } ! (! ° ,�,�� _ �� § i f f 2 2 q ) § § ( § \ 4 bt1" 0 § 8 =it % i l � = e © ; J § ) § k@ 2 Exhibit B P.O.No.7190 City of Port Arthur, Texas Certification of Ordinance I, Sherri Bellard, the duly appointed City Secretary of the City of Port Arthur, Texas, do hereby certify and attest that as part of my duties, I do supervise and act as the lawful custodian of the records of the City of Port Arthur;that the attached document is a true and correct copy of Ordinance No. ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, AMENDING CHAPTER 106—TRAFFIC,ARTICLE III—SPECIFIC STREET REGULATIONS, DIVISION 4—SPEED,SECTION 106-143—SPEED ON STATE AND FEDERAL HIGHWAYS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, TO ESTABLISH THE PERMANENT MAXIMUM PRIMA FACIE SPEED LIMIT FOR THE NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND LANES OF UNITED STATES ROUTE 69 FROM MILE POST 13.074 TO MILE POST 17.127; AUTHORIZING THE POSTING OF PROPER SIGNS; REPEALING CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; CONTAINING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PRESCRIBING A PENALTY OF NOT LESS THAN ONE DOLLAR($1.00)NOR MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($500.00) FOR EACH VIOLATION THEREOF; AND PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE THEREOF. Adopted by the City Council at its regular meeting on November 7, 2023. WITNESS MY HAND AND SEAL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR ON THE DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2023. Sherri Bellard, City Secretary Seal