Date: October 31, 2019

To: Geoff Fruin; City Manager

From: Kent Ralston; Transportation Planner

Jason Havel; City Engineer

Re: Dubuque Street Speed Limit

Introduction: At the August 6, 2019 City Council meeting, the Council directed staff to perform
additional analysis on the appropriate posted speed limit on Dubuque Street - approximately
between Kimball Road and Ridge Road.

History/Background: As part of the recently completed Dubuque Street “Gateway Project”, the
posted speed limit on Dubuque Street was reduced to 25 mph from 35 mph approximately
between Kimball Road and Ridge Road, while other speed limits within the project area
remained the same before and after the project. The posted speed of 25 mph between Kimball
Road and Ridge Road was established as part of the ‘design elements’ formally adopted by the
City Council in 2014 (Resolution No. 14-265). In addition to the posted speed limit, the agreed
upon design elements also established the corridor alignment, location and width of sidewalks,
location of crosswalks, parkway and lane widths, and roadway design speed. Clarity on each of
these elements was necessary to begin final design and engineering for the project.

Given the corridor’s relatively high pedestrian volumes, the intent of the design elements was, in
part, to reduce vehicle speeds and produce a more pedestrian friendly environment. However,
despite the City’s efforts, vehicle speeds remain higher than desired. As shown in the table
below, data collected the week of September 9, 2019 indicate that 85th percentile speeds range
between 35.9 mph and 41.4 depending on location. During the data collection period, the
posted speed limit on Dubuque Street was 25 mph at the study locations. 85th percentile
speeds indicate the speed at which 85% of vehicles are traveling at (or below) and is a widely

accepted standard by which posted speeds are established. That said, other factors such as
number and type of pedestrian crossings, collision history, sight distances, roadway design
parameters and access control are also taken into account when setting speed limits.

In addition to collecting vehicle speed data, staff also observed pedestrian activity in the
corridor. Data shows that on average over 200 pedestrians use the sidewalks on the east and
west sides of Dubuque Street per day. However, observations indicate that during peak travel
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hours, fewer pedestrians than expected actually utilize the mid-block crossing adjacent to the
Mayflower dormitory ( 10 pedestrian crossings in the AM peak hour, 8 pedestrian crossings
during the Noon peak hour, and 21 pedestrians crossing in the PM peak hour). Based on
observations, the majority of pedestrians appear to be using the newly installed sidewalk on the
east side of Dubuque Street and the controlled crossing at the Park Road intersection.

Staff also reviewed the collision history since completion of the project and there have been no
reported bike or pedestrian collisions to-date. A review of vehicle collision data also shows that
there has not been a discernable change in the number or severity of vehicle collisions before
and after project completion.

Staff verified the approved design speed for the corridor at 30 mph with the consultant
responsible for the project design. However, due to the limited vertical and horizontal curvature
of the road, good access control and sight distance, the consultant has confirmed that the
design of the corridor can safely accommodate a posted speed limit of 35 mph.

Discussion of Solutions: Given that Dubuque Street is a major arterial corridor carrying more
than 20,000 vehicles per day (Iowa DOT 2014), adding physical measures to calm traffic is not
recommended. However, without some form of physical traffic calming paired with heavy traffic
enforcement, it is very unlikely that 85th percentile speeds will be reduced in a significant way.

Therefore, potential solutions include significantly increasing police presence during peak travel
hours, or increasing the posted speed limit to reflect current 85th percentile speeds.

The speed limit on Dubuque Street, between Kimball Road and Ridge Road, is currently
codified as 35 mph, but signs are currently posted at 25 mph. Posting the speed limit at 35 mph
would require changing the signs but would not require a code change or Council action.

Should Council want to further pursue a posted speed limit of 25 mph in this section of Dubuque
Street, staff would recommend engaging the design consultant to do an evaluation of the
appropriate speed for the corridor. If the consultant could provide an engineering and traffic
analysis justifying a 25 mph speed limit, posting the speed limit at 25 mph would require a code
change, including Council action to approve the change.

Recommendation: Based on the vehicle data collected, pedestrian observations, and

confirmation that the design of the roadway can safely support a posted speed limit of 35 mph,
staff recommends posting the speed limit at 35 mph on Dubuque Street between Kimball Road
and Ridge Road, as was posted prior to completion of the Dubuque Street Project. This action
will not require a formal Council vote. Should the City Council wish to undertake further
engineering study related to speeds, staff recommends changing the posted speed limit signs to
35mph during that interim period to match current code language.

Assuming Council concurrence with this recommendation, staff will conduct a brief evaluation
after the change in speed signage is made and consider whether any additional pedestrian
accommodations are needed (e.g. warning lights, signage, striping, etc.).