DEPARTMENT: Transportation
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
title
Authorization To Establish And Install School Zone Speed Limits Along County Road 4 In West St. Paul In Proximity To Heritage E-STEM Magnet School
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize the establishment and installation of school zone speed limits on a segment of County Road 4 (Butler Avenue) near Heritage E-STEM Magnet School in West St. Paul.
SUMMARY
To provide a safe and efficient transportation system, Dakota County designs and operates traffic control in accordance with the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD) per adopted County policy. Several infrastructure, education, and law enforcement tools have been implemented in school areas to enhance safety for students walking to school. The school zone speed limit is a part-time speed limit in effect when children are present, going to, or leaving school during opening or closing hours and school recess periods. The school speed limit shall not be lower than 15 miles per hour (mph) and shall not be more than 30 mph below the established speed limit. However, research has shown that effective school zone speed limits should only be 10 to 15 mph less than the established speed to maximize driver compliance and safety.
Minn. Stat. ? 169.14 Subd. 5a enables local authorities to establish speed limits within a school zone of a public or non-public school upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation as prescribed by the Commissioner of Transportation. The prescribed engineering investigation for the establishment of a legal school speed zone is set forth in the MMUTCD, Chapter 7E, Section 7E.1, "A Guide to Establishing Speed Limits in School Zones".
Heritage E-STEM Magnet School (within School District 197) is located on County Road 4 (Butler Avenue). The County Road separates the school and athletic fields, and has a speed limit of 35 mph. A mid-block crossing connects these and serves as an access for stu...
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