6 3 26 WO PB Draft Minutes

19 ■ Pedestrian warrants ■ Crash warrants ■ Other operational criteria ○ Traffic engineers primarily rely on: ■ Traffic volume warrants ■ Engineering judgment consistent with the MUTCD - Mr. Pehnke then described the existing conditions at the Oval Road / Eagle Rock Avenue intersection: ○ Oval Road serves the West Essex Highlands development. ○ Eagle Rock Avenue is currently a four-lane county roadway, with two travel lanes in each direction. ○ In the westbound direction: ■ One lane operates as a through lane. ■ Another lane serves through traffic and right turns onto Oval Road. ○ In the eastbound direction: ■ The curb lane carries through traffic. ■ The inside lane serves both through traffic and vehicles making left turns onto Oval Road. - He identified several operational problems at the existing intersection: ○ Eastbound vehicles making left turns onto Oval Road must stop within a through lane. ○ Stopped left-turning vehicles force following traffic to maneuver around them. ○ These conditions were specifically considered in designing the proposed improvements. - Mr. Pehnke described sight-distance problems at Oval Road: ○ Drivers exiting Oval Road must stop and search for gaps in heavy traffic on Eagle Rock Avenue. ○ Eagle Rock Avenue carries approximately 800 to over 1,200 vehicles per hour, depending on the time of day. ○ Looking to the right from Oval Road is particularly difficult because: ■ A fence along Essex Fells Country Club restricts visibility ■ Eagle Rock Avenue curves away ■ Vegetation increasingly obstructs views during the growing season ○ Looking left is somewhat better but still partially obstructed by fencing and vegetation. - Based on those conditions, Mr. Pehnke concluded: ○ The existing intersection has conditions that justify improvements. ○ Existing traffic volumes satisfy the requirements of MUTCD Warrant 2, the four- hour traffic volume warrant, for signalization. ○ Even without considering future development at West Essex Highlands, the existing conditions independently warrant installation of a traffic signal. ○ According to MUTCD guidance and engineering judgment, signalization at this location is justified. - Mr. Pehnke testified that the need for a traffic signal has been recognized for many years. - The issue was likely not technical but financial. - The settlement agreement helped provide the resources necessary to

estified that the need for a traffic signal has been recognized for many years. - The issue was likely not technical but financial. - The settlement agreement helped provide the resources necessary to construct the long- needed improvements. - He next explained how Crestmont Country Club became involved: ○ Installing a dedicated left-turn lane onto Oval Road required widening Eagle Rock Avenue.