Traffic mitigation solutions reported for South Brookwood Road and Hastings Road

Concerned residents could soon be seeing changes to traffic patterns in front of Brookwood Forest Elementary School and at the intersection of Hastings Road and Laurel Lane.

The Mountain Brook City Council heard reports from Skipper Consulting for these areas.

In the fall, parents had addressed the city with concerns that afternoon carpool traffic created a stopped queue on South Brookwood Road and that cars were going around the traffic and creating potential harm to students who walk home from school.

The study found that the average vehicle speed on the road is 34 mph, almost 10 mph above the posted speed limit of 25 mph, and Skipper recommended Mountain Brook Police increase enforcement of the speed limit on the road, especially around the start and end of the school day.

Specifically regarding the afternoon traffic, Skipper recommended the city install signage that would restrict carpool vehicles from turning right onto South Brookwood from the school’s upper access and left onto South Brookwood from the school’s lower access from 2:45-3:15 p.m. Skipper also recommended installing four “do not pass” signs on South Brookwood in advance of the area where the queue forms and replacing the flashing warning signs in the school zone, as well as sending a letter to students’ parents about enforcing traffic patterns and the proposed new signage and turning restrictions.

"Our recommendations are aimed primarily at what would it take to prevent people from going the wrong way down the road," Richard Caudle of Skipper Construction said.

Regarding Hastings Road and Laurel Lane, residents had previously addressed the city with concerns about the lack of sight distance to exit Laurel Lane onto Overhill Road. Based on its study, Skipper recommended replacing the intersections’ two yield signs with stop signs and adding two stop signs along with an additional stop sign on Laurel Lane.

These additional stop signs would mitigate sight distance deficiencies but still leaves deficiencies for vehicles making a right turn from Hastings Road onto Overhill Road or a right turn from Overhill Drive onto Balmoral Road. To remedy these, Skipper recommended removing vegetation in the right of way and possibly also private property to clear the sight lines.

"[The shrubs] don't block vehicles viewing other vehicles," Caudle said. "They do block vehicles viewing something on the side of the road, like a pedestrian or a child." 

A date for further council discussion on Skipper's recommendations has not been set, but it expected to take place in February. 

Also at the meeting, the council:

• Heard a presentation on a traffic study proposed for English Village including exit from Little Hardware and left-turn arrow from Cahaba Road southbound onto Fairway Drive.
• Set a date for public involvement meeting for the city’s APPLE grant to determine which eight (8) traffic intersections are to be reviewed by city and Skipper Consultants on Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. 
• Discussed a franchise agreement with Southern Light, a Mobile-based fiber optic cable company.
• Heard an update on athletic field leases/agreements update from City Attorney White Colvin.
• Elected Virginia Smith chairman and Billy Pritchard vice-chairman of the Mountain Brook Emergency Communications District and appointed Police Chief Ted Cook as its district administrator and City Clerk/Finance Director Steve Boon as its district clerk. The council also adopted the district’s operating budget, transferred funds, entered a service agreement with 911Consult, Inc., approved the purchase of E911 hardware
• Heard a presentation of audited financial statements for the year ending Sept. 30, 2014.
• Set a public hearing to amend the Vine Street Transitional District for Feb. 23.
• Set a public hearing for to rezone 30 Vine Street from Residence D to Vine Street Transitional District also for Feb. 23.
• Authorized a service agreement between the City and McWane Science Center. The city will give the center $10,000 for its educational services to students.
• Delayed authorization of the installation of a street light in the alley behind 708 Euclid Ave. and 707 Braddock Ave. It will be placed on an existing utility pole. Resident Christie James of 710 Euclid Ave. requested the city add the light because “it is pitch black at night without a single street light.”

The next council meeting will be Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at 56 Church Street.