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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 1588ORDINANCE NO. 1588 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, AKMEIiDING SECTION I OF ORDINANCE NO. 1543, AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE NO. 1584, ESTABLISHING AND DESIGNATING CERTAIN STREETS WITHIN THE CITY OF RENTON AS ONE-WAY STREETS, REGULATING TRAFFIC, AND PROVIDING FOR THE ERECTION OF.SIGNS, MARK- INGS AND SIGNALS THEREFOR;.PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RENTON AS FOLLOWS: SECTION I: Existing SECTION I of Ordinance No. 1543, amended by Ordinance No. 1584, reading as follows, to -wit: EXISTING SECTION I The following streets in the City of Renton, between the terminal points herein defined, are hereby established and designated as ONE-WAY STREETS,.upon which vehicular traffic shall travel only in the direction stated herein for each street, to -wit: Third Avenue --from Rainier Avenue to the intersection of 3rd Avenue & Walla Walla Avenue, travel to be Eastbound; Walla Walla Avenue --from the intersection of 3rd Avenue & Walla Walla Avenue to Mill Street, travel to be Eastbound; Second Avenue --from Main Street to Rainier Avenue, travel to be Westbound; Mill Street --from Walla Walla Avenue to Bronson Way, travel to be Northbound; Main Street --from Third Avenue to Walla Walla Avenue, travel to be Southbound; Wells Street --from Grady Way to Sixth Avenue North, travel to be Northbound; Williams Street --from Sixth Avenue North to Grady Way, travel to be Southbound; Burnett Street, East half --from Fourth Avenue to Second Avenue, travel to be Northbound; Burnett Street, West half --from Second Avenue to Fourth Avenue, travel to be Southbound; Morris Street --from Second Avenue to Third Avenue, travel to be Southbound. BE AND THE SAME IS HEREBY AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS.- -1- V AMENDED SECTION I: The following streets in the City of Renton, between the terminal points herein defined, are hereby established and designated as ONE-WAY STREETS, upon which vehicular traffic shall travel only in the direction stated herein for each street, to -wit: Walla Walla Avenue--fromthe intersection of 3rd Avenue & Walla Walla Avenue to Mill Street, travel to, be Eastbound; Mill Street --from Walla Walla Avenue to Bronson Way, .travel to -be Northbound; SECTION II: Any and all Ordinances or parts of Ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. SECTION III: This ordinance shall become effective on the 27h day of 'January 1957,�following its passage, approval and legal publication. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 11th day of December , 1956. E. L. Alexander, City Clerk VETOED XUMO�M BY THE MAYOR this 19th day of DECEMBER , 1956. For the reasons given in the attached statement dated this date. p oved as to form: Gerard M. Shellan, City Attorney D�tp 0. ion: December -2- Joe R. Baxter, Mayor CITY OF RENTON KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON • JOE R. BAXTER. MAYOR DOROTHEA S. GOSSETT. TREASURER ELTON L. ALEXANDER, CLERK GERARD SHELLAN CITY ATTORNEY ARTHUR L. HAUGAN ASST. CITY ATTORNEY DR. JOHN F. BEATTIE HEALTH OFFICER ANG BUSATO CHIEF OF POLICE F. E. LAWRENCE FIRE CHIEF JAMES HIGHTON CITY ENGINEER DAVID J. PUGH SUPT. OF UTILITIES Members of the City Council of the City of Renton Renton, Washington Gentlemen: ._- PAUL W. HOUSER, JR.. POLICE JUDGE COUNCILMEN VERN H. MORRIS, PRES. HUGH D. BRUCE CHARLES DELAURENTI AVERY GARRETT OLIN A. HANSEN RAY E. HEPPENSTALL WALTER P. REID December 19, 1956 BEN J. RICHARDSON GEORGE D. SWIFT THOMAS W. TRIMM VERLE R. VIETZKE DR. LLOYD A. WHITE As Mayor of our City I have been confronted with an Ordinance passed by a majority of the City Council on December 11, 1956s substantially eliminating the one-way grid system. I have endeavored for some time to truly and impartially study this problem with the one thought uppermost in my mind --which system, in principle, will better serve the needs of the generalup blit? That -is the ultimate question before me. Let us look at the record and refresh our memories. We should all concede that our City's streets and public thoroughfares were not planned or laid out originally to accommodate the kind of traffic problem en- countered by us today. Therefore, we have to make.maximum use of the means at our disposal. Thus, sometime in 1954., the City Council directed its Street and Alley Committee to make an investigation of the traffic problems then confronting the City. That Committee proceeded Mith their survey in an efficient and orderly manner. Traffic counts were taken by the Erg ineer- ing Department and the Police Department; engineering studies were made by the City Engineering Department, the State Highway Department; and private Traffic Signal Contractors. During all this time of study and fact-finding r Members of the City Council r Page Two at open hearings of the City Council, no opposition was voiced, or shall I say no interest was shown particularly by any of the business representatives who now complain so much. After this long and exhaustive study., the Com- mittee recommended to the Council the adoption of the one-way grid system. It should be remembered that the Council unanimously adopted this system for the reason that we were confronted with an emergency in our traffic pattern which was unparalleled in the City's history. It is too bad that some of our citizens do not now remember the traffic congestion before May of 1956; many do not wish to be reminded of the steadily in- creasing amount of automobiles on our streets, just in the last six months alone$ not to mention an anticipated increase of 100 per cent of our traffic load by the middle of 1958. Within a few weeks after the adoption of the one-way grid system, a handful of individuals aided by a person affiliated with a local newspaper began their protests and objections on the ground that their businesses had suffered substantially because of the new system and that if no immediate relief were provided, some would have to close their doors forever. These proponents to "return to the old ways" then formed a committee and actively attended for the first time the public meetings of the City Council. The "great loss of revenue" together with the amount of inconvenience experienced by shoppers in seeking their destinations were listed by that group as the main evils sought to be eliminated. I have no particular quarrel with any argument that to some people traveling on a one-way street is somewhat inconvenient, but I must ask you to realize that this is NOT primarily a matter of convenience, but a matter of dire necessity. If we had the physical lay -out of a Bellevue or a Northgate, with a multitude of parking Members of the City Council Page Three areas provided for by private capital, the matter of convenience would have some probative value. However, we are not that fortunate right now. Next, this Committee, through the Business Management Service, then submitted personally collected data intending to show the heavy business losses experienced by our business people because of the installation of the one-way grid system. Frankly, I was considerably startled by these disclosures inasmuch as the nation-wide statistics available to us had indicated that any adverse effect on business would be temporary and in- significant. Therefore, I caused a survey to be made of the tax receipts collected pursuant to our Business and Occupation Tax Ordinance to determine firsthand and accurately what, if any, effect our changed street pattern had on business in general. You know, by the way, that these tax returns are made under oath by the taxpayer, while his oral statements, of course, are not. This examination of the business tax receipts completely contradicted the aforementioned report and survey by the Business Management Service. It showed, actually, that business had not gone down, but had increased by 6 to 13 per cent over the prior year. It might be interesting to note that the increase in gross business in the City of Seattle has been only 4 to 8 per cent during the same periods of time. It, therefore, appeared to me that some people were doing their utmost to capitalize on the dissention already created with this one-way street system by making it the proverbial "whipping boy" and to blame all their economic troubles or reversals on this newly adopted street pattern. No doubt, I shall admit, that some businesses were adversely affected by this change; others, however, have gained by it and on many it had no effect whatever. Parenthetically, I should state Members of the City Council Page Four that I know of no system of adopting laws or regulations which does not in some manner affect people one way or another. When confronted with the information of the business tax receipts, the business representatives concerned then concentrated their argument instead on an alleged decrease of net return on their investments caused by the one- way street system. First, I must say that this claim has never been supported by any adequate proof or authority whatever; furthermore, if gross business volume has increased as evidenced by the tax returns, but the business man's net earnings have suffered, then it certainly could not be blamed on the one-way street system! There are many other factors such as business trends, competition, development of suburban shopping areas with adequate parking, pricing, and advertising which a business man must contend with. Now let us examine the arguments in favor of one-way streets: One-way Streets are designed primarily to move traffic and to relieve traffic congestion. It is not a system intended to increase business or decrease business; it is intended to improve the flow of traffic so that a motorist can move from one point in the City to another point with a minimum of delay or interference. These points should be kept strictly in mind at all times. The City, as you all know, has experienced a tremendous increase in traffic volume in the past six months. This is borne out by the fact that a traffic count taken on Third Avenue on May 20, indicated that there were approximately 9000 cars traveling that street between the hours of 6 A. M. and 10 P. M.; a traffic count taken last month showed that the volume of traffic on Third Avenue has now increased to 18,500 cars during the same period of the day. From all indications and information available to us Members of the City Council Page Five at this time, the present amount of traffic volume will be doubled within the next 12 to 18 months. These figures speak for themselves. The volume of traffic already using our streets is in excess of the street capacity under the two-way system. Then, I ask you, how could the City possibly move traffic a year from now if the valume is then doubled? The City, when confronted with the vociferous objections of some business people, agreed to employ an outside traffic engineering expert. There was general agreement by all groups to such a move. However, when his results were made public in support of the one-way grid system, the opposition berated this expert in no uncertain terms, apparently for the reason that his facts and findings were of no comfort to them. I am sure that if his findings had supported the contentions of the proponents of the two-way system, he would ha*e been hailed as the greatest traffic expert alivei The summary of the Traffic Engineering Consulting Service, better known as the Sawhill Report, states as follows: "Based on our surveys, studies and analyses, and using the street capacity criterian set forth in the report, it is our conclusion that the present system of one- way operation is the most feasible system obtainable with present street and land use development in the Central Business District and has provided a substantial increase in capacity over the previous system of two- way street operation." The "Annual Inventory of Traffic Safety Activities, Analysis of Report for 195511 as issued by the National Safety Council a few weeks ago, which report and analysis, by the way, was made exclusively for the City of Renton, shows that "one-way street operation is an accepted regulation for reducing congestion and accidents." The United States Chamber of Commerce in its booklet t10ne Way Business Streets" states, "that although businessmen generally oppose the Members of the City Council Page Six conversion to one-way movement in front of their places of business, such opposition usually disappears after the one-way rule has been adopted and given a trial period." It goes on to state that 111. "All findings point toward the conclusion that overall business activity is enhanced...... 2. That in some cases individual businesses may suffer because traffic flow from one direction past their location is cut off. Usually such effect is temporary...... 3. Invariably the daily volumes increase, average speed is greater, delays are fewer., and accident frequency drops." The report of the United States Chamber covered 134 cities where one-way business streets had been used. Only 7 of the 134 cities reported actual hardships and these involved only a few establishments in each city. It has been contended that because of the detrimental effect on retail sales, one-way streets tend to lower property values. The survey made by the Traffic Engineer of Sacramento, California, covering 53 cities revealed that only one city reported decreased property values. All others reported an increase or no change at all. In Raleigh, North Carolina, one of the largest retail stores in the city had its manager appear before the City Council in 1950• The manager stated that if the street in front of his business was made one-way it would put him out of business. Three years after this street was made one�-way, his floor space and frontage and volume of sales was twice as good. Not one single establishment on the one-way streets in the City of Raleigh has gone out of business as a result of the one-way regulation. Members of the City Council Page Seven The above example is typical of the effects of one-way streets across the nation. I have not been made aware of a single authoratative study or report which would indicate that the return to two-way traffic would relieve or help in the slightest our present traffic situation. One basic problem which has been overlooked all along, and I am sure not deliberatly, is the lack of off-street parking which is the major responsibility of the business establishments who benefit from it primarily. The City, however, I am sure, will and should render every assistance in that endeavor. Such a plan, as you well know, costs great sums of money and although some months back in a poll conducted by the local Chamber of Commerce a majority of business people contacted declined to contribute financially to the establishment of such parking facilities, it is my sincere hope that there may be some change of heart in the near future. It has also been proposed that the City build by-pass routes instead of establishing one-way streets. I do not believe anybody questions the fact that adequate by-passes are needed, but most people do not seem to realize the tremendous financial costs involved in such undertaking, not to mention the length of time it takes for planning and building said routes. Furthermore, let us all realize that our traffic situation required immediate relief and although the one-way system is not a cure-all, it certainly is the quickest, partial remedy to our situation at this present time. I have hoped all along, and I still do so at this time, that this serious traffic situation which is a problem of our community will be treated and considered by all concerned on its facts and on its merits only,, not on personalities or personal interests. Members of the City Council Page Eight I am, therefore, for all the reasons above stated, vetoeing this Ordinance and returning it to the Council. Even if I were in sympathy with the intent of this Ordinance, I could not in good conscience sign it. The Council passed it knowing that it was faulty in its description and also introduced it and passed it on the same night, knowing that it was a highly controversial issue. I have no recollection of any other controversial Ordinance being treated in the same manner. DATED at Renton, Washington, this 19th day of December, 1956 Jo R. Baxter Mof the City of Renton t