Rice Military Traffic Safety Initiative
The Rice Military Traffic Safety Initiative (TSI) has been set up to look into the issues of traffic safety within the Rice Military area. As the population within Houston grows, so do the traffic problems, and those problems are becoming increasingly apparent within our area.
january 2017:
proposed speed cushion locations
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What is the TSI doing?
Part of the TSIs work is to apply to the City of Houston for a Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP). In summary, this NTMP is designed for Houston neighborhoods to address the following traffic issues:
~ reduce cut through traffic
~ reduce vehicle speeds
The NTMP has various traffic calming devices with which this would be achieved and these include:
~ speed humps
~ traffic circles
~ extending curbs
The TSI will also be working with the City of Houston to discuss the issue of uniformity of the Stop Signs throughout the neighborhood.
How the NTMP works
Once the application is submitted, the City of Houston will carry out the following to determine if there is a traffic problem:
a) Public meetings will be held throughout the process to give local residents the chance to have an input into the process and to find out the latest information about the application.
b) Conduct traffic studies to determine if the estimated percentage of cut through traffic is greater than 20% of the observed volume; 15% of observed vehicular speeds are equal to or above the posted speed limit plus 3mph; at least 8% of total daily traffic consists of trucks having more than two axles.
c) If these studies show that Rice Military does indeed have a traffic problem, then a concept plan is created which must then be approved by the City departments such as Waste, Public Works and Engineering, Fire, and Police. The City attorney also looks at the concept plan to ensure compliance with local, state and federal laws.
d) When/if the plan is approved then there is a test period during which temporary traffic calming devices are installed and the affects are monitored. This test period lasts for around 90 days. If the test shows that the traffic devices work then permanent traffic calming devices are installed.
Please check back on this page regularly for the latest news on the TSI teams progress.
If you wish to contact the TSI team, please use the Contact Form below. We are interested to hear about any traffic issues you may have, any pictures you have taken, and anything that you think will be useful to show the City of Houston the traffic issues within our area.
Alternatively, you can email traffic@rice-military.org
Part of the TSIs work is to apply to the City of Houston for a Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP). In summary, this NTMP is designed for Houston neighborhoods to address the following traffic issues:
~ reduce cut through traffic
~ reduce vehicle speeds
The NTMP has various traffic calming devices with which this would be achieved and these include:
~ speed humps
~ traffic circles
~ extending curbs
The TSI will also be working with the City of Houston to discuss the issue of uniformity of the Stop Signs throughout the neighborhood.
How the NTMP works
Once the application is submitted, the City of Houston will carry out the following to determine if there is a traffic problem:
a) Public meetings will be held throughout the process to give local residents the chance to have an input into the process and to find out the latest information about the application.
b) Conduct traffic studies to determine if the estimated percentage of cut through traffic is greater than 20% of the observed volume; 15% of observed vehicular speeds are equal to or above the posted speed limit plus 3mph; at least 8% of total daily traffic consists of trucks having more than two axles.
c) If these studies show that Rice Military does indeed have a traffic problem, then a concept plan is created which must then be approved by the City departments such as Waste, Public Works and Engineering, Fire, and Police. The City attorney also looks at the concept plan to ensure compliance with local, state and federal laws.
d) When/if the plan is approved then there is a test period during which temporary traffic calming devices are installed and the affects are monitored. This test period lasts for around 90 days. If the test shows that the traffic devices work then permanent traffic calming devices are installed.
Please check back on this page regularly for the latest news on the TSI teams progress.
If you wish to contact the TSI team, please use the Contact Form below. We are interested to hear about any traffic issues you may have, any pictures you have taken, and anything that you think will be useful to show the City of Houston the traffic issues within our area.
Alternatively, you can email traffic@rice-military.org
Let the City of Houston know about traffic issues...
See a Problem? Want Something Done? Call 3-1-1!
Speeding cars on your street? A lot of cut through traffic?
Drivers not stopping at Stop Signs? Feel unsafe from all the cars driving too fast?
The Rice Military Traffic Safety Initiative is working to find solutions to the traffic problems within Rice Military.
However, the City will only help us if they hear from residents! If we don't call and tell the City, how will they know there is a problem?
See the attached flyer for more information....
See a Problem? Want Something Done? Call 3-1-1!
Speeding cars on your street? A lot of cut through traffic?
Drivers not stopping at Stop Signs? Feel unsafe from all the cars driving too fast?
The Rice Military Traffic Safety Initiative is working to find solutions to the traffic problems within Rice Military.
However, the City will only help us if they hear from residents! If we don't call and tell the City, how will they know there is a problem?
See the attached flyer for more information....
| Call_311_traffic_safety.pdf |
Update, Fall 2015:
One Step Closer to Safer Streets in Our Neighborhood
The City of Houston has commited $40,000 to the Rice Military Neighborhood Traffic Management Program application, which will go towards making our streets safer. As of the time of writing, the Civic Club are still waiting to hear back when the trafiic study will begin and what the $40,000 will get us.
One Step Closer to Safer Streets in Our Neighborhood
The City of Houston has commited $40,000 to the Rice Military Neighborhood Traffic Management Program application, which will go towards making our streets safer. As of the time of writing, the Civic Club are still waiting to hear back when the trafiic study will begin and what the $40,000 will get us.
Traffic Safety Initiative Update 2014.
Dear All,
I have now managed to have some constructive conversations with Council Member Cohen's office. In light of this, please see the below, as these are the actions we need to take in order to move forward with our traffic issues:
~ I asked about Stop signs at every intersection to avoid any confusion, as some are currently 2 way, some 4 way and some have no signs at all.
Stop sign requests should be submitted to 311-Houston. Forward service request numbers to Ellen Cohen's office at districtc@houstontx.gov or info@ellencohen.org. Their office will collate all our requests and follow up with the City.
[ Note: per federal code, stop signs are not installed to decrease speeding. We can speak with a traffic engineer to fully explain the science that goes into determining stop sign placement.]
~ Speed cushions, including the option for us to pay, or part pay for these. Some residents have said they would gladly pay for cushions on their blocks.
Speed cushions are installed solely through the NTMP (Neighborhood Traffic Management Program). Traffic Management has an application for Rice Military. We are in line but a few years out before we get them, hence why some people have asked about paying. Traffic Management will be contacting me to discuss the self financing option. Once I know what this involves I will let you know. While self-funding will decrease the wait time, please be advised that the City will not reimburse the cost once public funding becomes available.
The preferred option is to not pay ourselves but it is good to look at all available options.
~ Enforcement of road rules to give space to cyclists & pedestrians.
This is an HPD request. Utilize HPD Alert Slips to report these road concerns. Once you complete the alert slip, forward Ellen Cohen's office the confirmation auto reply email from HPD. Also note in the forwarded messages the street and block numbers where the behavior occurs and the time of day. They can then contact the Area Chief to ensure officers will be placed in the area for a segment of time to enforce the law. This applies for speeding vehicles as well.
~ Looking at the possible lowering of the speed limit due to the very narrow streets (although speed cushions would force this with no need to change the speed limit). Lowering speed limits falls under the same category as installing stop signs: report to 311. The best option here would be an NTMP mechanism (like the speed cushions).
~ Greater involvement with the Complete Streets initiative. I think this will greatly benefit neighborhoods such as ours.
Contact the Public Works Department and/or Planning Department regarding this matter. Email both Departments direct (using their general email online). If we do not receive a response after a week forward the message to Ellen Cohen's office and they will follow-up on our behalf.
I will be emailing them but if anyone else is interested in becoming involved please email them. The more of us become involved the better.
~ The possibility of getting developers to repair roads they have ruined with their construction vehicles. An example of this is the new apartments being built on Detering St, close to Memorial Dr, where for almost 2 years the street has been torn up by constant, massive construction vehicles. If the developers are profiting from the area then they should repair what they have damaged.
These type of concerns need to be reported to 311 as soon as it is noticed. Send Ellen Cohen's office the service request number with the street name and block number. They will then follow-up with Public Works for determination. I was told that more often than not, developers are happy to provide street repairs as it is beneficial to the neighborhood as a whole.
~ With the increase in businesses in the area, and hundreds of new apartments going up, cut through and residential traffic has increased and this traffic situation is only going to get worse. We need to start looking at solutions now in order to reduce the number of accidents and prevent fatalities.
This is why NTMP was developed. The program protects neighborhood streets from many of the problems listed above.
TO SUMMARIZE: the traffic committee and Civic Club will continue to work on this BUT we need all concerned residents to report issues to 311 and HPD, and then forward your reports to Ellen Cohen. Without input from all of you nothing will get done.
We hope that 2015 will be the year we get our Traffic Study!
Thank you,
Andrea DeBaldo,
Rice Military Civic Club.
I have now managed to have some constructive conversations with Council Member Cohen's office. In light of this, please see the below, as these are the actions we need to take in order to move forward with our traffic issues:
~ I asked about Stop signs at every intersection to avoid any confusion, as some are currently 2 way, some 4 way and some have no signs at all.
Stop sign requests should be submitted to 311-Houston. Forward service request numbers to Ellen Cohen's office at districtc@houstontx.gov or info@ellencohen.org. Their office will collate all our requests and follow up with the City.
[ Note: per federal code, stop signs are not installed to decrease speeding. We can speak with a traffic engineer to fully explain the science that goes into determining stop sign placement.]
~ Speed cushions, including the option for us to pay, or part pay for these. Some residents have said they would gladly pay for cushions on their blocks.
Speed cushions are installed solely through the NTMP (Neighborhood Traffic Management Program). Traffic Management has an application for Rice Military. We are in line but a few years out before we get them, hence why some people have asked about paying. Traffic Management will be contacting me to discuss the self financing option. Once I know what this involves I will let you know. While self-funding will decrease the wait time, please be advised that the City will not reimburse the cost once public funding becomes available.
The preferred option is to not pay ourselves but it is good to look at all available options.
~ Enforcement of road rules to give space to cyclists & pedestrians.
This is an HPD request. Utilize HPD Alert Slips to report these road concerns. Once you complete the alert slip, forward Ellen Cohen's office the confirmation auto reply email from HPD. Also note in the forwarded messages the street and block numbers where the behavior occurs and the time of day. They can then contact the Area Chief to ensure officers will be placed in the area for a segment of time to enforce the law. This applies for speeding vehicles as well.
~ Looking at the possible lowering of the speed limit due to the very narrow streets (although speed cushions would force this with no need to change the speed limit). Lowering speed limits falls under the same category as installing stop signs: report to 311. The best option here would be an NTMP mechanism (like the speed cushions).
~ Greater involvement with the Complete Streets initiative. I think this will greatly benefit neighborhoods such as ours.
Contact the Public Works Department and/or Planning Department regarding this matter. Email both Departments direct (using their general email online). If we do not receive a response after a week forward the message to Ellen Cohen's office and they will follow-up on our behalf.
I will be emailing them but if anyone else is interested in becoming involved please email them. The more of us become involved the better.
~ The possibility of getting developers to repair roads they have ruined with their construction vehicles. An example of this is the new apartments being built on Detering St, close to Memorial Dr, where for almost 2 years the street has been torn up by constant, massive construction vehicles. If the developers are profiting from the area then they should repair what they have damaged.
These type of concerns need to be reported to 311 as soon as it is noticed. Send Ellen Cohen's office the service request number with the street name and block number. They will then follow-up with Public Works for determination. I was told that more often than not, developers are happy to provide street repairs as it is beneficial to the neighborhood as a whole.
~ With the increase in businesses in the area, and hundreds of new apartments going up, cut through and residential traffic has increased and this traffic situation is only going to get worse. We need to start looking at solutions now in order to reduce the number of accidents and prevent fatalities.
This is why NTMP was developed. The program protects neighborhood streets from many of the problems listed above.
TO SUMMARIZE: the traffic committee and Civic Club will continue to work on this BUT we need all concerned residents to report issues to 311 and HPD, and then forward your reports to Ellen Cohen. Without input from all of you nothing will get done.
We hope that 2015 will be the year we get our Traffic Study!
Thank you,
Andrea DeBaldo,
Rice Military Civic Club.
