Traffic Engineering

Step 1

If you are concerned about traffic on a city roadway, please contact city staff. The issue may be something staff can solve quickly with neighborhood education, police enforcement or minor Engineering modifications.

Staff will first gather traffic data (vehicle volumes, vehicle speeds) to determine the existence and extent of the problem. This traffic data will then be shared with you the resident. Staff will explain the information and help determine the best course of action.

If the concern cannot be solved using these methods, you and your neighbors can request to be included the City's Local Street Traffic Management Program explained in Step 2.

Step 2

Traffic Management/Calming Program

The Local Street Traffic Management Program is a resident-driven program. Each year two projects will be chosen from all applications received. 

The installation of a traffic calming measure may reduce traffic speeds and volume for a neighborhood, thus increasing the safety and livability of the neighborhood. the installation of a measure may create safer conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists, for street crossing and riding in the public roadway.

The neighborhood residents, along with city staff, emergency services, transit, and school district staff work collaboratively in choosing a traffic calming solution for the neighborhood that is acceptable for all stakeholders.

If you are interested, a quick overview of the policy and procedure's for Local Street Traffic Management Program is below, the entire policy document is here  

This policy is designed to assure fair and effective consideration of all proposals from neighborhoods at a minimum of administration expense.

The City may install or remove traffic calming devices by request, in those instances meeting the criteria and procedures of this policy. A portion of the cost of this work will be borne by the residents through application fees and the City’s special assessment procedure (MN Chapter 429).  These costs are per device as described in the “Local Street Traffic Calming Assessment Policy”, adopted June 27, 2005.

1. Any local Bloomington street, which is not designated as collector, arterial, county road, or county state aid route, municipal state aid route, state or federal highway, may be considered through this traffic calming program.

2. Traffic calming projects should be compatible with the overall city transportation goals and objectives, as detailed in the City’s Comprehensive Plan.

3. Neighborhood livability should be balanced with transportation efficiency and the safety needs of the traveling public and citywide mobility.

4. The balance of emergency response issues and traffic mitigation issues will be considered factors while working with the neighborhoods to address their speeding and other traffic safety concerns.

5. Implementation of traffic calming projects shall maintain access to the neighborhood destinations for all modes of transportation including walking, bicycling, transit, and automobile.

6. With each traffic calming project, a logical project boundary will be designated to address the issue of displacement /diversion of traffic within the project area.

7. Implementation of traffic calming for Bloomington local streets will be in accordance with the procedures set forth in this document, and in keeping with sound engineering practices, as well as be within the City of Bloomington’s available financial and staff resources.

8. The Traffic Calming Program will be funded by a combination of city funds, application fees and neighborhood participation as detailed in the procedure.

9. The Traffic Calming Policy is not designed to mitigate traffic noise or redesign the overall street classification system or affect the existing modes of travel.

10. Operation of the annual Traffic Calming Program will be carried out by Department of Public Works staff.

• Step 1 ​Request for Information - Download the 

  traffic_calming_policy.pdf
   for information about the program or contact Paul Jarvis, Traffic Management Coordinator, at 952-563-4548 with questions.

• Step 2 Application - The 

  localapp.pdf
   must be completed, with signatures from a minimum of 60% of the affected residences, and a $335 application fee deposited, by the first Monday of February. 

   

• Step 3 - Evaluation of Applications - All applications will be reviewed by the Bloomington Fire, Police, Public Works, Transit and School District for comment on potential conflicts. The applications will then be screened and ranked. Two neighborhoods will be selected for the current program. Public open houses will be scheduled for the planned trial projects. At the open houses we will discuss the proposed traffic calming plan and costs to the neighborhood 

  traffic_calming_assessment.pdf
  . Applications not chosen will be put into the pool of applicants for the next program year. 

   

• Step 4 - Before Data Collection - City staff will collect speed and volume data in the benefited area and on alternate routes that may be negatively affected, before installation of the trial device.

• Step 5 - After Data Collection - After the trial device is installed, the speed and volume data will be re-collected.

• Step 6 - Public Input - A neighborhood meeting will be held to discuss the results of the trial devices. After the meeting, input surveys with "Petition and Waiver of Hearing" forms will be mailed to the property owners in the benefited area.

• Step 7 - Recommendations to City Council - Staff will present the recommendations to the City Council.

• Step 8 - City Council Meeting, Assessment Hearing, Ordering of Project - The Hearings will be held the same night and if assessment roll is not adopted, the plans and specifications will not be ordered and the project is terminated.

• Step 9 - City Council final approval of plans, specifications and engineer's estimate.

• Step 10 - Letting and Construction

• Step 11 - Preparation of final assessment & notice to property owners.

• Step 12 - After Data Collection - Staff will collect data following completion of the construction and during the following year.

The City will serve as a facilitator, to assist in financing appropriate Traffic Calming projects, by processing a 5-year special assessment for those property owners who choose to participate.

Assessment Hearings will be held prior to ordering the construction of the project.  The assessments will be based on the approved “Applicant Cost Per Device,” in the table below.  The notices sent to the owners will have assessment costs based on only 67% of owners participating.  Such assessment amounts would be reduced if over 67% of owners agree to be assessed.

Each individual property owner in the benefited area (and any other property owner that volunteers) will have the option to sign a “Petition and Waiver of Hearing” document in regard to the assessment.  When owners of 67% or more of the assessable front footage of the benefited area have signed the document, and the council approves the project, the City will proceed with the construction project.  At the assessment hearing, the cost of the project will be calculated by the Adjusted Front Footage Method as detailed in the City’s General Assessment Policy, Page 2, Section C.  The initial assessment area boundary would be delineated by benefited area as described in the Traffic Calming Policy and Procedure Manual.  Public Works will review the benefited area boundary to assure it is appropriate.  All property owners (minimum 67% in the benefited area) who have signed a Petition and Waiver of Hearing will be assessed their portion.

Seniors citizens have the option of participating in the assessment or using the senior citizen hardship assessment deferral: Pursuant to MSA 435.193 - .195 and resolution of the City Council, deferral of special assessments may occur under certain conditions for homestead property to persons 65 years of age or older (or retired by virtue of a permanent and total disability) for whom it would be a hardship to make the payments.

The approved applicant cost(s) of the project, will be assessed to the property owners who have signed a Petition and Waiver of Hearing document.  The soft costs (trial device installation, feasibility study, design and construction engineering and project administration) and any remaining construction costs will be borne by the cities general fund.