CITY OF HOMER

HOMER, ALASKA

City Council

RESOLUTION 04-46(A)

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA, REQUESTING THAT THE ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES REDUCE THE SPEED LIMIT ON THE STERLING HIGHWAY TO 30 MPH BETWEEN THE HOMER MIDDLE SCHOOL ITS INTERSECTION WITH KACHEMAK DRIVE.

WHEREAS, the "Homer By-Pass" was originally designed for higher speed traffic and to eliminate the need to travel through Homer's business district in order to access the Homer Spit, and

WHEREAS, the use and function of the "By-Pass" has evolved over the years as high value commercial property has been developed and vehicular and pedestrian traffic has increased, and

WHEREAS, ADOT/PF helped to facilitate this rapid development by issuing multiple permits for business access "curb-cuts", and

WHEREAS, the Sterling Highway is now a bustling thoroughfare which serves one of the primary business, cultural, and tourist oriented districts in the community, and

WHEREAS, this district now contains many important businesses and public facilities including the post office, three financial institutions, the Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, the USFWS Islands and Ocean Visitor Center and Office Complex, several restaurants, a gas station, and a number of other retail services, and

WHEREAS, the City anticipates continued development along this corridor including several large new retail developments, condominiums, and development associated with the proposed town center project, and

WHEREAS, development along the Sterling Highway has produced a number of new transportation challenges and of these, the City Council has identified pedestrian and vehicular safety as urgent priorities, and

WHEREAS, ADOT/PF has acknowledged these problems by adding pedestrian crosswalk amenities to the Sterling Highway repaving project scheduled for this summer and by agreeing to conduct a traffic study, also scheduled for this summer, and

WHEREAS, the City understands that ADOT/PF will consider modifying speed limits on State roads when requested to do so by local governments.

Page Two

Resolution 04-46(A)

City of Homer

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Homer City Council believes that lowering the speed limit on the Sterling Highway is warranted because it will increase pedestrian and vehicular safety;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council believes lowering the speed limit now is especially important since the highway will soon have designated pedestrian crosswalks, safety islands, and associated signage at relatively closely spaced intervals, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council hereby formally requests that the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities reduce the speed limit on the Sterling Highway to 30 mph between the Homer Middle School its intersection with Kachemak Drive.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Homer City Council on this 25th day of May, 2004.

CITY OF HOMER

JACK CUSHING, MAYOR

ATTEST

MARY L. CALHOUN, CMC, CITY CLERK

Fiscal Note: NA

Adopted as amended on May 10, 2004.

Reconsideration issued on May 10, 2004 at midnight by Councilmembers Ladd and Novak. Both voted on the prevailing side.