September 23. 2002

Fred Ranck. Safety Engineer
Midwestern Resource Center
Federal Highway Administration
19900 Governors Drive, Suite 301
Olympia Fields, IL 60461

Re: MUTCD Multiway Stop
Minimum Volume Criteria

Dear Mr. Ranck:

I am a Neighborhood representative in the largest age restricted (55+) developing community in the State of Illinois. While there are many different neighborhoods in thus community, ours is adjacent to a central park which contains recreational facilities including a lake for fishing and for limited boating, a bike and walking trail, restroom facilities, a Post Office mail drop box etc.. The aforementioned trail is currently being expanded to provide new access to our baseball and volleyball fields, previously un-accessible areas of the park, etc.. We are also a golf car community.

The park is located at the T intersection of Del Webb Blvd. at Cold Springs Dr. (minor). The minimum volume for this T intersection is 350 for the former street and 150 for the latter. The latest traffic study revealed the minimum volumes per MUTCD Suction 28.07 items I and 2 respectively to be 288,6 and 82.A. There was no average delay to minor street traffic conducted in this study, however, on one of six spot speed samples to determine the prevailing speed, there were 1.954 vehicles an the major street at the T intersection during a 4 hour period (almost 5430 vehicles per hour).

In regard to item 3, the 85th-percentile per one of the spot speed samples was 40.11 (exceeding 40mph ) reducing the aforementioned T intersection volumes by 70% to 245 and 105 nuts satisfying the major street minimum volume.

While the 70% minimum minor street volume of 105 was not met in this study, request is made for a MUTCD change applicable to age restricted communities whereby the item 3 percentage value of 70% be reduced to 50%. We currently have one legally blind person and two in motorised wheelchairs that deserve easy access to our recreational facilities. While this is an active adult community, traversing Del Webb Blvd is difficult for even our most active seniors and is compounded when doing so when accompanied by our grandchildren etc.. Some drivers never golf and do not realize golf cars have a slower acceleration.

We are concerned that a pedestrian activated flashing yellow light will be largely ignored, and unless the activation is placed crab side at the crosswalk (a possible hazard) a pedestrian away from the curb may not be as easily seen. For those unfamiliar with the light, it would increase the time to return to the curb for repositioning and evaluating traffic trots both directions to cross,

We love Illinois and have selected this mid western state is lieu of the sunbelt for our retirement. We are confident you will consider our safety request.

Sincerely,

/s/

B. G. Fiedor
12423 Black Oak Trail
Huntley IL 60142