Pinellas Community Traffic Safety Team Meeting Minutes for November 6, 2003

Transcription

1 Pinellas Community Traffic Safety Team Meeting Minutes for November 6, 2003 The meeting was called to order by Chair Dave Fechter at 10:00 AM and he asked for the Committee Reports. Engineering-Marc Hanger, Chair CTST is still looking for project candidates for Safety Funding The Clearwater project on Bayshore Boulevard has been deferred until next year Members are requested to provide feedback for additional projects to Marc "Hot Spots": Parental complaints over children crossing SR 580 and Tampa Road on their way to Forest Lakes Elementary have been addressed. Pinellas County Schools is now busing the children. Tom Reichert of the Transportation Department indicated that while this situation is not necessarily unusual, the district has agreed to transport the children even though they are within the 2-mile non-bus zone. The district is also covering the costs associated with this transportation. A new traffic control system will be implemented on US 19 and on McMullen Booth and East Lake Roads, to follow in successive years. Video cameras will be placed at strategic locations along these main arteries so that officials can observe traffic/congestion problems and warn motorist via overhead message boards. Completion of the US 19 project is expected in Chicago and Philadelphia have a red light running camera program due to high volumes of red light running. The fee charged for each violation, caught with the intersection cameras, is $100. At one intersection in Chicago, a total of $16,700 was billed to red light runners. Pinellas County may start having cameras located at intersections, however, legislation is needed. Some law enforcement members voiced concerns that these cameras were ineffective because they will not create a genuine penalty for violators without license or legal penalties. Reportedly, a private company instead of a state agency will run the program. There would be no legal mandate to pay the assessed fine(s). Fines would reportedly be $280 per violation. Violators who do not pay the fine(s) would feel the impact by bad credit reports. The white Enforcement Lights, currently in use to help address red light running, are considered by some law enforcement as a more effective, immediate option to change driver behavior. More white Enforcement Lights should be installed throughout the county, according to law enforcement. FDOT safety engineer, Peter Hsu, reported a 53% reduction in red light crashes at the intersection of US 19 & SR 60, and a second intersection at SR 60 and Brandon Town Center, indicating that the Enforcement Lights are effective in reducing crashes and red light running incidents. FDOT is planning to purchase more. Peter mentioned several cities have already requested additional quantities. Chuck Mura, of the City of Largo, provided a request for additional lights during the discussion. Two new intersections now have white Enforcement Lights: Park Boulevard & 49 th Street in Pinellas Park and 78 th Avenue North & 49 th Street North. The intersection of 78 th Avenue North & 49 th Street North made the list of the 50 intersections with the highest crash rate and ranked sixth for red light running related crashes. It is hoped that the white Enforcement Lights will help reduce crashes at this intersection. 1

2 Last month WFLA presented a proposal for a media safety campaign. The Engineering Committee agrees that the project does seem very worthwhile and supports it, but would like to stress the importance of CTST having technical input over the material. Based on responses to questions posed about how the project will be created (if grant funding is acquired), WFLA will use the Suncoast Safety Council and USF Center for Urban Transportation as the primary resources to acquire information for the development of the scripts and materials. CTST members agreed that the group should have significant input into the creation of the scripts and materials since the project is to bear CTST approval. WFLA has provided assurance that CTST members would be involved and have input into the process. A listing of questions and answers about the project will be ed to members for information purposes. Members are encouraged to contact Elissa and Jennifer, of WFLA, with feedback. The media recently reported that electronic devices used by emergency personnel to alter traffic signals are available to the public. EBay apparently had someone selling a device to the general public for approximately $300. It has since been removed with assurance that no further similar items would be sold. Apparently the device has to have a correct code to cause the lights to change. Pinellas County units use a system called OPTICON for fire vehicles so that traffic lights are changed to stop other vehicular movement and permit the emergency vehicle to safely proceed. Each OPTICON unit costs approximately $2500 for the security sensor. It was suggested that a state proposal to ban the devices legislatively is needed. Education-Jeanette Rouse of FDOT reporting for Kristy Patterson, Chair CTST members Kristy Patterson and Diane Roffey met with Lee Brown of Great Bay Distributing to discuss funding for the DUI campaign. Great Bay agreed to provide some financial support for prevention and education of DUI issues. Great Bay will supply a motivational speaker in conjunction with the Mock DUI Crash at Palm Harbor University High. Great Bay has contracted with three cable channels to broadcast Seatbelt Safety Public Service Announcements (PSAs) during the Christmas season. A 30-second PSA created for the Suncoast Safety Council in 1998 is generic enough to use again. There is the possibility of creating some new PSAs for radio use aimed at high schools students to address underage drinking to air around prom and graduation times with Great Bay financing. Lee Brown, Kristy Patterson and Jean Hatten will be guests on FLS Law, sponsored by Perenich and Carroll on Wednesday, December 3 rd at 7:00 pm. They will discuss Tow-to-Go and drinking/driving during the holidays. The Pinellas County Government and Communications Department has also been contacted to see if they would interview Lee, Jean and Kristy on their government channel for a similar discussion. USAA Insurance contacted Jeanette to offer funding of approximately $10,000 to $15, 000, which needs to be spent by the end of the calendar year. Jeanette contacted Clear Channel Outdoor (formerly Eller Media) to help develop a campaign. 32 billboards running for six weeks from the end of November through January 2004, with a message to tie in with the enforcement wave, will cost $17,280. USAA agreed 2

3 to fund $7500 and hopes to partner with Great Bay Distributors and Pepin to help cover the outstanding balance. The billboard message will be a combined Buckle-Up Florida with the You Drink, You Drive, You Lose message. We would like to hold a press conference with representatives from the CTST to get the word out before the beginning of December. Two events in the near future: RID s "Light the Tree of Life" at 6:00 pm on Baypass Drive in Clearwater between Gulf-to-Bay and Druid near Sam's Club, sponsored by the Law Office of Tom Cary. On December 13, 2003 at 6:30 pm at the First United Methodist Church in Largo, the RID memorial service for DUI victims and officers injured or killed in the line of duty will be held. Enforcement-Ron McKenzie, Chair On Saturday 10/25/03, two officers from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) participated in a Lee County sobriety checkpoint. A sobriety checkpoint was conducted at 137 th Avenue Circle near Church by the Sea in Madeira Beach, on October PCSOs with equipment participated. 735 vehicles passed through during the 8:15-11:15 pm sweep. 147 were diverted for assessment. Drivers licenses and warrant status check was made for each vehicle. Average intrusion time was 1 minute 59 seconds. 4 arrests were made (3 DUI, 1 NVDL), 12 traffic citations were issued and 4 vehicles were impounded with one privately towed. On Thursday, 10/30/03 from 12:30 am-3:30 am, a sobriety checkpoint was conducted in Seminole at 7800 Seminole Boulevard near the Cornerstone Community Bank. PCSOs with equipment participated. 114 vehicles passed through and were diverted for assessment. Drivers licenses and warrant status check was made for each vehicle. Average intrusion time was 1 minute 21 seconds. 11 arrests were made (5DUI, 3 Warrant, 3 Drug), 8 traffic citations were issued and 8 vehicles were impounded. Dave asked that the CTST Subcommittee Chairs submit the new activity reports for October to better track group activities and to help consolidate achievements in a more condensed format than the standard meeting minutes. A calendar year summary will be created from the new monthly reports. Minutes from the last meeting on October 2, 2003 were approved as submitted. Peter Hsu of FL DOT distributed several copies of a teen driver safety video called "Can I Borrow the Car? Young drivers: The High-Risk Years". The video was provided free of charge by GEICO Direct, developed by the Insurance Institute for National Highway Safety. Members were encouraged to watch the video and use as appropriate. Alison Weber of Pinellas County Schools, will check into the possibility of airing it and other safety videos on Channel 14, the school district's cable channel. AAA representative Karleen Younger and Maureen DeCarlo indicated that there are other videos available for similar broadcasting. 3

4 Peter also distributed materials available from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Catalogs of products show the range of materials and everything requested is free. Catalogs and additional information is available at the NHTSA website. Jeanette recapped the recent CTST Statewide Coalition Meeting. The GEICO video was discussed. Glades County presented a crash data analysis and has installed flashing yellow lights at two intersections. Crash rates have decreased since installation of the lights. A Kids in Motion Conference is planned for Donations and participants are requested. Several other items such as increasing numbers of trespassers on railroad tracks, training on hazardous conditions walking to school and the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners status on red light enforcement were discussed. January 12, 2004 is the next meeting for the Coalition. Marc Hanger asked for feedback on the recent crash data analysis information presented. If any members have ideas of actions to try at the three specified intersections, please advise Marc. The new white Enforcement Lights on Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard at Belcher Road have not yet garnered a significant number of red light runners according to law enforcement team members. Dave asked the CTST members if there would be any Thanksgiving enforcement events. Cities may be doing some individual work, but no coordinated effort is planned. The state is conducting an enforcement and buckle-up wave to overlap during Thanksgiving through the New Year, from 11/21/03 to 1/4/04. Officer Butch Ward of the Largo Police Department told the CTST that Largo had purchased a quantity of new reflective/light-up safety vests for use by crossing guards near Largo High and the feedback has been positive. They are considering purchasing the vests in quantity for more widespread use and are sending the information to the State Coordinator for Crossing Guards. Vests costs $50 each and have a flashing light assembly in a waterproof housing powered by two AA batteries. CTST members saw the vests recently during a presentation from a distributor. Jeanette followed up on a Jacksonville, District 2 CTST safety effort called "Recipes 4 the Road", a booklet of alcohol-free drinks to serve over the holidays in an effort to reduce impaired driving incidents. Several sponsors provide funding for the booklets, which have been available the past five years. Jiffy Lube is a primary sponsor and distributes the books are free to their customers. Local restaurants also have joined in the effort. Tip cards to reinforce the idea are also produced. A similar effort is suggested for Pinellas County to try to get a version created for next year. Officer Jim Bordner recommended that Channel 13 media newsman Doug Smith be nominated for a "Buckle Up Award". Mr. Smith has covered many traffic safety issues to help bring public awareness. The most recent story he did concerning ABC Liquor stores having drive-through windows where people could purchase not only bottles and packages of closed alcohol, but also mixed drinks served directly to vehicle occupants. Channel 13 had video footage of drinks being served from a drive-through window where the vehicle driver then began consuming the freshly prepared drink. The news story caused ABC Liquor to permanently close all the drive-through windows and stop their 50-year practice. 4

5 The next meeting date will be December 4, Our January meeting date will be moved one week to January 8, 2004 please note the change on your calendars. The meeting was dismissed at 10:51 AM. Alison Weber Pinellas CTST Secretary Members Present: Jim Bordner Pinellas Co Sheriff s Office James Byers PSTA David M. Chase City of Pinellas Park Charles Cronin Clearwater Police Department Robert Daugherty City of South Pasadena Thomas Goldberg Kenneth City Police Department Geoffrey Gray AARP 55 Alive Marc Hanger Pinellas Co MPO Chief Erv Hill Belleair Police Department Sgt. Dennis Hobbs Florida Highway Patrol Peter Hsu FDOT Safety Sandra Knoebel Pinellas Co MPO Nancy Kelly Tarpon Springs Police Ron McKenzie Pinellas Park Police Department Lynda Meyer Pinellas Traffic Engineering Chuck Mura City of Largo Engineering Tom Reichert Pinellas Co Schools Jeanette Rouse FDOT Safety Bruce Shaw CSX RR Police Department Bill Sparrowhawk Citizen Scott Vaughan St Pete Beach Police Department Sgt. Butch Ward Largo Police Department Lydia Wardell State Attorney Alison Weber Pinellas County Schools Steve Yeatman Pinellas Signal Shop Maureen DeCarlo AAA Auto Club South Karleen Younger AAA Auto Club South Harriet Burns RID of Tampa Bay David Fechter TEI Engineers and Planners