Pinnacle Vista Drive - 56th to 64th streets Neighborhood Traffic Management

The City of Scottsdale Transportation Department has been working with your neighbors along Pinnacle Vista Drive between 56^th and 64^th streets to address their traffic concerns.

AUGUST 2011 UPDATE

Thank you to everyone who has provided great feedback on this project.  Here is the latest information:

• The Transportation Commission approved funding for this project on May 19, 2011.  View the presentation to the Commission.
• Currently the project is in the design phase.
• The project will consist of two median islands, four speed cusions and a pedestrian area on the north side of Pinnacle Vista Drive.
• Once the design phase is completed, it will be set for construction.
• Before construction begins, residents will receive notification of the construction dates. 

APRIL 2011 UPDATE

Recently, a petition was circulated by your neighbors and 79% of the area supports the proposed neighborhood traffic management plan. This project is tentatively scheduled for funding consideration by the Transportation Commission on Thursday, May 19^th, 6 p.m. at City Hall Kiva, 3939 N. Drinkwater Boulevard. We encourage you to attend this meeting and provide input.

The proposed neighborhood traffic management plan was developed by Transportation staff based upon meetings with the concerned residents. The plan consists of four speed cushions and two median islands on Pinnacle Vista Drive and a roundabout at the intersection of Pinnacle Vista Drive and 56^th Street.

Click here to see the proposed plan
Click here to see the fact sheet for the project

Throughout this process, your neighbors have expressed concerns regarding pedestrian safety and vehicle speeds along Pinnacle Vista Drive from 56^th to 62^nd streets. To address these concerns the city has looked at various measures including speed cushions, median islands and a pedestrian trail. Speed cushions are effective in slowing vehicles speeds by creating a physical, vertical change in the roadway that still allows the fire trucks to straddle the device and not delay their response time. Median islands also can slow vehicles by forming S-shaped curves in the street to break up the visual image of a straight road.

There are no sidewalks along Pinnacle Vista Drive and while a trail is planned along the full length of this segment, currently a trail only exists on the north side of Pinnacle Vista Drive between 62^nd and 64^th streets. If the remaining trail segment cannot be built with the project, we are hoping to create a graded shoulder area for pedestrians along the north side of the corridor between 56^th and 62^nd streets.

Other concerns we’ve heard were focused on the intersection at 56^th Street and Pinnacle Vista Drive. After observing and studying the intersection, staff is recommending removing the two-way stop signs on Pinnacle Vista and installing a roundabout to provide traffic control, improved safety, and increase capacity. The roundabout will also reduce speeds at the intersection and provide a simple two-stage crossing for pedestrians.

To learn more information about this project or to submit comments, please contact George Williams at GWIlliams2@scottsdaleaz.gov or by calling (480) 312-7623.

FEBRUARY 2011

On January 31, 2011 a neighborhood meeting was held at the North Ridge Community Church at 6 p.m.  Thank you to everyone who attended and provided feedback to us.  The majority of residents who attended the meeting supported some type of traffic calming along Pinnacle Vista Drive between 56th and 64th streets.  Three plans were presented at the meeting along with a detailed map of the proposed roundabout at 56th Street. 

Click here to see the Proposed Plan 1
Click here to see the Proposed Plan 2
Click here to see the Proposed Plan 3

During the meeting, Transportation staff asked meeting participants which of the three plans they supported, with the majority of meeting attendees supporting Plan 2.  Residents began circulating a petition in support of Plan 2 at the meeting.

Several comments sheets were returned at the meeting with the following concerns:

• Provide better pedestrian and trail access on the north side of Pinnacle Vista
• Improve the alignment and intersection, including sight distance, at 62nd Street and Pinnacle Vista
• School buses drive too fast (In excess of 50 mph)
• Please consider concerns from the residents on the north side of Pinnacle Vista since we are also affected by noise and safety
• Widen Pinnacle Vista to accommodate not only traffic calming devices but pedestrians, bicyclists and horses
• Have the Police Department increase speed enforcement in the area
• Install a four-way stop at the intersection of 56th Street and Pinnacle Vista Drive

We are following up on this input and are currently working with code enforcement to remove and /or trim back the vegetation at the intersection of 62nd Street and Pinnacle Vista Drive.  Also, we are evaluating a possible road striping change to open up this intersection a little more.

The intersection of 56th Street and Pinnacle Vista Drive was evaluated for a four-way stop but did not meet the federal requirements to install the stop signs since the volume of traffic on both streets were not balanced and the accident history was not met (5 potentially preventable accidents in a 12 month period). 

Several observations were made at this intersection and with the current driver disregard for the stop signs on Pinnacle Vista Drive and unbalanced approach volumes at the intersection; Transportation staff is recommending a roundabout for this intersection. Roundabouts are an effective way to reduce vehicle speeds (entry and circulating speed of 15 MPH), the severity of accidents and improving the capacity of vehicles through the intersection.

Residents’ on both the north and south sides of Pinnacle Vista Drive are welcomed to provide comments and suggestions to the proposed traffic calming plan

To see a picture of a raised median island click here.

To see a picture of a roundabout click here.

To see a picture of stamped asphalt click here.

To see a picture of a speed cushion click here.

Please check this web page from time to time for project updates as the project moves forward.  Please contact George Williams at GWIlliams2@scottsdaleaz.gov or by calling (480) 312-7623 for additional information.