A project designed to slow traffic on El Lago Boulevard between Palisades and Fountain Hills boulevards is moving ahead after council action Nov. 15.

The Town Council approved a contract with Cactus Transport, Inc. for pavement maintenance services in the amount of $155,000. The contract will put a new surface on El Lago in the targeted area to allow for a new striping design.

About a year ago staff presented a proposal for traffic calming measures on El Lago following complaints from citizens regarding safety, particularly speeding on the street.

The plan will narrow the traffic lanes and the two-way left turn center lane. There will also be widening of the bicycle lane and the parking lane.

The Traffic Safety Committee endorsed the plan in February this year.

“Traffic calming is the combination of mainly physical measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior and improve conditions for non-motorized street users,” Public Works Director Justin Weldy stated in his report to the council. “By design, traffic-calming is a self-enforcing traffic management approach that forces motorists to alter their speed.

“When effective traffic calming measures are in place, they improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists as well as make streets more ‘livable’ for residents and visitors.”

After the tentative approval from the Traffic Safety Committee, staff began work to prepare the pavement surface for completing the measures. This included crack sealing and repairs to small areas of pavement needing new asphalt. This surface preparation allows for the application of Type II Polymer Slurry Seal. The contract with Cactus Asphalt is to apply the slurry seal.

“Once the slurry seal is applied, staff will be able to implement the new striping configuration to achieve the traffic-calming,” Weldy said.

In response to questions from council, Weldy said traffic monitoring indicates the 85-percentile speed on El Lago is 31 miles per hour. The speed limit is 25. Also, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Capt. Larry Kratzer said that deputies have not focused on speed enforcement for that stretch of El Lago Boulevard.

The council approved the contract unanimously. There was no timetable announced for the work.