Agenda

Back to Calendar Return

Regular Agenda Item 4. B.

Regular BOS Meeting

Meeting Date:	05/19/2020
Submitted For:	Steve Sanders
Submitted By:	Shannon Boyer, Executive Administrative Asst.
Department:	Public Works

Information

Request/Subject

Adopt Resolution No. 20-05-03 designating a portion of Houston Mesa Road as a no parking area.

Background Information

Gila County holds a Highway Easement Deed from the Federal Highway Administration for the Houston Mesa Road. The road is included in the County’s Maintained Roadway System. A traffic count from 2019 showed the average daily traffic to be 2842 vehicles. That number increases substantially during the summer and on weekends. Houston Mesa Road provides access to numerous communities north of Payson in the unincorporated area of Gila County. The road also provides access to the Tonto National Forest and the East Verde River. The river has become a destination for residents from all parts of the state. Due to the popularity of the location, the County has found that numerous people park along the road with no consideration to other users of the road, often times creating a one-lane road. Emergency vehicles are having a difficult time navigating the road due to vehicles along the roadway.

The following excerpt is from a recent email from the Fire Chief of the Water Wheel Fire District: "on Saturday I counted 27 vehicles parked on both sides of the roadway, narrowing the usable traffic lanes to less than 2, and completely blocking the entrance and exit driveways. On Sunday there were more than 30 vehicles parked in the same manner. This weekend, if there had been an emergency in the recreation area there would have been no way for emergency vehicles to access the parking lot and would have meant we would need to park in the roadway, totally closing Houston Mesa Road to north and southbound traffic for a period of time up to three hours if we had to carry someone out to an ambulance."

The Payson District Ranger for the Tonto National Forest supports the no parking request and has stated in the following recent email: "no parking on both sides of the road manages user pressure/overflow so that I can safely open all of the day-use parking lots back up. The level of site visitations on the Forest this spring is pretty incredible, and we are limited on personnel and PPE for recreation management. I’d rather have folks in the parking lot, but without enforceable No Parking, the high volume of users from a full lot and roadside parking exceeds our capacity."

Evaluation

Establishing a no parking area along this portion of Houston Mesa Road will improve access to the users of the road and provide a safer road for the public and emergency responders in the area. The establishment of a no parking area will allow law enforcement agencies to enforce the no parking area.

Conclusion

It’s in the best interest of the County and for the safety of the public traveling on the road to establish a no parking area along this portion of Houston Mesa Road.

Recommendation

It is the recommendation of the Director of Public Works that the Board of Supervisors adopt Resolution No. 20-05-03.

Suggested Motion

Information/Discussion/Action to adopt Resolution No. 20-05-03 designating a portion of Houston Mesa Road as a no parking area. (Steve Sanders)

Attachments
Resolution No. 20-05-03
Map