TIA Membership Renewed: What They Do For You
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 6, 2013)
At the Jan. 14, 2013 City Council meeting, elected officials voted to renew membership in the Traffic Improvement Association with dues of $5,900 for the year. The renewal came highly recommend by the Police and the Department of Public Works, though the public may not realize what the organization does for the City.
TIA Executive Director Jim Santilli came to the meeting to answer questions and to present Council with a list of accomplishments for 2012.
The organization is funded by member communities, and in exchange they provide consulting on road-related issues. The Ferndale Police use TIA when studying intersections and other aspects of traffic for safety and traffic enforcement. TIA can help when speed limits or parking are in question. They can also can do studies for the City and for the Downtown Development Authority, as they did at W. Troy and Allen, and on West 9 Mile where there will be significant reconstruction and streetscaping in the spring. The 
Department of Public Works also uses TIA data and consulting when working on road-related projects.
The following is a summary of projects that TIA worked on during 2012 (reported by TIA’s traffic engineering division):
January 2012
January 23rd: Dave Allyn responded by letter to Chief Timothy Collins in regard to a traffic signal at the intersection of Hilton and Brickley. TIA was requested to review the Traffic Signal Warrants in the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD) to determine if the traffic signal at Hilton and Brickley meets at least one of the specified warrants or if it should be removed.
February 2012
February 6th: Dave Allyn responded by letter to Chief Timothy Collins in regards to reviewing the Traffic Signal Warrants in the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD) to determine if the traffic 
signal at Hilton and Silman meets at least one of the specified warrants or if it should be removed.
February 22nd: Reviewed Sketch level pedestrian crossing – Gateway Drive 5 – Derek Delacourt
May 2012
May 13th: Dave Allyn and Dominique Matich conducted a field review at the following locations:
1. Pinecrest at W. Drayton: No left turn sign removal.
2. Pilgrim at Hamata: Speeding issue and possible multi-way-stop.
3. Cam bourne at Bermuda, Paxton, and Leland: Review the removal of the flashers.
May 24th: Dominique Matich conducted 4-hour turning movement counts at Fielding and Livernois.
May 29th: Dominique Matich conducted 4-hour turning movement counts at Marshal and Livernois.
Dave Allyn performed a Synchro Study for Livernois Avenue, from 8 Mile Road to 9 Mile Road, in Managing Director (Ret) regard to road narrowing to allow bike lanes on Livernois.
June 2012
June 6th: Per a request from Detective Paul Simpson, Dave Allyn provided assistance with a safe biking downtown issue.
June 13th: Dominique Matich provided Detective Paul Simpson with bicycle crash reports and UD-10 police reports for Hilton Road, from 10 Mile Road to 8 Mile Road, and Pinecrest Road, from Oakridge to 8 Mile Road, for the period of 1/1/2005 to 5/31/2012.
June 21st: Per a request from Detective Paul Simpson, Dave Allyn conducted some research to gain more information about Pedi Cabs and determine if they are legal.
Julv 2012
July 11th: Per a request from Detective Paul Simpson, Dave Allyn analyzed Fox Avenue to see if it was wide enough to allow parking on both sides of the road.
July 18th: Dave Allyn attended a workshop and on-road training program that the City of Ferndale was hosting with the Michigan Department of Transportation.
August2012
August 2nd: Per a request from Scott Ringler, Dave Allyn reviewed two (2) 9 Mile Road and Livernois issues (removal of eastbound right turn pocket and the elimination of the westerly southbound leg of Livernois).
August 22nd: Met with Detective Paul Simpson in Ferndale.
September 2012
September 4th: Per a request from Detective Paul Simpson, Dave Allyn reviewed the Vester Plan. The intent is to provide additional on-street parking to support and expand the business located there. Dave reviewed and responded to Detective Simpson on September 4, 2012.
September 4th: Responded to Detective Paul Simpson with comments on the plans to narrow Livernois to 3-lanes with bike lanes.
September 5th: Per a request from Christina Sheppard-Decius, Dave Allyn performed an analysis of Kenton Street, which is a residential street, to see if it could be made into a dead end south of W. 9 Mile Road (near Taco Bell and Dairy Queen). The intent was to create a pocket park, and narrow the street from Church to 9 Mile. Met in the field to discuss on September 5, 2012.
September 5th: Per a request from Derek Delacourt, Dave Allyn and Dominique Matich took a look at the intersection of 9 Mile Road and Pinecrest to determine if it would be possible to drop the northbound pocket and increase pedestrian space. Met in the field to discuss on September 5, 2012.
September 26th: Letter sent to Detective Paul Simpson in regard to removal of overhead flashers on Cambourne.
October 2012
Per a request from Detective Paul Simpson, speed studies and traffic counts were conducted on
September 24, 2012 and October 8, 2012 at the following locations in the City of Ferndale:
1. Drayton, between Pinecrest and Livernois, and Livernois and Woodward, concerning possible speeding issue.
2. Maplehurst, between Pinecrest and Livernois, and Livernois and Woodward, concerning possible speeding issue.
3. Lewiston, between Pinecrest and Livernois, and Livernois and Woodward, concerning possible speeding issue.
4. Withington, between Pinecrest and Livernois, and Livernois and Woodward, concerning possible speeding issue.
5. Drayton, between Hyland and Pinecrest, to determine if a 3-way stop was appropriate at Drayton and Westridge Court.
6. Oakridge, west of Pinecrest, in regard to a possible speeding issue.
7. Pilgrim, between Breckenridge (N. of 9 Mile Road) and Woodward Heights (9 1/2 Mile), in regard
to a request for a 4-way stop due to a possible speeding issue.
8. Pinecrest, at Lewiston, in regard to the possible removal of the traffic signal.
October 26th: Per a request from Scott Ringler, Dominique Matich provided 5 road segment crash reports on W. 9 Mile Rd for Michigan Department of Transportation grade inspections.
November 2012
November 28th: Per a request from Derek Delacourt, Dave Allyn reviewed the site plan for Ferndale Shop’s development that is proposed on the west side of Woodward, between W. Cambourne Street and Lewiston Avenue.
The TIA also provided Council with a report on traffic accidents in the City. An article about this report can be found at https://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/02/06/crashing-in-ferndale-report-shows-accident-rates-causes-and-more/.
For more about the TIA visit www.tiami.us.
