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Home My WebLink About1986-06-02; Traffic Safety Commission; ; To alleviate the sight distance restriction at Olympia Drive and Elm AvenueCITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION COMMISSION REPORT OF: June 2, 1986 LOCATION: Olympia Drive and Elm Avenue INITIATED BY: Bob Ladwig -Rick Engineering PROBLEM AS STATED BY REQUESTOR: ITEM NO . ...Ql Due to the curvature of Elm Avenue, drivers on Olympia Drive, looking west, have restricted sight distance. To mitigate this, it is recommended that traffic be prevented from exiting Olympia Drive. DATA: The suggestion to alleviate the sight distance restriction at Olympia Drive and Elm Avenue was first presented by Rick Engineering acting as representatives of Standard Pacific, the developer of the area. Since that time several area residents have expressed concern about the conditions (see attached correspondence). Elm Avenue is a Secondary Arterial street with a posted speed limit of 40 m.p.h. West of Olympia Drive is a 600' radius curve. (This exceeds the minimum standard for this type roadway.) A field check found that there is sufficient sight distance to provide for a speed of at least 36 m.p.h. There have been no reported accidents at this intersection in the last two and one-half years. The mitigation suggested by Rick Engineering is to prohibit vehicles from exiting Olympia onto Elm Avenue. This could be done by cul-de-sacing Olympia Drive or by allowing right turns in only. The latter option is shown in the attached sketches (Exhibits 1 and 2). Either arrangement violates the City's Standard which requires a 36-foot radius curve for all cul-de-sacs. This Standard is to provide vehicles, TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION COMMISSION REPORT OF: June 2, 1986 Continued ITEM NO . ....Ql_ • especially emergency vehicles, with enough room to turn around. With only 36-feet of pavement (20-feet if parking is retained), any vehicle will be required to make several movements to turn around. If right turns in are permitted, the vehicle manuevering to turn around will be in the path of traffic entering Olympia Drive from Elm Avenue. As stated, there is sight distance available for a speed of 36 m.p.h. As for many such intersections, we have placed advisory side road warning signs in advance of the intersec- tion to help mitigate the deficiency. From the accident history, there has been no evidence of a problem. Consider- ing this, the sight distance restriction can be considered· more a discomfort to drivers than a hazard. It is staff's opinion that the negative aspects of cul-de-sacing Olympia Drive outweigh the potential for accidents on Elm Avenue. RECOMMENDATION: That the request for modifications to the intersection of Elm Avenue and Olympia Drive to prohibit traffic from exiting be denied. NECESSARY COUNCIL ACTION: None required if the request is denied. Council resolution would be required to cul-de-sac Olympia Drive. -------~,,..~,------- ELM AVENUE SCALE: 1 30 I \ ' ~ OLYMPIA DRIVE ---- : PROPOSED PARTIAL CLOSURE OF ELM AVENUE/OLYMPIA DRIVE INTERSECTION co • CII co 10 co No LEFT TURN (R17l <R11•> I ----t I :::::::==============::::::.] --. ----- ELM AVENUE NOT A THROUGH STREET (W53) -- SCALE: 1.,= 100' OLYMPIA DRIVE I I PROPOSED SIGNAGE FOR PARTIAL CLOSURE OF ELM AVENUE/OLYMPIA DRIVE INTERSECTION <'\I I ~ / _:_g -r: ->-\\..1 / ! May 3, 1986 Kent Sears 2696 Dlvmpia Driva Carlsbad, California 92008 Director of Traffic Commission City of Carlsbad 1200 Elm Avenue Carlsbad, California 92008 Dear Mr. Sears: RECEIVED -; -• .• '"' ,: • JS5 .. · .. ., ,.., CITY Cf CA~--~3!.!l ENGltlEERl:!G DcJA~!,'A~:lf I'm addressing this letter to you to express my concern as a resident of 2696 Olympia Drive. The intersection of Olympia Drive and Elm Avenue possesses a problem to the residents due to the fast traffic on Elm Avenue. The following specifies the traffic dangers caused by the above mentioned intersection: I. ! t's extremely dangerous to turn left on Elm Avenue from Olympia Drive due to the curvature of Elm, which blocks all view of traffic traveling east on Elm Avenue. 2. !t's also difficult for pedestrians at or near this intersection to cross the corner of Olympia Drive because they are unable to see fast approaching traffic due to the curvature of Elm Avenue. As a resident of Olympia Drive and a parent of a five-year old boy, I'm very concerned with the danger_ imposed by this intersection, and I propose that Olympia Drive (at the intersection of Olympia Drive and Elm Avenue) be closed to avoid any accidents. 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' ' ' •. , ' . . . . . 2li93 011mpl ■ Drt•e Cartslllall, California 92118 (i19) 729-5449 May 12, 1986 Mr. Kent Sears Traffic Commission Director 1200 Elm Avenue Carlsbad, California 92008 Dear Mr. Sears: RECEIVED MAY 191986 CITY OF CARLSBAD ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT With the near completion of the traffic signal at the intersection of Elm Avenue and Concord, my concern regarding the intersection of Elm Avenue and Olympia Drive has increased. This intersection has become more of a hazard, as speeds increase along Elm Avenue, for people trying to turn left on to Elm Avenue from Olympia. Drivers turning right on to Olympia rarely slow down enough to not drift into the oncoming traffic lane when coming to the jog in the street on Olympia. Since the Concord signal will only be triggered with someone exiting that street, the speeds will remain the same along Elm. I had hoped for the signal to include our intersection, too, for when the residents exit Olympia Drive onto Elm, we will now have the double hazard of trying to see around cars stopped at the signal for Concord. The residents of this end of Olympia Drive have expressed interest in the possible blocking off of Olympia Drive and Elm Avenue. What steps would be needed to have this idea reviewed? As one of several families with children on the block, this solution would be a wonderful one. Whatever the outcome, for the safety of both residents and drivers, speeds will havf to be somehow reduced along Elm Avenue. Sincerely, ~~~ (Mrs.) Linda J. Thamer