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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-03-06; Traffic Safety Commission; ; Prepare a preliminary report on the future widening of Carlsbad Boulevard from north of Tierra Del Oro to Palomar Airport RoadCITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION COMMISSION REPORT OF: March 6, 1989 ITEM NO.__filL_ LOCATION: Carlsbad Boulevard -North of Tierra Del Oro to Palomar Airport Road INITIATED BY: Traffic Safety Commission REQUESTED ACTION: Prepare a preliminary report on the future widening of Carlsbad Boulevard from north of Tierra Del Oro to Palomar Airport Road. BACKGROUND: DATA: The segment of Carlsbad Boulevard between Cannon Road and Palomar Airport Road was discussed at the December 1988 Traffic Safety Commission meeting . At that time, the Commission asked staff to prepare a preliminary report on future plans to widen Carlsbad Boulevard in this vicinity. At the present time, construction bids are being received by the City of Carlsbad to widen Carlsbad Boulevard to four lanes from the bridge over the Agua Hedionda Lagoon southerly to approximately 350 feet northerly of Tierra Del Oro Street. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall of 1989. No other design study reports or preliminary widening designs have been prepared for the segment of Carlsbad Boulevard from northerly of Tierra Del Oro Street to Palomar Airport Road. Widening of this segment of road has not been scheduled nor is it being proposed in the near future. The 1988-89 Capital Improvement Program has projected the segment of Carlsbad Boulevard north of Palomar Airport Road to be constructed at some point in time beyond the year 1998. City of Carlsbad buildout improvements required for Carlsbad Boulevard northerly of Palomar Airport Road have been identified in the Local Facilities Management Plan for Zone 3. These improvements would add two traffic lanes, curb and gutter, sidewalk, streetlights, trees and a raised median to conform to City standards for a major arterial roadway. Carlsbad Boulevard has been designated as a major arterial on the Circulation Element of the General Plan and would have a right of way width of 102 feet to meet City standards. Currently, the right of way width on Carlsbad Boulevard is 100 feet between Cannon Road and Palomar Airport Road. Future traffic studies will determine if the additional two feet of right of way is necessary. Several alternatives are available to eliminate the need to acquire additional right of way such as narrowing the raised median two feet from 18 to 16 feet or to reduce by one foot the 8-foot wide emergency parking/bike lane to be provided on each side of the roadway. TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION COMMISSION REPORT OF: March 6, 1989 (Continued) ITEM NO._fill. Carlsbad Boulevard north of Palomar Airport Road is a two -lane highway with one lane for use by traffic in each direction. Passing of slower vehicles is allowed along some portions of the roadway by using the opposing traffic lane. Cap acity of a two lane road is reduced as a result unless ideal conditi ons exist. Ideal conditions are defined as no restrictive geometric, traffic or environmental conditions . Ideal conditions stated in the 1985 Highway Capacity Manual include: 1. 2 . 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Desi gn speed greater than or equal to 60 mph. Lane widths greater than or equal to 12 feet. Cl ea r shoulders wider than or equal to 6 feet. No "no passing zones" on the hiijhway. Al l passenger cars in the traffic stream. A 50/50 directional split of traffic. No i mpediments to through traffic due to traffic control or turning vehi cles. Leve l terrain . For the mo st part, ideal conditions do not exist on Carlsbad Boulevard . However , a detailed traffic study would be necessary to determi ne the roadway level of service and the need for additional traffic lanes. Traffic projections for Carlsbad Boulevard indicate that four traffic lanes will be needed in the future. SANDAG projections on the subject segment of Carl sbad Boulevard for the years 2010 and bui l dout are 28,700 and 42,200, re spectively . The exi sti ng 100 -foot right of way places the right of way within five feet of some homes on the west side of Carlsbad Boulevard and eight feet of some ho mes on the east side. To provide the necessary four traffic lanes will req ui re that less than City standards be constructed due to grade differenti als between the roadway and the homes. However , before the time that fo ur lanes are needed, a detailed traffic study should evaluate capacity enhancements to the existing conditions. This could include such measures as providing a raised median, one wide traffic lane in each di recti on, together with a bike lane/emergency parking lane. Restrictions to on-street parallel parking should be considered. RECOMMENDATION : Staff reco mmends that a detailed traffic study and preliminary design study report be conducted to evaluate existing conditions , capacity improvements and projections for the timing of when four lanes may be necessary . Alternatives for constructing the necessary improvements within the existing right of way must be considered. The study should begin at the point north of Tierra Del Oro where four lanes will be constructed this year an d continue southerly to Palomar Airport Road. Future studies to be conduct ed in the Palomar Airport Road vicinity for Carlsbad Boulevard could incl ude the subject segment in the scope of work for traffic studies. NECESSARY CITY COUNCIL ACTION: No City Co uncil action required at this time.