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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-03-02; Traffic Safety Commission; ; Requesting several measures be implemented to improve traffic safety at and near La Costa Heights Elementary SchoolCI1Y OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFE1Y COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: March 2, 1992 ITEM NO. 6A LOCATION: La Costa Heights Elementary School, intersection of Levante Street and Romeria Street INITIATED BY: Nancy Tobin, 3165 Camino Del Arco, Carlsbad, California 92009 REQUESTED ACTION: Ms. Tobin is requesting that several measures be implemented to improve traffic safety at and near La Costa Heights Elementary School: 1. Establish a 15 MPH prima facie speed limit in the school zone on Levante Street during school hours. 2. Install flashing beacons on the Installation C school signs. 3. Relocate the Installation C signs from the Morada Street/Levante Street intersection. 4. Signage in school parking lot. BACKGROUND: DATA: Staff received-a letter (attached) dated January 13, 1992 from Nancy Tobin expressing concern about traffic safety and speeding in the school zone at La Costa Heights Eh mentary School. This letter was a follow-up to a meeting Ms. Tobin initiated with Mayor Pro Tern Kulchin and City Traffic Engineer Robert Johnson. La Costa Heights Elementary School first opened in 1987. It is located on the south side of the intersection of Levante Street and Romeria Street, which is a three-way STOP controlled "T" intersection as shown on the Condition Diagram, Exhibit 1. Painted crosswalks have been installed on Levante Street on the east and west legs of the inter!\ection. To improve sight distance at several school driveways red curb has been painted. This intersection is on the Suggested Route to School. An ENTRANCE ONLY driveway to the school parking lot is located westerly of the intersection and an EXIT ONLY driveway is located easterly of the intersection. Various turning movements occur at the intersection and driveways at the same time that students are arriving to school in the morning or leaving in the afternoon. Both Levant,~ Street and Romeria Street serve as local collector streets and have a curb to curt width of 40 feet. A traffic count conducted on February 6, 1992 indicated an intersection entering volume of 2,335 vehicles as shown on Table A. This compares with an intersection entering volume of 2,446 obtained from a traffic count on March 12, 1990. CI1Y OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFE1Y COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: March 2, 1992 ( continued) Item: 6A Levante Street and Romeria Street each have a 25 mile per hour prima facie speed limit. Speed limit signs are posted in the vicinity of La Costa Heights School as shown on Exhibit 1. In addition, Caltrans Installation C standard school signs have also been installed at the school zone to advise drivers of school pedestrians walking to and from school. Signs that comprise Installation Care shown on Exhibit 2. The three-way STOP controlled intersection at Levante/Romeria effectively stops traffic on Levante Street in the school zone with a corresponding reduction in speed within 200 feet of the intersection. During the short time period before and after school, queues develop on Levante Street at the STOP signs and extend to the school driveways. These queues result in a further reduction in speed. Sidewalks are provided on both sides of Levante Street and are used by school pedestrians walking to and from school. The school crossing at the ALL-WAY STOP intersection of Levante/Romeria has painted crosswalks to direct pedestrians to the crossing location. Section 22358.4 of the California Vehicle Code provides that a prima facie 20 or 15 mile per hour speed limit can be established when passing school grounds when children are going to or from school based upon the results of an engineering and traffic survey. Results of two speed _surveys conducted on Levante Street near the elementary school are shown on Table B. TABLE B SPEED SURVEY ON LEVANTE STREET DATE TIME LOCATION CRITICAL PACE %IN SPEED SPEED PACE 2/5/92 9:30 AM to at Morada Street 34 25 to 35 82 11:10 AM 2/11/92 2:00 P:\1 to at Galleon Way 34 25 to 35 70 2:45 PM 26 to 36 From the re ults of the speed survey it can be observed that 85% of the drivers approaching the school zone are travelling at or below 34 miles per hour. The pace speed is 25 to 35 miles per hour, indicating the majority of drivers are travelling above the prima facie speed limit of 25 miles per hour on Levante Street. CI1Y OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFE1Y COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: March 2, 1992 Item: 6A ( continued) Levante Street in the vicinity of La Costa Heights Elementary School has experienced a very low number of traffic collisions. During the past five years, two collisions were reported on Levante Street easterly of Romeria Street as shown on Table C. There have been no collisions reported during the past five years at the intersection of Levante Street and Romeria Street. DATE 7/30/87 2/23/90 TABLE C MID-BLOCK COLLISION SUMMARY ON LEV ANTE STREET NEAR ROMERIA STREET TIME LOCATION NUMBER PRIMARY COLLISION INJURED FACTORS 8:28 PM 321' East of Romeria 1 Driving while intoxicated-wrong side 2:30 PM 350' East of Romeria 2 Improper Turn- Inattention In Carlsbad during the 15-minute period before school starts and the 15-minute period after school ends, moderate traffic congestion occurs at each elementary school. This congestion results in lower speeds than what occurs during other times of the day. This same congestion and reduction in speed occurs on Levante Street in the La Costa Heights Elementary School vicinity. Staff has not observed significant problems due to speeding. The Carlsbad Police Department is providing regular enforcement on a time available basis that has reduced the number of illegally parked vehicles, speeding vehicles and improper turns in the school zone. Based upon the results of the engineering and traffic survey a 15 mile per hour prima facie speed limit is not recommended. To help school pedestrians cross Levante Street at the Romeria Street intersection, an Adult Crossing Guard is provided by La Costa Heights Elementary School. Conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians are minimized when the Adult Crossing Guard is on duty each day during peak traffic conditions at the school. CI1Y OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFE1Y COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: March 2, 1992 ( continued) RECOMMENDATION: Item: 6A The Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommends that the following actions be initiated at the La Costa Heights Elementary School: 1. Continued Police Department enforcement of traffic violations that occur on Levante Street during school hours on a time availabe basis. 2. La Costa Heights Elementary School officials to place traffic issues and concerns on the agenda of the School Safety Committee. Where a resolution is not possible among the parents and school officials, the City of Calsbad Traffic Engineer of Police Department will be contacted. 3. Continued parental education on traffic safety issues in the school zone by school officials. Sgt. Metcalf and City Traffic Engineer Robert Johnson have met with the school principal and offered to attend the School Safety Committee meeting or an assembly to discuss traffic issues. 4. Linda Klink, District Manager of the Automobile Club of Southern California will contact Emily Andrade and discuss the educational materials and services on school zone issues available from the Automobile Club. 5. Relocation of the Installation C signs located on Levante Street at Morada Street to a streetlight 235 feet easterly of Morada Street. 6. Painting a "25" pavement legend on Levante Street at the location of the 25 mile per hour speed limit signs. 7. Striping the existing limit lines at the Levante Street/Romeria Street intersection to a 24-inch width. 8. Increase the size of the STOP signs at the Levante/Romeria intersection. 9. Install an ALL-WAY plate under each stop sign located at the Levante/Romeria intersection. 10. School officials to install a swinging gate at the parking lot entrance, controlled by a teacher, to prevent parents from entering the parking lot during the short time period before and after school. NECESSARY CI1Y COUNCIL ACTION: No City Council action required. TIME 0000-0100 0100-0200 0200-0300 0300-0400 0400-0500 0500-0600 0600-0700 0700-0800 0800-0900 0900-1000 1000-1100 1100-1200 1200-1300 1300-1400 1400-1500 1500-1600 1600-1700 1700-1800 1800-1900 1900-2000 2000-2100 2100-2200 2200-2300 2300-2400 Sub-Total TABLE A LEV ANTE STREET/ROMERIA STREET INTERSECTION APPROACH VOLUMES February 6, 1992 DIRECTION 24-HOUR TOTAL ENTERING SIB E/B W/B VOLUMES 0 4 1 5 0 1 3 4 0 1 2 3 1 4 0 5 1 2 0 3 4 8 9 21 25 31 16 72 31 74 54 159 127 164 124 415 9 46 23 78 6 41 33 80 22 46 44 112 16 35 47 98 18 26 50 94 81 115 123 319 32 77 58 167 32 63 73 168 27 69 83 179 16 48 46 110 18 54 42 114 6 11 25 42 9 14 24 47 5 5 16 26 1 9 4 14 487 948 900 2,335 Ci) ► r-_J r-m 0 z ~ :< ==:::a :u 0 ~ m :!l ► L ____ L _L°'"J°!_ ~,dOl: LEVANTE STREET ~ .. -r-----r-=----F ,. @ LEGEND: ® "STOP. SIGN @ ©) "STOP AHEAD• SIGN "SCHOOL", ·sPEED LIMIT 2s·. LA COSTA HEIGHTS LEMENTARY SCHOO "WHEN CHILDREN ARE PRESENT" SIGN INSTALLATION @ "SPEED LIMIT 25• SIGN D/W DRIVEWAY -■-RED CURB STOP "STOP. LEGEND :III PAINTED CROSSWALK LIMIT LINE = DOUBLE YELLOW CENTERLINE © i .. en -4 . - S IGNING AND S TRIP I NG CONDITION DIAGRAM N NTS @ .. -=a l~I -> en :-t EXHIBIT: 1 ,~ 3-1987 SCHOOL AREA PEDESTRIAN SAFETY Traffic Manual 10-03.8 POLICY FOR SCHOOL AREA SIGNS W63 Standard 36" x 36" [(SCHOOL I) W65 Standard 36" x 12" INSTALLATION A (I SCHOOL)) W65 Standard 36" x 12" SPEED LIMIT R2 25 Standard 36" x 45" WHEN CHILDREN R72 ARE PRESENT Standard 36" x 18" INSTALLATION C STANDARD School Z-one Signing defines the beginning of the school zone on all streets contiguous to schools serving students In kindergarten through 12th grades. It should usually be posted at the school boundary, but may be posted up to 500 feet In advance, depending on prevalllng approach speeds and vlslblllty. However, school zone signing Is not required If there ar.e no school pedestrians using the highway and the school grounds are separated from the highway by a fence, gate or other physical barrier (CVC 22352). The Advance School symbol sign (W63) may be used In advance of remote school crosswalks outside of the school zone. It shall be used In advance of any I nstallatlon B School Crossing sign (See page 10-9), unless I nstallatlon A or C Is already posted. The SCHOOL plate (W65) shall not be used alone. On streets with prims facle 25 MPH speed limit that are con- tiguous to a school building or school grounds, It Is com- bined with the W63 to form Installation A, used to Inform drivers that are entering a school zone. On streets with higher speed limits, theW65 lscomblned with R2 (25) and R72 to form Installation C, used to Inform drivers they are enterl ng a school zone with a 25 MPH speed llmit at certain times. Installation C may be used In lieu of Installation A. Note: Installations A or C sign assemblies may be fabri- cated as a single unit (SW24 and SR4respectively). EXHIBIT 2 Div. 11 -563-§ 22358.5-- hour on any street, other than a state highway, adjacent to any children's playground in a public park but only during particular hours or days when children are expected to use the facilities. The 25 miles per hour speed limit shall be effective when signs giving notice of the speed limit are posted. Added Ch. 508, Stats. 1989. Effective January 1, 1990. D•etwa•• of Loa,/ Um/,. 22358. Whenever a local authority determines upon the basis of an engineering and traffic survey that the limit of 55 miles per hour is more than is reasonable or safe upon any portion of any street other than a state highway where the limit of 55 miles per hour is applicable, the local authority may by ordinance determine and declare a prima facie speed limit of 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, or 25 miles per hour, whichever is found most appropriate to facilitate the orderly movement of traffic and is reasonable and safe, which declared prima facie limit shall be effective when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected upon the street. Amended Ch. 11, Stats. 1959. Effective September 18, 1959. Amended Ch. 25, Stats. 1987. Effective May 28, 1987, by terms of an urgency clause. D«twa•• on Narrow Str.•t 22358.3. Whenever a local authority determines upon the basis of an engineering and traffic survey that the prima facie speed limit of 25 miles per hour in a business or residence district or in a public park on any street having a roadway not exceeding 25 feet in width, other than a state highway, is more than is reasonable or safe, the local authority may, by ordinance or resolution determine and declare a prima facie speed limit of 20 or 15 miles per hour, whichever is found most appropriate and is reasonable and safe. The declared prima facie limit shall be effective when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected upon the street. Added Ch. 1614, Stats. 1965. Effective September 17, 1965. Amended Ch. 1095, Stats. 1!172. Effective March 7, 1!173. Supersedes Ch. 372. D«,.a•• of Loml Umlt. N.,,, Sdloo/• or S•nlor C.nt•n 22358.4. Whenever a local authority determines upon the basis of an engineering and traffic survey that the prima facie speed limit of 25 miles per hour established by paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 22352 is more than. is reasonable or safe, the local authority may, by ordinance or resolution, determine and declare a prima facie speed limit of 20 or 15 miles per houri whichever is justified as the app_ropriate speed limit by such survey. ( ) 77,e ordinance or resolution sliall not be effective until appropriate sigl!S giving notice ( )2 of the speed limit are erected upon the highway ( ) 3 arul, in the case of a state highway, until ( ) 4 the ordinance is approved by the Department of Transportation and ( )4 the appropriate signs are erected upon the highway. Added Ch. 102, Stats. 1!174. Effective January 1, 1975. Amended Ch. 542, Stats. 1990. Effective January 1, 1991. Supersedes Ch. 441. The 1990 amendment added the italicized material and at the point(s) indicated deleted the followin~: . 1"No such· •·thereof" :1unor .. +•such .. Downward SpHd Zoning 22358.5. It is the intent of the Legislature that physical conditions such as width, curvature, grade and surface conditions, or any other condition readily apparent to a driver, in the absence of other factors, would not require special downward speed zoning, as the basic rule of Section 22350 is sufficient regulation as to such conditions. Added Ch. 11, Stats. 1959. Effective September 18, 1959. RECLIVED JAN 16 1992 CITY OF CARLSBAD nr : ,,~~RING DEPARTMENT Mr. Robert T. Johnson, Jr., P.E. Traffic Engineer City of Carlsbad 2075 Las Palmas Drive Carlsbad, Ca. 92009-4859 Dear Mr. Johnson: Nancy Tobin 3165 Camino Del Arco Carlsbad, Ca. 92009 (619-436-1781) January 13, 1992 As per our conversation of January 8, 1992 I am writing to you to express my concerns regarding the traffic problem/ children's safety situation at La Costa Heights Elementary School on Levante Street with the express hope that these problems will be investigated and corrected if possible to ensure the safety of the s cha olchildren. As you know, my main concern is the horrendous and irresponsible speeding that occurs daily in the school zone and surrounding roads. Although the school zone is posted at 25 MPH many people and, most unfortunately, many of our schoolchildrens' parents irresponsibly ignore this limit which I firmly believe this number to be too high in an elementary school setting. The Carlsbad Police, particularly Mr. Larry Moore, Traffic Officer, have been most responsive to a plea for help in this matter but as you know they are only a temporary deterrent! Unfortunately, due to limited manpower and time restrictions the Carlsbad Police cannot patrol our school site every day during a school year. I believe the next best thing to policing would be to lower the speed limit in our school zone to protect and, again, ensure the safety of our children which should be the utmost concern in this unfortunate problem. As we discussed briefly, Section 22358.4 can be used if found appropriate to lower the speed limit in the school zone to 15 MPH through the local authorities in Carlsbad and I believe this would greatly mitigate the problems and hopefully satisfy all parties concerned. I also firmly believe that blinking lights at the posted school zone traffic signs are necessary because of the dangerous T intersection in front of the school at Levante and Romeria Streets. Romeria Street is an uphill road T-ing at Levante Street and the only posted warning is 1/ 10th of a mile from the T intersection which I believe is an unsafe situation for the schoolchildren. You asked that I "cover all bases" regarding this traffic problem at La Costa Heights Elementary School when I wrote to you and although I am not entirely sure of what that means I will try to state other concerns! To reiterate, I believe the East posting sign on Movado and Levante Streets of SCHOOL ZONE -25 MPH is too close to the school zone particularly because the children are released from the school field walkway which is only approximately 50 feet from the school zone sign on Movado Street. The posting probably is sufficient when the case is the children are let out from school in the front of the school itself. But I do not believe this posting gives the drivers or schoolchildren sufficient space to safely enter or leave the school zone. Another problem in this matter is that the speed limit sign on the East side of Levante Street by Centella is partially hidden by an overgrown bush. This is the first sign posted warning of a speed limit before y.ou enter the school zone area so it is a critical posting. Please look into this matter as ~con as possible which I believe can be solved by simply cutting the bush back. The school zone sign posted on the West side of Levante Street should also have blinking lights to ensure drivers are sufficiently warned and are aware of the school zone ahead. Other traffic problems at La Costa Heights Elementary School include the school parking lot and driveway which are poorly designed for all parties concerned. Cars entering to drop off or pick up schoolchildren automatically create a dangerous situation when you have elementary schoolchildren walking in this area to go into the school proper! This problem has been partially addressed and corrected by posting a teacher at the entrance to the driveway to turn away all cars attempting to enter the school lot. This has helped somewhat but, as usuaL as soon as the teacher leaves for class many drivers irresponsibly enter the school lot even though it is posted with hours of restrictions! This issue too could be addressed and hopefully resolved. But, to reiterate Mr. Johnson, my main concern is to hopefully have the speed limit reduced to 15 MPH with blinking lights at posted signs in the La Costa Heights Elementary School zone with the prime reason being the safety of the schoolchildren. Any and all help in this matter will be greatly appreciated and if you have any questions or need to discuss anything please call me anytime. Thanking you again for your help in this matter and hopefully we can all work together to determine the best possible solutions to make the school zone at La Costa Heights Elementary School a safe one! cc: Ann J. Kulchin Mayor Pro Tern NancyTo in A Concerned Parent