HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-06-02; Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission; MinutesTRAFFIC SAFETY & MOBILITY COMMISSION Council Chamber
Ml• nutes 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
June 2, 2025, 4 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER: 4:03p.m.
ROLL CALL: Coelho, Penseyres, Newlands, Kohl, Nicholes, Schuck.
Absent: Proulx.
INVOCATION : None.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Chair Coelho led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Minutes of Regular Meeting held on May 5, 2025.
Motion by Commissioner Nicholes, seconded by Commissioner Newlands, to approve the
minutes of the Regular Meeting held on May 5, 2025, as presented. Motion carried, 6/0/l(Proulx
-Absent).
PRESENTATIONS: None.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Bret Schanzenbach spoke about parking tickets for commercial vehicles. He requested that an
item be agendized to address the current parking policies and how they can be expanded to
accommodate commercial vehicles.
Christina McGoldrick thanked the Commission for their work to improve traffic safety throughout
the city.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
1. EL CAMINO REAL ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS FROM ARENAL ROAD TO LA COSTA AVENUE,
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROJECT NO. 6051: Support staff's recommendation to
the City Council to approve the plans and specifications of the El Camino Real Widening from
Arenal Road to La Costa Avenue Project, Capital Improvement Program Project No. 6051.
(Staff contact: Brandon Miles, Public Works Department)
Associate Engineer Brandon Miles reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the
Office of the City Clerk).
The Commission received the PowerPoint presentation by Associate Engineer Miles.
June 2, 2025 Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission Regular Meeting Page 2
Christina McGoldrick expressed her concerns regarding the potential safety impacts to
students traveling to/from Sage Creek High School that may be created during
construction.
In response to Commissioner Kohl's inquiry regarding the removal of the safe route to
school, City Traffic Engineer John Kim confirmed that staff would look into options to
accommodate a bicycle path during construction.
In response to Vice-Chair Penseyres' inquiry regarding whether the "Keep Clear" signs
near the intersection of El Camino Real and Arena! Road will be removed, City Traffic
Engineer Kim confirmed that the "Keep Clear" signs will remain and explained that the
traffic signals for that intersection are connected to the fire trucks exiting from the fire
station.
In response to Vice-Chair Penseyres' concerns regarding the lack of space for a bike lane
during construction, Associate Engineer Miles responded that he anticipates there to be
more space available for bike lanes during construction.
Motion by Commissioner Kohl, seconded by Commissioner Schuck, to approve Consent
Calendar Item No. 1. Motion carried, 6/0/1 (Proulx -Absent}.
2. AVENIDA ENCINAS COASTAL RAIL TRAIL AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS -SEGMENT 3:
Support staff's recommendation to the City Council to approve the plans and specifications
of the Avenida Encinas Coastal Rail Trail and Pedestrian Improvements -Segment 3, Capital
Improvement Program Project No. 6004. (Staff Contact: Brandon Miles, Public Works
Department}
Associate Engineer Brandon Miles reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the
Office of the City Clerk}.
The Commission received the PowerPoint presentation by Associate Engineer Miles.
In response to Vice-Chair Penseyres' inquiry regarding the green painted bike lanes, City
Traffic Engineer Kim responded that staff would take another look at the right-turn from
Avenida Encinas into Embarcadero Lane.
Motion by Vice-Chair Penseyres, seconded by Commissioner Newlands, to approve
Consent Calendar Item No. 2 with the alteration that staff evaluate the feasibility of a
right-turn only lane into the Carlsbad Poinsettia Station. Motion carried, 6/0/1 (Proulx -
Absent}.
PUBLIC HEARING: None.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS:
June 2, 2025 Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission Regular Meeting Page 3
3. SANDAG 2025 REGIONAL PLAN UPDATE: Receive a presentation from SANDAG staff on the
2025 Regional Plan Update. (Staff Contact: Nathan Schmidt, Public Works Department)
Recommended Action: Receive the presentation.
SANDAG's Deputy Director of Mobility Planning Jennifer Williamson reviewed a
PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk).
The Commission received a PowerPoint presentation by SANDAG's Deputy Director of
Mobility Planning Williamson.
Christina McGoldrick spoke in support of the North County Highway Project.
In response to Commissioner Schuck's inquiry regarding how rapid routes were selected,
SANDAG's Deputy Director of Mobility Planning Williamson responded that various
factors were taken into consideration including SANDAG's travel model, commuter
surveys, streetlight data, and high-performing bus routes.
In response to Commissioner Nicholes' inquiry regarding whether microtransit is the only
method to get to the rapid routes, SANDAG's Deputy Director of Mobility Planning
Williamson responded that the Active Transportation Plan will provide improvements
that will enable enhanced bicycle and pedestrian connections, in addition to the
microtransit, to get to the rapid routes.
In response to Commissioner Kohl's inquiry regarding funding, SANDAG's Deputy
Director of Mobility Planning Williamson explained that Regional Plan is based on a
funding scenario that incorporates various sources, including federal, state, and local
funding, sales tax, and outside revenue.
In response to Commissioner Newlands' comment that he would like SAN DAG to provide
more attention to railway improvements, SANDAG's Deputy Director of Mobility Planning
Williamson confirmed that there are multiple plans and projects to improve the railway.
In response to Vice-Chair Penseyres' inquiry regarding SANDAG's plan to assist in
lowering the train tracks, SANDAG's Deputy Director of Mobility Planning Williamson
explained that SAN DAG is currently working on grade separation criteria to help prioritize
the grade separation requests across the region.
Vice-Chair Penseyres commented that "protected bike lanes" is not an appropriate term
and should be referred to as "separated bikeways" or "cycle tracks."
Vice-Chair Penseyres commented that Class IV bikeways are optional for cyclists to use
and are not considered part of the roadway. As a result, when a collision occurs between
a vehicle and a bicycle within a Class IV bikeway, it is often not included in official crash
reports, since the incident is technically not considered to have occurred in the roadway.
June 2, 2025 Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission Regular Meeting Page 4
In response to Chair Coelho's inquiry regarding whether SANDAG has any influence on
city bikeway projects, SANDAG's Deputy Director of Mobility Planning Williamson
responded that SAN DAG can only make recommendations unless it is a regional bikeway
project. She recommended that SANDAG receive these comments in writing on the
Regional Plan.
In response to Chair Coelho's inquiry regarding whether there is an efficiency evaluation
to determine the most effective way to reduce vehicle miles traveled, SANDAG's Deputy
Director of Mobility Planning Williamson responded that public transit is the most
efficient way to reduce vehicle miles traveled.
In response to Chair Coelho's inquiry regarding whether SAN DAG has looked into funding
school buses as a way to reduce vehicle miles traveled, SANDAG's Deputy Director of
Mobility Planning Williamson explained that any funding received from the Federal
Transit Administration prohibits direct school transportation.
In response to Chair Coelho's inquiry regarding transit ridership, SANDAG's Deputy
Director of Mobility Planning Williamson responded that San Diego Metropolitan Transit
System currently has the best recovery in the nation.
In response to Commissioner Kohl's inquiry regarding whether the Coaster ridership has
returned to pre-COVID levels, SANDAG's Deputy Director of Mobility Planning Williamson
responded that it has not.
4. 2025 STREETS RESURFACING PROJECT, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROJECT NO.
6001-25: Support staff's recommendation to the City Council to approve the plans for the
2025 Streets Resurfacing Project, Capital Improvement Program Project No. 6001-25, as a
part of the Pavement Management Program. (Staff Contact: Eddie Wills and Hossein Ajideh,
Public Works Department)
Recommended Action: Support staff's recommendation.
Associate Engineer Eddie Wills and Engineering Manager Hossein Ajideh reviewed a
PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk).
The Commission received the PowerPoint presentation by Associate Engineer Wills and
Engineering Manager Ajideh.
In response to Commissioner Schuck's inquiry regarding the first bullet point on Slide 5,
Engineering Manager Ajideh explained that it should list Highway 78 instead of Interstate
5.
In response to Commissioner Kohl's inquiry regarding additional miles of roadway that
will need to be repaired outside of this project's scope and how it will be funded,
Engineering Manager Ajideh explained that the pavement management program is a
June 2, 2025 Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission Regular Meeting Page 5
system used to maintain the city's street infrastructure, consisting of 350 center miles, in
a cost-effective manner based on an annual budget. He further explained that slurry seals
last around seven to ten years, dependent on various factors, and overlays last around
20 to 25 years.
In response to Vice-Chair Penseyres' inquiry regarding whether intersections are
included in the slurry seal and restriping, Associate Engineer Wills confirmed that most
of the intersections along Palomar Airport Road and the intersections at the northern
and southern limits of El Camino Real will be overlayed and restriped.
Motion by Vice-Chair Penseyres, seconded by Commissioner Schuck, to support staff's
recommendation to the City Council to approve the plans for the 2025 Streets
Resurfacing Project, Capital Improvement Program Project No. 6001-25, as a part of the
Pavement Management Program. Motion carried, 6/0/1 (Proulx -Absent).
COMMISSION COMMENTARY AND REQUESTS FOR CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS: In response
to Commissioner Kohl's inquiry regarding whether 3-4 seconds could be added to the green
segment of the traffic signal cycle at the intersection of El Camino Real and Arenal Road, City
Traffic Engineer Kim responded that he would take a look and follow up.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: This section of the Agenda is designated for announcements to advise the
community regarding events that Members of the Commission have been invited to, and may
participate in. No announcements were made.
STAFF COMMENTS: Transportation Planning & Mobility Manager Schmidt spoke about the public
comment received earlier in the meeting regarding parking for commercial vehicles. He
confirmed that the Chamber of Commerce and business owners have been in contact with staff
and are working with the Economic Development Department and Police Department to address
their concerns. An item will be brought to the Commission in the future.
ADJOURNMENT: 5:56 p.m.
Secretary