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Home My WebLink About1983-08-16; City Council; 7478; Revising Speed Limits for Alga RoadM 8 S ccoo co ry d,'j Y Cli . OF CARLSBAD — AMD,, HILL AIU 7N2�-' TALE: MTG.=fiL U -- DEPT.ENG 0 w O M a CL z O U a r v z O U REVISING SPEED LIMITS FOR ALGA ROAD i DEPT. HD.--r-- ' CITY ATTY � 1' CITY MG RECOMMENDED ACTION: Introduce Ordinance No.31Cn to revise the speed limit on Alga Road, from E1 Camino Real to Alicante, to 35 M.P.H., and, from Alicante to El Fuerte, to 40 M.P.H. ITEM EXPLANATION: At the August 1, 1983 meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission, residents of the area arqund Alga Road, from El Camino Real to Alicante, expressed their concerns about speeding in the area. They asked for a reduction of the speed limits. Staff performed speed studies and presented recommendations to the Commission to revise speed limits in the area, which the Traffic Safety Commission adopted. FISCAL IMPACT: Speed Limit signs cost $85.00 per sign, plus labor. A total of five Speed Limit signs will be ,-+sted. Cost of enforcement of these speed limits is not considered significant. EXHIBITS: 1. Staff Report, dated July 29, 1983 2.} Vicinity Map I amending Title 10, Chapter 10.44.090 to 3. Ordinance No.3/% revise the speed limit on Alga Road. ('M rQ JULY 29, 1983 TO: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION FROM: Staff ITEM NO. D1: ALGA ROAD - REQUEST FOR SPEED LIMIT SIGNS STAFF REPORT The residents on Alga Road between Estrella De Mar and Alicante are concerned about speeding cars on Alga Road. The road in this area is very narrow, with driveways exiting on Alga Road. There is a sharp curve at Alicante on Alga. Just east of Alicante, Alga Road is fully improved with a raised median. The traffic volume in this area is 7500 ADT. There is an existing speed limit posted at 45 mph between El Camino Real and Alicante. There is no speed limit posted from Alicante to El Fuerte. A speed study was taken on 7/12/83. The critical speed west of Alicante was 52 mph for eastbound traffic and 50 mph for westbound traffic. East of Alicante, the critical speed was 56 mpii for westbound traffic and 46 mph for eastbound traffic(see attached). A memo from the Assistant City Attorney and the accident history for this area is also attached. The Committee recommends changing the existing speed limit of 45 mph to 35 mph on Alga Road from El Camino Real to Alicante. This recommendation reflects an engineering analysis of the roadway. In this area the highway, traffic and roadside conditions are not readily apparent to a driver thereby warranting a reduced speed limilt. When the road is widened and improved, it is recommended that it be posted at 40 mph. Between Alicante and El Fuerte the Committee recommends posting 40 mph signs. STEVE TISDALE ST:mmt attachments EXHIBIT 1 1 JULY 27, 1983 TO: TRAFFIC SAFETY COORDINATING COMMITTEE FROM: Steve Tisdale ITEM 2: ALGA ROAD - REQUEST FOR SPEED LIMIT SIGNS Nature of the Problem The residents on Alga Road between Estrella De Mar and Alicante are concerned about speeding cars on Alga Road. Discussion The road between Estrella De Mar and Alicante is very narrow, with driveways exiling onto Alga Road.. There is a sharp curve at Alicante on Alga. Just east of Alicante, Alga is fully improved. The traffic volume in this area is 7500 ADT. There is an existing speed limit posted of 45 mph. between E1 Camino Real and Alicante. There is no speed limit posted from Alicante to E1 Fuerte. A speed study was taken on 7/12/83. The critical speed west of Alicante was 52 mph for eastbound traffic and 50 mph for westbound traffic. East of Alicante, the critical speed was 56 mph for westbound traffic and 46 mph for eastbound traffic (see attached). A memo from the Assistant City Attorney, and the accident history for this area is also attached. Recommendation Staff re.ommends changing the existing speed limit of 45 mph to 35 mph, from El Camino Real to Alicante, and posting a 40 mph speed zone on Alga Road from Alicante to E1 Fuerte, ST:mmt attachment MEMORANDUZ4 `• DATE: July 13, 1983 TO: City Engineer FROM: City Attorney SUBJECT: DOWNGRADING SPEED LIMIT ON ALGA ROAD NEAR EL CAMINO REAL You have asked for an opinion regarding the City's ability to downgrade the speed limit on portions of Alga Road east of El Camino Real. This memorandum sets out the limits on the City's ability to establish a downgraded speed limit. The basic rule for the speed with which one may travel on any highway ka the state is established by section 22350 of the vehicle Code. That section, known as the basic speed law, states: "No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers a person or property." section 22351 of the Vehicle Cade provides that travelling at a speed which is less than a prima facie speed limit established pursuant to ,.he Vehicle Code is lawful unless the speed is clearly proved to be in violation of the basic speed law. Conversely, the section provides that any speed in excess of a prima facie speed limit established pursuant to the Vehicle Code is unlawful unless the defendant establishes, by competent evidence, that the speed he was travelling did not constitute a violation of the basic speed law at the time, place and under the conditions then existing. Sections 22357 and 22358 0£ the Vehicle Code give local authorities, such as cities, the ability by ordinance to detezmine and declare prima facie speed limits at a ,level which, based on a traffic and engineering survey, is most appropriate to facilitate the orderly movement of traffic and is reasonable and safe. Section 40802 and 10803 of the Vehicle Code provide that if a road is a speed trap no evidence of the speed of a vehicle including evidence obtained by the use of a radar can be admitted in any court upon the trial of any person for an alleged violation of the speed law. A speed trap is defined as, among other things, a particular section of highway with a prima facie speed limit provided by local ordinance which is not justified by an engineering and traffic survey conducted within five years prior to the date of: the violation. An engineering and traffic survey is defined by Section 627 of the Vehicle Code as a ..• survey of highway and traffic conditions in accordance with mathods &-termined by the Department: of Transportation. An engin,�,erinq and traffic survey shall include consideration of all of the following: 11 it -2- July 13, 1983 City Engineec a) prevailing speed as determined by traffic engineering measurements, b) accident records and c) highway traffic anal roadside onditions not readily apparent to the driver. If the speed limit set by the local authority is justified by an engineering and traffic survey then the speed limit may be enforced by use of such methods as radar. . The Traffic Manual published by the State Department of Transportation contains traffic regulations and specifications for the establishment of prima facie speed zones. Those regulations are conl-ained at pages 8-3 through 8-13 of the Traffic Manual. At page 8-5 the traf'cic regulations provide in part as follows: "In determining the speed limit which is most appropriate to facilitate the orderly movement of traffic and as reasonable and safe, important factors are prevailing speeds, unexpected conditions, Ynd accident records. "Speed limits should be established preferably at or near the 85 percentile speed, which is defined as that speed at or below which 85 percent of the traffic is moving. ... Speed limits established on this basis conform to the consensus of those who drive the highway as to what speed is reasonable and safe, and are not dependent on the judgment of one or a few individuals. "The basic sped law states that no person shall drive at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent. The majority of drivers comply with this law, and disregard regulations which they consider unreasonable. ... "Only when roadside development rR-cults in traffic conflicts and unusual conditions which are not readily apparent to drivers are speed limits somewhat below the 85 percentile warranted." As you can tell by reading the regulations, t'�e Department of Transportation relies on the ability of the average driver to determine a safe speed for travelling the roadways. However, when unusual conditions exist which an average driver would not anticipate as requiring a reduced speed the loyal authorities may, based on expert advice of their engineers ar : -ther traffic experts such as the police chief, determine that a lower :-need is necessary. Thus, a reduced speed limit may be established along Alga Road it you, based on your expertise as an engineer, determine that there are factors which are not readily apparent tc the average driver which would justify a reduced speed. These considerations would include the number of traffic conflicts existiny along the roadway, the number of driveways entering into the roadway, the number of side streets entering into the roadway, the nature of the vegetation along the side City Engineer -3- July 13, 1983 of the roadway and the view obstruction potential of the vegetation, the condition of the roadway, the curvature of the roadway, the sight distance along the roadway, topography in the vicinity of the roadway, the number and cause of the accidents along the roadway and other such factors. Presently the speed limit is posted at 45 miles per hour. The speed survey conducted on July 12, 1983 indicates that most people travel within a range of 3 miles per hour over or under the established limt. This would indicate that persons driving the road think that the established limit is safe. However, if because of other circumstances you find that it is necessary to reduce the speed limit in order to make the road safe for travellers or for the persons residing in the houses along the road, without unduly restricting traffic flow, then you should recommend a lower limit to Council. in conclusion, it is our opinion that the City Council may establish a lower speed limit along Alga Road provided that the speed limit can be justified by an engineering and traffic survey. I suggest that the police chief participate in the engineering and traffic study since both the police and the engineers are experienced in such matters. If I can be of further assistanc this regard please don't hesitate to let me know. - DUE HENTSCHKE Assistant City Attorney rme OCEANSoE • HNIV Y 78 t3UEtIA VISTA�L,i� ,.� A 0 GOOD liv J° 11 �1 SCALE �. -CITY OF C RLSBAD ' SQUIRES VAIIA 4 fs Cq 41 aqua tjEatoNDA i - \\`� LAG CON I � LL •Ott PACIFIC T PALOMIAR AIRPOR t IP Y �t •''.:. P`' ICE' � � Qottt,_��tt Ott 6DY. BATIOUITOS t LAGOON • � • �.�Sl TE VICINITY MAP I COSTA AVE •t t EXHIBIT 2 I, 17 t� ORDINANCE NO. 3164 2 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING TITLE 10, CHAPTER SECTIONF10.44.090 TO REVISEIPAL CODE THE SPEEDBLIMITAMENDING THE ON 4 ALGA ROAD. 5 The City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California, hereby ordains as 6 7 follows: ' rlsbad Municipal Code SECTION 1. That Title 10, Chapter 10.44 of the Ca 8 t 9 is amended by Section 10.44.090 to read as follows: fl Upon Alga Road from El Camino Real to its 10 10.44.090 Alaa ante, (a) intersection w:th �cante, the prima facie speed limit shall he thirty-five 11 miles per hour. (b) Unon Alga Road from Alicante to its intersection with El Fuerte, 12 the prima facie speed limit shall be forty miles per hours." 13 EFFECTIVE DATE: This ordinance shall be effective thirty drys after its ` 14 adoption, and the City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of Chis ordinance 15 and cause it to be published at least once in the Carlsbad Journal within 16 fifteen days after its adoption. INTRODUCED AND FIRST READ at a regular meeting of the City Council held the 17 18 lath day of }erg Get_, 1983, and thereafter 19 PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of said City Council held the 20 g111 day of seem , 1983, by the following vote, to wit: 21 AYES: Council tsmbers Casler, Lewis, Kulchi.n, Chick and Prescott 22 NOES: None 23 ABSENT: None 24 fiARY H. &a • t, Mayar 1 {1 25 ATTEST: ! n, 26 27 � W N AANL, G,t, j 28 (SEAL)