HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-10-11; City Council; 20706; INTRODUCE ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH ALL WAY STOP CONTROL ON GLASGOW DR AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH MIDDLETON DRIVE16
CITY OF CARLSBAD - AGENDA BILL
AB# 20.706
MTG. 10/11/11
DEPT. TRAN
INTRODUCE ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH
ALL-WAY STOP CONTROL ON
GLASGOW DRIVE AT ITS INTERSECTION
WITH MIDDLETON DRIVE
DEPT DIRECTOR (Jft
CITY ATTORNEY ^^^.
CITY MANAGER (jCA -
CS-161 to require stops on Glasgow Drive at its intersection with
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Introduce Ordinance No. _
Middleton Drive.
ITEM EXPLANATION:
The subject intersection serves the local neighborhood and is directly adjacent to Calavera
Community Park (see Exhibit 1). During sporting events and concerts at the park, this intersection
can be congested with pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles.
Glasgow Drive and Middleton Drive are unclassified in the Circulation Element of the General Plan but
function as local streets. Glasgow Drive has a curb-to-curb width of 40 feet and features curb, gutter,
sidewalk and street lights on both sides. Middleton Drive has a curb-to-curb width of 32 feet and
features curb and gutter on both sides of the street and sidewalk on the south side only and street
lights on the north side only. Traffic control on Glasgow Drive is provided by a traffic signal at
Carlsbad Village Drive and STOP signs at Edinburgh Drive.
Section 2B.07 of the California MUTCD recommends consideration of ALL-WAY STOP control when
there is a "need to control vehicle/pedestrian conflicts near locations that generate high pedestrian
volumes". Since Calavera Community Park can be considered a location that can generate high
pedestrian volumes during the aforementioned events, staff believes that an ALL-WAY STOP is
justified at this location.
Section 2B.07 of the California MUTCD recommends consideration of ALL-WAY STOP control at
locations "where a road user, after stopping, cannot see conflicting traffic and is not able to
reasonably negotiate the intersection unless the conflicting cross traffic is also required to stop". Staff
conducted a sight distance evaluation at the intersection of Glasgow Drive and Middleton Drive and
found that sight distance from the west leg of the intersection (Calavera Community Park entrance)
does not meet the minimum stopping sight distance requirements for 30 mph when looking to the
north and does not meet the minimum stopping sight distance requirements for 35 mph when looking
to the north and to the south. Although the posted speed limit on Glasgow Drive is 30 miles per hour,
the critical speed (85th percentile) speed on this portion of Glasgow Drive is 34 miles per hour.
The Traffic Safety Commission considered this matter at its meeting on September 12, 2011. By a 4-1
vote, the Traffic Safety Commission recommended that ALL-WAY STOP control be established on
Glasgow Drive at its intersection with Middleton Drive.
DEPARTMENT CONTACT: Bryan Jones, (760) 602-2431, Bryan.Jones@carlsbadca.gov
FOR CITY CLERKS USE ONLY.
COUNCIL ACTION: APPROVED *•
DENIED
CONTINUED
WITHDRAWN
AMENDED
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CONTINUED TO DATE SPECIFIC
CONTINUED TO DATE UNKNOWN
RETURNED TO STAFF
OTHER -SEE MINUTES
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per State CEQA
Guidelines Section 15301(c) - minor alteration of existing facilities, including streets, involving
negligible or no expansion.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The installation of two STOP signs, STOP legends on Glasgow Drive, painted crosswalks across
Glasgow Drive and Middleton Drive, will cost approximately $2,000. Sufficient funds are available in
the Streets Maintenance Division budget.
EXHIBITS:
1. Location map.
2. Sight distance analysis.
3. Ordinance No. cs-161 to require stops on Glasgow Drive at its intersection with
Middleton Drive.
4. Minutes of the September 12, 2011 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting,
.9-
LOCATION MAP
CALAVERA
COMMUNITY
PARK
PROJECT
LOCATION
NOT TO SCALE
LEGEND:
TRAFFIC SIGNAL
<Q
§
PROPOSED ALL-WAY STOP
GLASGOW DRIVE AND MIDDLETON DRIVE
EXHIBIT
1
250' REQUIRED FOR 35 MPH/
—I LU
>
GLASGOW
DRIVE
LINE OF SIGHT
LINE OF SIGHT
GLASGOW
DRIVE
CONFLICT
POINT
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Q. Q
POINT
1 _L 250' REQUIRED FOR 35 MPH
\\244' MEASURED
10'-
ct: >
< C£Q_ Q
REQUIRED
LINE OF SIGHT
POINT MEASURED
LINE OF SIGHT
(NORTH)
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NOT TO SCALE DATE OF MEASUREMENTS: 8/9/11
GLASGOW DRIVE AND MIDDLETON DRIVE
SIGHT DISTANCE ANALYSIS
EXHIBIT
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ORDINANCE NO. CS-161
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AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
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The City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California, hereby ordains as follows:
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That Title 10, Chapter 10.28 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code is amended by the addition
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of Section 10.28.970 to read as follows:
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"10.28.970 - Glasgow Drive. Drivers shall stop where the following
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JQ Middleton Drive"
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CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING TITLE 10, CHAPTER
10.28 OF THE CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL CODE TO REQUIRE
STOPS ON GLASGOW DRIVE AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH
MIDDLETON DRIVE
described street intersects Glasgow Drive:
EFFECTIVE DATE: This ordinance shall be effective thirty (30) days after its adoption; and
the City Clerk shall certify the adoption of this ordinance and cause it to be published at least once in
a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Carlsbad within fifteen (15) days after its adoption.
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INTRODUCED AND FIRST READ at a Regular Meeting of the Carlsbad City Council on the
11th day of October 2011, and thereafter
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Carlsbad,
California, on the day of , 2011, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
RONALD R. BALL, City Attorney
MATT HALL, Mayor
ATTEST:
LORRAINE M. WOOD, City Clerk
(SEAL)
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MINUTES
MEETING OF:
DATE OF MEETING:
TIME OF MEETING:
PLACE OF MEETING:
TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION
September 12,2011 (Special Meeting)
3:00 p.m.
City Council Chambers
CALL TO ORDER:
Chair Roney called the Meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Present:
Absent:
Staff Members Present:
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
June 6,2011
ACTION:
Chair Guy Roney
Vice-Chair Steve Gallagher
Commissioner Gordon Cress
Commissioner Jairo Valderrama
Commissioner Hope Wrisley
None
John Kim, Associate Engineer
Doug Bilse, Traffic Signal Systems Engineer
Jim Murray, Associate Engineer
VOTE:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Commissioner
Valderrama, to approve the minutes of the regular meeting held on
June 6,2011, as presented.
4-0-1
Roney, Gallagher, Cress, Valderrama
None
Wrisley
ITEM 4 - ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:
None.
September 12,2011 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 2
ITEM 5 - PREVIOUS BUSINESS:
None.
ITEM 6 - NEW BUSINESS:
ITEM 6A: Glasgow Drive at Middleton Drive - Request for All-Way Stop
John Kim, Associate Engineer, stated that Associate Engineer Jim Murray would present the first
item which is a request for an All-Way Stop at the intersection of Glasgow Drive at Middleton
Drive.
Jim Murray stated this intersection serves the residential neighborhoods and Calavera Community
Park, whose entry/exit driveway is the west leg of the Glasgow Drive/Middleton Drive intersection.
During sporting events and concerts at the park, the intersection can be congested with pedestrians
and vehicles.
On-street parking is allowed on both sides of Glasgow Drive and on the south side of Middleton
Drive, but prohibited on the north side. Glasgow is a fully improved street with a width of 40 feet.
Pedestrians wanting to cross at a controlled crossing must travel 875 feet to the traffic signal at
Carlsbad Village Drive or 1200 feet to the stop sign at Edinburgh Drive. Staff conducted an analysis
to establish an All-Way Stop at the subject intersection. The analysis considers the minimum traffic
volumes, accident history, vehicle/pedestrian conflicts and sight distance restrictions. Based on the
minimum traffic volumes the intersection did not meet the criteria for an All-Way Stop.
Staff conducted field measurements of existing sight distance at the subject intersection. With a
posted speed of 30 miles per hour on Glasgow Drive and the minimum stopping sight distance
required for 30 miles per hour is 200 feet. However, the critical speed on Glasgow Drive is 34 miles
per hour. The required stopping distance for 35 miles per hour is 250 feet. The existing available
sight distance was measured to be 172 feet from the park driveway looking north. The existing sight
distance was measured to be 244 feet from the park driveway looking south. Both measurements
were below the minimum required for stopping sight distance at 35 miles per hour. The sight
distance limitations from the park driveway are due to the fact that the park driveway is located on
the inside of the horizontal curve on Glasgow Drive, which means that parking prohibitions on
Glasgow Drive would not ensure minimum stopping sight distance requirements.
The California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) allows consideration of an
All-Way Stop at location where a road user, after stopping, cannot see conflicting traffic and is not
able to reasonably safely negotiate the intersection unless the conflicting cross traffic is also required
to stop. Furthermore, the California MUTCD also allows consideration of an All-Way Stop when
September 12,2011 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 3
there is a need to control vehicle/pedestrian conflicts near locations that generate high pedestrian
volumes such as a park. In the past, the city has installed All-Way Stops at other locations nearby
schools and parks as a result of similar analyses. Locations include Camino de las Ondas and Hidden
Valley Road adjacent to Pacific Rim Elementary School, Hidden Valley Road and Plum Tree Road
adjacent to Poinsettia Park, and the pending installation at Monroe Street and Gayle Way adjacent to
Carlsbad High School.
Based on these findings, staff recommends that an All-Way Stop be established at the intersection of
Glasgow Drive and Middleton Drive to assign the right-of-way between vehicles and pedestrians and
also recommending painting crosswalks across all four legs of this intersection.
Public Testimony
Chair Roney called for Public Testimony.
Glen B, did not state his address, a Carlsbad resident since 1984, stated that these stop controlled
intersections were in the news last Thursday and Friday due to the power outage which caused
congestion. But if you lived in the Bressi Ranch neighborhood, you had no problem moving due to
the numerous roundabouts. Roundabouts are also used successfully in Europe. Community leaders in
La Jolla and Encinitas noticed what was happening in the Bressi Ranch neighborhood and started to
pull out their All-Way Stops and installing roundabouts. Mayor Hall stated he believes in
roundabouts. Also in the Donna Drive neighborhood the residents asked for roundabouts to reduce
speeding but overnight fourteen or fifteen Stop signs were installed to teach the people a lesson and
justify city jobs. So let's slow down on the Stop signs and stop punishing the people who work
Monday through Friday.
DISCUSSION:
Commissioner Cress stated he plays softball at Calavera Community Park and making a left turn at
the intersection can be an adventure. He believes an All-Way Stop would be helpful.
Commissioner Wrisley stated she does not understand how a roundabout at that intersection would
help people cross the street. When people are in the roundabout you have to yield to them. I have a
Stop sign in my front yard and it does slow down the traffic.
Vice-Chair Gallagher stated that concerts happen at the Calavera Community Park maybe three
times a year. Sporting events probably happen only on weekends. It is interesting to note that both of
the primary considerations are not met at this location; no collision history and entering volumes that
are recommended for an All-Way Stop are not meet. There is no indication that there is a problem at
this intersection. Staff had mentioned section 2B.07 of the California MUTCD which says that a
road user cannot see conflicting traffic and is not able to reasonably negotiate the intersection. He
suspects there are other locations in the city that meet these criteria. There may be other ways to
address vehicle and pedestrian conflicts. One would be a crossing guard during concerts also there
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September 12,2011 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 4
has been no talk about restricting parking on each leg of the intersection. If an All-Way Stop is
installed we would stop over 2100 vehicles day seven days a week.
Chair Roney asked Associate Engineer Jim Murray if staff looked at installation of a roundabout.
Jim Murray stated that staff has not considered a roundabout due to the cost.
John Kim stated we do have opportunities in the Carlsbad Residential Traffic Management Program
to consider the placement of roundabouts and other traffic calming features.
Chair Roney stated he lives in the area and Calavera Community Park is always busy and the major
problem is the number of parked vehicles at the intersection.
John Kim stated to reply to some of Commissioner Gallagher comments. It is true that one set of
requirements are not being meet but it is important to mention that the vehicle requirements are not
any more or less important than the other requirements including sight distance. In the past we have
given priority to vehicles but that attitude has been changing to address livability issues and the
California MUTCD gives us the ability to so. Mr. Kim also pointed out that the sight distance
limitation at this location is due to the geometry of the roadway and that removal of parking would
not ensure acceptable sight distance at the intersection.
ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Commissioner
Valderrama, to approve the request for an All-Way Stop at Glasgow
Drive at Middleton Drive.
VOTE: 4-1-0
AYES: Roney, Valderrama, Cress, Wrisley
NOES: Gallagher
ABSTAIN: None
ITEM 6B: La Costa Avenue from El Camino Real to Rancho Santa Fe Road - Request that
City Council approve the La Costa Avenue improvement Plan
John Kim stated this is item is an update on the La Costa Avenue Improvement Plan and would be
presented by Senior Civil Engineer Doug Bilse.
Doug Bilse stated the study objective was to develop a cost effective, community-preferred plan to
address traffic speeds and safety on La Costa Avenue in a way that respects the residential character
and arterial function of the roadway. Some considerations were La Costa Avenue as a secondary
arterial, residential frontage on the street, speed, safety and enforcement. It is very important to
September 12,2011 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 5
design the roadway so that speeds are enforceable. During the La Costa Avenue planning process
there were three community meetings and a community survey was also mailed out.
Doug proceeded to describet the three community meeting and there goals and objectives. With
some of the objectives being:
• Increase safety for all users
• Design a roadway in keeping with the residential area neighborhood
• Don't divert traffic to other residential streets
• Develop a cost effective plan
He also listed some of the design options that met planning objectives:
• Reduce the number of lanes to one through lane in each direction to accommodate all
modes of traffic
• Include bike lanes in both directions
• Use bike lane to create a buffer and increase sight distance
Doug referenced the proposed concept plan which had one lane in each direction, partial medians,
and bike lanes in each direction, roundabouts and an estimated cost of $ 3 to $5 million dollars. He
concluded by saying the specific location of devices has not been determined and may change
based on topography, access locations, drainage, utilities, and other considerations.
Public Testimony
Chair Roney called for Public Testimony.
Ernie Trujillo, 2644 La Costa Avenue, stated he fully supports the plan. The recently implemented
interim striping plan has reduced noise and the ability to enter/exit driveways has also been
improved. It would be nice if the eleven foot wide median was widened to twelve feet.
Steve Linke, 7513 Quinta Street, stated he has a different view than the eighty homes that have
driveways on La Costa Avenue. Although he is sensitive to the needs and safety concerns of the
residents who live along the road, he feels is also important to keep traffic moving for the
approximate 18,000 vehicles traveling on La Costa Avenue each day. He is upset that a two hundred
page report was not turned over to the public until the day before this meeting which doesn't allow
any time to review the report. The City did not go through an environmental review. The reduction
to one lane requires an EIR due to the effect on traffic and air quality. City council approved the
removal of parking along portions of La Costa Avenue but the area of the accident that caused this
situation has not changed. Throughout this process City staff said there will be no traffic impacts and
September 12,2011 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 6
that La Costa Avenue is functioning properly. They are using questionable numbers to determine the
level of service. During last week' s black-out, La Costa Avenue was bumper to bumper and with the
methodology that the City staff is using that would be a level of service A. The community feedback
survey indicated that only 27% of the people who responded asked for roundabouts and more than
90% stated they did not want La Costa Avenue reduced to one lane. The City should send out the
final plan as a direct mailer to the broad community and ask for feedback.
Alan Thompson, 3019 Pueblo Street, stated he lives just about one block off of La Costa Avenue. He
is upset due the lack of notice of this meeting and was unable to find child care. He did not have time
to review the 200 page report and did not even have time to bring note cards to this meeting. It
would be accurate to say that City staff is not informing the public of the process regarding this item.
At the three meetings last spring, they were mainly presentations and the public was told that they
were very concerned with community feedback. At the last meeting they presented this same plan
but at City Council five days later they presented another plan. How does that equal public notice?
Basically we do not want gridlock or mile long backups in traffic. It is important to have things safe
but the congestion we have on La Costa Avenue is not acceptable. Roundabouts are great when there
is not much traffic but with the large volume of traffic on La Costa Avenue it would equal bumper to
bumper traffic similar to the situation on Rancho Santa Fe.
The two major safety issues on La Costa are the entering/exiting of driveways which could be fixed
with red curb and the left turn access that could be fixed with a median as found on the west end of
La Costa Avenue. Also, part of the plan is to remove traffic signals, but he was not sure how
removing a traffic signal would help traffic or increase safety. Slowing things down and causing a
two mile backup will not improve safety. Think about the congestion that removing the traffic signal
at Romeria Street when there is a school nearby. To test this plan, you could cover the traffic signals
and paint the striping similar to what they are proposing for this plan. You may have twenty to thirty
happy home owners on La Costa Avenue but you will have 18,000 very angry commuters.
Seeing no others wishing to testify, Chair Roney closed Public Testimony and asked Doug Bilse if
he would like to comment on anything that was said
Doug Bilse stated the on-street parking was removed to gain sight distance and to bring back on-
street parking would mean the reduction of sight distance. Staff will work toward that but it may not
happen at every location. Mr. Linke talked about the level of service and disagrees with the
standards and methodology used by the City but it has been approved and used for some time for
environmental documents. On Leucadia Boulevard they did mix roundabouts with All- Way Stops
and that does have impacts during the peak hour. The importance of a roundabout is that it reduces
the number of conflicts and types of collisions. Mr. Bilse believes that staff did a good job of
informing the community with over 3,600 letters mailed out to residents and community members.
DISCUSSION
Commissioner Wrisley asked how big does a roundabout need to be?
September 12,2011 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 7
Doug Bilse stated that a small radius is called a traffic circle. A larger radius is often referred to as a
roundabout. The bigger the radius the larger amount of vehicles can use the roundabout.
Commissioner Wrisley stated if you have ever driven in Europe, they have roundabout all over and
they seem to work fine.
Commissioner Cress asked what the 200 page report that Mr. Linke and Mr. Thompson were talking
about?
Doug Bilse stated it is the technical memorandum of the La Costa Avenue Improvement Plan. Staff
intended to place it on the website earlier but had some technical issues.
Vice-Chair Gallagher asked with the interim stripping plan does the City have design immunity.
Doug Bilse stated we would have to meet all design criteria and the reason we have removed on-
street parking is due to the sight distance requirement for 45 miles per hour. It is up to the City
Attorney to determine is the city has design immunity or not. Staff did everything they could
reasonably do.
Vice-Chair Gallagher asked if the on-street parking has been removed.
Doug Bilse stated that one travel lane was removed and a bike lane was added on the west side of La
Costa Avenue, which allowed staff to retain some on-street parking. The areas we did remove on-
street parking did not meet the sight distance requirements even with the removal of one lane and
addition of the bike lane.
Vice-Chair Gallagher stated that basically you added a 12 foot buffer to allow sight distance. Do we
have enough right-of-way to install roundabouts?
Doug Bilse stated yes we do have the right-of-way to install roundabouts.
ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Commissioner
Valderrama, to approve the approval of the La Costa Avenue
Improvement Plan.
VOTE: 5-0-0
AYES: Roney, Gallagher, Valderrama, Cress, Wrisley
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
September 12, 2011 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 8
ITEM 6C: Elect a new Traffic Safety Commission Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
ACTION: Motion by Chair Roney, and duly seconded by Commissioner Cress,
to elect Steve Gallagher to Chairperson of the Traffic Safety
Commission
VOTE: 5-0-0
AYES: Roney, Gallagher, Valderrama, Cress, Wrisley
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Gallagher, and duly seconded by
Commissioner Valderrama, to elect Gordon Cress to Vice-
Chairperson of the Traffic Safety Commission
VOTE: 5-0-0
AYES: Gallagher, Valderrama, Cress, Wrisley, Roney
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ITEM 6D: Consider adopting of a Traffic Safety Commission Resolution of Commendation
for Jack dimming
ACTION: Motion by Chairperson Roney, and duly seconded by Commissioner
Cress, to approve the adoption of a Traffic Safety Commission
Resolution of Commendation for Jack Gumming
VOTE: 5-0-0
AYES: Roney, Gallagher, Valderrama, Cress, Wrisley
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ITEM 7: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS
None
September 12,2011 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 9
ITEM 8: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER
Mr. Kim stated that the City has a new Traffic Engineer Bryan Jones has been hired and will be
acting as the Traffic Engineer for the City. He would have been here if not for an APA conference he
had to attend. The next regular TSC meeting is scheduled to be held on October 3,2011 at 3:00 p.m.
in the City Council Chambers unless there are no agenda items.
ADJOURNMENT:
By proper motion, Chair Roney adjourned the Regular Meeting of September 12,2011 at 4:33 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Melinda Rehfeldt
Engineering Technician