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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-04-02; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesMINUTES Meeting of : TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Time of Meeting: 3:OO p.m. Date of Meeting: April 2, 1990 Place of Meeting: City Council Chambers COMMISSIONERS ' CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Herring called the Meeting to order at 3:OO p.m. ROLL CAtL: Present: Commissioners Herring, Fuller, Melideo and Stachoviak. Absent: Commissioner O'Day. Staff Members Present: Bob Johnson, Traffic Engineer Sgt. Carpenter, Police Department Clyde Wickham, Associate Civil Engineer APPROVAL OF MINWIXS: The Minutes of the Meeting held March 5, 1990, were approvet as presented. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS : Thelma Hayes, 580 Laguna Drive, addressed the Commission on two items; first, the draft of the sidewalk inventory reporl and the desire to have public input. The Chamber of Commerce Traffic and Transportation Committee and some citizens who worked on the Pedestrian Action Plan have been asked to review this report and make comments. She said that additional information is needed. Second, the Housing and Redevelopment Advisory Committee has recommended to the City Council that some of the HUD block grant be approved tc connect the Maxton Brown Park with the Oceanside sidewalk, which is completed to the Carlsbad City limits. Mrs. Hayes said this would be before Council on April 24, 1990, and if any of the Commissioners wished to individually support this, it would be appreciated. OLD BUSINESS: Bob Johnson introduced Clyde Wickham, Associate Civil Engineer, who will be working with him and with the Traffic Safety Commission. Mr. Johnson reported that Marlene Bacon had appealed the Traffic Safety Commission recommendation for parking regulations on Park Drive. The City Council denied the appeal of Ms. Bacon and upheld the Traffic Safety decision. Mr. Johnson reported that the funding for the four Proposition A Bicycle projects had been submitted to Council and the applications submitted. A presentation will be mad6 to the SANDAG Coordinating Committee and hopefully the requests will be successful. Mr. Johnson said the Sidewalk Inventory Report ia being revised to include the previous comments and will be brought back to the Commission next month. Herring Fuller Melideo Stachovial 1 MINUTES NEW BUSINESS: A. Rancho Santa Fe Road/Calle Barcelona Intersection Request for an Adult Crossing Guard. Bob Johnson gave the staff presentation, as contained in the staff report, using transparencies to show a condition diagram indicating the two painted crosswalks at the intersection. He stated that the request for the crossing guard had been made by Norm Ginsburg, the Principal of Mission Estancia Elementary School. He indicated that anyone crossing the intersection must use the two crosswalks, and there are push buttons there to control the vehicle traffic. Mr. Johnson referred to the CalTrans Traffic Manual and the Chapter involved in this issue, stating that a copy of that chapter was included in the staff report. Mr. Johnson concluded his report, stating that warrants had been met, and because of the high volumes of traffic and the high speeds on Rancho Santa Fe Road, an adult crossing guard was recommended by the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee. The City funds adult crossing guards, and the City Council would have to approve this, and such there are no funds available at this time, the Police Department would have to meet with the City Manager to locate funding. Dennis Gallegos, 2908 Via Pepita, spoke in favor of the crossing guard, stating the dangers to the children crossing at that intersection. He asked the Commission to adopt the recommendation for the crossing guard. Commissioner Fuller asked about the feasibility of an overhead crossing over Rancho Santa Fe Road. Mr. Johnson said that had not been considered, as when there is an overhead crossing, the pedestrians need to be forced to use that structure. It would not fit within the public right- of-way at that intersection, and easements would be needed. Commissioner Fuller asked whether there were weekend activities at the school, and Mr. Ginsburg, the Principal, stated that the fields are not ready at this time, but when they are, there will be events there on the weekends; particularly on Saturdays. Mr. Gallegos commented that when the other schools are built in that area, the traffic will increase even more, and an adult crossing guard will certainly help. Commissioner Melideo stated that she fully agreed that something was needed for that crossing, especially since Rancho Santa Fe Road will get busier as the buildout continues. She said the parents should be asked to tell their children to obey the crossing guards and not go off on their own. There should be education through the school and the parents to instruct the children to obey the crossing guard. - 5. MINUTES TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION April 2, 1990 Page 3 COMMISSIONERS \ NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) Commissioner Melideo stated that she would like to recommend that the City consider doing an overpass in that area. She felt it would become necessary as other schools develop in the area, and should have been built into the planning. That area will be a family area with children using the facilities in the area. She said she would like to see this on the drawing board. Mr. Johnson said that it is difficult to find people to become crossing guards, as it is for such a short time each day. The Traffic Safety Commission adopted the recommendation of the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee to provide an adult crossing guard at the intersection of Rancho Santa Fe Road/Calle Barcelona. B. Pedestrian Action Plan - Status Report. Bob Johnson stated that Mrs. Hayes had requested an update on this Plan, and he read the five Key Elements, giving the status of each at this time. Thelma Hayes, 580 Laguna Drive, stated she was pleased that in the two years this has been in effect that progress has been made. She mentioned the Maxton Brown area and Jefferson Street and the danger to pedestrians and felt that perhaps next year there could be some special public education. Mrs. Hayes also felt that it should be seen how the public could influence an overpass at Rancho Santa Fe Road. Mrs. Hayes concluded, stating that pedestrians were being given attention, and that had not happened before. This was an information item and no action was taken. C. La Costa Avenue, 1-5 to El Camino Real - Request to establish a prima facie speed limit. Bob Johnson gave the staff report, stating that a survey had been conducted and the data was contained in the packet. Due to the existing roadway features and geometrics, traffic volumes, collision history and critical speed, the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommended a prima facie speed limit of 50 miles per hour be established on La Costa Avenue between 1-5 and El Camino Real. There was Commission discussion about placing a lower speed limit in that area, but staff reiterated that a lower speed limit would not be enforceable. The suggestion was made to run a check on this as a follow-up to see what the signs did as far as any change in the driving speeds. Mr. Johnson said that plans are completed to widen La Costa with a divided median, but that cannot be done until something is done about the bottleneck at the freeway entrance. The overpass at 1-5 may be widened in 1993. In reply to a query about a light at Saxony Road, Mr. Johnson stated that Encinitas is unwilling to fund their share of a traffic signal. Herring Fuller Me 1 ideo Stachoviak MINUTES TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION April 2, 1990 Page 4 I NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) The Traffic Safety Commission adopted the recommendation of the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee to establish a prima facie speed limit of 50 miles per hour on La Costa Avenue between 1-5 and El Camino Real, with an added provision to have staff run another traffic survey in nine months after the signs have been posted in order to make a comparison with the traffic speeds. I D. El Camino Real, Lisa Street to HOSR Wav - Request to establish a prima facie speed limit. Bob Johnson reported that traffic and engineering surveys had been conducted and the data was contained in the staff report. The Coordinating Committee had recommended a 50 mile .. per hour speed limit. Sgt. Carpenter of the Police Department stated that as traffic volumes increase, the speeds will lower, due to the congestion. He felt the 50 miles per hour limit was in accordance with the critical speed. Mr. Johnson stated that there are speed surveys every five years, and when this is studied, the speed limit in this area may come down. The Traffic Safety Commission adopted the recommendation of the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee to establish a prima facie speed limit of 50 miles per hour on El Camino Real between Hosp Way and Lisa Street. E. Traffic Safetv Commission Rules and Procedures - Adopt Resolution 90-1 to establish procedural rules. Bob Johnson reported that the Subcommittee, consisting of Commissioners Herring and Stachoviak and staff had reviewed the procedural rules and were recommending that Resolution 90-1 be adopted by the Commission establishing those procedures and rules. The Traffic Safety Commission adopted the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommendation to adopt the following Resolution: I RESOLUTION NO. 90-1, adopting Traffic Safety Commission Procedures. REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIOIUERS: Commissioner Melideo reported that the potholes at Jefferson and Tamarack are fixed. She asked why Ocean Street was only refinished on the east half between Elm and Pine. I ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion, the Meeting of April 2, 1990, was adjourned at 4:15 p.m. I ” R$spbctfully subpitted, d77 Harriett Babbltt Minutes Clerk Herring Fuller Me 1 ideo Stachoviak Herring Fuller Me1 ideo Stachoviak Herring Fuller Me 1 ideo Stachoviak