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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-02-06; Traffic Safety Commission; Minutesi MINUTES MEETING OF: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION DATE OF MEETING: February 6,1995 TIME OF MEETING: 3:OO p.m. PLACE OF MEETING: City Council Chambers CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Courtney called the Meeting to order at 3:OO p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Courtney, Anear, Blake, Green and Stachoviak. Absent: None. Staff Members Present: Bob Johnson, Traffic Engineer Sgt. Jim Byler APPROVAL OF MINUTES: On motion by Commissioner Stachoviak, the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held January 9, 1995, were approved as presented. AYES: Courtney, Blake, Green and Stachoviak ABSTAIN: Anear ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: There were no requests to address the Commission on a non-agenda item. PREVIOUS BUSINESS: Bob Johnson stated he had no items under Previous Business. Commissioner Green inquired whether staff at the swim complex had completed their training to be able to issue citations. Mr. Johnson stated that the item for the ability to issue tickets at the swim complex is scheduled to be on the City Council agenda one week from tomorrow. A week later the ordinance will be adopted to change the time limits on parking. Thirty days later, or near the end of March, the new ordinance and new times would be in effect, and by then the individuals will probably be able to write tickets. February 6, 1995 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 2 NRN BUSINESS: A. Paseo Del Norte. Car Countw Drive to Poinsettia Lane - Request to revise the existing prima facie speed limit. Bob Johnson gave the staff report, using a transparency to show the segment of Paseo Del Norte to be considered. This road is a secondary arterial and fully improved, with two travel lanes in each direction and a painted median from Car Country Drive southerly to Camino del Parque and one travel lane in each direction and a painted median from Camino del Parque to Poinsettia Lane. This item was initiated by Sgt. Metcalf of the Carlsbad Police Department. Since Paseo Del Norte is one of the top ten streets for Police monitoring, he requested an Engineering and Traffic Survey to determine the proper speed limit. This segment of Paseo Del Norte has a 35 mile per hour speed limit, and the Survey does not support this speed limit. The accident history for this segment of road indicates there is no safety problem associated with excessive speed, and since the Police Department cannot enforce the 35 mile per hour speed limit, the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee has recommended a 40 mile per hour speed limit. Commissioner Stachoviak asked why the speed limit was being raised, since the accident history indicated that the segment of road was operating efficiently. Mr. Johnson and Sgt. Byler both explained that the City is updating the speed limits on major streets in order to comply with the Goulet decision which the courts are now enforcing. The Police Officers cannot issue tickets on a street where the Engineering and Traffic Survey indicates that the present speed limit is too low. The tickets are thrown out of court and the Police Officers are reprimanded by the Judges/Commissioners for even writing the tickets. Radar cannot be used on those streets, and as a result, people are driving even faster, knowing they cannot be issued a valid speeding ticket. Commissioner Stachoviak asked how many tickets have been thrown out of court as a result of this being a speed trap, and Bob Johnson explained that Sgt. Metcalf had the Officers writing warning tickets, knowing that any ticket they would write would not be valid. Sgt. Byler stated that when a speed limit on a street is too low, the Police cannot issue a ticket unless they are exceeding the 55 mile per hour limit. They want to be able to ticket those drivers who are going under 55 and want to be able to take them into court and win. Commissioner Green requested Sgt. Byler to explain the process of warning tickets and how that is determined. Sgt. Byler stated the Police Officer has the discretion to issue a warning citation, and in an area where the speed limit is not supported by an Engineering and Traffic Survey, that is all that the Officers will write, unless the motorist is traveling over 55 miles per hour. When the speed limit is supported by Surveys, then radar can be used to issue tickets. Sgt. Byler stated that legally the Police cannot write tickets that are not valid. Chairman Courtney stated that the Goulet decision has been in effect for many years, but was not rigidly enforced. It is now being enforced by the courts. February 6, 1995 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 3 NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) Mr. Johnson stated that the Engineering Department cannot devote all its time to checking the speed limits and conducting new Engineering and Traffic Surveys. However, on the busiest streets in the City, the Department is conducting the Surveys to update all the existing speed limits, and those will be brought before the Commission. At this time, if there is no valid survey that has been taken within the last five years on file in the court, the tickets written for that street will be thrown out by the court. In reply to Commission query, Mr, Johnson explained that the Police have a book with the posted speed limits and know where they want to conduct speed enforcement, based on complaints or other problems, and have a list of the top ten streets in the City for enforcement. ACTION: On motion by Commissioner Green, the Traffic Safety Commission adopted the recommendation of the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee to establish a prima facie speed limit on Paseo Del Norte from Car Country Drive to Poinsettia Lane at 40 miles per hour based upon the results of the Engineering and Traffic Surveys. AYES: Courtney, Anear, Blake, Green and Stachoviak B. Traffic Safetv Commission Resolution of Commendation for Bud Green - Action Item Bob Johnson stated that it has been the standard practice over the last four or five years to honor the outgoing Chairman with a Resolution of Commendation. He asked for Commission action. ACTION: On motion by Commissioner Stachoviak, the Traffic Safety Commission voted to consider adoption of a Resolution of Commendation for outgoing Chairman Green. AYES: Courtney, Anear, Blake and Stachoviak ABSTAIN: Green REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS: Commissioner Anear asked about making two lanes for left turns from El Camino Real going south onto Carlsbad Village Drive, and Mr. Johnson replied that due to the narrow median and the width of the roadway, there is not sufficient room for two lanes. Mr. Anear said that at Marron Road going north on El Camino, could the signal timing be changed, and Mr. Johnson replied that Caltrans has those signals timed and their Engineers have studied that intersection. ” February 6, 1995 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 4 REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER: Mr. Johnson reported that Thelma Hayes has requested an update on the Pedestrian Action Plan, and this item will be on the March 6 Commission agenda. ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion, the Regular Meeting of February 6, 1995, was adjourned at 3:40 p.m. Respectfully submi ed, Harriett Babbitt Minutes Clerk .