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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-08-02; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesAugust 2,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 1 MEETING OF: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION DATE OF MEETING: TIME OF MEETING: 3:OO P.M. PLACE OF MEETING: August 2,2004 (Regular Meeting) CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER: Chair Gordon Cress called the Meeting to order at 3:OO p.m. Chair Cress introduced and welcomed Commissioner Bonnie Bradshaw to the Traffk Safety Commission. ROLL CALL: Present: Absent: Chair Gordon Cress Vice-Chair Steve Dorsey Commissioner Bonnie Bradshaw Commissioner Susan Gardner Commissioner Guy Roney Staff Members Present: Robert Johnson, Deputy City Engineer, Transportation Lt. Don Rawson, Carlsbad Police Department Officer Damien Garcia, Carlsbad Police Department APPROVAL OF MINUTES: July 12,2004 ACTION: Approval of the Minutes of the regular meeting of July 12, 2004 were continued until the meeting of September 13,2004. ITEM 4 - ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. August 2,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 2 ITEM 5 - PREVIOUS BUSINESS: Robert Johnson, Deputy City Engineer, Transportation, stated that at the July 20,2004 City Council meeting, the City Council adopted the 3-hour parking limit that was discussed by the Traffic Safety Commission at the June 7,2004 meeting for Carlsbad Boulevard from just north of Christiansen Way to Beech Avenue, and on Christiansen Way fiom just east of Carlsbad Boulevard to Washington Street. Also at the July 20,2004 City Council meeting, the City Council heard the appeal of the citizens regarding their request for stop signs on Avenida Encinas at three intersections. The City Council directed stat0 bring back an ordinance to establish an all-way stop at one of the three intersections, which was the middle intersection at Portage Way/Marlin Lane on Avenida Encinas in order to assign right of way to pedestrians and vehicles. In addition, they directed staff to conduct a Traffic Signal Warrant Analysis with the consideration of putting in a traffic signal at that location also. Finally, at the August 10,2004 meeting, Mr. Johnson stated that the City Council will consider the recommendation of the Commission to install the stop sign on Cypress Street at Ocean Street as discussed at the July 12,2004 Traffic Safety Commission meeting. Mr. Johnson announced that Officer Damien Garcia, Carlsbad Police Department, joined the meeting at 3:05 p.m. ITEM 6 - NEW BUSINESS: ITEM 6A: Establish a prima facie speed limit upon Calle Barcelona from El Camino Real to the southerly city limit of Carlsbad. Referring to an overhead slide, Mr. Johnson stated that the requested action on this item is to establish a prima facie speed limit on Calle Barcelona from El Camino Real to the southerly city limit. This segment is about .45 miles in length. East of El Camino Real, Calle Barcelona is a secondary arterial on the Circulation Element and it has a posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour. However, the subject segment is not classified on the Circulation Element. It has been constructed with two traffic lanes in each direction that has been built to full city standards with curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and streetlights. A portion of the road has a raised median; other portions have a two-way left-turn lane. There are turn lanes provided at the two traffic signal locations and one of the traffic signals is at the main driveway entrance to the Forum shopping center, a four-leg intersection. The T-intersection on the southerly city limits, just north of Leucadia Boulevard, is also a signalized intersection and it serves as the west entrance to the Forum. August 2,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 3 Mr. Johnson stated that traffic volumes measured on Calle Barcelona in April of this year west of El Camino Real were about 9,200 vehicles per day, Staff conducted a speed survey that is necessary as part of the Engineering and Traffic Survey. The critical speed, which is the 85fh percentile, was found to be 40 miles per hour. The 85* percentile means that that is the speed at which 85 percent of vehicles are traveling at or below. It does not mean that all 85 percent of the vehicles are traveling at 40 miles per hour; instead, drivers are traveling at or below 40 miles per hour. The next five-mile per hour increment is at 35 miles per hour, and 49 percent of the vehicles are traveling at or below 35 miles per hour. Mr. Johnson reviewed the collision history which is part of the Engineering and Traffic Survey. The collision history is the two-year period from May 1,2002 until April 30,2004 and there have been six collisions, three of which were speed related. Referring to a collision diagram on the overhead, Mr. Johnson stated that at the time that most of these collisions occurred, the roads on north and south side of the Calle Barcelona at the main entrance to the shopping center were not open, so these were mid-block collisions that occurred in the vicinity of the future traffic signal. Beginning with May 1 , 2002, there was one collision in 2002, four collisions in 2003, and one so far this year. Four of the six collisions were property damage only, and two of the collisions were injury collisions. Fortunately, none were fatalities. Four of the collisions occurred in light (daytime) conditions, two occurred in dark conditions. None were on wethlippery type roads. The most westerly collision on Calle Barcelona had a primary collision factor of exceeding the safe speed. The collision resulted when the driver drove too fast and ran into a parked vehicle on the north side of the intersection in January of 2003. Another collision was due to an improper U-turn in November of 2002. Mr. Johnson described the circumstances of the other four collisions. Overall, the accident rate on this road for the two-year period covered by the Engineering and Traffic Survey is slightly below the statewide average, which is 2.15 accidents per year per million vehicle miles. The rate for this road is 1.98. Mr. Johnson stated that when an Engineering and Traffic Survey is conducted, it is used to establish a speed limit that is reasonable and prudent and that would be complied with by most drivers. There are always those top percent of drivers, in the case of speed zoning, the top fifteen percent, that no matter what is the posted speed limit, they are going to drive at the speed they want to drive and they will always be in violation. The theory is to set a speed limit so that only those individuals are the ones that are in violation. It is not the intent of the law to make everyone subject to breaking the law by posting a speed limit unrealistically low. If the speed limit that is posted is not in compliance with the results of the Engineering and Traffic Survey, then it is a speed trap and police officers are not able use radar to enforce the speed limit. Mr. Johnson stated that one of the three most persuasive factors or arguments in an Engineering and Traffic Survey is the critical speed, which is a vital component in helping to determine the speed limit on the roadway. In this case, the critical speed is 40 miles an hour. The collision history is a second factor and has a bearing on the establishment of a prima facie speed limit. In this case, there are some unique aspects to exceeding the safe speed, and three of the six collisions were a result of going too fast on that roadway. The third factor would be conditions that are not readily apparent to the driver. This can be a very important factor in establishing speed limits. For this segment of Calle August 2,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 4 uses are all readily apparent to the driver. There are no conditions that would not be readily apparent to the attentive driver. The road is striped to delineate the curvilinear nature of the road. Mr. Johnson stated that the Tr&k Safety Coordinating Committee reviewed this item and it was unanimously recommended that a prima facie 40 mile per hour speed limit be established on Calle Barcelona from El Camino Real to the south city limit based on the results of the Engineering and Traffk Survey. DISCUSSION: Commissioner Dorsey asked if the City of Encinitas has established a speed limit for their portion of the street. Commissioner Bradshaw stated that there was a 45 mile per hour speed limit south of Leucadia Boulevard that was posted on Calle Barcelona. Therefore, both sides of Calle Barcelona east of El Camino Real and south of Leucadia Boulevard are posted 45 miles per hour. Mr. Johnson affirmed that Commissioner Bradshaw was stating that Encinitas has a posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour. However, in Carlsbad, the segment does not have a speed limit, and Mr. Johnson stated that he had not seen a posted speed limit on the Encinitas segment of the road immediately south of what the Commission is considering. Commissioner Bradshaw stated that she spoke with Mr. Johnson last week and expressed her concerns that when driving the Carlsbad segment at 40 miles per hour, it felt too fast to her. She stated that she could feel the vehicle being thrown off the road around the curve, and it was just a little too fast for her. Therefore, Commissioner Bradshaw stated she was inclined to recommend a 35-mile per hour speed limit. Chair Cress commented that as Mr. Johnson had pointed out, if a speed limit is posted less than the 85 percentile speed, then it is considered a speed trap and is unenforceable. Chair Cress agreed that 40 miles per hour is somewhat fast, but felt that the natural tendency of a driver is to slow down on the curves and felt that the speed survey bares that out. Very few people are exceeding 40 miles per hour, having to go to the 94* percentile to get 41 miles per hour. Chair Cress felt that 40 miles per hour was very generous speed limit in that area and considering the traffic there, felt most people would be well below 40 miles per hour. August 2,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 5 Commissioner Bradshaw stated that the other consideration would be to get an advisory speed for that curve, and have a warning sign warning the motorists that the curve is there. Mr. Johnson informed the Commission that staff could look into doing a ball-bank study to see if an advisory speed limit is appropriate or necessary. If the results of the ball-bank study indicate that an advisory speed limit is necessary, that ball-bank study will determine what the speed should be. The way a ball-bank study is conducted is to use is a ball-bank indicator that is in the traffic van. The road is driven at 5 mile per hour increments, starting at about 25 or 30 miles per hour, gradually going to 30,40, and 45 miles per hour. The results are plotted on a graph for the ball-bank study and there is a line that indicates the maximum comfortable driving speed. At the point where the plotted line results of driving the road crosses the line on the ball-bank graph, the recommended speed is indicated to post as an advisory speed. Chair Cress asked Mr. Johnson if this ball-bank study had been done on this area. Mr. Johnson stated that it had not. He further stated that it was not typically something that was done on a road like Calle Barcelona since the road was built to city standards. It is something that could be done and he would report the results back to the Commission. MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Vice-Chair Dorsey and duly seconded by Chair Cress, to establish a prima facie speed limit on Calle Barcelona from El Camino Real to the southerly city limit of Carlsbad. VOTE: 2- 1-0 AYES: Cress, Dorsey NOES: Bradshaw ABSTAIN: None ITEM NO. 6B: Install a stop sign on Avenida Circuela at its intersection with Paseo Almendro and install a stop sign on Paseo Almendro at its intersection with Camino Serbal. Mr. Johnson stated that this item was an investigation of two intersections in the south part of Carlsbad in the La Costa Valley located just to the north of Calle Barcelona, west of Rancho Santa Fe Road. Both intersections are in residential areas, and are basically residential streets. However, Paseo Almendro functions as a collector road. Avenida Ciruela intersects into Paseo Almendro in a August 2,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 6 T-intersection and then Paseo Almendro continues north as a T-intersection with Camino Serbal. The request received from a resident was that there appeared to be a sight distance restriction and that vehicles were not yielding as they entered on to what in this case would be the major street. Vehicles turning from Avenida Ciruela did not yield when they entered Paseo Almendro. The resident indicated that there were close calls. In addition, some vehicles approaching on Paseo Almendro to Camino Serbal were reported to not yield. Mr. Johnson stated that when staff receives these types of requests, the comer sight triangle is investigated to determine if there is a need to assign the right of way to the minor street. Referring to Exhibit 1, Mr. Johnson showed the example of a generic case of how the 10 mile per hour safe approach speed is used to determine if a stop sign should be placed on the minor street. Avenida Circula would be the minor street and Paseo Almendro would be the major street. For the 10 mile per hour criteria when looking to the left, the minor street decision point is 50 feet from where there would be a conflict, meaning a collision would occur if both vehicles were to proceed into the intersection at the same time. At 10 miles per hour, the decision point used on the minor street is 50 feet from the conflict point on the major street. Mr. Johnson further stated that along the major street, a vehicle must be visible to a driver at the decision point or the minor street 150 feet from the conflict point. The 150 feet is equivalent to a vehicle traveling about 31 miles per hour. The 31 miles per hour is a typical residential speed. Drivers are supposed to drive 25 miles per hour, but they simply do not do that. At the decision point on the minor street, the driver must be able to see that approaching vehicle in order to have time to react and either stop or slow. The driver on the major street approaching the intersection also should be able to see a vehicle on the minor street. At an intersection there is often a building, trees, hedges, shrubs, or vegetation causing a restriction. The minor street driver may not be able to see the approaching vehicle that is 150 feet from the intersection. Mr. Johnson stated that at the intersection of Avenida Ciruela with Paseo Almendro, the distance available to the minor street driver is about 133 feet. Looking to the right, there was not an obstruction and no sight problem. The restriction due to vegetation looking left (north) was topography and landscaping. At the Paseo Almendro/Camino Serbal intersection, looking left there was only 122 feet available to observe the approaching vehicle. Because of the limited line of sight distances, the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommended Avenida Ciruela at Paseo Almendro where it intersects Camino Serbal have a stop sign installed to assign right of way. DISCUSSION: Commissioner Bradshaw asked if the stop sign came with a stop legend and a stop bar. Mr. Johnson stated that when staff goes to the City Council and they adopt an ordinance to install a stop sign, in conjunction with installing a stop sign a limit line and a stop legend is also installed. In August 2,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 7 some cases, on the high-speed roadways, a stop ahead sign and stop ahead pavement legend is also installed. Typically, on a residential street, a stop ahead sign is not installed so as to not inundate a neighborhood with too many signs. It would depend on the curvature of the roadway if it was really necessary for a stop ahead sign to be installed. However, the limit line and the stop legend are always installed with the stop sign. Chair Cress asked if we were going to be setting a precedent here that everybody else in the neighborhood where there are other T-intersections are going to be coming to the city and saying that since there is a stop sign there, how about on our street over here. You may see a plethora of stop sign requests coming in. Mr. Johnson stated that can be a concern. The Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee talked about that same question. In the case of the Via Ramaza intersection, immediately south of Avenida Circuela, it already had a stop sign at its intersection with Paseo Almendro. If a request did come in, it would be studied. If the study indicated that the 150 foot criteria was met for the 10 mile per hour safe approach speed, the individual would be advised that there is really no need to assign the right of way with a stop sign installation. It has been found that few people will be asking for stop signs on the stem of the T-intersection unless there truly is a sight restriction. There are a number of intersections in the city that have good open sight distances and staffhas not received those kinds of requests. It is when there is a tree, a hedge, a building or the like that does restrict sight distance that a complaint is received. MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Vice-Chair Dorsey and duly seconded by Commissioner Bradshaw, to accept the recommendation of the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee to install a stop sign on Avenida Ciruela at its intersection with Paseo Almendro and to install a stop sign on Paseo Almendro at its intersection with Camino Serbal. VOTE: 3-0-0 AYES: Cress, Dorsey, Bradshaw NOES: None ABSTAIN: None August 2,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 8 ITEM 6C: Consider adoption of a Traffic Safety Commission Resolution of Commendation for Jim Courtney. Mr. Johnson stated that this item was initiated by the Traffic Safety Commission to adopt a Resolution of Commendation for Commissioner Jim Courtney. It is a way for the Commission to honor an outgoing Traffic Safety Commissioner. In the past, the Traffic Safety Commission has honored each Commissioner that has completed hisher term with a Resolution of Commendation. Mr. Johnson stated that he had attached a generic Resolution of commendation for the Commissioners to look at. If adopted, the Resolution would be printed on fancy scrolled parchment paper that would include signatures of the Chair and himself, and placed in a frame to present to Mr. Courtney at the next Traffic Safety Commission meeting. If he is not available to attend, it would be given to him at his home. DISCUSSION: Chair Cress stated to Commissioner Bradshaw that Jim Courtney has served as Commissioner for over eleven years and his experience and background has been invaluable to this Commission. He felt this was we11 earned and deserved, and suggested that it should be approved by acclamation. MOTION: ACTION: VOTE: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ITEM 7: None. ITEM 8: Motion by Chair Cress and approved by acclamation to adopt a Traffic Safety Commission Resolution of Commendation for Jim Courtney. Cress, Dorsey, Bradshaw None None 3 -0-0 REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER Mr. Johnson informed the Commission that August 9, 2004 is the dedication for the College BoulevardCannon Road connection, the long awaited removal of the barricades on College Boulevard. Each Commissioner should have received invitations to attend the ceremony that starts at August 2,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 9 1O:OO a.m. There will be a dedication ceremony, a ribbon cutting, and other festivities, and then the road will be open and traffic will start flowing on College Boulevard down to Cannon Road and west to El Camino Real. The one caveat that everyone needs to understand is that through the McMillan Development, College Boulevard is a four- lane divided roadway with raised median, but the off-site improvements were only built as one lane in each direction. The south end of College Boulevard as it approaches Cannon Road and then Cannon Road from College Boulevard to almost El Camino Real will be one lane in each direction. Mr. Johnson stated that there are barricades on Mira Monte Drive. At the City Council meeting last week, the City Council decided that those barricades would remain in place until a tra€fic study is done and brought back to City Council in January 2005 or when the report is finished. The City Council wanted to wait until after the College BoulevardCannon Road connection was open and operating once school was in session and they directed staffto conduct the appropriate studies to see if there would be any impacts at the College BoulevardLake Boulevard intersection such as delays, congestion, and how is the intersection operating. The City Council thought that Mira Monte Drive would be used as a short cut if there were operational issues at the College BoulevardLake Boulevard intersection. Staff will study this issue in the Fall. Early next year staff will present the study findings and recommendations. At that time the City Council will decide if they want to remove the barricades on Mira Monte Drive. Mr. Johnson stated that next month’s regular meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission would be held on September 13,2004 at 3 :00 p.m. due to the Labor Day holiday being on the first Monday of September. ADJOURNMENT: Chair Gordon Cress adjourned the Regular Meeting of August 2,2004 at 3:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Ruth Steckdaub Minutes Clerk