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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-08-07; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesMINUTES MEETING OF: DATE OF MEETING: TIME OF MEETING: PLACE OF MEETING: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION August 7,2006 (Regular Meeting) 3:00 p.m. City Council Chambers CALL TO ORDER: Chair Dorsey called the Meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Absent: Staff Members Present: APPROVAL OF MINUTES: June 5,2006 ACTION: VOTE: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: Chair Steve Dorsey Vice-Chair Susan Gardner Commissioner Gordon Cress Commissioner Guy Roney Commissioner Bonnie Bradshaw None Robert Johnson, Deputy City Engineer, Transportation Jim Murray, Associate Engineer, Transportation Lt. Don Rawson, Carlsbad Police Department Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Commissioner Roney, to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of June 5,2006 as presented. 5-0-0 Dorsey, Gardner, Cress, Roney, Bradshaw None None The Traffic Safety Commission meeting scheduled for July 3,2006 was cancelled; therefore, there were no minutes to be approved. August 7,2006 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 2 ITEM 4 - ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. ITEM 5 - PREVIOUS BUSINESS: Bob Johnson, Deputy City Engineer, informed the Commission mat upon the recommendation of the Traffic Safety Commission, the City Council adopted the ordinance to establish a prima facie 45 mile per hour speed limit upon Camino Junipero from Rancho Santa Fe Road to its terminus at Avenida Ampola. A work order has been issued to the Carlsbad's Streets Department and signs will be installed within the next several weeks. ITEM 6 - NEW BUSINESS: ITEM 6A: Request to install a Stop sign on Geranium Street at its intersection with Mimosa Drive. Mr. Johnson indicated that the staff report would be presented by Associate Engineer Jim Murray. Mr. Murray indicated that this item is a request to install a Stop sign on Geranium Street at its intersection with Mimosa Drive. Both of these streets are in a residential area in the southern part of Carlsbad. Neither is classified on the City Circulation Element of the General Plan. Referring to Exhibit 1, Mr. Murray stated that these two local streets make up part of a circuitous through street connection between Aviara Parkway to the north and El Camino Real to the east. For the analysis of local streets, the minor street decision point is assumed to be 50 feet from the intersection conflict point when the vehicle on the minor street has an approach speed of 10 miles per hour. In general, a distance of 155 ft (stopping sight distance for 25 miles per hour) along the major street must be provided to minor street drivers to view vehicles approaching the intersection. However, when the grade of the major street exceeds three percent, grade adjustment factors are applied to the minimum sight distance required. In this case, the major street centerline grade on Mimosa Drive is 8.0% both north and south of the intersection. Therefore, an adjusted sight distance length of 170.5 feet looking to the north and an adjusted sight distance length of 139.5 feet looking to the south is necessary for the minor street driver to view vehicles approaching the intersection. Mr. Murray indicated that at the subject intersection, the driver on the minor street, Geranium Street, has sight visibility limited to less than 170.5 feet, when looking to the north, and less than 139.5 feet, when looking to the south for vehicles approaching on Mimosa Drive. From the decision point on Geranium Street, a driver can only see approximately 155 feet looking to the north, and approximately 93 feet looking to the south on Mimosa Drive due to sight visibility limitations on the northeast and southeast comers of the intersection. Consequently, the 10-mile per hour safe approach speed criteria is not being met and a Stop sign can be considered for installation on Geranium Street. August 7,2006 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 3 The limitations to sight visibility on the northeast and southeast corners are due to landscaping, which is directly linked to the 8% centerline grade of Mimosa Drive and the intersecting centerline grade of Geranium Street, affecting the grading of the lots and slopes on the two corners. This landscaping would need to be removed and nothing other than ground cover planted and maintained on the slope in order to provide the minirnum 170.5 feet of required sight visibility. Mr. Murray explained that these lots were created in 1981 and the subdivision map did not provide corner sight visibility triangles at that time, which would have given the ability to tell the residents that it would be their obligation to maintain the vegetation. Mr. Murray stated that staff conducted limited observations of driver behavior on westbound Geranium Street as the driver approached Mimosa Drive to turn right or left. Field observations of a total of 27 westbound vehicles on Geranium Street found that of the 26 right-turning vehicles, 18 slowed to a speed less than 10 miles per hour, and the one left-turning vehicle slowed to a speed of less than 10 miles per hour before turning onto Mimosa Drive. Results indicate that 70% of the vehicles on Geranium Street turning onto Mimosa Drive were considered slowed to a speed less than 10 miles per hour before turning onto Mimosa Drive. In conclusion, Mr. Murray stated that the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommends the installation of a Stop sign on Geranium Street at its intersection with Mimosa Drive. DISCUSSION: Commissioner Roney said that he went to the intersection over the weekend and he concurred with Mr. Murray. He also noticed that drivers coming southbound on Mimosa Drive were cutting that intersection when they turned. It is a natural stop when you are coming up to that intersection. Mr. Murray stated that the double yellow centerline on the northerly leg of Mimosa Drive for drivers coming down the hill and then on Geranium Street has just been painted during the study process for that very reason of cutting corners so sharply. Commissioner Cress asked if there have been any accidents at that intersection. Mr. Murray stated that there is no reported collision history at that intersection for the past five years. August 7,2006 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 4 MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Vice-Chair Gardner, to recommend the installation of a Stop sign on Geranium Street at its intersection with Mimosa Drive. VOTE: 5-0-0 AYES: Dorsey, Gardner, Cress, Roney, Bradshaw NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ITEM 6B: Add into the Carlsbad Municipal Code (CMC) the street segments that are currently posted with signs that indicate a parking restriction between the hours of three a.m. and five a.m. Mr. Johnson stated that this item was initiated by Lt. Rawson of the Carlsbad Police Department. This falls into the category of a clean-up portion of the Carlsbad Municipal Code (CMC). There are locations, as indicated on Exhibit 1, in the downtown area where signs are posted to restrict parking between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Some of these are designated in the CMC section 10.40.130. However, there are some streets that have signs posted and those locations are not indicated in the CMC. The reason to include all of these locations into the CMC is that if a citation is issued, there would be reference to the CMC and that ticket would be upheld. There was a recent case where a ticket was thrown out by the judge because the street segment was not included in the CMC. Based upon a field review of all of the locations that have 3:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. restrictions, it is proposed to add all such postings to section 10.40.130 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code. By doing this, all of the downtown streets will be referenced in the CMC that have a restriction between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Two logical reasons for the restriction are that it prevents long-term parking and it facilitates street sweeping. Mr. Johnson explained that in Exhibit A of the staff report the existing Municipal Code wording is indicated and the proposed language is shown. Exhibit B provides redline/strikeout version of CMC 10.40.130. Another aspect that staff recommends in CMC 10.40.130 is to change the wording to indicate that the "city traffic engineer" is instructed to erect signs giving notice of the provisions of that section. By doing that, we would take out two titles that no longer exist in the City. One is called "traffic safety engineer" and one is "maintenance director." Neither one of those titles are in existence. There are no individuals that serve in those capacities. Occasionally, Mr. Johnson, himself, is referenced as the "traffic safety engineer," but that that is not an official city title. The city engineer is currently a designated staff position and serves as the official city traffic engineer. CMC 10.40.130 should reference the city traffic engineer in lieu of the traffic safety engineer and maintenance director. August 7,2006 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 5 Mr. Johnson concluded by stating that the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee is recommending approval of the changes indicated on Exhibits A and B and incorporating the revisions into CMC 10.40.130. DISCUSSION; Commissioner Bradshaw said that she noticed some inconsistencies. She went out and drove the streets and on State Street just north of Laguna Drive there is already a "No Parking at Any Time" existing zone. She didn't understand why this would need to be modified to extend the 3:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. no parking since it's already a no parking zone. Mr. Johnson explained that the reason was to include it in the CMC so there are no discrepancies on what is trying to be accomplished. It is a further enhancement of that restriction so that if for some reason the "no parking" went away in the future - and that happens some times - there will still be the overnight restriction. Commissioner Bradshaw said that she also noticed on Roosevelt Street between Oak Avenue and Carlsbad Village Drive there are no existing signs posted, yet the ordinance says that there is. Mr. Johnson concurred, and stated that those signs needed to be installed. The proposal is to change that there are no signs posted so the restriction on Roosevelt Street between Carlsbad Village Drive and Beech Avenue. Where there are no signs, as indicated in the current CMC, it needs to be revised. Commissioner Bradshaw clarified that we were going take out the no parking signs from Carlsbad Village Drive to Grand Avenue - they are going to be deleted. And then the signs don't exist between Carlsbad Village Drive and Oak Avenue on Roosevelt Street. Mr. Johnson stated that between Oak Avenue and Carlsbad Village Drive, she was correct - there are currently no signs, but there will be the restriction and the signs on Roosevelt Street between Carlsbad Village Drive and Beech Street. Commission Bradshaw asked if the verbiage on Exhibit A is what the Commission should be going by, not necessarily Exhibit 1. Mr. Johnson stated correct, Exhibit A and B is the intent for the changes. August 7,2006 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 6 MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Commissioner Roney, to recommend approval of the additions and revisions in Exhibits A and B to CMC section 10.40.130 as shown on the redline/strikeout version of Chapter 10.40.130 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code. VOTE: 5-0-0 AYES: Dorsey, Gardner, Cress, Roney, Bradshaw NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ITEM6C: Elect a new Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Traffic Safety Commission to serve from September 2006 through July 2007. Mr. Johnson stated that this item that is initiated by the Traffic Safety Commission on a yearly basis so that the Chair and Vice-Chair can rotate new members through the Chair and the Vice-Chair. It is accomplished about this time every summer. The intent of this item is to elect a new Chair and Vice- Chair. Typically the Vice-Chair gets moved up to the Chan- and then the next in line would be moved into the Vice-Chair, assuming that person is interested in serving. Otherwise, it is entirely up to the Commission to decide who would like to serve for the next one year period. It can continue the same as it is or the Commission can have that turn over, and that is typically what happens. MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Commissioner Bradshaw, to nominate Vice-Chair Gardner as Chairperson and Commissioner Roney as Vice-Chairperson of the Traffic Safety Commission to serve from September 2006 through July 2007. VOTE: 5-0-0 AYES: Dorsey, Gardner, Cress, Roney, Bradshaw NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ITEM 7: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS Vice-Chair Gardner commented that at the February 2006 the Traffic Safety Commission meeting it looked into establishing a prima facie 50 mile per hour speed limit on Poinsettia Lane from El August 7,2006 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 7 Camino Real to Melrose Drive. She noticed that it looks close that Vista is going to be opening up any day now. Does Mr. Johnson know when they are going to be opening Melrose Drive? Mr. Johnson stated that it was Carlsbad that will be opening a portion of Melrose Drive from Palomar Airport Road northerly to the city limit at Vista/Carlsbad. That is scheduled for Wednesday, August 16th, where there will be a short dedication in the morning and then later in the day, Melrose Drive is scheduled to open. Vice-Chair Gardner asked if she could presume that Carlsbad will be seeing increased traffic coming from Vista. Mr. Johnson agreed that there will be an increase hi traffic volumes coming into Carlsbad from Vista and traffic leaving Carlsbad to go into Vista. There is a Home Depot to the north of where Melrose Drive currently terminates. The infrastructure roadway is hi place in Vista to handle the opening traffic. Because there is going to be future striping that will be needed south of Palomar Airport Road to add an additional lane, when Carlsbad open Melrose, there will be two northbound lanes rather than the customary three on a prime arterial. There will be three southbound lanes, and two southbound lanes. Until that work takes place south of Palomar Airport Road there are some easements that are needed from the homeowners association in Rancho Carrillo just to the south of Palomar Airport Road along Melrose Drive. That is being worked on now. Until the City gets the easements where the curbs can be moved out a couple of feet and also move the median, there will be two southbound lanes and two right turn lanes on the new portion of Melrose Drive to turn westbound. There will be three northbound lanes that will continue into Vista. That will line up and match up with the striping on Melrose Drive that is currently hi Vista. Commissioner Bradshaw asked if the truck route on Melrose Drive will come before the Commission hi the near future. Mr. Johnson said that the Commission recommended and the City Council concurred back hi December of 2005 that Melrose south of Palomar Airport Road would not be designated as a truck route. That has been very controversial. Next Wednesday, August 16th, there will be a discussion of trucks on El Fuerte Street that was initiated by residents living near El Fuerte Street. Then- proposal will more than likely include designating Melrose Drive as a truck route south of Palomar Airport Road. To recap, the Commission recommended Melrose Drive north of Palomar Airport Road is a designated truck route, and that is hi the Carlsbad Municipal Code. The residents living near El Fuerte Street are trying to move trucks off of El Fuerte Street on to the prime arterial which is Melrose Drive. That is a scheduled agenda item next week at the City Council. The City Council may direct further consideration of Melrose Drive as a truck route to come to the Commission or August 7,2006 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 8 they may take action themselves. They know the Commissions' recommendations because that is what they, the City Council, acted on last December. ITEMS: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER Mr. Johnson stated that the next regular meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission was scheduled to be held on October 2, 2006 at 3:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. There will not be a September meeting held on September 4, 2006 because of the Labor Day holiday. There are a number of new streets that need prima facie speed limits established, so the Commission will be seeing some items over the next several meetings to make recommendations for a prima speed limit. Melrose Drive will be a future item, Rancho Santa Fe Road, El Fuerte Street, and so on. As Carlsbad builds their infrastructure, especially their arterial streets, the need to establish prima facie speed limits are needed at the appropriate times. There are also some new and updated engineering and traffic surveys regarding speed limits. Chair Dorsey advised the Commission that he would not be able to attend the October meeting because he will be on vacation. Commissioner Cress commented that he wanted to express the thanks from the entire Commission to Chair Dorsey for a year of good leadership and a job well done. ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion Chair Dorsey adjourned the Regular Meeting of August 7,2006 at 3:22 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Ruth Woodbeck Minutes Clerk