HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11-01; Traffic and Mobility Commission; ; Bike Lanes on Tamarack Avenue from Harwich Drive to Chatham RoadItem 5
Meeting Date: Nov. 1, 2021
To: Traffic and Mobility Commission
Staff Contact: Miriam Jim, Senior Engineer
Miriam.Jim@carlsbadca.gov, 760-268-4796
John Kim, City Traffic Engineer
John.Kim@carlsbadca.gov, 760-602-2757
Subject: Bike Lanes on Tamarack Avenue from Harwich Drive to Chatham Road
Recommended Action Support staff recommendations to:
•Install bike lanes on both sides of the Tamarack Avenue from Harwich Drive to CheshireAvenue
•Install shared lane pavement markings and R4-11 “Bike May Use Full Lane” signagewithin school zone on Tamarack Avenue from Cheshire Avenue to Chatham Road
Background
In September 2021, staff was contacted by residents regarding concerns about speeding and
pedestrians and bike safety along Tamarack Avenue after a collision involving a bicyclist and a
vehicle near Brittany Way
On October 12, 2021, staff received a petition from residents to request for the installation of
new bike lanes; reduction of speed limit from 35 miles per hour, or mph, to 25 mph; installation
of speed feedback signs to monitor speed; and installation additional road signage to deter
speeding along Tamarack Avenue from College Boulevard to Hope Elementary School.
Tamarack Avenue is located in the northwest quadrant of the city and extends from Carlsbad Boulevard in the west to its termination at College Boulevard in the east (Exhibit 1). The roadway, between Carlsbad Village Drive and College Boulevard, was built to local street standards per the Street Design Criteria of the Carlsbad Engineering Standards with a curb to curb width of 40 feet, one travel lane in each direction and double yellow centerline striping. There are existing bike lanes in both directions on Tamarack Avenue, with the exception of the segment between Harwich Drive and Chatham Road, where on-street parking is allowed on both sides of the street. The portion of Tamarack Avenue between Harwich Drive and Chatham Road is located north of Carlsbad Village Drive and west of College Boulevard with a posted speed limit of 35 mph. Even though no homes front this segment of Tamarack Avenue, there are residential neighborhoods that utilize this roadway to access Carlsbad Village Drive and College Boulevard. The surrounding land uses along Tamarack Avenue also include Hope Elementary School located approximately 500 feet north of Chatham Road.
Nov. 1, 2021 Item #5 1
Discussion
The City General Plan Mobility Element identifies Tamarack Avenue between Carlsbad Village
Drive and College Boulevard as a School Street (Exhibit 2). School Streets are described by the
General Plan Mobility Element as, “designed to safely move all modes of travel with emphasis
on providing safe pedestrian and bicycle access for students traveling to and from nearby
schools.”
City’s Sustainable Mobility Plan, which prioritizes infrastructure improvements to enhance
safety and connectivity in the city, does not specifically identify Tamarack Avenue between
Harwich Drive and Chatham Road for new bike lanes. However, based on staff evaluation
regarding resident’s concerns and requests and on the existence of painted bike lanes on
nearby portions of Tamarack Avenue, staff is proposing a continuation of bike facilities on
Tamarack Avenue to enhance bike safety and access to and from Home Elementary School. This
can be accomplished by 1) extending the existing bike lanes from Harwich Drive to Cheshire
Avenue and 2) installing shared lane pavement markings (sharrows) and R4-11 “Bike May Use
Full Lane” signage within the school zone from Cheshire Avenue to Chatham Road (Exhibit 3).
The proposed striping configuration on Tamarack Avenue between Harwich Drive and Cheshire
Avenue will consist of one 11 feet travel lane and 6 feet bike lane with a 3 feet buffer in each
direction (Exhibit 4). The existing on-street parking on both sides of the street will be
eliminated. Shared lane pavement markings are proposed near Hope Elementary School, from
Cheshire Avenue to Chatham Road, in order to preserve existing on-street parking for student
pick-up and drop-off. Staff’s field observations indicate very low parking demand on Tamarack
Avenue except near Hope Elementary School during school pick-up and drop-off hours,
therefore, the proposed removal of on-street parking will have minimal impact to the nearby
communities.
Since there are no homes fronting Tamarack Avenue, this portion of Tamarack Avenue is not
classified as a residential district per the California Vehicle Code (CVC). Therefore, the posted
speed limit on Tamarack Avenue cannot be posted at 25 mph, as requested by the residents,
unless it is supported by a valid Engineering and Traffic Survey. The current speed limit of
35 mph was established based on the Engineering and Traffic Survey completed in August 2017.
To address residents’ concerns about vehicles speeds, staff will install temporary speed
feedback signs on Tamarack Avenue to collect speed data and to educate drivers of their travel
speed when driving by the area. In addition, staff will review the existing signage on Tamarack
Avenue to determine if additional signage is needed to alert drivers of the 25 mph speed when
children are present within school zone as recommended by the California Manual on Uniform
Traffic Devices
Recommendations
Based on the concerns received from residents and staff evaluation, staff recommends the
Traffic and Mobility Commission to support the striping and signage modifications on Tamarack
Avenue to add bike lanes from Harwich Drive to Cheshire Avenue and share lane pavement
markings and signage from Cheshire Avenue to Chatham Road.
Nov. 1, 2021 Item #5 2
Next Steps
Upon receiving support and approval from the Traffic and Mobility Commission, staff will issue
a work order for the proposed striping and signage work on Tamarack Avenue from Harwich
Drive to Chatham Road.
Exhibits
1. Project Location Map
2. City General Plan Mobility Element Proposed Street System
3. Proposed Bike Lane and Shared Lane Pavement Marking Limits
4. Existing and Proposed Typical Section
Nov. 1, 2021 Item #5 3
1
LOCATION MAP
Nov. 1, 2021 Item #5 4
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Half Mile Radius
City Limits
0 1 20.5
Miles
Source: City of Carlsbad, 2013; SANDAG, 2013; Fehr & Peers, 2013;
Dyett & Bhatia, 2013.
Freeway
Arterial Streets
Identity Streets
Village Streets
Arterial Connector Streets
Neighborhood Connector Streets
Coastal Streets
School Streets
Employment/Transit Connector Streets
Industrial Streets
Local/Neighborhood Street
Figure 3-1
Street System Map
GENERAL PLAN
500 ACRES
100ACRES
Planned Arterial Streets
Planned Arterial Connector Streets
Planned Local/Neighborhood Streets
Figure 3-1: Street System
Nov. 1, 2021 Item #5 5
CARLSBAD V
ILLAGE
DRCOLLEGE BLVD HARWI
CH DRTAMARACK AVECHESHIRE AVESIMSBURY CTCHATHAM RD WILSH
IRE
STHOPE ELEMENTARYSCHOOLMILFORD PL
BRI
TTANY WAYCA
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FLAT RO
CK STLEGENDExisting Bike LaneProposed Bike LaneProposed Shared Lane Markings(Sharrows)EXHIBIT 3TAMARACK AVENUENov. 1, 2021 Item #56
PROPOSED TYPICAL SECTION - HARWICH DRIVE TO CHESHIRE AVENUE
NORTHBOUND
TRAFFIC
11 ft.
SOUTHBOUND
TRAFFIC
11 ft.
BIKE
LANE
6 ft.
BIKE
LANE
6 ft.
EXISTING TYPICAL SECTION - HARWICH DRIVE TO CHESHIRE AVENUE
NORTHBOUND
TRAFFIC
12 ft.
SOUTHBOUND
TRAFFIC
12 ft.
PARKING
LANE
8 ft.
PARKING
LANE
8 ft.
40'
40'3 ft. BUFFER3 ft. BUFFER2
EXISTING
SIDEWALK
EXISTING
SIDEWALK
EXISTING
SIDEWALK
EXISTING
SIDEWALK
Nov. 1, 2021 Item #5 7