HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-09-06; Traffic and Mobility Commission; ; Update on Plum Tree RoadMeeting Date: Sept. 6, 2022
To: Traffic and Mobility Commission
Staff Contact: Lindy Pham, Associate Engineer
Lindy.Pham@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2768
John Kim, City Traffic Engineer
John.Kim@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2757
Subject: Update on Plum Tree Road
Recommended Action
Receive an informational report on city staff’s traffic engineering evaluation of Plum Tree Road.
Background
Plum Tree Road spans approximately 0.40 miles of local roadway in the southwest quadrant of
the City. The roadway runs from Hidden Valley Road to 200 feet east of Aviara Parkway. It has a
roadway width of 40 feet, which accommodates a single vehicle lane and on-street parking in
each direction. The east and west lanes are separated by a painted double-yellow stripe. On-
street parking is allowed on both sides of the street where red curbs are not present. The entire
segment of the roadway has improved sidewalk, curb and gutter. There are five T-intersections
along this segment; at Red Knot Street, Robinea Drive, Bluebonnet Drive, Windflowers Drive
and Coneflower Drive. Two intersections, Bluebonnet Drive and Coneflower Drive, are all-way
stop-controlled. The remaining three intersections are side-street stop-controlled. The roadway
is posted at 25 miles per hour, or mph.
There are single family homes fronting Plum Tree Road on the north side of the roadway from
Robinea Drive to Aviara Parkway. Poinsettia KinderCare is located on Plum Tree Road between
Robinea Drive and Hidden Valley Road. Plum Tree Road leads directly into the Poinsettia
Community Park west of Hidden Valley Road. This park hosts several City’s special events, such
as Eggstravaganza, TGIF concerts, and other community events throughout the year.
In April 2022, staff received multiple concerns by residents about traffic safety on Plum Tree
Road and requests for staff evaluation after a collision occurred at the intersection of Plum Tree
Road and Robinea Road. Specific concerns included sight distance and speeding. This staff
report provides a summary of the work that have been completed to date and an update on the
ongoing efforts to address resident concerns.
Sept. 6, 2022 Item #6 1
Discussion
In response to residents’ concerns and requests received, staff have completed the following
studies and evaluations:
•Temporary speed feedback signs were deployed by the Police Department from April
14, 2022 to May 28, 2022 in an effort to provide drivers with feedback about their speed
in relationship to the posted speed limit.
•Staff reviewed the collision report of the recent collision on Plum Tree Road at Robinea
Drive. The review concluded that the collision was not speed-related. The collision
report mentioned that vegetation impacted vehicle sight distance at the southeast
corner of the intersection of Plum Tree Road and Robinea Drive. Staff conducted a field
review of the sight distance and determined that adequate sight distance is available;
•Staff revised the traffic control plans for the Eggstravaganza and summer TGIF events at
Poinsettia Community Park to allow more parking on Hidden Valley Road and reduce the
parking impact on Plum Tree Road;
•Staff conducted sight distance evaluations on Plum Tree Road at Robinea Drive, Red
Knot Street and Windflower Drive. Based on this evaluation, red curbs have been
installed to increase sight distance at these intersections;
•Staff has installed an INTERSECTION AHEAD warning sign for westbound Plum Tree Road
to inform drivers of the upcoming Robinea Drive intersection;
•Staff noted that the STOP sign on Robinea Drive at Plum Tree Road was partially
obstructed due to vegetation. In response the adjacent property owner was notified
and the vegetation was cleared;
•Staff noted that the STOP sign on Bluebonnet Drive at Plum Tree Road was partially
obstructed due to vegetation. In response the adjacent property owner was notified
and the vegetation was cleared;
•Staff noted that the STOP sign on Plum Tree Road at Bluebonnet Drive was partially
obstructed due to vegetation. In response the adjacent property owner was notified
and the vegetation was cleared;
•Staff noted that the SPEED LIMIT 25 sign on Plum Tree Road at Red Knot Street was
obstructed for eastbound motorists due to overgrown vegetation. In response the
homeowner’s association was notified and the vegetation was cleared;
•Staff noted that the STOP sign on Plum Tree Road at Hidden Valley Road was obstructed
for westbound motorists due to vegetation. In response the adjacent Kindercare
business owner was notified, and the vegetation was cleared;
•Staff installed a STOP AHEAD sign on Plum Tree Road to alert westbound drivers of the
STOP sign on Hidden Valley Road.
Plum Tree Road has been evaluated for traffic calming considerations per the Carlsbad
Residential traffic Management Program, or CRTMP. Temporary speed feedback signs were
deployed from June 23, 2022, to July 21, 2022, on Plum Tree Road near Robinea Drive. These
signs are deployed to collect speed data, which is used to determine if the roadway is eligible
for Phase II of the CRTMP.
Sept. 6, 2022 Item #6 2
A threshold criteria of 32 mph is used to determine if a subject street is eligible for Phase II. The
critical speeds on Plum Tree Road were recorded at 29 mph for both the eastbound and
westbound directions. The residents in the surrounding neighborhood were informed of the
evaluation results which determined that Plum Tree Road is not eligible for Phase II of the
CRTMP since the measured critical speed is below the 32 mph threshold.
At the Aug. 18, 2022 Traffic and Mobility Commission special meeting, a resident requested
that the Commission consider excepting Plum Tree Road into Phase II of CRTMP, which is
allowed per Page 8 of the approved program. Ordinarily, traffic calming on roadways with
prevailing speeds below the 32 mph threshold may not result in a significant reduction in
speed. However, if the residents on Plum Tree Road strongly desire traffic calming measures to
be considered for their street, staff supports this request and recommends that the Traffic and
Mobility Commission consider Plum Tree Road as an exception into Phase II of the CRTMP.
In response to residents’ request for an all-way stop at the following three intersections on
Plum Tree Road: Red Knot Street, Robinea Drive and Windflower Drive, traffic counts will be
collected at these intersections in September, after local schools are back in session, to
determine if an all-way stop is warranted at these locations per the guidelines found in the
California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The results of this analysis will be
presented to the Traffic and Mobility Commission in October 2022.
Necessary Council Action
None.
Next Steps
Traffic volume data collection will be conducted on Plum Tree Road in September for the
all-way stop analysis. The results of this analysis will be presented to the Traffic & Mobility
Commission in October 2022.
If the Traffic and Mobility Commission approve Plum Tree Road as an exception into Phase II of
the CRTMP, staff will initiate the Phase II process and will schedule a neighborhood meeting for
Plum Tree Road. Since there are currently nine other streets on the CRTMP Phase II list, a
neighborhood meeting for Plum Tree Road will likely be scheduled in Spring 2023.
Exhibits
1. Location Map
Sept. 6, 2022 Item #6 3
1
LOCATION MAP
Sept. 6, 2022 Item #6 4
From:Nichola Riggle
To:Traffic
Subject:Fwd: 3 min talk, agenda #6
Date:Monday, September 5, 2022 9:16:55 AM
Traffic Commission:
>
> Plum Tree Lane was originally a closed road, not a through-way. It was later opened for emergency vehicles and
cost. Over the past 20 years the population and traffic have grown exponentially. A new development is in the works
at the corner of Aviara and Palomar. The park has now been built out and is crowded with young people day and
night; without adequate parking. There are families with small children trying to live on Plum Tree and sometimes
the wait to get out of a driveway can be for 10 speeding cars, at 6 in the morning. The entitlement of some of these
regular commuters zipping up and down is shockingly arrogant even in these present times. The very width of the
road invites speeders and late parents getting children to events and school on time exacerbates the dangers. There is
also the “illusion” for dog walkers and strollers that they are in a residential community and thereby safe enough to
cross the street.
> I have watched this as a resident for 18 years and waited for the inevitable accident. As it was it involved an E
bike. These dangers were reviewed in the early years and dismissed, probably for not meeting traffic plan criteria.
Now, after a near fatality, we must insist that something be done. My neighbors are perpetually concerned and even
if there is not consensus in the neighborhood I would ask that speed cushions be a minimal solution and blocking
through access the ideal solution. ( all destination points can be accessed through non residential streets.)
Understanding that we will go through city procedures we request that the phase 2 plan be expedited as soon as
possible. Thank you for your time, attention and thoughtfulness.
> Nichola Riggle
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From:Dawn Guendert
To:Traffic
Subject:Plum Tree Road - Safety Issue
Date:Tuesday, September 6, 2022 12:48:36 PM
Dear Traffic and Mobility Commission Members;
I am writing to you again to stress the importance of improving the safety for pedestrians,
bikers and automobiles at the intersections on Plum Tree Road.
Plum Tree is a residential street with an increasing amount of traffic and poor visibility inareas. While there are stop signs at two intersections - Plum Tree and Bluebonnet and Plum
Tree and Coneflower, a significant percentage of cars do not stop at the stop signs. Thedrivers either slow down and roll through the stop signs or some continue at full speed through
the stop signs.
The situation becomes even more dangerous when events are occurring in Poinsettia Park. Cars are parked along the curb all the way up to the intersections. This creates a situation
where drivers on Plum Tree have their vision obstructed by parked cars and cannot seepedestrians or bikers coming across the intersections from the side streets until they are
practically in the middle of the street.
As a resident of Plum Tree Road, I am asking the City to implement three improvements thatwould enhance the safety of Plum Tree Road. The first two are relatively inexpensive and
could be completed in a very short period of time. 1. Paint the curbs on Plum Tree at the inspections of Bluebonnet and Coneflower. This would
allow drivers to better see pedestrians and bikers preparing to cross at the intersections beforethey are actually in the street.
2.Paint crosswalks at the intersections to signal drivers that pedestrians have the right of wayand provide safe areas for people to cross the street.
3.Construct speed cushions in the areas of Plum Tree and Bluebonnet and Plum Tree andRobinea. Plum Tree and Robinea is at the bottom of the hill and where many cars are likely to
exceed the 25 mph speed limit.
I appreciate the studies being conducted by the traffic engineering department, but it just needs someone to survey the traffic on Plum Tree any evening between 4 and 8pm and the safety
issues become evident very quickly.
Thank you for taking the concerns of myself and my neighbors about improving safe mobility on Plum Tree seriously.
Regards,
Dawn Guendert
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From:Tanya Estes
To:Traffic
Subject:Comments for Sept 6 Traffic & Mobility Commission Meeting Agenda
Date:Monday, September 5, 2022 6:45:30 PM
We have lived on Plum Tree Rd for 20 years.
The road has changed.
CARLSBAD has changed.
Your procedures are outdated.
PLEASE for the love of God do something about our street before another kid is hit.
Poor Jimmy may have lifelong disabilities because of a dangerous street where people race up and down day and
night, park all over and have a general disregard for the safety of the residents that live on and around Plum Tree Rd
and others who may find themselves walking our speedway. It's a dangerous road and something MUST be done.
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From:Nichola Riggle
To:Traffic
Subject:Fwd: agenda #6
Date:Tuesday, September 6, 2022 7:36:44 AM
>
>
>
> Traffic Commission:
> I am a resident of Plum Tree Road and am writing this to request consideration for Phase 2 of the Carlsbad
Residential Traffic Management Program. At this time there are some unique and urgent considerations regarding
traffic and pedestrian safety on Plum Tree that impact this residential neighborhood, Pacific Rim Elementary School
and Poinsettia Park.
> Nichola Riggle
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From:Janel Carroll
To:Traffic
Subject:Plum Tree RD agenda #6 and #9
Date:Tuesday, September 6, 2022 9:58:34 AM
My husband and I, and our three daughters have lived on the corner of Plum Tree and Windflower Dr. for
13 year. There has been a steady increase of traffic. I have purchased two plastic green safety guys, one
got run over and doesn't help slow the speeding cars. The traffic is not safe for a residential
neighborhood. There are drag racing skid marks on the street from racing.The extra traffic that has been
created with the new dog park and all the sporting events needs to be updated and fixed. Thank you,
Kevin and Janel Carroll
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From:heather Ukegawa
To:Traffic
Subject:Reckless driving
Date:Tuesday, September 6, 2022 9:42:16 AM
To whom it may concern, I live on the corner of Aviara and Plum tree Road in Carlsbad California. I have witnessed
on several occasions cars flying through the red light at this intersection. I will not let my children cross on this
crosswalk without an adult companion. I am fearful that someone is going to be terribly hurt in this crosswalk in the
near future. Please do some traffic studies to increase the safety in this intersection.
Thank you! Heather Ukegawa
Sent from my iPhone
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From:Nichola Riggle
To:Traffic
Subject:Fwd: 3 min talk, agenda #6
Date:Tuesday, September 6, 2022 7:37:31 AM
>
>> Traffic Commission:>>> Plum Tree Lane was originally a closed road, not a through-way. It was later opened for emergency vehicles and cost. Over the past 20 years the population and traffic have grown exponentially. A new development is in the works at the corner of Aviara and Palomar. The park has now been built out and is crowded with young people day and night; without adequate parking. There are families with small children trying to live on Plum Tree and sometimes the wait to get out of a driveway can be for 10 speeding cars, at 6 in the morning. The entitlement of some of these regular commuters zipping up and down is shockingly arrogant even in these present times. The very width of the road invites speeders and late parents getting children to events and school on time exacerbates the dangers. There is also the “illusion” for dog walkers and strollers that they are in a residential community and thereby safe enough to cross the street.> I have watched this as a resident for 18 years and waited for the inevitable accident. As it was it involved an E bike. These dangers were reviewed in the early years and dismissed, probably for not meeting traffic plan criteria. Now, after a near fatality, we must insist that something be done. My neighbors are perpetually concerned and even if there is not consensus in the neighborhood I would ask that speed cushions be a minimal solution and blocking through access the ideal solution. ( all destination points can be accessed through non residential streets.) Understanding that we will go through city procedures we request that the phase 2 plan be expedited as soon as possible. Thank you for your time, attention and thoughtfulness.> Nichola RiggleCAUTION: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
From:Jill Hsiao
To:Traffic
Subject:Traffic Safety on Plum Tree Road (Agenda #6)
Date:Tuesday, September 6, 2022 9:47:03 AM
Hello,
I am writing in regards to the traffic that is occurring on Plum Tree Road in South Carlsbad.
Our house is directly on Plum Tree Road so we have a first hand look at the people who are both speeding and running the stop signs as they are driving up and down the road everyday. I
have 3 young children, two of which ride their bikes to and from school everyday. There is no crosswalk on Plum Tree for them to safely ride their bikes across and cars rarely slow down so
that the kids can make it across the street. In the afternoon when sports are scheduled at Poinsettia park, the amount of traffic greatly increases. It is also the time of day when driving
down that hill is facing directly into the sun so the drivers are having a hard time even keeping their eyes on the road, let alone looking to see if anyone is around. However, this doesn't stop
them from speeding down the hill and blowing through the stop signs.
I have lived on Plum Tree for over 11 years now and I still don't let my children play outside in the front yard because I'm afraid they will get hit by a car. I'm sure you are all aware now
of the boy who got hit earlier this year; the amount of cars allowed to park along the street makes it impossible to see when anyone is trying to cross the street and gives drivers little
time to react.
I am hopeful that something can be done to limit the cars allowed to park on our road and enable our children to walk/bike across the street safely. Having a crosswalk that lights up,
adding speed bumps so the cars can't speed down the hill will greatly improve the safety of pedestrians and the people living on Plum Tree who are backing out of their own driveways.
Thank you for your time and I appreciate your concern for our safety, especially the safety of
our children.
Kind Regards,
Jill Hsiao
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know the content is safe.
Lindy Pham, Associate Engineer Engineer, City of Carlsbad
John Kim, City Traffic Engineer, City of Carlsbad
September 6, 2022
Plum Tree Road
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Receive an informational report on the traffic
engineering evaluation of Plum Tree Road.
ITEM 6
ITEM 6
Poinsettia
Community
Park Hidden Valley RdPlum Tree Rd
Belleflower Rd
Turnstone Rd
BACKGROUND
•April 3, 2022 Collision at
Plum Tree Road and Robinea
Drive
•Involving a passenger car and
a pedestrian
•Staff received requests from
residents to evaluate Plum
Tree Road
ITEM 6
SPEED FEEDBACK SIGN
•April 14, 2022 to May 28, 2022
Police Department deployed
speed feedback signs near
collision site
•Critical speed = 27mph
ITEM 6
COLLISION REPORT
•Review of Collision Report
•Not speed-related
•Failure to yield
ITEM 6
SIGHT DISTANCE ANALYSIS
•Sight Distance Analysis on Plum Tree Road
–Red Knot Street
–Robinea Drive
–Windflower Drive
•Issued work orders for red curbs
ITEM 6
STOP SIGNS
•Vegetation were cleared to increase
visibility of STOP signs at:
–Robinea Drive at Plum Tree Road
–Bluebonnet Drive at Plum Tree Road
–Plum Tree Road at Bluebonnet
–Plum Tree Road at Hidden Valley Street
ITEM 6
SPEED LIMIT SIGNS
•Visibility of Speed Limit Signs
ITEM 6
ADVANCE WARNING SIGNS
•INTERSECTION AHEAD sign
installed for westbound traffic to
alert drivers of upcoming
intersection at Robinea Drive
•STOP AHEAD sign installed to
provide advance warning of STOP
sign on Hidden Valley Road
ITEM 6
POINSETTIA
COMMUNITY PARK
•Events at Poinsettia Park
–Eggstravaganza
–TGIF Summer Concerts
–Sports Events
ITEM 6
PARKING ON HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD
•Revised Special Event traffic
control plans to allow more
parking on Hidden Valley Road
to reduce parking impact on
Plum Tree Road
ITEM 6
CARLSBAD RESIDENTIAL TRAFFIC
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (CRTMP)
•Phase II threshold criteria of 32 mph
•Speed Feedback signs deployed from
June 23, 2022 to July 21, 2022
•Critical speed = 29 mph
ITEM 6
CARLSBAD RESIDENTIAL TRAFFIC
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (CRTMP)
•Aug. 18, 2022 TM&C Meeting, resident requested exception into Phase II
•T&MC may grant exception per approved program
•Roadway with prevailing speed below 32 mph may not result in
significant speed reduction from traffic calming measures
•Staff is supportive of the request if residents on Plum Tree Rd desire
Phase II consideration
ITEM 6
NEXT STEPS
•If T&MC grant exception to Phase II of CRTMP,
neighborhood meeting will be scheduled
tentatively for Spring 2023
•All-Way Stop analyses on Plum Tree Road at Red
Knot Street, Robinea Drive and Windflower Drive
will be presented to the Traffic & Mobility
Commission in October 2022
ITEM 6
curve
4way
STOP
3way
STOP
Poinsettia Park1way
STOP
1way
STOP
Plum Tree Map
A lot happening in a short
distance
Pacific Rim Elementary
School
Kinder Care: Poor visibility
https://youtube.com/shorts/yhnzV7oxmqo?feature=share
Robinea looking East on Plum TreeRobinealooking West on Plum Tree
Robinea/Plum Tree: Poor visibility
Bluebonnet / Plum Tree: Pedestrians + Traffic = Trouble
https://youtu.be/He4Q_CoE_JE