HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-12-05; Traffic and Mobility Commission; ; 2022 East-West Corridors Emergency Resurfacing and Restriping, Capital Improvement Program Project No. 6001-22EMeeting
Date:
To:
Staff
Contact:
Subject:
District:
Dec. 5, 2022
Traffic and Mobility Commission
Eric A. Zielke, Senior Engineer
Eric.Zielke@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2230
Tom Frank, Transportation Director/City Engineer
Tom.frank@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2766
2022 East-West Corridors Emergency Resurfacing and Restriping, Capital
Improvement Program Project No. 6001-22E
Citywide
Recommended Actions:
1.Review and provide input on the draft striping plans.
2.Review and provide input on the vehicle Level of Service methodology for evaluating
realignment Projects.
Background
On Aug. 23, 2022, the City Manager/Director of Emergency Services proclaimed a state of local
emergency for bike, e-bike and traffic safety. On Aug. 30, 2022, the City Council adopted
Resolution No. 2022-214, ratifying the proclamation, which the City Council extended and ratified
again on Oct. 18, 2022, with Resolution No. 2022-250. On Sept. 27, 2022 staff presented the
Safer Streets Together draft plan provided in Exhibit 2 including an Options Worksheet. At the
Sept. 27, 2022 meeting, the City Council approved a motion to approve everything in Option A,
and refer Options B and C to the Traffic & Mobility Commission and the Planning Commission for
their input and bring the item back to the City Council. This project was included in Option A that
was approved by the City Council.
Restriping Approach
This project accelerates the slurry seal and restriping of major east/west arterial corridors to
balance the needs of the users of the streets. The project will improve pavement condition as
part of our pavement management program and conditions for all roadway users. The first phase
of this strategy includes the road segments shown in Exhibit 2 which include:
•Carlsbad Village Drive (I-5 to College Boulevard) ~ 3.3 miles
•Tamarack Avenue (Carlsbad Boulevard to Carlsbad Village Drive) ~ 3.5 miles
•Cannon Road (I-5 to Faraday Avenue) ~ 3.1 miles
•Poinsettia Lane (Carlsbad Blvd to Melrose Drive) ~ 5.1 miles
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• La Costa Avenue (I-5 to Fairway Lane, just past El Camino Real) ~ 2.0 miles
• Olivenhain Road (Encinitas city limits to Rancho Santa Fe Road intersection) ~ 0.2 miles
This strategy will reduce the long-term maintenance costs of the restriped road segments by
reducing the width of the vehicular travel lanes. The strategy will also require coordination and
approval from Caltrans to improve the road markings for all users through the state highway
interchanges (within Caltrans right-of-way). Safety is improved along the resurfaced roads by
adding new or enhancing existing bicycle lanes by narrowing vehicular lanes to 10-ft widths
within the city right-of-way.
The project also includes the addition of green paint within known bicycle-vehicle conflict zones.
These striping modifications are intended to improve safety for bicyclists along the city’s
roadways by providing greater separation between vehicles and bicyclists, identifies potential
areas of conflict, increasing visibility of bicycle facilities, reinforce priority to bicyclists in conflict
areas, and slightly slowing speeds along the corridors due to the reduced travel lane widths.
These arterial streets, with the exception of Olivenhain Road, include portions within the
California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, right-of-way. Caltrans standards do not
currently allow for 10-ft vehicular travel lanes within Caltrans right-of-way. Staff have been
coordinating with Caltrans to receive approval to reduce the vehicular lanes to 11-foot width to
provide for wider bicycle lanes. Considering Caltrans standards and the time needed to obtain
Caltrans approval for the 11-foot travel lanes, the plans will transition to the existing striping
within the Caltrans right-of-way to allow for expedited implementation of these important safety
enhancements.
Staff will continue to work with Caltrans to receive approval for the 11-foot travel lanes through
the interchanges. Once approval is received from Caltrans, the City will pursue a separate project
to seal and restripe the portions within Caltrans right-of-way. This later phase through the
interchange area is currently estimated to occur within the next 12 to 18 months.
Reconfigure Arterials Approach
Additionally, there are several segments that will include reconfiguring the arterial as explained
in the Safer Streets Together plan – Reconfigure Arterials. Reconfigured arterial streets include
vehicular lane reductions and sealing the roadways to improve pavement condition as a part of
our Pavement Management Program and can improve safety, calm traffic, and provide better
mobility and access for all road users. Reconfiguring roadways also reduces the long-term
pavement maintenance costs and improves the line of sight for side street users approaching the
arterial.
During the design of the 2022 East-West Corridors Emergency Resurfacing and Restriping two
additional reconfigurations with vehicle lane reductions were identified and added to the list to
maximize the benefits received by the public during this project. This program is phased, with
the first phase includes the following segments that are within the limits of this project:
• Poinsettia Lane – from Avenida Encinas to Carlsbad Boulevard
• Cannon Road - Avenida Encinas to El Arbol Drive
• Tamarack Avenue – Carlsbad Village Drive to Skyline Drive
• Carlsbad Village Drive – Appian Road to Chatham Road
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Staff elected to use a conservative methodology for the assessment of vehicular level of service
for this first phase of arterial realignment project based on the Roadway Classifications Level of
Service, or LOS, thresholds provided in the Draft Guidelines for Transportation Impact Studies in
the San Diego Region, dated Jan. 22, 2019, and provided as Exhibit 3 (see Table 7-2). As
referenced in Exhibit 3, all the subject roadway segments would range between a LOS A and C
and there would be no proposed changes to the number of travel lanes at the intersections.
Based on this conservative LOS analysis approach, there would be no significant change to the
delays or traffic operations along any of the road segments. In addition, the approach will also
comply with the Mobility Element of the General Plan and the information will be presented in
the January 2023 staff reports.
Next Steps
Following the Traffic and Mobility Commission’s review, staff will finalize the draft project
construction plans, specifications, and cost estimates. Staff will then bring a staff report to the
Traffic and Mobility Commission and City Council in January 2023 and recommend that the City
Council approve the project plans and specifications and authorize the City Clerk to advertise for
construction bids for the project.
After the bidding process is complete, staff will return to the City Council with a recommendation
to award a construction contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The
construction is targeted to begin in Spring 2023.
Exhibits
1. Location Map and Conceptual Plans of the 2022 East-West Corridors Emergency
Resurfacing and Restriping Projects
2. Safer Streets Together draft plan including Options Worksheet
3. Draft Guidelines for Transportation Impact Studies in the San Diego Region (January 2019)
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5050 Avenida Encinas
Suite 260
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Phone: (760) 476-9193
MBAKERINTL.COM
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CARLSBAD VILLAGE DR
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LEGEND:25TAMARACK AVE
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FARADAY AVE
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Carlsbad, CA 92008
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Exhibit 2
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Introduction
National traffic safety trends show a dramatic increase in traffic-related deaths, with the first quarter
of 2022 showing the highest number of deaths in two decades. Here in Carlsbad, injury collisions
involving bikes and e-bikes have increased over 200% since 2019, with roughly half of those being
e-bikes in 2022. Community members have requested more neighborhood traffic calming, more
enforcement, stricter laws and faster implementation of the city’s program to adapt local streets to
current and future uses, which include more biking and walking.
The city has recently taken several steps to address these concerns:
• Approved a new comprehensive plan to transform the city’s road network to one that
prioritizes moving people, not just cars, and prioritized implementation in the city’s annual
budget
• Completed dozens of projects to slow traffic and expand bike lanes and sidewalks
• Passed stricter rules for e-bikes and similar motorized mobility devices
• Implemented a public education program focused on safe biking, including e-bikes
• Increased enforcement related to roadway safety and traffic violations
Despite these efforts, collisions involving bikes and e-bikes in 2022 are tracking at the same
unprecedented rate as last year’s high of one collision nearly every three days. With children
throughout Carlsbad returning to school in August and given the significant increase in bike and e-bike
collisions, the City of Carlsbad declared a local emergency on Aug. 23, 2022, to immediately provide
more options, tools and resources to reverse this trend.
About this plan
This plan provides potential immediate and longer-term actions to address traffic safety in three main
areas, often referred to as the three Es of traffic safety:
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Strategies and actions
Specific strategies, policies and approaches are presented as options according to the following
timeframes:
Estimated costs
Many initiatives in this plan are already funded and able to move forward. Others have funding
sources identified in the Capital Improvement Program but require City Council to appropriate funding
in this fiscal year. Finally, some options do not yet have funding identified. In these cases, the City
Council may choose to appropriate funding from one of the city’s fund balances, seek grant funding,
appropriate funding from the General Fund reserve or seek other funding sources.
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Foundational elements
The City of Carlsbad has already prioritized traffic safety through its policies, projects, services and
special initiatives. Some of these foundational elements include:
General Plan Mobility Element
Approved by the City Council in 2015, the Mobility Element
guides future decisions related to how the city plans the
connectivity of the city’s transportation system by
identifying the preferred attributes of various street types
found in Carlsbad. It incorporates a “complete streets”
approach to designing city streets that balances the needs
of all users on the street including motorists, pedestrians,
bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities, seniors,
movers of commercial goods and users of public
transportation. It is complementary to other elements
within the General Plan.
Planned projects
The city’s Capital Improvement Program includes 40 planned traffic and mobility related projects to be
completed over the next 15 years. Other projects are planned as part of the city’s Sustainable Mobility
Plan implementation and the Carlsbad Residential Traffic Management Program. In all the city is
currently working on over 100 projects related to traffic and mobility improvements at a cost of about
$350 million. Funding for these projects has been appropriated from various sources including gas tax,
the TransNet transportation sales tax, and the city’s traffic impact fees. Some of the main projects are
listed below in order of the expected completion date.
• Tamarack Traffic Calming - Skyline Drive to Adams Street
• Tyler Street Traffic Circulation Study
• Safe Routes to School Plan – Hope Elementary
• Installation of permanent speed feedback signs at 8 locations in the Barrio
• Carlsbad Blvd pedestrian improvements between Mountain View Drive and Tamarack Avenue
• Melrose Drive right turn lane to westbound Palomar Airport Road
• Palomar Airport Road and College Boulevard improvements
• El Camino Real widening - Poinsettia Lane to Camino Vida Roble
• Kelly Drive and Park Drive complete street improvements
• Palomar Airport Road and Avenida Encinas improvements
• Traffic signal - Maverick Way and Camino De Los Coches
• Las Flores Street at I-5 Traffic Calming
• Barrio traffic circles
• Village decorative lighting
• Beach access repair & upgrades - Pine to Tamarack
• Avenida Encinas Coastal Rail Trail and Pedestrian Improvements
• El Camino Real right turn lane to eastbound Alga Road
• El Camino Real widening - Arenal Road to La Costa Avenue
• Terramar Area coastal improvements
• Carlsbad Boulevard and Tamarack pedestrian improvements
• El Camino Real widening - Sunny Creek to Jackspar
• Valley and Magnolia complete streets
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 48 of 162
• ADA beach access – Pine to Tamarack
• Avenida Encinas and Palomar Airport Road pedestrian access improvement
• Camino De Los Coches and La Costa Avenue intersection control
• Carlsbad Boulevard pedestrian lighting - Tamarack Avenue to State Street
• Carlsbad Village Drive and Grand Avenue pedestrian improvements
• Christiansen Way improvements
• Valley Street traffic calming
• Barrio street lighting
• Chestnut Avenue complete street improvements - Valley Street to Pio Pico
• Chestnut complete street – Interstate 5 to railroad
• Grand Avenue Promenade
• La Costa Avenue traffic improvements
• State Street and Grand Avenue road improvements
• Poinsettia Lane and Oriole Court traffic control improvements
• Trail connectivity to Tamarack State Beach
• Carlsbad Boulevard realignment- Manzano Drive to Island Way
• College Boulevard extension
• South Carlsbad Coastline: Road Realignment and Public Spaces
Sustainable Mobility Plan
Approved by the City Council in January 2021, the Sustainable Mobility Plan implements the Mobility
Element of the city’s General Plan and guides the city in expanding and improving safe, healthy and
convenient travel options for people of all ages and abilities. It combines projects and programs from
12 previous planning documents into a single strategic plan that includes:
Safe Routes to School
An approach that includes infrastructure improvements, enforcement tools, safety education
and incentives to promote walking, bicycling and carpooling to school.
Transportation Demand Management
Strategies to encourage Carlsbad workers and residents to walk, bike, ride transit and carpool
instead of driving alone. This approach helps the city achieve its sustainability and mobility
goals while mitigating congestion and increasing access and connectivity in the transportation
network.
Local Roadway Safety Plan
A framework to systematically analyze and identify areas where transportation safety can be
improved and recommend specific safety improvements for all road users.
Street Design Guidelines
Provides a set of best practices that can be incorporated by the City of Carlsbad to create
streets that will serve all users. These guidelines were developed using best practices in street
design from Carlsbad, San Diego County, the state of California and around the world. They
are intended to evolve and adapt to incorporate new treatments and techniques as they are
developed and proven successful.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 49 of 162
Carlsbad Residential Traffic Management Program
This program provides a way for city staff to work directly with neighborhoods that have concerns
about traffic safety. Based on an initial assessment, staff can utilize one or more approaches to slow
down speeds, discourage cut-through traffic, enhance pedestrian and bike safety, and make other
changes. Solutions include traffic circles, speed cushions, extending curbs and other measures. Eleven
neighborhoods are a part of the program this fiscal year:
• Victoria Avenue from Pontiac Drive to Haverhill Street
• Highland from Carlsbad Village Drive to Buena Vista Way
• Nueva Castilla from La Costa Avenue to Levante Street
• Monroe Street from Basswood Avenue to Carlsbad Village Drive
• Circulo Sequoia from Camino Junipero to Avenida Diestro
• Celina Drive from Carlsbad Village Drive to Chestnut Avenue
• Park Drive from Tamarack Avenue to Monroe Street
• Hummingbird Road from Sanderling Court to Rock Dove Street
• Black Rail Road from Poinsettia Lane to Northern Terminus
• Plum Tree Road from Hidden Valley to Aviara Parkway
• Carrillo Way from Rancho Brasado to Rancho Caballo Annual streets maintenance projects
The city repaves dozens of streets annually, based on conditions, to ensure the 350 miles of city-
owned roads are properly maintained. During construction, the city also updates the striping to best
serve all the users of the streets.
Customized traffic control plans for large events
The city minimizes the traffic impact of large events through the coordinated deployment of traffic
control devices and special events personnel.
Regional coordination and advocacy
The city collaborates with agency partners at Caltrans, the San Diego Association of Governments and
the North County Transit District on regional projects and long-term planning studies.
Public education
The city promotes safe driving, cycling and walking through an ongoing public education program that
includes social media, videos, workshops and partnerships with mobility groups.
Engineering design standards
Establishes uniform and best practice policies and procedures for the design and construction of public
improvements, which promote safety for all infrastructure users.
E-bike ordinance
In April 2022, the City Council made Carlsbad the first city in the region with a law specific to e-bikes,
e-scooters and other similar mobility devices. The law makes it easier to enforce safe e-bike riding
behaviors and includes a provision that allows people to take a safety class in lieu of paying a fine for
their first citation.
School crossing guard program
The City of Carlsbad funds 36 school crossing guards who serve 14 schools in the city, under the
supervision of the Carlsbad Police Department.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 50 of 162
Traffic enforcement
There is a dedicated Traffic Division within the Carlsbad Police Department to enforce the rules of the
road.
Immediate actions (completed in 3 months) ________________________
Since the emergency proclamation on Aug. 23, 2022, the city has taken more than a dozen actions.
Many are funded through a $2 million budget appropriation made by the City Council when it ratified
the emergency on Aug. 30. Others are funded through existing budget appropriations for fiscal year
2022-23. In these cases, staff have accelerated the timing of implementation or temporarily
reprioritized other work.
Safer Streets Together roll out
Developed and implemented a short-term campaign to introduce the community to the
Safer Streets Together initiative, including the following activities:
• Created Safer Streets Together website within the city’s site to provide campaign
information and resources. • Developed traffic safety related messages and engaged with followers on all city
social media channels. • Worked with school districts serving Carlsbad and private schools to distribute traffic
safety messages to students and parents via email newsletters and school site
banners. • Posted campaign banners along city streets and in city parks. • Created displays for city libraries and community centers with QR codes linking to
traffic safety related content. • Developed Spanish-language materials and distributed them through the Library
Learning Center and school district programs for Spanish-speaking parents.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 51 of 162
• Sent targeted information to large employers in Carlsbad with information to share
with employees. • Attended community events, including Back to School nights, Family Movie Night and
the farmer’s market to distribute traffic safety information and engage with
community members.
Bike lane enhancements
Painted about 20 potential conflict points
with high visibility green paint at road
segments with higher collision activity.
Digital roadway messaging
Installed 12 digital message boards and 17 speed feedback signs along streets and
intersections with higher collision rates.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 52 of 162
Immediate actions
The map below shows locations of safety banners, speed feedback signs, digital message
boards and green bike lane treatments installed since Aug. 23, 2022.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 53 of 162
Enhanced enforcement
Redeployed Police Department personnel to increase traffic enforcement around schools
during beginning weeks of classes. Reassigned two detectives to work overtime each
Friday, specifically to conduct traffic enforcement. Diverted one sergeant and two officers from their normal duties to specifically supplement the Traffic Division (to deploy on e-
bikes and in a vehicle). Purchased two additional e-bikes for police officer use.
Since the emergency was proclaimed and up to Sept 21, 2022, the Police Department has
issued a total of 253 warnings and 558 traffic citations, including:
• 136 citations and 51 warnings to e-bike users
• 22 citations and 32 warnings to bicyclists
• 397 citations and 170 warnings to motorists
• Three citations to pedestrians
Police have also made:
• 25 DUI arrests, five involving collisions
Immediate actions
Cost estimates
Funded and underway Category
Est. 1-time
cost
Ongoing
cost
Estimated
completion
Safer Streets Together roll out $30,000 No 10/23
Bike lane enhancements $421,000 Yes 11/23
Digital roadway messaging $215,000 No Completed
Enhanced enforcement $635,000 No 6/23
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 54 of 162
Short-term (completed in 6 months) ________________________________
City staff have developed the following potential actions for the City Council’s consideration. These
actions could be completed within six months. Some would require new funding while others could be
funded through existing department budgets by accelerating the timing of planned work.
Adopt a Vision Zero resolution No cost
Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while
increasing safe, healthy and equitable mobility for all. Vision Zero recognizes that the
goal of zero roadway fatalities and severe injuries among all road users is bold and
daunting, yet setting that goal publicly is important to making real change. To date,
54 cities and counties across the nation have adopted Vision Zero, including
Encinitas, La Mesa and San Diego in the local region.
Vision Zero strategies
The following strategies are part of the Vision Zero approach: • Building and sustaining leadership, collaboration, and accountability – especially
among a diverse group of stakeholders to include transportation professionals,
policymakers, public health officials, police, and community members • Collecting, analyzing, and using data to understand trends and potential
disproportionate impacts of traffic deaths on certain populations • Prioritizing equity and community engagement • Managing speed to appropriate levels • Setting a timeline to achieve zero traffic deaths and serious injuries, which brings
urgency and accountability, and ensuring transparency on progress and
challenges
Although the City of Carlsbad is already following many of the policies recommended
in the Vision Zero strategy, making a formal resolution would elevate the importance
of these policies and provide a framework for the actions already underway and any
additional actions the City Council chooses to add from this plan.
Community commitment campaign $42,000
Funded
Launch a campaign that creates opportunities for the community to publicly commit
to safe roadway behaviors and help promote the social norm around traffic safety to
other community members. Encourage participation by providing visual symbols of
commitment to reinforce bike, pedestrian and vehicle awareness and safety. • Pledge campaign • Yard signs • Window clings • Video testimonials • Neighborhood “pace” car • Campaign stickers • Other promo items • Testimonials on social media posts and videos
Dec. 5, 2022
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School collaboration $27,000
Funded
Develop partnerships with all districts and schools serving Carlsbad to raise
awareness of traffic safety. Opportunities could include student rallies, traffic safety
night at sporting events, chalk art interactive events and curriculum opportunities
such as the Sage Creek Genius Project. Partnerships could also include a student
ambassador program, a more in-depth program working with school broadcast
programs, tie-ins with the speech and debate clubs and twice-yearly presentations
by Carlsbad police officers. Another option is to engage elementary school students
in a contest to choose an official traffic safety mascot for the City of Carlsbad, which
once produced could appear at schools, libraries and other community events to
share traffic safety messages in an engaging way.
Business/non-profit partnership program $22,000
Funded
Work with businesses, such as bike shops, and local nonprofit organizations to
spread the message about traffic safety by displaying posters or window clings and
sharing the message to their networks through social media or other methods.
Encourage campaign promotion and encourage third-party engagement and support
through posters, reciprocal linking program and in-kind donations to be used as
incentives for other campaign components. Reach out to potential partners,
including: • Driving schools • Insurance companies • Bike shops • Health care providers • Apparel stores • Local civic-minded businesses
Mobility organization partnership program $12,000
Funded
Create partnerships with local and regional organizations focused on mobility, DUI
awareness and other issues related to traffic safety. Engage these groups in sharing
messages to the Carlsbad community, co-hosting events, providing workshops and
other outreach. This could include outreach to businesses with large employee
bases, residents, seniors, teens and other audiences.
Video public service announcements $20,000
Funded
Develop a series of public service announcements that reinforce safe roadway
behaviors utilizing testimonials, graphics and other visuals targeting different
audiences and modes of travel. These videos will be adapted for multiple social
media channels and could be utilized as part of a paid advertising campaign.
Dec. 5, 2022
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Upgrade high-pedestrian signal locations $60,000
Funded
Reduce vehicle-pedestrian conflicts by allowing pedestrians to begin crossing while
vehicles still face a red signal. Countdown pedestrian indications clarify pedestrian
crossing times and reduce confusion and ambiguity. Initial phase would include
approximately 30 locations.
School e-bike certification/permit program No cost
Work with the school districts within the city to explore creation of a certification
requirement for students to ride their bikes to campus. Students would need to upload
proof of attendance at a bike safety class to be able to ride their bicycles to school.
Carlsbad Village Faire outreach $5,000
Not funded
Create an engaging booth and display for the twice-yearly Carlsbad Village Faire to
share information on traffic safety.
Police officer Smart Cycling instructor program $2,000
Not funded
Police Department will explore with the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition training and
certifying police officers in the Smart Cycling program so the Police Department can
hold training courses for residents.
Install high-visibility crosswalks near schools $800,000
Not funded
Address speeding concerns around school areas by making crosswalks more
prominent on all city streets designated as “School Streets” by the General Plan
Mobility Element and other school-designated (yellow) crosswalks. Will highlight
pedestrian crossings at school locations by upgrading marked crosswalks to high-
visibility continental or ladder style at approximately 140 locations throughout the
city.
Evaluate roadway design treatments $50,000
Not funded
This strategy would analyze the physical placement of speed control treatments or
rumble strips ahead of residential intersections to change drive behavior to be alert
when approaching residential intersections, and along the inside buffer area of Class II
buffered bicycle lanes. These proposed analyses would include outreach to active
transportation user groups and other stakeholders. To address design immunity issues,
initial installations would be pilots conforming to the experimental treatments in the
California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Device.
Dec. 5, 2022
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Explore opportunities to obtain real time data $100,000
Not funded
Understanding Carlsbad roadways and the types of vehicles on the road is an
important component of traffic safety and adapting the city’s approach to education,
enforcement and engineering. This includes information like traffic flow, speed and
mode of transportation. The city is developing an active transportation monitoring
report to fulfill the 2019 Sustainable Mobility Plan recommendation to launch the
program. The plan is organized around three dimensions of mobility – travel
demand, mode share and safety. Reports like this are usually a snapshot in time and
provide the city with valuable data. There are new data products that may provide
similar data but on a more frequent and closer to real-time basis. Staff proposes to
explore opportunities to acquire products that could provide accurate mobility data
on a more frequent basis to inform city actions and public education.
E-citation expansion $55,000
Not funded
Building on the existing use of electronic citations by the traffic division, the Police
Department can complete its digital transformation related to writing, tracking, and
reporting citations. The technology has proven to increase citation writing speed,
improve efficiency and reduce the chance for human error when issuing paper
citations and entering them into a database. The acquisition of e-cite printers will
allow the remaining patrol officers who manually write paper tickets to use software
they already have to write the citation, print it in the field, and give it to the person
receiving the ticket. Data is transmitted electronically removing the potential for
human error from keying paper citations into a database. This will improve data
quality and will help the city in analyzing citation data to support safer streets.
Juvenile traffic safety incentive program $1,000
Not funded
Create a program in which police officers contact juveniles who are obeying the laws
while riding their bikes and e-bikes and reward them with donated gift cards, ice
cream, etc. This positive reinforcement program will continue the positive
relationships the Police Department has with residents in our city even during times
of heavy enforcement. Potential to eliminate cost by engaging business partners who may want to contribute incentives.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 58 of 162
Short-term actions
Cost estimates
Funded Category
Est. 1-time
cost
Ongoing
cost
Est.
completion
Adopt a Vision Zero resolution
n/a n/a 10/22
Community commitment
campaign
$42,000 No 3/23
School collaboration
$27,000 No 3/23
Business/non-profit partnership
program
$22,000 No 3/23
Mobility organization
partnership program
$12,000 No 3/23
Video public service
announcements
$20,000 n/a 3/23
Upgrade high-pedestrian signal
locations
$60,000 No 1/23
School e-bike
certification/permit program
n/a n/a 4/23
Not funded
Carlsbad Village Faire outreach
$5,000 No 5/23
Police officer Smart Cycling
instructor program
$2,000 No 4/23
Install high-visibility crosswalks
near schools
$800,000 Yes 1/23
Evaluate roadway design treatments
$50,000 No 12/22
Explore opportunities to acquire
more real-time data
$100,000 TBD 11/22
E-citation expansion
$55,000 No 4/23
Juvenile traffic safety incentive
program
$1,000 No 4/23
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 59 of 162
Mid-term (completed in 12 months) _______________________________
Expanded street resurfacing and restriping $3.7 million
Funded
Accelerated slurry seal and restriping of major east/west arterial corridors to balance
the needs of the users of the streets. Will seal the roadways to improve pavement
condition as part of our pavement management program and improve conditions for
all the users on the road. The first phase of this strategy includes: • La Costa Avenue – from western city border near I-5 to Fairway Lane • Poinsettia Lane – from Carlsbad Boulevard to Melrose Drive • Cannon Road – from Avenida Encinas to Faraday Avenue • Carlsbad Village Drive – from Interstate 5 to College Boulevard
This strategy will reduce the long-term maintenance costs of the restriped road
segments by reducing the width of the vehicular travel lanes. The strategy will also
include coordinating with Caltrans to improve the road markings for all users through
the state highway interchanges.
Received and deployed a new striper truck to assist with road striping maintenance
efforts.
Tamarack Avenue traffic calming $200,000
Funded
Kicked off work with community members to identify short-term traffic calming
strategies for Tamarack Avenue, between Skyline Drive and Adams Street. Curb
extensions were installed and a pedestrian hybrid beacon signal is in the
process of being installed at the intersection of Tamarack Avenue and Valley
Street. The intersection project is scheduled to be completed in October 2022.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 60 of 162
Reconfigure arterials $2 million
Funded
Reconfigure arterial streets including vehicular lane reductions and seal the
roadways to improve pavement condition as a part of our Pavement Management
Program and enhance conditions for all users of the road. Reconfiguring roadways
also reduces the long-term pavement maintenance costs and improves the line of
sight for side street users approaching the arterial. This program would be phased,
with the first phase including: • Carlsbad Boulevard – from Pine Avenue to southern border near La Costa
Avenue • El Fuerte Street – from Faraday Avenue to tie into the existing one
vehicular lane in each direction south of Rancho Pancho, excluding the
segments approaching Loker Avenue to Bressi Ranch Way • Grand Avenue – from Ocean Street to Hope Way. This would be the first
phase to the Grand Avenue Promenade Project to provide short-term
benefits until the ultimate promenade improvements are completed. • Poinsettia Lane – from Avenida Encinas to Carlsbad Boulevard • Cannon Road - Avenida Encinas to El Arbol Drive
Expand street resurfacing and restriping $2 million
Funded
Accelerate slurry seal and restriping major east/west arterial corridors to balance the
needs of the users of the streets. Seal the roadways to improve pavement condition
as part of our pavement management program and improve conditions for all the
users on the road. This second phase will include:
• Palomar Airport Road – from Avenida Encinas to eastern city border
• Rancho Santa Fe Road and Olivenhain Road – from eastern city border to
western city border
This strategy will reduce the long-term maintenance costs of the restriped road
segments by reducing the width of the vehicular travel lanes.
Continue to use the new striper truck to assist with road restriping maintenance
efforts.
Review citywide speed limits for potential reduction $40,000
Funded
Review speed limits citywide to determine whether speed limit reductions should
occur, in accordance with Assembly Bill 43 (2021).
Legislative advocacy for e-bike licensing requirement No additional cost
Utilize the city’s existing contracts with legislative affairs specialists to advocate for
California Legislature to enact a statute that requires a licensing process and training
to ride an e-bike.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 61 of 162
Complete Vision Zero plan $150,000
Not funded
The Vision Zero Action Plan would formalize the city’s existing and planned actions
into actionable, measurable strategies, emphasizing design and policy solutions,
including designing Complete Streets and lowering speeds for safety. Each strategy
would identify the lead agency responsible, along with supporting and partner
agencies, a projected timeline and budget needs.
Paid advertising campaign $105,000
Not funded
Prepare and implement a multi-media ad campaign that could include public service
announcements placed on local cable and streaming services, intro video ads on
YouTube, social media advertising, digital banner ads, a mobile digital billboard and
print placements.
Teen engagement program $34,000
Not funded
Effectively reaching the teen audience requires a customized approach that focuses
on peer-to-peer communication and engagement. This program will use Office of
Traffic Safety research specific to teens to tailor a Carlsbad program that encourages
and reinforces safe roadway behaviors.
Messages on city assets $16,500
Not funded
Utilize city buildings, banner holders and vehicles to display traffic safety messages,
including banners, murals and vehicle wraps – all focused on keeping traffic safety at
the forefront throughout the city.
Travel Safe visitors program $34,000
Not funded
Work with Visit Carlsbad, hotel properties, vacation rental owners and local
attractions to provide traffic safety information to visitors. Approach LEGOLAND with a
potential partnership utilizing the LEGO driving attractions (show your LEGO driver’s
license and get a Carlsbad traffic safety promo item at City Hall). Program could
include a video public service announcement aimed at visitors that play on in-house
hotel TV channels.
Mobile digital signage $15,000
Not funded
Place safety messages on a mobile digital billboard that can be moved around the
city and placed at community events.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 62 of 162
Expedite infrastructure projects $620,753 (annually)
Not funded
In June 2022, the City Council directed staff to expedite the following traffic-safety
related projects: • Barrio Traffic Circles Project • Village and Barrio Lighting Project • Evaluation of making Tyler Street one-way only • Grand Avenue Promenade • Sustainable Mobility Plan projects
With additional staff capacity, additional projects could be expedited, including:
• Terramar Area Coastal Improvements.
• Tamarack Avenue and Carlsbad Boulevard
• Kelly Drive and Park Drive Complete Streets Project
• Valley Street and Magnolia Avenue Complete Streets Project
Resourcing
To expedite more traffic-safety related projects, the city could consider delaying
projects with objectives other than promoting multimodal safety benefits.
Alternatively, the city could expand the size of its engineering staff to increase the
city’s capacity to complete projects sooner. Costs listed for this option include the
new annual cost of the following positions:
• 2 Associate Engineers
• 1 Assistant Engineer
• 1 Municipal Project Manager
• 1 Reclassified Senior Inspector from Inspector
Develop access plans for all schools $150,000
Not funded
Working with the school districts and administrations, develop access plans for all
schools. This strategy will focus on improving safety and efficiency for all modes of
travel entering the schools, including the pick-up and drop-off process. Plans are
typically led by the parent and teacher associations and the city in an advisory role. The
implementation is led by the schools’ PTAs to get ownership and buy-in from parents.
Safer Streets data analytics and visualization program $50,000
Not funded
Reports on traffic volumes and speeds are usually a snapshot in time and done on an annual basis. This strategy would use existing data to create a way to visualize data
so the city could adapt to changing conditions to support enforcement, traffic
calming and infrastructure improvements more rapidly. Additional data sources may
be necessary to create a robust data product so the acquisition of more accurate and
frequent information is included earlier in this plan.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 63 of 162
Speed cushions on streets around schools $1.3 million
Not funded
Assess speeds on all streets designed as “School Streets” in the General Plan’s
Mobility Element and install speed cushions as needed.
Update Carlsbad Residential Traffic Management
Program
$150,000
Not funded
Update the Carlsbad Residential Traffic Management Program, including removal of
the stop sign option, re-evaluation of qualification criteria and reduction of the
number of phases from three to two. The goal of the update is to align it with best
industry practices including the recommendations found in the California Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices and other applicable city and industry guidelines.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 64 of 162
Mid-term actions
Cost estimates
Funded Category
Est. 1-time
cost
Ongoing
cost Est.
completion
Expanded street resurfacing and
restriping
$3,700,000 No 10/23
Tamarack Avenue traffic calming
$200,000 No 3/23
Reconfigure arterials
$2,000,000 No 10/23
Expanded street resurfacing and
restriping (Palomar Airport Road,
Rancho Santa Fe/Olivenhain Road)
$2,000,000 No 10/23
Review citywide speed limits for
potential reduction
$40,000 Yes Ongoing
Legislative advocacy for e-bike
licensing requirement
None No 7/23
Not funded
Complete Vision Zero plan
$150,000 No 3/23
Paid advertising campaign
$105,000 No 4/23
Teen engagement program
$34,000 No 4/23
Messages on city assets
$16,500 No 4/23
Travel Safe visitors program
$34,000 No 4/23
Mobile digital signage
$15,000 No 4/23
Expedite infrastructure projects
$620,753 Yes Ongoing
Develop access plans for all schools
$150,000 No 12/23
Safer Streets data analytics and
visualization program
$50,000 No 11/31
Install speed cushions on streets
around schools
$1,300,000 No 10/23
Update Carlsbad Residential Traffic
Management Program
$150,000 No 10/23
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 65 of 162
Long-term (completed in 1+ years) _________________________________
Community service project plan $20,000
Not funded
Work with community service groups to engage them in the traffic safety issue. This
could include Boy Scout Eagle projects, Girl Scouts Gold Award, and Rotary and
Kiwanis club programs. Each would be approached with the challenge and asked to
develop or participate in community-based programs to support a strong social norm
around traffic safety in Carlsbad.
Entry signage $2,500 to $250,000
Not funded
The City of Carlsbad is one of the few cities in the region without monument signs at
the city’s main entrances. The city could commission entryway signage and include
the expectation that all road users practice good traffic safety behaviors.
Alternatively, signage could be placed on existing smaller “Welcome to Carlsbad” street poles with a similar message.
Activate CERT, Citizens Academy alumni, trail volunteers $12,000
Not funded
Connect with volunteers on the Community Emergency Response Team and Citizens
Academy graduates to develop a traffic safety ambassador program in which, after
undergoing training, they could serve as neighborhood leads to help promote traffic
safety best practices and help educate neighbors on various engineering solutions,
such as roundabouts.
Experiential community art $38,000 to $150,000
Not funded
Partner with artists to develop safety-related murals, chalk art or temporary art
exhibits throughout the city, such as:
• Mobile art show
• Mural project on city-owned buildings, schools or private property
participants
• Partnership with the cultural arts office for a Cannon Art Gallery exhibit
related to traffic safety (the gallery has an existing program with all third
grade classes in Carlsbad)
• Creative video contest
Update the Mobility Element in the General Plan $150,000
Not funded
Consider revisions to the Mobility Element to emphasize slower vehicle speeds and
increased bike and pedestrian safety.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 66 of 162
Explore school busing program $44,000,000*
Not funded
Work with North County Transit District and school districts serving Carlsbad to
explore opportunities for school busing programs, including potential partnerships to
use innovative transit solutions and a seasonal beach shuttle program.
Construct Transformative Corridor Projects $TBD
Not funded
Transformative Corridors will provide a multi-modal, backbone network of high-quality
bikeways, pedestrian facilities and transit services so that Carlsbad residents and
visitors have an array of travel options that do not require driving.
New community-oriented policing team $914,484 (annually)
Not funded
Request additional permanent staffing for the Police Department to implement a full-
time Community-Oriented Policing Team that would also serve as an e-bike team. This
would include four new officers and one new sergeant.
Long-term actions
Cost estimates
Not funded Category
Est. 1-time
cost Ongoing
Est.
completion
Community service project plan
$20,000 No 10/23
Entry signage
$2,500 -
$250,000
No 10/23
Activate Community Emergency
Resource Team, Citizens Academy
alumni, trail volunteers
$12,000 No 12/23
Experiential community art
$38,000 -
$150,000
No 12/23
Update the Mobility Element in the
General Plan
$150,000 No 12/23
Explore school busing program*
$44 million Yes 12/25
Construct Transformative Corridor
Projects
TBD TBD TBD
New community-oriented policing
team
$914,484
Annually
Yes 12/23
* Cost for 110 electric buses. Does not include administration, staffing, other costs.
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 67 of 162
Public input on traffic safety
Location Travel mode Topic Idea
Terramar Bike/e‐bike Bike lane Widen bike lane closer to downtown, going
south by Terramar
N/A Bike/e‐bike Bike lane Start a quick build bikeways program
N/A Bike/e‐bike Bike lane Build more bike lanes with barriers
N/A Bike/e‐bike Bike lane Learn about quick‐build protected bike lanes
N/A Bike/e‐bike Bike lane More green bike lanes
Chestnut Bike/e‐bike Bike lane We suggest Chestnut between El Camino Real
and the Coastal Rail Trail be designated as an
official bike route. This is a huge area of
opportunity for Carlsbad. This portion of
Chestnut is a literal bike highway for parents
riding their children to school, Valley MS and
Carlsbad HS students, as well as other
Carlsbadians and visitors/tourists accessing the
Village and beaches. Currently, cars drive much
too fast down Chestnut and consistently cut
into the bike lane on the curves between El
Camino Real and Monroe. Major traffic calming
should be
installed, including but not limited to: Removing
all parallel parking lanes; Adding protected,
raised bike lanes; Raised crossings and
continuous sidewalks; Added chicanes and/or
narrowed driving lanes; Roundabouts to replace
stop signs; Increased tree and other landscaping
planted near roads; Reduced speed limits
N/A Bike/e‐bike Bike lane Install dividers, paint bike lanes, post signs
N/A Bike/e‐bike Bike lane Add bike lane improvements: adding quick build
materials such as flexible delineator posts to
existing bike lanes (without
decreasing width of bike lane) to increase
awareness, raised bike lanes, protected bike
lanes, in order of…
| car lane | parallel parking lane || raised bike
lane | sidewalk, painting entire bike lanes green
N/A Bike/e‐bike Bike lane Prefers lanes marked in middle
Village Bike/e‐bike Bike lane Widen bike lane on ease side of CVD in village
Highland Dr.
south from
Buena Vista Bike Bike lane
Sharrow lanes painted on northbound and
south bound lanes
1
EXHIBIT 2
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 68 of 162
Public input on traffic safety
Pio Pico Dr
from Las
Flores headed
south Bike Bike lane
Needs bike lanes northbound and south bound,
or sharrows at minimum
Ambrosia
lane Bike Bike lane
Add bike lanes, also there are parked cars along
Ambrosia lane and a dangerous blind curve
Carlsbad
Village Drive
west of I‐5 Bike Bike lane
Bike lanes are very narrow and are not wide
enough to provide safe passage
Poinsettia/Avi
ara Parkway
intersection Bike/e‐bike Bike lane
Use “dutch‐style” intersections or “protected‐
intersection" at Poinsettia/Aviara Parkway
intersection and others.
N/A Bike/e‐bike Bike racks Increase bike rack access across the city
N/A Bike/e‐bike Bike racks Require bicycle parking as part of building
codes/development plans on any new or
renovated commercial building
N/A Bike/e‐bike Change laws Require e‐bike/bike annual registration fee
N/A Bike/e‐bike Change laws Put bikes on the sidewalk
N/A Bike/e‐bike Change laws Bikes lanes should be for bikes not e‐bikes,
reckless kids, license and treat like cars
N/A Bike/e‐bike Change laws License for all bikes and education in order to
receive license
N/A Bike/e‐bike Change laws Mandatory safety course and license before
they ride
N/A Bike/e‐bike Change laws Mandatory training for all bikes, license
required
N/A Bike/e‐bike Change laws Insurance requirements for e‐bikers, bring back
school buses
N/A Bike/e‐bike Change laws First violation needs to be ticketed and
mandatory safety course
N/A Bike/e‐bike Change laws Allow the Idaho Stop:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop
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Public input on traffic safety
N/A Bike/e‐bike Change laws Adding rules/laws regarding riding bicycles with
passengers: Riders under 16 may not carry
passengers; Riders operating the bicycle must
wear a helmet, regardless of age, if they are
carrying passengers 17 and under, and can be
cited/issued warning if they aren’t wearing a
helmet; Riders with passengers on a bike not
intended to carry passengers can be cited/issue
warning (i.e. seating a child on the top tube of a
bike with parent sitting behind on seat)
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Allow kids ride on sidewalk
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Require safety lessons
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Require permits
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Require driver's license
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Age limit
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Should be under same motorcycle law
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Require classes
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Require League of American Bicyclists Certified
training
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Treat e‐bikes like motorcycles
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Require mandatory class and license e‐bikes
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Require mandatory class before being licensed,
require licenses
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Treat bikes like a motorcycle and require a
license at 16
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Require mandatory class before getting a bike,
need licenses, prevention
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Need licensing and proper education (esp. kids)
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Need licensing and proper education (esp. kids)
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Education course mandatory for under 18,
should not be allowed on sidewalks or walking
paths
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Minimum age limit and certificate of rules and
driving ability
N/A E‐bikes Change laws License required for bikes
N/A E‐bikes Change laws E‐bikes should be classified as motorcycles and
require license
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Minimum age limit, safety class before
purchase,
3
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Public input on traffic safety
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Certify riders under 18, should have to carry
liability insurance
N/A E‐bikes Change laws E‐bikes need a safety course and permit to ride/
license for e‐bikes, ongoing safety courses
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Do not reallocate money from PD, min age 16
and license req
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Reckless kids causing most problems, min age
16, license required, treat as motorcycle
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Institute a license for e‐bikes
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Min age 16
N/A E‐bikes Change laws E‐bikes are motorcycles and should follow the
same rules
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Min age should be required
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Talk with e‐bike companies to put max speed
limit on e‐bikes for under 16 years
N/A Bike/e‐bike Change laws License for all bikes and educate in order to
receive license
N/A Bike/e‐bike Change laws Fine parents with kids breaking rules
N/A E‐bikes Change laws Driver license required for e‐bikes
N/A E‐bikes Change laws E‐bikes for 21 years and older only
N/A E‐bikes Change laws E‐bikes should require insurance and license
N/A Drivers Control speeding Lower speed limit
N/A Drivers Control speeding Slow car traffic and provide safer avenues for
navigation
Chinquapin Drivers Control speeding Speed bumps in speeding areas (esp.
Chinquapin), educate e‐bikes, but speeding cars
main prob
Skyline Drivers Control speeding Reduce speed on skyline to 25 mph all way to
coast
Madison and
Grand
Drivers Control speeding Four‐way stop at Madison and Grand
Valley Drivers Control speeding More paint, speedbumps and stop signs overall
N/A Drivers Control speeding Add a stop sign to turn left off of Valley
Chestnut &
Madison,
Chestnut &
Roosevelt
Drivers Control speeding Add stop signs at Chestnut & Madison, Chestnut
& Roosevelt
N/A Drivers Control speeding Use traffic circles
James &
Basswood
Drivers Control speeding Stop sign at corner of James & Basswood
4
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Public input on traffic safety
Terramar Drivers Control speeding Slow down cars and motorcycles speeding
through Terramar
Chestnut &
Valley
Drivers Control speeding Clear bushes at stops signs on corners of
Chestnut & Valley
Sage Creek
High School
Drivers Control speeding Area around Sage Creek HS needs traffic
calming
N/A Drivers Control speeding Slower speeds overall
N/A Drivers Control speeding Speed bumps around schools
Camino de los
Coches
Drivers Control speeding Slow down speed on Camino de los Coches
Carlsbad Blvd. Drivers Control speeding Keep the speed limit lowered to 35 mph on
Carlsbad Blvd. until light at Island way
Levante &
Estancia
Drivers Control speeding Flashing lights or something to draw attention
to the stop sign on the corner of Levante and
Estancia
N/A Drivers Control speeding Traffic calming by road and bike lane
improvements, evaluate for hazards, encourage
biking and more conveniences aimed at biking
vs driving, educate via classes and campaigns,
enforce and add new laws increasing the
minimum age to ride
N/A Drivers Control speeding Make traffic calming so prevalent that it
becomes second nature to drivers. Look to the
Netherlands and sustainable safety.
Village, Barrio
and Olde
Carlsbad
Drivers Control speeding Add traffic calming examples throughout
Carlsbad, specifically the Village, Barrio and
Olde Carlsbad neighborhoods: one‐way streets,
raised crossings, continuous sidewalks, rough
road surfaces, narrowed lanes, chicanes, street
cuts, roundabouts
Cassia Rd. Drivers Control speeding
Install speed humps to force drivers to slow
down and discourage use as a short cut
N/A All Control speeding Traffic slowed down, new bike lanes, and one
way streets
N/A All Control speeding Traffic light sensors to be installed
N/A Drivers Control speeding Make entire coastline 35 mph and enforce
Valley and
Chestnut
Drivers Control speeding Traffic light on Valley and Chestnut
N/A Drivers Control speeding Use one consistent speed on coast highway
Coast Drivers Control speeding Reduce speed to 25 mph all along coast
N/A Drivers Control speeding Lower speed limits using assembly bill 43
Tamarack Drivers Control speeding Install speed bumps on Tamarack by schools
Tamarack &
Pontiac
Drivers Control speeding Sign or light at Tamarack & Pontiac
5
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Public input on traffic safety
Chestnut &
Tamarack
Drivers Control speeding Limit speeds around schools esp. Chestnut &
Tamarack
Roosevelt and
Chestnut Drivers Control speeding Add roundabout at Roosevelt and Chestnut
Westwood
Drive
between
Blenkarn and
falcon Drivers Control speeding
Parents concerned for safety of kids who play in
street. Asking for any measures such as signs,
speed bumps, to slow traffic.
Skyline and
Alder Drivers Control speeding
Add a stop sign at Skyline and Alder, and speed
cushions from Skyline to Alder such as the ones
on Hillside Drive
Adams to
Skyline Drivers Control speeding Install speed cushions
I‐5 to
Carlsbad Blvd Drivers Control speeding Speeding cars
Carlsbad
Boulevard Pedestrians Control speeding
All pedestrian crossings should be elevated,
continuous sidewalks, forcing cars and bikes to
slow down.
N/A Bike/e‐bike More education Thorough public outreach for mandatory
education for cyclists
N/A Bike/e‐bike More education Educate all cyclists, not just cars
N/A Bike/e‐bike More education Bike education
N/A Bike/e‐bike More education Make bike education mandatory in CUSD
N/A Bike/e‐bike More education Safer riding class with certified instructor
N/A Bike/e‐bike More education More classes and education for cyclists
N/A Bike/e‐bike More education Campaign to educate consumers/citizens on
rechargeable battery safety: How to safely
recharge rechargeable and lithium‐ion batteries.
For example, be sure to only purchase products
that are tested and certified by CPSC and UL and
other standards. Only use manufacturer
chargers for your devices. Do not tinker with
battery systems or software on bikes.
Information provided via city websites, flyers in
the libraries and community centers, newsletter
articles/features, street pole banners, message
board street signage, TV and radio
advertisements.
6
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Public input on traffic safety
N/A Bike/e‐bike More education CUSD to add bicycle education as part of the PE
curriculum beginning in elementary school
N/A Drivers More education Drivers need the education since they seem to
be at fault
N/A Drivers More education Educate car drivers more
N/A Drivers More education Create flyer to educate drivers
N/A Drivers More education Campaign to educate drivers on bicycle‐friendly
driving: Information provided via city websites,
flyers in the libraries and community centers,
newsletter articles/features, street pole
banners, message board street signage, TV and
radio advertisements
N/A Drivers More education Educate drivers about traffic laws
N/A E‐bikes More education Remind no text and ride on e‐bikes
N/A All More enforcement More safety patrols
N/A All More enforcement Better rules and enforcement within our
contractors as bike lines are being obstructed
causing dangerous situations
N/A All More enforcement Need proactive law enforcement
N/A All More enforcement Enforcement needed at Tamarack & Highland
Ambrosia &
Blackbird
Circle
All More enforcement Officer be assigned to the intersection at
Ambrosia and Blackbird Circle to monitor the
school traffic and children crossing, no parking
signs
N/A Bike More enforcement Give bike riders more tickets
N/A Bike/e‐bike More enforcement Cyclists to follow the rules of the road like
motorists
N/A Bike/e‐bike More enforcement More enforcement (start ticketing)
N/A Bike/e‐bike More enforcement More enforcement, safety courses for kids at
elementary age
N/A Bike/e‐bike More enforcement Enforce the kids leave the experienced cyclists
alone
Tamarack &
Carlsbad
Village Dr.
Bike/e‐bike More enforcement More walking police on boardwalk between
Tamarack & Carlsbad Village Dr.
N/A Drivers More enforcement More enforcement, reduce speed limits, add
speed traps and speed signs
N/A Drivers More enforcement Go after drivers who text and drive
7
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Item #4 Page 74 of 162
Public input on traffic safety
Tamarack &
Highland
Drivers More enforcement Enforce stop sign use Tamarack & Highland
N/A Drivers More enforcement Increased enforcement in regards to distracted
driving, speeding, red‐light and stop sign
running, and general reckless endangerment.
N/A E‐bikes More enforcement Enforce class 3 e‐bikes ‐ no one under 16 years
N/A All More enforcement Add more police presence near schools
N/A Bike More enforcement Wants more police enforcement on cyclists
Aviara Oaks Pedestrians More enforcement an officer be assigned to the intersection at
Ambrosia and Blackbird Circle to monitor the
school traffic and children crossing the street
before and after school and citate those drivers
making illegal U‐turns and other violations.
N/A Drivers New signage Use a banner similar to San Marcos "Honk less
Wave more"
N/A All New signage Put up signs saying walk bikes in crosswalks
N/A Drivers New signage Digital sign suggestion: share the road with
cyclist
N/A Pedestrians New signage Signage for sidewalks indicating it's for
pedestrian use only
El Camino
Real from
Costa Del Mar
to past Arenal Bike
Other/Address
hazards in roadway
Work on Fire Station 2 has created obstruction
of NB bike lane on ECR from Costa Del Mar to
past Arenal Road. Set up signage so it doesn't
block traffic. Better rules and enforcement for
traffic management contractors regarding
signage that adds to safety.
N/A Bike/e‐bike Other/Address
hazards in roadway
Evaluate all current bike lanes for hazards,
width requirements, etc.
Harding St. Bike/e‐bike Other/Address
hazards in roadway
3635 and 3675 Harding Street residents (among
others) put their trash, recycling and compost
bins in the bike lane, forcing bikes into the car
lane right before a blind curve in the road.
N/A All Other/community
engagement
Implement a resident committee, Education,
training, and enforcement are starting points
N/A All Other/construction
around schools
No construction around schools during school
Avocet Pedestrians Other/Less street
parking during school
“no parking signs” could be placed on the
streets of Avocet nearest the entrance at
Ambrosia for the hours children are let out and
picked up from school.
8
Dec. 5, 2022
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Public input on traffic safety
N/A Pedestrians Other/More crossing
guards
Add more crossing guard hours
N/A All Other/No car days City‐hosted once‐monthly Sunday
Streets—where a street is closed to car traffic to
encourage walking, biking and sense of
community
Village All Other/No car days No‐car days in the Village to promote walking
and bike riding
N/A Bike/e‐bike Other/Reduce vehicle
traffic
Offer incentives to Carlsbad city employees and
CUSD students to ride bikes rather than drive
N/A Pedestrians Other/Walking audit Consider Circulate SD ideas ‐‐ walking audit,
mapping, open house, technical memo
N/A Bike/e‐bike Partnerships Require all events held within city limits to
partner with the San Diego County Bicycle
Coalition (or similar) to provide bike parking
N/A All Partnerships Reach out to other city's leaders too
N/A All Partnerships Watch Strong Town Videos for ideas to adopt
N/A All Partnerships Give $10K to Carlsbad kid to design and build
crowd source app for residents to submit traffic
safety ideas
N/A Bike/e‐bike Partnerships City of Carlsbad will partner with the San Diego
County Bicycle Coalition (or similar) to provide
bicycle education for all riders, regardless of age
and experience, as to be part of the Parks and
Recreation community service class offerings
N/A E‐bikes Reckless users Teens too reckless on e‐bikes
N/A E‐bikes Reckless users Don't allow kids on e‐bikes
N/A Bike Risky behavior Bikes going too fast
N/A Drivers Risky behavior Cyclists not at fault, reckless drivers are
N/A Drivers Risky behavior Drivers parking in bike lane
La Gran Via Drivers Risky behavior Traffic and speeding, major problem
N/A E‐bikes Risky behavior Reckless kids are the problem
N/A E‐bikes Risky behavior Outreach to schools to not allow kids to ride if
have a citation
9
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 76 of 162
Public input on traffic safety
N/A E‐bikes Risky behavior Need heavy enforcement (ticketing) not
education, outreach to schools to not allow kids
to ride if have a citation
Poinsettia All Road improvements Fix roads in Poinsettia area too not just village
Basswood,
Magnolia,
Highland,
Monroe
All Road improvements One way streets‐From Basswood to Magnolia to
Highland to Monroe
N/A All Road improvements Allocate more resources to infrastructure and
less to enforcement
Alicante &
Alga
All Road improvements Alicante & Alga needs to be addressed
N/A All Road improvements Hire traffic engineers that live in Carlsbad
N/A All Road improvements Put money used for LPR towards better
infrastructure
Village All Road improvements Re‐routing roads around the Village into one‐
way streets are an area of concern.
Village All Road improvements Consider shutting down blocks to thru traffic
completely within the Village.
La Costa &
Ranch Sante
Fe
All Road improvements Study La Costa & Ranch Sante Fe
Christiansen
Way All Road improvements
Damage increased on Christiansen Way from
April to now. Concern over potholes and road
damage in rain.
Jefferson St
between
Magnolia and
Tamarack Bike Road improvements
Remove street parking from Jefferson to
improve visibility. Need bike lanes. Crosswalk at
Carol Place should be elevated, continuous
sidewalk, forcing cars to slow down before
approaching. Need police officer to direct traffic
on school days.
N/A Drivers Road improvements Add traffic light sensors that detect cyclists
Roosevelt Drivers Road improvements Roosevelt between Jefferson and Chestnut—the
driving lane gets very narrow at the curve and
cars consistently cut into the bike lane.
La Costa Ave
& Maverick
Way
Pedestrians Road improvements Install crosswalk at La Costa Ave & Maverick
Way
Chestnut Pedestrians Road improvements
Add a pedestrian overpass or underpass similar
to Leucadia and Oceanside so that we don't
have to drive unnecessarily to get to the beach
and find parking
N/A Pedestrians School bussing Invest in school bus service
10
Dec. 5, 2022
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Public input on traffic safety
N/A All School bussing Use school busing
N/A Pedestrians School bussing School buses are safer
N/A Bike/e‐bike Wear helmets Kids not wearing helmets
N/A Bike/e‐bike Wear helmets Helmet straps tightly under chin
N/A E‐bikes Wear helmets Kids should wear motorcycle helmets on e‐bikes
11
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Item #4 Page 78 of 162
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 79 of 162
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 80 of 162
DRAFT
GUIDELINES FOR TRANSPORTATION IMPACT STUDIES
IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION
January 22, 2019
Exhibit 3
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 81 of 162
Guidelines for Transportation Impact Studies in the San Diego Region Page i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This technical paper was prepared by members of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, San
Diego Section, Transportation Capacity and Mobility Task Force, SB 743 Subcommittee.
PRINCIPAL AUTHORS
Erik Ruehr, VRPA Technologies (Subcommittee Chair)
Katy Cole, Fehr and Peers
Mychal Loomis, Kimley- Horn and Associates
KC Yellapu, Linscott, Law & Greeenspan, Engineers
Justin Rasas, LOS Engineering
ADDITIONAL SB 743 SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS
Andrew Martin, Ascent Environmental Jacob Armstrong, Caltrans
Alyssa Begley, Caltrans Kimberly Dodson, Caltrans
Roger Sanchez-Rengel, Caltrans Monique Chen, Chen Ryan Associates
Phuong Nguyen, Chen Ryan Associates Craig Williams, City of Carlsbad
Scott Barker, City of Chula Vista Claudia Brizuela, City of San Diego
Meghan Cedeno, City of San Diego Maureen Gardiner, City of San Diego
George Ghossain, City of San Diego Ann Gonsalves, City of San Diego
Samir Hajjiri, City of San Diego Nic Abboud, City of San Marcos
Minjie Mei, City of Santee Meghan Macias, EPD Solutions
Sarah Brandenberg, Fehr and Peers Amy Jackson, Kimley- Horn and Associates
Larry Hofreiter, Port of San Diego Cara Hilgesen, Linscott, Law & Greenspan, Engineers
Mike Calandra, SANDAG Walter Musial, Linscott, Law & Greenspan, Engineers
Keith Greer, SANDAG Dawn Wilson, Michael Baker International
Sandipan Bhattacharjee, Translutions David Wong-Toi
Dec. 5, 2022
Item #4 Page 82 of 162
Guidelines for Transportation Impact Studies in the San Diego Region Page ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION PAGE
1.0 Background ........................................................................................................................................... 1-1
2.0 Purpose of Guidelines .......................................................................................................................... 2-1
3.0 Project Coordination and Staff Consultation ..................................................................................... 3-1
PART I – CEQA TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS
4.0 Individual Land Development Projects and Specific Plans ............................................................... 4-1
5.0 Community Plans and General Plans ................................................................................................. 5-1
6.0 Transportation Projects ....................................................................................................................... 6-1
PART II – LOCAL TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS
7.0 Roadway ................................................................................................................................................ 7-1
8.0 Transit .................................................................................................................................................... 8-1
9.0 Bicycle .................................................................................................................................................. 9-1
10.0 Pedestrian ........................................................................................................................................... 10-1
APPENDICES
APPENDIX
A. Transportation Impact Study Screen Check
B. Ramp Meter Analysis
C. Level of Service (LOS) Definitions
Dec. 5, 2022
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Guidelines for Transportation Impact Studies in the San Diego Region Page iii
LIST OF FIGURES
SECTION—FIGURE # PAGE
Figure 4–1 Transportation Impact Study Flow Chart – Individual Projects and Specific Plans ................... 4-2
Figure 6–1 Transportation Impact Study Flow Chart – Transportation Projects .......................................... 6-2
Figure 7–1 Flow Chart for LTA Roadway Analysis ..................................................................................... 7-2
LIST OF TABLES
SECTION—TABLE # PAGE
Table 7–1 Thresholds for Roadway Improvements ................................................................................... 7-6
Table 7–2 Roadway Classifications, Level of Service, and Average Daily Traffic...................................... 7-7
Dec. 5, 2022
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Guidelines for Transportation Impact Studies in the San Diego Region
Page 1-1
GUIDELINES FOR TRANSPORTATION IMPACT STUDIES (TIS)
IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION
1.0 BACKGROUND
The original Guidelines for Traffic Impact Studies in the San Diego Region (ITE/SANTEC, 2000) have been
in use for over 18 years. They were developed by a group of volunteers from the San Diego Section of the
Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the San Diego Traffic Engineers Council (SANTEC). The
guidelines were later incorporated into the region’s Congestion Management Program (CMP) prepared by
the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG, 2008). Although the inclusion the Congestion
Management Program (CMP) increased the visibility of the guidelines for a period of time, SANDAG has
since opted out of the CMP process.
The intent in preparing the guidelines was to promote consistency in the methodology for traffic impact
studies used by different agencies in the San Diego region. While these guidelines were not intended to be
used as a standard or a requirement, they provided a methodology for traffic impact studies that is similar
to the methodology used by most agencies within the region. Some agencies in the region have “adopted”
the guidelines by specifying that traffic impact studies follow the procedures recommended by the
guidelines. Other agencies, including San Diego County and the City of San Diego, prepared their own
guidelines that included some common elements with the regional guidelines.
The need to develop a revised set of regional transportation impact study guidelines is primarily related to
the passage of Senate Bill 743 (SB 743) in the fall of 2013. This legislation led to a change in the way that
transportation impacts are measured under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Starting on
July 1, 2020, automobile delay and level of service (LOS) may no longer be used as the performance
measure to determine the transportation impacts of land development projects under CEQA. Instead,
vehicle miles traveled (VMT) will become a required metric. This requirement does not modify the
discretion lead agencies have to analyze impacts to other components of the transportation system such as
walking, bicycling, transit, and safety. SB 743 also applies to transportation projects, although agencies
were given flexibility in the determination of the performance measure for these types of projects.
The intent of SB 743 is to bring CEQA transportation analyses into closer alignment with other statewide
policies regarding greenhouse gases, complete streets, and smart growth. Using VMT as a performance
measure instead of LOS is intended to discourage suburban sprawl, reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
encourage the development of smart growth, complete streets, and multimodal transportation networks.
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Page 2-1
2.0 PURPOSE OF GUIDELINES
The guidelines described in this report were prepared to provide methodologies for transportation
engineers and planners to conduct CEQA transportation analyses for land development and transportation
projects in compliance with SB 743. Lead agencies may opt-in to using VMT at any time, but will be
required to use it for analysis of transportation impacts of land development projects starting July 1, 2020.
In addition, methodologies are provided to evaluate automobile delay and LOS outside of the CEQA
process. Although no longer incorporated in CEQA (starting July 2020), automobile delay and LOS
continue to be of interest to transportation engineers and planners who plan, design, operate, and maintain
the roadway system. In addition, delay experienced due to traffic congestion is a concern to drivers and
passengers of vehicles using the roadway system.
Given the need to prepare VMT-based CEQA transportation impact analyses to satisfy the requirements of
SB 743 as well as the need to evaluate the performance of the roadway system based on delay and LOS,
these guidelines are divided into separate parts. Part I is focused on CEQA transportation impact analyses
while Part II is focused on the more traditional LOS-based transportation analyses, called local
transportation analysis for the purpose of these guidelines. Local transportation analysis includes
evaluation of any multimodal transportation improvements (transit, bicycle, pedestrian) that are
recommended to support a land development project but may or may not be required as mitigation
measures for a project’s significant VMT impacts. Background information for each is provided below with
more detail included in the sections that follow.
CEQA TRANSPORTATION IMPACT ANALYSIS
The SB 743 legislation specified that the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) prepare
guidelines for the implementation of SB 743. During the period from the passage of SB 743 in 2013 to the
fall of 2017, OPR prepared various sets of guidelines and sought public comments from stakeholders. This
resulted in two documents dated November 2017 that were sent to the California Natural Resources
Agency for adoption into CEQA:
CEQA Guidelines Revisions: Revisions to the CEQA Guidelines are made through a formal
process conducted by the Natural Resources Agency. Changes can only be made through a
future CEQA update process.
Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts in CEQA (Technical Advisory): The
technical advisory provides recommendations for the preparation of transportation impact analyses
under SB 743. It is not formally included in CEQA and can be revised by OPR at any time without
going through a formal process. Updated versions of the technical advisory are expected to be
issued by OPR as new information becomes available and as California agencies gain experience
in applying SB 743 to actual projects. As of the time of preparation of these transportation impact
study guidelines, two updates to the November 2017 technical advisory had been published, and
the current version is dated December 2018.
In addition to the differences described above, the CEQA Guidelines revisions and the technical advisory
also differ in the extent to which they must be followed by local agencies. The CEQA Guidelines revisions
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are rules that must be followed in order to prepare an adequate CEQA document. In contrast, the technical
advisory provides statewide guidance based on evidence collected by OPR that can be refined or modified
by local agencies with appropriate justification and substantial evidence. (Refer to CEQA Guidelines
Section 15384 for a definition of substantial evidence.) As an example, the CEQA Guidelines revisions
specify that a land development project’s effect on automobile delay does not cause a significant
environmental impact. The use of VMT is suggested as a performance metric, but there is no indication of
what level of VMT increase would cause a significant environmental impact. The technical advisory
suggests various thresholds for the significance of VMT impacts but does not require the use of a particular
threshold. Therefore, lead agencies would be prohibited from using automobile delay to determine
significant transportation impacts and would be required to use VMT instead. Lead agencies have
discretion to select their preferred significance thresholds and could choose to use the thresholds
suggested in the technical advisory or develop alternative thresholds. Either decision should be supported
by substantial evidence that considers the legislative intent objectives of SB 743 and the specific direction
the statue provides regarding setting thresholds (per the excerpts below):
SB 743 Statute - Legislative Intent
More appropriately balance the needs of congestion management with statewide goals related to
infill development, promotion of public health through active transportation, and reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions.
SB 743 Statute – Section 21099(b)(1)
Those criteria shall promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the development of
multimodal transportation networks, and a diversity of land uses.
Regardless of the changes described above, SB 743 is clear in its intent that CEQA documents continue to
address noise, air quality, and safety (per the excerpt below):
SB 743 Statute – Section 21099(b)(3)
This subdivision does not relieve a public agency of the requirement to analyze a project’s
potentially significant transportation impacts related to air quality, noise, safety, or any other impact
associated with transportation. The methodology established by these guidelines shall not create a
presumption that a project will not result in significant impacts related to air quality, noise, safety, or
any other impact associated with transportation.
Although SB 743 will require the use of VMT analysis, it does not change expectations for evaluating
potential impacts to other components of the transportation system as noted above. A complete
environmental review will generally consider how projects effect VMT in addition to effects on walking,
bicycling, using transit, and safety when traveling.
The CEQA transportation impact analysis described in these transportation impact study guidelines is
based on the technical advisory prepared by OPR, but refinements and clarifications have been added to
reflect local conditions. For any subsequent revisions of the SB 743 technical advisory prepared by OPR, it
would need to be determined whether the new information would suggest a change in the methodologies
for conducting CEQA transportation impact studies in the San Diego region.
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LOCAL TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS
As stated above, localized traffic congestion remains a concern to transportation engineers and planners as
well as the traveling public. It is recommended that consideration be given to preparation of a local
transportation analysis for all land development and transportation projects that evaluates a project’s
access and circulation within and nearby the project site. The local transportation analysis would provide
analysis of roadway conditions where there is the potential that substantial worsening of traffic congestion
would result due to implementation of the project. In addition, it would analyze the need for multimodal
improvements in cases where there is the potential for the project to cause a substantial worsening of
conditions for multimodal travel. Since any increases in traffic congestion or vehicular delay would not
constitute a significant environmental impact, the local transportation analysis could be included in the
project’s CEQA document for information only or it could be provided in a separate document. The
purposes of the local transportation analysis may include, but is not limited to the following:
Recommendations for any roadway improvements that should be built/implemented by the project
(or should be built/implemented by the project in coordination with other nearby land development
projects) based on the project’s expected effect on vehicular delay and LOS.
Recommendations for any multimodal transportation improvements (transit, bicycle, pedestrian)
that should be built/implemented by the project (or should be built/implemented by the project in
coordination with other nearby land development projects). Recommended multimodal
transportation improvements may be required as mitigation measures for transportation impacts
related to VMT increases or they may be recommended for other reasons.
Transportation analysis needed to determine the appropriate level of fees for multimodal
transportation improvements if the local jurisdiction has a fee program in place.
Documentation of the project’s expected effect on vehicular delay and level of service in the nearby
transportation system.
The roadway analysis methodologies recommended for conducting local transportation analysis, as
detailed in Part II of these guidelines are based on the previous regional traffic impact study guidelines, with
changes to reflect evolution in the practice that has occurred Users of these guidelines should note that
transportation analysis advances occur each year as documented through key conferences such as the
Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting. Further, new data vendors and new mobility
options continue to evolve. As such, the recommended methodologies in this document may require on-
going updates and refinements. The recommended methodologies for multimodal transportation analysis
generally reflect new procedures that were not included in the previous guidelines.
The intent of these guidelines is that agencies in the San Diego region be encouraged to implement Part I –
CEQA guidelines to promote consistency in methodology and the pursuit of VMT reductions to meet
regional and state goals. It is recognized that agencies may wish to make specific exceptions to these
guidelines to account for local conditions. Agencies may also desire to have additional analyses conducted
outside of the CEQA analyses to help inform staff and decision makers in reviewing a project. To that end,
Part II – Local Transportation Analyses reflects an update to the previous regional Traffic Impact Study
Guidelines.
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3.0 PROJECT COORDINATION AND STAFF CONSULTATION
TIS preparers are encouraged to discuss the project with the lead reviewing agency’s staff reviewer at an
early stage in the planning process. An understanding of the level of detail and the assumptions required
for the analysis should be reached. While a pre-submittal conference is highly encouraged, it may not be a
requirement. For straightforward studies prepared by consultants familiar with these TIS procedures, a
telephone call or e-mail, followed by a verification of key assumptions, may suffice. Transportation impact
studies should be prepared by a qualified transportation professional. Lead agencies should consider
requiring that all transportation impact studies by prepared by or reviewed under the supervision of a
licensed traffic engineer.
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4.0 INDIVIDUAL LAND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND SPECIFIC PLANS
The recommended methodology for conducting a VMT analysis is based on guidance prepared by the
California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) as provided in the published Technical
Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts in CEQA. At the time of writing of these guidelines, the
current version of OPR’s technical advisory was dated December 2018. The guidance recommended by
OPR has been modified to be better suited to local conditions in the San Diego region. These
modifications are noted in the details described later in this chapter.
The basic process is to compare a project’s estimated VMT/capita or VMT/employee to average values on
a regional, city-wide, or community basis. The target is to achieve a project VMT/employee or VMT/capita
that is 85% or less of the appropriate average based on suggestions in these guidelines. Note that lead
agencies have discretion for choosing a VMT metric and threshold. The selection should represent how
VMT reduction is balanced against other objectives of the lead agency and be supported by substantial
evidence.
The methodology for determining VMT/capita or VMT/employee is related to the project’s expected daily
trip generation. The process for determining appropriate methodology to be used for conducting a VMT
analysis for individual land development projects and specific plans is summarized in Figure 4-1.
The remainder of this section of the guidelines is divided into individual components that describe different
aspects of the methodology.
MINIMUM PROJECT SIZE
It is recommended that projects be subjected to different levels of VMT analysis, depending on the size of
the project and whether the project is consistent with the local jurisdiction’s General Plan or Community
Plan. Projects that are consistent with the General Plan or Community Plan are also considered to be
consistent with the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS).
The determination of minimum project size for VMT analysis described below differs from the statewide
guidance provided by OPR. It is based on regional standards for transportation analyses that were
documented in the Guidelines for Traffic Impact Studies in the San Diego Region (ITE/SANTEC, 2000) and
have been in use for over 18 years.
The following level of VMT analysis is recommended based on project size (expressed in terms of Average
Daily Trips generated by the project, also known as ADT) and zoning:
Projects Inconsistent with General Plan or Community Plan
ADT Level of Analysis
0 – 500 VMT Analysis Not Needed/VMT Impacts Presumed Insignificant
500 and Greater VMT Analysis Recommended
Projects Consistent with General Plan or Community Plan
ADT Level of Analysis
0 – 1,000 VMT Analysis Not Needed/VMT Impacts Presumed Insignificant
1,000 and Greater VMT Analysis Recommended
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Figure 4-1
VMT Analysis for Individual Land Development Projects
Daily Project Trips Consistency with General Plan /
Community Plan
Level Of Significance And
Mitigations
VMT Analysis Methodology
500-1000 ADT
>2400 ADT
0-500 ADT
1000-2400 ADT
Less than Significant Impact
Consistent
Inconsistent
Less than Significant Impact
Below Threshold
Exceeds Threshold
Run SANDAG
model with and
without Project
Less than Significant Impact
Mitigate to Below Threshold?
Less Than
Significant
Impact
Significant
Impact
YES NO
Use SANDAG VMT
Calculation Tool
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PROJECTS LOCATED NEAR TRANSIT STATIONS
OPR’s technical advisory contains the following guidance regarding projects located near transit stations:
Proposed CEQA Guideline Section 15064.3, subdivision (b)(1), states that lead agencies generally
should presume that certain projects (including residential, retail, and office projects, as well as
projects that are a mix of these uses) proposed within ½ mile of an existing major transit stop or an
existing stop along a high quality transit corridor will have a less-than-significant impact on VMT.
This presumption would not apply, however, if project-specific or location-specific information
indicates that the project will still generate significant levels of VMT.
An existing major transit stop is defined as “a site containing an existing rail transit station, a ferry terminal
served by either a bus or rail transit service, or the intersection of two or more major bus routes with a
frequency of service interval of 15 minutes or less during the morning and afternoon peak commute
periods.”
For the purposes of these guidelines, the distance between the project site and the transit station is
typically based on walking distance.
Under normal circumstances, a major transit stop would be considered to be applicable for this purpose if
the transit stop were assumed to be in place in SANDAG’s RTIP scenario (see Methodology for VMT
analysis for further discussion of this scenario).
METHODOLOGY FOR VMT ANALYSIS
As mentioned above, it is recommended that VMT thresholds for SB 743 analysis will be developed by
comparisons to average VMT/capita (for residential projects) or VMT/employee (for employment projects).
The analysis can be conducted by comparing either the project VMT/capita or VMT/employee to both the
San Diego regional average and the average for the city or community in which the project is located. If the
project average is lower than either 85% of the regional average or 85% of the average for the city or
community in which the project is located, the VMT impacts of the project can be presumed less than
significant. It will be up to each city in the San Diego region and the County to either define its jurisdiction
as a single community for the purposes of determining VMT thresholds or to subdivide its jurisdiction into
smaller communities for the purpose of SB 743 analysis.
It should be noted that OPR’s technical advisory includes special considerations for affordable housing and
these considerations are also recommended for use in the San Diego area. Projects that include 100%
affordable housing in infill locations can be presumed to have a less than significant VMT impact. Infill
locations will typically have better than average access to transit and/or greater opportunities for walking
and bicycling trips. The exact definition of infill locations will need to be determined based on local
conditions.
The VMT methodology recommended above differs from the statewide guidance recommended by OPR in
the following ways:
OPR recommends that VMT/capita comparisons for residential projects be made both on a
regional and city-wide basis. These guidelines recommend that a city may choose to do
comparisons at a community level rather than at the city-wide level. This recommendation applies
to all cities within San Diego County and provides the lead agencies flexibility and discretion for
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selecting the threshold that is appropriate for their agency, based on their values and substantial
evidence. Many communities within cities within the San Diego Region have a size and population
that is comparable to a typical city on a statewide basis. The unincorporated area of San Diego
County also has a governing structure in place for its communities and the choice to do VMT/capita
comparisons at a community level is also recommended to be extended to the unincorporated area
of the County. The Cities of Encinitas and Chula Vista are also examples of cities that have
distinct communities that have been treated differently for various historical planning
considerations.
OPR recommends that VMT/employee comparisons for employment projects be conducted at a
regional basis only, as compared to VMT/capita comparisons that are made both at a regional and
city-wide basis. These guidelines recommend that VMT/employee comparisons be made at both
the regional and at the city-wide level (or community level as described above). The San Diego
Region is the third largest region in California (after the Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco
Bay Area). While some employment trips are made across the region (or even outside the region),
there is a large incentive to live and work within a relatively short distance, even within the same
city or community, to avoid the relatively long commute distances that can be experienced by
traveling across the region during peak commute hours.
OPR recommends that the VMT/capita comparisons for projects in unincorporated county areas be
based on the average of all cities within the county. These guidelines recommend that VMT/capita
and VMT/employee comparisons for projects in the unincorporated area of San Diego County be
made to the overall average VMT/capita and VMT/employee for the unincorporated area of the
county. San Diego County is one of the largest counties in California in terms of geography and
also one of the most diverse in terms of topography and climate. While the VMT/capita
comparison recommended by OPR may make sense for some counties in California, the
comparisons between unincorporated areas and averages of the cities makes less sense in San
Diego County where there are great differences in terms of distance and other factors between
rural and urban areas of the County. In addition, there is a technical reason for recommending that
VMT/capita comparisons for projects in the unincorporated area of San Diego County be made to
the overall average VMT/capita for the unincorporated area of the county. The SANDAG VMT
analysis tool described below is based on determining VMT/capita averages for each city or
community in the region. Comparing projects in the unincorporated county area of the county to
the average VMT/capita of the cities will result in a double-counting of VMT/capita values in the
cities. For the reasons described in the bullet above, these guidelines also recommend that
VMT/employee comparisons be made at both the regional and at the city-wide level or community
level.
It is recommended that once the SB 743 analysis communities have been defined by local jurisdictions,
SANDAG should then calculate the average VMT/capita (for residential projects) and the average
VMT/employee (for employment projects) for each city or community. This calculation can be based on the
Regional Transportation Improvement Plan (RTIP) scenario for future land use and transportation network
which includes expected growth through the end of the RTIP scenario and transportation network
improvements that are considered to be funded through the RTIP. It is recommended that the RTIP
scenario used for VMT analysis purposes will be held constant once it is created and will only be changed
once every four years with the update of the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities
Strategy (RTP/SCS). It is recommended that the SANDAG online VMT analysis tool (described below)
also be held constant and be updated every four years.
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Retail development falls into a category which is neither considered to be residential nor employment-
based. For retail projects, these guidelines are based on the methodology recommended by OPR for retail
projects. It is recommended that local-serving retail projects be presumed to have less than significant
VMT impacts and regional-serving retail projects be presumed to have significant VMT impacts if they
increase VMT above the level that would occur for conditions without the project.
For some land development projects, it may not be immediately obvious whether the project is a residential
project or an employment project. For these projects, the preferred methodology is to analyze the trip-
making characteristics of the project and then use either the residential or employment methodology. For
example, a hotel may be considered to have trip-making characteristics closer to an employment project
and therefore the employment methodology could be used for this land use category.
The recommended methodology for calculation of VMT depends on the size of the project as determined
by the project’s trip generation calculated in terms of ADT. For projects with a trip generation of less than
2,400 ADT, the recommended VMT analysis methodology is the SANDAG VMT calculation tool. SANDAG
has prepared an online tool that calculates average VMT/capita and VMT/employee at the census tract
level. Analysts would use this tool to determine the project’s VMT/employee or VMT/capita to be compared
to community, city, and/or regional averages.
Definitions of VMT/capita and VMT/employee that are used in SANDAG’s VMT calculation tool are as
follows:
VMT/Capita: Includes all vehicle-based person trips grouped and summed to the home location of
individuals on the trip. It includes home-based and non-home-based trips. The VMT for each home
is then summed for all homes in a particular census tract and divided by the population of that
census tract to arrive at Resident VMT/Capita.
VMT/Employee: Includes all vehicle-based person trips grouped and summed to the work location
of individuals on the trip. This includes all trips, not just work-related trips. The VMT for each work
location is then summed for all work locations in a particular census tract and divided by the
number of employees of that census tract to arrive at Employee VMT/Employee.
The recommended methodology for projects over 2,400 ADT is to run the regional transportation model
with and without the project to determine the project’s net increase in VMT and then use that value to
determine VMT/employee or VMT/capita to be compared to community, city, and/or regional averages.
REDVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Recommendations for VMT analysis of redevelopment projects are based on guidance provided by OPR
with the clarifications provided below.
Redevelopment projects represent a special case since the recommended VMT thresholds for SB 743
implementation represent an efficiency metric. Under SB 743, the primary goal is for all new land
development projects to achieve efficiency from a VMT point of view. The efficiency or lack of efficiency of
the existing land use is typically not relevant per OPR.
The following methodology is recommended:
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A redevelopment project that reduces absolute VMT (i.e. the total VMT with the project is less than
the total VMT without the project) would be presumed to have less than significant VMT impacts.
If a project increases absolute VMT, it is recommended that the VMT analysis methodology
described above be applied to the proposed land use, as if the project was proposed on a vacant
parcel (i.e. the existing land use didn’t exist).
OPR’s technical advisory includes specific recommendations that relate to redevelopment projects that
replace affordable residential units with a smaller number of market-rate residential units. Those
recommendations also considered applicable for the purposes of these guidelines.
MIXED-USE PROJECTS
Recommendations for VMT analysis of mixed-use projects are based on guidance provided by OPR with
additional clarifications recommended for use in the San Diego region.
The following steps are recommended:
Calculate trip generation separately for each component of the mixed-use project.
Determine the reduction in external vehicle trips due to internal capture based on guidance
provided in the ITE Trip Generation manual, MXD methodologies or other techniques.
Apply the reduction in trips to the individual land uses so that the total trip generation of the
individual land uses is equal to the total project trip generation, including internal capture.
Using the reduced trip generation, determine the VMT/capita or VMT/employee for applicable land
uses. SANDAG’s online VMT calculation tool may be used to determine an average trip length for
the land uses within a mixed-use development based on the reported VMT/capita or
VMT/employee in the census tract where the project is located. The number of residents or
employees will need to be estimated for each applicable land use. When using SANDAG’s VMT
calculation tool to estimate average trip length, analysts should be aware that the data produced by
the SANDAG VMT calculation tool is based all resident VMT/capita, so it includes the VMT
associated with all trips made by the resident for the day, for example trip from home to daycare to
office; office to meeting to office; office to store to home. The ITE trip generation rate for residential
is only home-based trips, i.e. trips that start or end at the residence. The effect of the distinction
between ITE’s data and the data produced by the SANDAG VMT calculation tool will vary by
location, type of project, and other factors.
Compare the VMT/capita or VMT/employee values calculated using the reduced trip generation to
applicable VMT thresholds to determine whether the individual components of the mixed-use
development would be expected to have a significant VMT impact. If any component of the mixed-
use development would be expected to have a significant VMT impact, the project as a whole
would be considered to have a significant VMT impact.
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Local-serving retail within a mixed-use development can be presumed to have a less than
significant VMT impact.
PROJECTS IN RURAL AREAS
Land development projects in rural areas may be given special consideration due to their unique trip-
making characteristics. OPR’s technical advisory contains the following guidance regarding projects in
rural areas:
“In rural areas of non-MPO counties (i.e., areas not near established or incorporated cities or
towns), fewer options may be available for reducing VMT, and significance thresholds may be best
determined on a case-by-case basis. Note, however, that clustered small towns and small town
main streets may have substantial VMT benefits compared to isolated rural development, similar to
the transit oriented development described above.”
If interpreted literally, this guidance would not apply to the San Diego region since it is an MPO County.
However, rural areas are considered to have similar trip-making characteristics regardless of whether they
are located in an MPO County or not. Therefore, different thresholds than described above could be
considered for the rural areas of San Diego County. In order to apply this concept, local agencies would
designate a portion of their jurisdiction as rural and then establish a separate threshold for the
determination of significant VMT impacts.
PHASED PROJECTS
For projects proposed to be built in phases, it is recommended that each phase of the project be evaluated
separately. This evaluation would include a determination of whether significant VMT impacts would occur
and whether mitigation is recommended. The evaluation of VMT for each phase would include
consideration of the previous project phases. For example, a project with three phases would include the
following analyses:
VMT Analysis of Phase 1: Assumes development of Phase 1 only.
VMT Analysis of Phase 2: Assumes development of Phases 1 and 2.
VMT Analysis of Complete Project: Assumes development of Phases 1, 2, and 3.
MITIGATION
If a project’s VMT exceeds the thresholds identified above for individual land development projects and
specific plans, it can be presumed to have a significant transportation impact. According to the OPR’s
technical advisory, when a significant impact is determined, feasible mitigation measures must be identified
that could avoid or substantially reduce the impact. Lead agencies are generally given the discretion to
determine what mitigation actions are ‘feasible’ but they must rely on substantial evidence in making these
determinations. In addition, CEQA requires the identification of feasible mitigation alternatives that could
avoid or substantially reduce a project’s significant environmental impacts.
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Not all mitigation measures are physical improvements to the transportation network. A sample mitigation
measure might include telework options for employees to reduce vehicular travel. Examples of other
mitigation measures based on OPR’s technical advisory include but are not limited to the following:
Improve or increase access to transit.
Increase access to common goods and services, such as groceries, schools, and daycare.
Incorporate affordable housing into the project.
Incorporate a neighborhood electric vehicle network.
Orient the project toward transit, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities.
Improve pedestrian or bicycle networks, or transit service.
Provide traffic calming.
Provide bicycle parking.
Limit or eliminate parking supply.
Unbundle parking costs.
Provide parking or roadway pricing or cash-out programs.
Implement or provide access to a commute reduction program.
Provide car-sharing, bike sharing, and ride-sharing programs.
Provide partially or fully subsidized transit passes.
Shift single occupancy vehicle trips to carpooling or vanpooling by providing ride-matching services
or shuttle services.
Provide telework options.
Provide incentives or subsidies that increase the use of modes other than a single-occupancy
vehicle.
Provide on-site amenities at places of work, such as priority parking for carpools and vanpools,
secure bike parking, showers and locker rooms, and bicycle repair services.
Provide employee transportation coordinators at employment sites.
Provide a guaranteed ride home service to users of non-auto modes.
Contribute to a mobility fee program that funds multimodal transportation improvements, such as
those described above.
Additional mitigation measures may become acceptable as agencies continue to innovate and find new
ways to reduce vehicular travel.
Changes to the project design or location could potentially reduce VMT. Project alternatives based on
OPR’s technical advisory that may reduce vehicle miles of travel include but are not limited to the following:
Locate the project in an area of the region that already exhibits low VMT.
Locate the project near transit.
Increase project density.
Increase the mix of uses within the project or within the project’s surroundings.
Increase connectivity and/or intersection density on the project site.
OPR’s technical advisory notes that because VMT is largely a regional impact and regional VMT-reduction
programs may be an appropriate form of mitigation. In-lieu fees and development impact fees have been
found to be valid mitigation where there is both a commitment to pay fees and evidence that mitigation will
actually occur.
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Fee programs are particularly useful to address cumulative impacts. The physical improvements that
constitute the mitigation program as a whole must undergo CEQA evaluation, and the imposition of
development impact fees or in-lieu fees shall be in accordance with applicable regulations, such as the
Mitigation Fee Act. Other mitigation must be evaluated on a project-specific basis. That CEQA evaluation
could be part of a larger program, such as a regional transportation plan analyzed in a Program EIR.
Quantifying the reduction in VMT associated with potential mitigation measures for land development
projects and specific plans is a relatively new endeavor for transportation engineers and planners.
Therefore, these guidelines do not recommend a methodology that has been in practice or has generally
been accepted for local use.
One current resource that has been identified to quantify the reduction in vehicle miles traveled associated
with a particular mitigation measure is the latest edition of California Air Pollution Control Officers
Association’s Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Measures, A resource for Local Government to
Assess Emission Reductions from Green Gas Mitigation Measures report (CAPCOA Report). This report
provides a methodology to quantify the reductions in vehicle miles traveled for many of the mitigation
measures listed above. At the time of preparation of these guidelines, new research was underway that
would provide an update to the CAPCOA Report.
The following elements should be considered when utilizing the CAPCOA Report:
The CAPCOA VMT reduction strategies include built environment changes and transportation
demand management (TDM) actions. The built environment changes are scalable from the project
site to larger geographic areas and are often captured in regional travel forecasting models such as
the SANDAG model. Prior to any application of a built environment change to a project as
mitigation, the project analyst should verify that the project VMT forecasting tool or model is
appropriately accurate and sensitive to built-environment effects and that no double counting will
occur in the application of the mitigation measure. The TDM actions are sensitive to the project
site and ultimate building tenants. As such, VMT reductions associated with TDM actions cannot
be guaranteed through CEQA mitigation without ongoing monitoring and adjustment.
There are rules for calculating the VMT reduction when applying multiple mitigation measures. The
CAPCOA Report rules should be considered.
Only “new” mitigation measures should be included in the analysis to prevent double counting. For
example, if the project is located near transit, the VMT reduction cannot be applied if the project
utilized a model that factored in the project’s proximity to transit. In addition, telecommuting is
included in SANDAG’s base model.
Mitigation measures should be applied to the appropriate user group (employees, guest/patrons,
etc.). If a certain measure applies to multiple user groups, the weighted average should be
considered as the effect of the mitigation measure will vary based on the user group.
A second potential resource that was underway at the time of preparation of these guidelines was a VMT
calculation tool that may be provided as part of SANDAG’s Mobility Management Toolbox project.
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Additional VMT calculation tools are currently available or under development by several local agencies in
California. Although these tools are being developed for specific jurisdictions, they could be adopted or
modified for use in individual jurisdictions in San Diego County. At the time of development of these
guidelines, the following calculation tools were publicly available.
City of San Jose: A VMT calculation tool and other information can be found at the following
website: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/vmt
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5.0 COMMUNITY PLANS AND GENERAL PLANS
The recommended methodology for conducting a VMT analysis for community plans and general plans is
to compare the existing VMT/capita for the community plan or general plan area with the expected horizon
year VMT/capita. The recommended target is to achieve a lower VMT/capita in the horizon year with the
proposed plan than occurs for existing conditions.
The calculation of VMT for a planning area requires different considerations than the calculation of VMT for
an individual project or a specific plan. Generally, the use of a computerized travel forecasting model (such
as the SANDAG regional model) would be needed. For details on the calculation of VMT for a planning
area, analysts are referred to ITE’s paper on VMT calculations (Vehicle Miles Travelled Calculations Using
the SANDAG Regional Model, 2013).
If VMT analysis for a community plan or general plan requires consideration of mitigation measures to
mitigate significant VMT impacts, potential mitigation measures would be similar to those used for land
development projects, with some modifications. The following measures could be considered:
Modify land use plan to increase development in areas with low VMT/capita characteristics and/or
decrease development in areas with high VMT/capita characteristics.
Provide enhanced bicycle and/or pedestrian facilities.
Add roadways to the street network if those roadways would provide shorter travel paths for
existing and/or future trips.
Improve or increase access to transit.
Increase access to common goods and services, such as groceries, schools, and daycare.
Incorporate a neighborhood electric vehicle network.
Provide traffic calming.
Limit or eliminate parking supply.
Unbundle parking costs.
Provide parking or roadway pricing or cash-out programs.
Implement or provide access to a commute reduction program.
Provide car-sharing, bike sharing, and ride-sharing programs.
Provide partially or fully subsidized transit passes.
Shift single occupancy vehicle trips to carpooling or vanpooling by providing ride-matching services
or shuttle services.
Provide telework options.
Provide incentives or subsidies that increase the use of modes other than a single-occupancy
vehicle.
Provide employee transportation coordinators at employment sites.
Provide a guaranteed ride home service to users of non-auto modes.
Additional mitigation measures may become acceptable as agencies continue to innovate and find new
ways to reduce vehicular travel.
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6.0 TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS
VMT is the recommended performance measure for the analysis of transportation projects. The
recommended methodology for conducting a VMT analysis for transportation projects is to compare the
project with the community plan or general plan in which the project is located to determine whether the
project would increase VMT as compared to the VMT that would be expected to occur with community plan
or general plan. This is summarized in Figure 6-1. The analysis would vary depending on the mode of
travel associated with the project and based on whether the project is currently included in the community
plan or general plan.
Transit, bicycle, and pedestrian projects that would encourage the use of these modes of travel
would be expected to reduce VMT would not require a detailed VMT analysis and would be
presumed to have a less than significant impact on transportation. For these project types, the
presumption of less than significant impact would apply even if the project was not in the
community plan or general plan.
Roadway projects (or multimodal projects that include roadways) that are included in the
community or general plan, VMT impacts would be presumed to have less than significant VMT
impacts. In the case of some projects, a similar project may have been included in the community
plan or general plan, but revisions or refinements have been incorporated. If the revisions or
refinements are expected to cause increases in VMT, analysis should be conducted to compare
the proposed project to the project description in the community plan or general plan. Projects that
cause VMT increases in comparison to similar projects proposed in the community plan or general
plan, would need to reduce VMT levels below the level of VMT expected in the community plan or
general plan in order to avoid a significant VMT impact.
Roadway projects (or multimodal projects that include roadways) that are not included in the
community or general plan would need, a detailed analysis of VMT to determine whether the
project would be expected to increase or decrease VMT as compared to VMT levels in the
community plan or general plan. For small projects, the VMT analysis could be conducted using
sketch planning techniques. For large projects, the analysis would generally require the use of a
computerized travel forecasting model (such as the SANDAG regional model). For very large
projects (i.e. projects that would reduce travel time by five minutes or more for any individual trips),
consideration should be given to conducting an analysis of induced demand as described in OPR’s
technical advisory The five-minute threshold for analysis of induced demand is based on a
research paper published by the Transportation Research Board (Effects of Increased Highway
Capacity: Results of Household Travel Behavior Survey, Richard G. Dowling and Steven B.
Colman, Transportation Research Record 1493, Transportation Research Board, 1995). This
research concluded that projects that decrease travel time by more than five minutes for a large
number of trips would probably warrant an upward adjustment of travel demand.
The statewide guidance for VMT analysis of transportation projects is less specific than the guidance
provided for land development projects. In the case of transportation projects, new CEQA guidance allows
lead agencies the discretion to choose the performance measure for transportation analysis, including the
use of level of service and delay as a performance measure. OPR’s technical advisory provides guidance
indicating that VMT is the preferred measure of effectiveness for transportation projects but it has no
authority to require the use of VMT as a performance measure. Although OPR’s technical advisory
Dec. 5, 2022
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Consistency with the General Plan /
Community Plan
VMT Analysis Methodology Level of Significance and Mitigation
Figure 6-1
VMT Analysis Flow Chart for Transportation Projects
Similar project included in
General Plan / Community
Plan?
VMT with Project exceeds
VMT of similar project in
General Plan / Community
Plan?
Determine amount of VMT
increase compared to
similar project in General
Plan / Community Plan
Determine amount of VMT
increase compared to
General Plan / Community
Plan
YES
NO
YES
Less than Significant
Impact
Significant ImpactLess than
Significant Impact
NO
Mitigate to Below
Threshold?
NOYES
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encourages the use of VMT as a performance measure, it does not recommend a particular threshold of
significance for VMT.
Given the available statewide guidance, these guidelines recommend the use of VMT as the performance
measure for transportation projects. The recommended significance threshold is the level of VMT expected
based on the community plan or general plan in which the project is located. This methodology is
recommended for the following reasons:
Although the new CEQA guidance allows for the use of any appropriate performance measure for
the analysis of transportation projects, the intent of the SB 743 legislation was taken into
consideration in the selection of a performance measure. SB 743 is intended to promote
multimodal transportation networks, encourage infill development, and reduction of greenhouse
gases. VMT is considered to be the performance measure that best reflects this intent.
OPR’s technical advisory encourages the use of VMT as a performance measure. Although this
recommendation is not binding, the intent of these guidelines is to follow OPR’s guidance, except
in cases where there are regional characteristics or other factors that suggest a revision or
clarification.
The use of community plan or general plan consistency as a VMT threshold is based on the
process by which transportation projects are incorporated into a community plan or general plan.
In order for a transportation project to be incorporated into a community or general plan, a
considerable amount of analysis is typically conducted. Community plans and general plans
typically include the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report that considers a variety of
environmental impacts, including transportation impacts. Since community plans and general
plans are considered to represent sound urban planning decisions, consistency with these plans is
considered to be a reasonable benchmark for the determination of a VMT significance threshold.
While the guidance described above is considered to be appropriate for larger transportation projects,
smaller projects would be presumed to have less than significant VMT impacts based on their size or other
considerations. Following is a list of projects considered to be in this category. This list in based on
information in OPR’s technical advisory, with revisions and clarifications based on local conditions:
1. Rehabilitation, maintenance, replacement and repair projects designed to improve the condition of
existing transportation assets (e.g., highways, roadways, bridges, culverts, tunnels, transit
systems, and assets that serve bicycle and pedestrian facilities) and that do not add motor vehicle
capacity
2. Roadside safety devices or hardware installation such as median barriers and guardrails
3. Roadway shoulder enhancements to provide “breakdown space,” dedicated space for use only by
transit vehicles, to provide bicycle access, or otherwise to improve safety, but which will not be
used as automobile vehicle travel lanes
4. Addition of an auxiliary lane of less than two miles in length
5. Installation, removal, or reconfiguration of traffic lanes at intersections that are intended to provide
operational or safety improvements
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Page 6-4
6. Addition of roadway capacity on local or collector streets provided the project also includes
appropriate improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, and, if applicable, transit
7. Conversion of existing general purpose lanes (including ramps) to managed lanes or transit lanes,
or changing lane management in a manner that would not substantially increase vehicle travel
8. Addition of a new lane that is intended to be restricted to use only by transit vehicles
9. Reduction in number of through lanes
10. Grade separation to separate vehicles from rail, transit, pedestrians or bicycles, or to replace a
lane in order to separate preferential vehicles (e.g., HOV, HOT, or trucks) from general vehicles
11. Installation, removal, or reconfiguration of traffic control devices, including Transit Signal Priority
(TSP) features
12. Installation of traffic metering systems, detection systems, cameras, changeable message signs,
and other electronics designed to optimize vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian flow
13. Timing of signals to optimize vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian flow
14. Installation of roundabouts or traffic circles
15. Installation or reconfiguration of traffic calming devices
16. Adoption of or increase in tolls
17. Addition of tolled lanes, where tolls are sufficient to mitigate any potential VMT increase
18. Initiation of new transit service
19. Conversion of streets from one-way to two-way operation with no net increase in number of traffic
lanes
20. Removal or relocation of off-street or on-street parking spaces
21. Adoption or modification of on-street parking or loading restrictions (including meters, time limits,
accessible spaces, and preferential/reserved parking permit programs)
22. Addition of traffic wayfinding signage
23. Addition of new or enhanced bike or pedestrian facilities on existing streets/highways or within
existing public rights-of-way
24. Addition of Class I bike paths, trails, multi-use paths, or other off-road facilities that serve non-
motorized travel
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25. Installation of publicly available alternative fuel/charging infrastructure
26. Addition of passing lanes, truck climbing lanes, or truck brake-check lanes in rural areas that do not
increase overall vehicle capacity along the corridor
27. Roadway striping modifications that don’t change the number of through lanes
Regardless of the project type and analysis method, projects that would be expected to have a significant
VMT increase would be expected to consider mitigation measures. Potential mitigation measures would
include:
Deploy management strategies (e.g., pricing, vehicle occupancy requirements) on roadways or
roadway lanes.
Improve pedestrian or bicycle networks, or transit service.
Additional mitigation measures may become acceptable as agencies continue to innovate and find new
ways to reduce vehicular travel.
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Guidelines for Transportation Impact Studies in the San Diego Region
PART II – LOCAL TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS
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7.0 ROADWAY
It is recommended that consideration be given to preparation of a local transportation analysis
(LTA) for all land development and transportation projects. This section describes the
recommended methodology for analysis of local roadway conditions.
The purpose of the roadway analysis portion of an LTA is to forecast, describe, and analyze how a
development will affect existing and future circulation infrastructure for users of the roadway
system, including vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians and transit. The LTA assists transportation
engineers and planners in both the development community and public agencies when making
land use, mobility infrastructure, and other development decisions. An LTA quantifies the expected
changes in transportation conditions and translates these changes into transportation system
impacts in the vicinity of a project.
The roadway transportation analysis included in an LTA is separate from the transportation impact
analysis conducted as part of the environmental (CEQA) project review process, as described in
Part I. The purpose of the roadway transportation analysis is to ensure that all projects provide a
fair share of roadway infrastructure improvements in order to accommodate their multimodal
transportation demands.
The following guidelines were prepared to assist local agencies throughout the San Diego Region
in promoting consistency and uniformity in local transportation studies. These guidelines do not
establish a legal standard for these functions but are intended to supplement any individual
manuals or level of service objectives for the various jurisdictions. These guidelines attempt to
consolidate regional efforts to identify when an LTA is needed, what professional procedures
should be followed, and what constitutes a significant traffic effect that should be dealt with.
The instructions outlined in these guidelines are subject to update as future conditions and
experience become available. Special situations may call for variation from these guidelines. A
scoping letter from the project applicant to the jurisdiction and the project applicant is
recommended for each individual project to verify the application of these guidelines. Caltrans and
lead agencies should agree on the specific methods used in local transportation analysis studies
involving any State Route facilities, including metered and unmetered freeway ramps.
NEED FOR A STUDY
Figure 7-1 shows the flow chart for determination of when a roadway analysis should be
conducted. A roadway analysis should be prepared for all projects which generate traffic greater
than 1,000 total average daily driveway trips (ADT) or 100 peak-hour trips. If a proposed project is
not in conformance with the land use and/or transportation element of the general or community
plan, use threshold rates of 500 ADT or 50 peak-hour trips.
Early consultation with any affected jurisdictions is strongly encouraged since a “focused” or
“abbreviated” roadway analysis may still be required – even if the above threshold rates are not
met. An understanding of the level of detail and the assumptions required for the analysis should
be reached. A pre-submittal in-person conference may not be a required; however, the applicant
should prepare a scoping letter for the agency’s review and approval prior to preparation of the
analysis.
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Page 7-2
Figure 7-1
FLOW CHART FOR LTA ROADWAY ANALYSIS
* Check with Caltrans for current ramp metering rates. (See Attachment B – Ramp Metering Analysis)
** However, for health and safety reasons, and/or local and residential street issues, an “abbreviated” or
“focused” LTA may still be requested by a local agency. (For example, this may include traffic backed
up beyond an off-ramp’s storage capacity or may include diverted traffic through an existing
neighborhood.)
*** Driveway trips would generally be used in this chart rather than total trips generated.
Does project conform to the Land Use &
Transportation Elements of the General/
Community Plan?
Project traffic > 500 ADT, or
50 peak-hour trips?
Project traffic > 1,000 ADT, or
110 peak-hour trips?
LTA required
NO
NO
NO
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
NO
LTA probably not
required**
Will project add 20 or more peak hour trips to
any existing on- or off-ramp *?
LTA may not be required.
A freeway/metered
“focused” LTA might
suffice. Consult lead
agency and Caltrans*
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STUDY PARAMETERS
It is recommended that the geographic area examined in the LTA include the following for
roadways:
All local roadway segments between signalized intersections (including all State surface
routes), intersections, and mainline freeway locations where the proposed project will add 50 or
more peak-hour trips in either direction to the existing roadway traffic.
All freeway entrance and exit ramps where the proposed project will add a substantial number
of peak-hour trips to cause any traffic queues to exceed ramp storage capacities (see Figure 1).
(NOTE: Care must be taken to include other ramps and intersections that may receive project
traffic diverted as a result of already existing, or project causing congestion at freeway
entrances and exits.)
The data used in the LTA should generally not be more than 2 years old and should not reflect a
temporary interruption (special events, construction detour, etc.) in the normal traffic patterns
unless that is the nature of the project itself. If recent traffic data is not available, current counts
should be made by the project applicant/consultant. For areas near beaches or bays, counts
should be taken during summer or adjusted to reflect summer conditions.
In general, the region-wide goal for roadway level-of-service (LOS) on all freeways, roadway
segments, and intersections is “D.” For central urbanized areas, the goal may be to achieve a
level-of-service of “E”. Individual jurisdictions have slightly different LOS objectives.
SCENARIOS TO BE STUDIED
The following scenarios are recommended to be addressed in the roadway analysis (unless there
is concurrence with the lead agency(ies) that one or more of these scenarios may be omitted).
Some exceptions are noted at the end of this list:
Existing Conditions: Document existing traffic levels and peak-hour levels of service in the study
area. Identify locations where roadways do not meet target levels of service for existing conditions.
Existing Plus Project Conditions: Analyze the impacts of the proposed project in addition to existing
conditions. This scenario identifies the effect of a project on the transportation network with no
other changes in conditions.
Near-term (approved and pending): Analyze the cumulative conditions resulting from the
development of “other” approved and “reasonably foreseeable” pending projects (application on
file) that are expected to influence the study area. This is the baseline against which project effects
are assessed. The lead agency may be able to provide copies of the traffic studies for the “other”
projects if they are already approved. If data is not available for near-term cumulative projects, an
ambient growth factor should be used. If applicable, transportation network improvements should
also be included in this scenario. This would include programmed and fully funded network
improvements that are scheduled to open prior to the project’s expected opening day.
Near-term + Proposed Project: Analyze the effects of the proposed project at its expected opening
day in addition to near-term baseline conditions. For phased projects, a separate analysis could be
conducted for each phase.
Horizon Year: Identify traffic forecasts, typically 20 years in the future, through the output of a
SANDAG model forecast or other computer model approved by the local agency.
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Horizon Year + Proposed Project: Analyze the additional project traffic impacts to the horizon year
condition. When justified, and particularly in the case of very large developments or new
general/community plans, a transportation model should be run with, and without, the additional
development to show the net impacts on all parts of the area’s transportation system.
Analysis of near-term scenarios may not be necessary if this scenario is incorporated in the
agency’s Traffic Impact Fee (TIF) program. If an agency has established a fee program to cover
near-term improvements on all key roadways, the payment of traffic impact fees could be
considered to be sufficient to offset a project’s effect on these roadways.
Horizon year studies may not be needed, depending on the discretion of the lead agency.
Reasons for including these scenarios may vary, but they would generally be added because the
proposed project is substantially different than was expected in the Community Plan/General Plan
or if the area near the project is expected to experience land use or network changes that have not
been adequately accounted for in previous planning studies.
In order to use LOS criteria to determine the need for roadway improvements (see Table 7-1), pro-
posed model or manual forecast adjustments must be made to address scenarios both with and
without the project. Model data should be carefully verified to ensure accurate project and “other”
cumulative project representation. In these cases, regional or subregional models conducted by
SANDAG need to be reviewed for appropriateness.
PROJECT TRAFFIC GENERATION
Use of SANDAG [Traffic Generators manual and (Not So) Brief Guide….] or City of San Diego
(Trip Generation Manual) rates should first be considered. Trip generation rates from ITE’s latest
Trip Generation manual or ITE Journal articles could also be considered. Smart growth projects
should consider use of the SANDAG Smart Growth Trip Generation and Parking Study guidelines.
If local and sufficient national data do not exist, conduct trip generation studies at multiple sites with
characteristics similar to those of the proposed project.
Reasonable reductions to trip rates may also be considered: (a) with proper analysis of pass-by
and diverted traffic on adjacent roadways, (b) for developments near transit stations, and (c) for
mixed-use developments. (Note: Caltrans and local agencies may use different trip reduction
rates. Early consultation with the reviewing agencies is strongly recommended.)
Project trips can be assigned and distributed either manually or by a computer model based upon
review and approval of the local agency Traffic Engineer. The magnitude of the proposed project
will usually determine which method is employed.
If the manual method is used, the trip distribution percentages could be derived from existing local
traffic patterns or optionally (with local agency approval) by professional judgement.
If the computer model is used, the trip distribution percentages could be derived from a computer
generated “select zone assignment”. The centroid connectors should accurately represent project
access to the street network. Preferably the project would be represented by its own traffic zone.
Some adjustments to the output volumes may be needed (especially at intersections) to smooth
out volumes, quantify peak volumes, adjust for pass-by and diverted trips, and correct illogical
output.
ANALYSIS OF PROJECT EFFECT ON THE ROADWAY SYSTEM
It is recommended that the roadway analysis determine the effect that a project will have for each
of the previously outlined study scenarios. Peak-hour capacity analyses for freeways, roadway
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segments (ADTs may be used here to estimate V/C ratios), intersections, and freeway ramps can
be conducted for existing, near-term, and long-term conditions. The methodologies used in
determining the traffic impact are not only critical to the validity of the analysis, they are pertinent to
the credibility and confidence the decision-makers have in the resulting findings, conclusions, and
recommendations. Methodologies for roadway capacity analyses vary by agency and change over
time so it is recommended that consultation be conducted with the lead agency and/or Caltrans to
determine an appropriate methodology for a particular study.
NEED FOR ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS
Table 7-1 indicates when a project’s effect on the roadway system is considered to justify need for
roadway improvements. That is, if a project’s traffic effect causes the values in this table to be
exceeded, roadway improvements should be considered. Table 7-2 provides guidance on the
levels of ADT that can be accommodated on various types of roadways, based on level of service.
It is the responsibility of Caltrans, on Caltrans initiated projects, to analyze the effect of ramp
metering, for initial as well as future operational impacts, on local streets that intersect and feed
entrance ramps to the freeway. Developers and/or local agencies, however, should consider
improvements to existing ramp meter facilities, future ramp meter installations, or local streets,
when those impacts are attributable to new development and/or local agency roadway
improvement projects.
Not all improvement measures can feasibly consist of roadway widening (new lanes or new
capacity). A sample improvement might include financing toward a defined ITS (Intelligent
Transportation System) project, enhanced traffic signal communications project, or active
transportation projects. This type of improvement would allow a project applicant (especially with a
relatively small project) to provide improvements to the roadway system by paying into a local or
regional fee program, providing the fee can be established in the near future.
Other mitigation measures may include Transportation Demand Management recommendations –
transit facilities, bike facilities, walkability, telecommuting, traffic rideshare programs, flex-time,
carpool incentives, parking cash-out, complete or partial subsidization of transit passes, etc.
Additional mitigation measures may be identified as future technologies and policies evolve.
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Table 7-1
DETERMINATION OF THE NEED FOR ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS
LEVEL OF
SERVICE WITH
PROJECT*
ALLOWABLE CHANGE DUE TO PROJECT EFFECT**
FREEWAYS
ROADWAY SEGMENTS
INTERSECTIONS
RAMP***
METERING
V/C SPEED (MPH) V/C SPEED (MPH) DELAY (SEC.) DELAY(MIN.)
E, & F (OR RAMP
METER DELAYS
ABOVE 15 MIN.)
0.01 1 0.02 1 2 2
NOTES:
* All level of service measurements are based upon Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) procedures for peak-
hour conditions. However, V/C ratios for Roadway Segments may be estimated on an ADT/24-hour traffic
volume basis (using Table 7-2 or a similar LOS chart for each jurisdiction). The target LOS for freeways,
roadways, and intersections is generally “D”. For metered freeway ramps, LOS does not apply; However,
ramp meter delays above 15 minutes are considered excessive.
** If a proposed project’s traffic causes the values shown in the table to be exceeded, the effects of the project
are determined to justify improvements. These changes may be measured from appropriate computer
programs or expanded manual spreadsheets. The project applicant shall then identify feasible improvements
within the LTA report that will maintain the traffic facility at the target LOS or restore to pre-project conditions.
If the LOS with the proposed project becomes worse than the target (see above * note), or if the project adds
a significant amount of peak-hour trips to cause any traffic queues to exceed on- or off-ramp storage
capacities, roadway improvements should be considered.
*** See Attachment B for ramp metering analysis.
KEY: V/C = Volume to Capacity ratio
Speed = Speed measured in miles per hour
Delay = Average stopped delay per vehicle measured in seconds for intersections, or minutes
for ramp meters
LOS = Level of Service
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Table 7-2
ROADWAY CLASSIFICATIONS, LEVELS OF SERVICE (LOS)
AND AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC (ADT)
LEVEL OF SERVICE W/ADT
STREET
CLASSIFICATION
LANES
A
B
C
D
E
Expressway 6 lanes 30,000 42,000 60,000 70,000 80,000
Prime Arterial 6 lanes 25,000 35,000 50,000 55,000 60,000
Major Arterial 6 lanes 20,000 28,000 40,000 45,000 50,000
Major Arterial 4 lanes 15,000 21,000 30,000 35,000 40,000
Major Arterial (One-Way) 3 lanes 12,500 16,500 22,500 25,000 27,500
Major Arterial (One-Way) 2 lanes 10,000 13,000 17,500 20,000 22,500
Secondary Arterial/
Collector 4 lanes 10,000 14,000 20,000 25,000 30,000
Collector
(no center lane)
4 lanes
5,000
7,000 10,000
13,000
15,000
Collector
(continuous left-turn lane)
2 lanes
5,000
7,000 10,000
13,000
15,000
Collector
(no fronting property)
2 lanes
4,000
5,500
7,500
9,000
10,000
Collector
(commercial- industrial fronting)
2 lanes
2,500
3,500
5,000
6,500
8,000
Collector
(multi-family) 2 lanes 2,500 3,500 5,000 6,500 8,000
Collector (One-Way) 3 lanes 11,000 14,000 19,000 22,500 26,000
Collector (One-Way) 2 lanes 7,500 9,500 12,500 15,000 17,500
Collector (One-Way) 1 lane 2,500 3,500 5,000 6,500 7,500
Sub-Collector
(single-family) 2 lanes --- --- 2,200 --- ---
NOTES:
1. The volumes and the average daily level of service listed above are only intended as a general planning guideline.
2. Levels of service are not applied to residential streets since their primary purpose is to serve abutting lots, not carry
through traffic. Levels of service normally apply to roads carrying through traffic between major trip generators and
attractors.
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8.0 TRANSIT
It is recommended that the geographic area examined in the LTA include the following for transit:
All existing transit lines and transit stops within a ½ mile walking distance of the project
Any planned transit lines or upgrades within a ½ mile walking distance of the project
In general, the region-wide goal for evaluating pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities is to identify
opportunities to increase connectivity, frequency of service, and level of comfort. Individual
jurisdictions may have different qualitative or quantitative ways of performing these evaluations.
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9.0 BICYCLE
It is recommended that the geographic area examined in the LTA include the following for bicycle
travel:
All roadways adjacent to the project, extending in each direction to the nearest intersection with
a classified roadway or with a Class I path
Both directions of travel should be evaluated
In general, the region-wide goal for evaluating pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities is to identify
opportunities to increase connectivity and level of comfort. Individual jurisdictions may have
different qualitative or quantitative ways of performing these evaluations.
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10.0 PEDESTRIAN
It is recommended that the geographic area examined in the LTA include the following for
pedestrians:
All pedestrian facilities directly connected to project access points or adjacent to the project
development, extending in each direction to the nearest intersection with a classified roadway
or connection with a Class I path
Facilities connecting to transit stops within two blocks of the project
Only facilities on the side of the project or along the walking route to transit stop
Additional geographic areas may be included in certain cases to address special cases such as
schools or retail centers
In general, the region-wide goal for evaluating pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities is to identify
opportunities to increase connectivity and level of comfort. Individual jurisdictions may have
different qualitative or quantitative ways of performing these evaluations.
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Appendices
APPENDICES
GUIDELINES FOR TRANSPORTATION IMPACT
STUDIES
IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION
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Appendices Page A-1
APPENDIX A
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Appendices Page A-2
ATTACHMENT A Completed by Staff:
Date Received __________________
TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY Reviewer ______________________
SCREEN CHECK Date Screen Check ______________
To be completed by consultant (including page #):
Name of Traffic Study _______________________________________
Consultant ________________________________________________
Date Submitted ____________________________________________
Satisfactory
Indicate Page # in report:
YES
NO
NOT
REQUIRED
pg. ____1. Table of contents, list of figures and list of tables.
pg. ____2. Executive summary.
pg. ____3. Map of the proposed project location.
4. General project description and background information:
pg. ____a. Proposed project description (acres, dwelling units….)
pg. ____b. Total trip generation of proposed project.
pg. ____c. Community plan assumption for the proposed site.
pg. ____d. Discuss how project affects the Congestion Management
Program, if applicable
pg. ____5. Parking, transit and on-site circulation discussions are included.
pg. ____6. Map of the Transportation Impact Study Area and specific
intersections studied in the traffic report.
pg. ____7. Existing Transportation Conditions:
a. Figure identifying roadway conditions including raised
medians, median openings, separate left and right turn lanes,
roadway and intersection dimensions, bike lanes, parking,
number of travel lanes, posted speed, intersection controls,
turn restrictions and intersection lane configurations.
b. Figure indicating the daily (ADT) and peak-hour volumes.
c. Figure or table showing level of service (LOS) for intersections
during peak hours and roadway sections within the study area
(include analysis sheets in an appendix).
8. Project Trip Generation:
pg. ____Table showing the calculated project generated daily (ADT) and
peak hour volumes.
pg. ____9. Project Trip Distribution using the current TRANPLAN Computer
Traffic Model (provide a computer plot) or manual assignment if
previously approved. (Identify which method was used.)
10. Project Traffic Assignment:
pg. ____a. Figure indicating the daily (ADT) and peak-hour volumes.
pg. ____b. Figure showing pass-by-trip adjustments, and, if cumulative
trip rates are used.
11. Existing Near-term Cumulative Conditions:
pg. ____a. Figure indicating the daily (ADT) and peak-hour volumes.
pg. ____b. Figure or table showing the projected LOS for intersections
during peak hours and roadway sections within the study area
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Guidelines for Transportation Impact Studies in the San Diego Region
Appendices Page A-3
Satisfactory
Indicate Page # in report:
YES
NO
NOT
REQUIRED
(analysis sheets included in the appendix).
pg. ____c. Traffic signal warrant analysis (Caltrans Traffic Manual) for
appropriate locations.
12. Existing Near-term Cumulative Conditions + Proposed Project
(each phase when applicable)
pg. ____a. Figure or table showing the projected LOS for intersections
during peak hours and roadway sections with the project
(analysis sheets included in the appendix).
pg. ____b. Figure showing other projects that were included in the study,
and the assignment of their site traffic.
pg. ____c. Traffic signal warrant analysis for appropriate locations.
13. Horizon Year Transportation Conditions (if project conforms to the
General/ Community Plan):
pg. ____a. Horizon Year ADT and street classification that reflect the
Community Plan.
pg. ____b. Figure or table showing the horizon LOS for intersections
during peak hours and roadway sections with and without the
project (analysis sheets included in the appendix).
pg. ____c. Traffic signal warrant analysis at appropriate locations.
14. Horizon Year Transportation Conditions + Proposed Project (if
project does not conform to the General/Community Plan):
pg. ____a. Horizon Year ADT and street classification as shown in the
Community Plan.
pg. ____b. Horizon Year ADT and street classification for two scenarios:
with the proposed project and with the land use assumed in
the Community Plan.
pg. ____c. Figure or table showing the horizon LOS for intersections
during peak hours and roadway sections for two scenarios:
with and without the proposed project and with the land use
assumed in the Community Plan (analysis sheets included in
the appendix).
pg. ____d. Traffic signal warrant analysis at appropriate locations with the
land use assumed in the General/Community Plan.
pg. ____15. A summary table showing the comparison of Existing, Existing +
Near-term Cumulative, Existing + Near-term Cumulative +
Proposed Project, Horizon Year, and Horizon Year + Proposed
Project (if different from General/Community Plan), LOS on
roadway sections and intersections during peak hours.
pg. ____16. A summary table showing the project’s “significant traffic impacts.”
17. Transportation Mitigation Measures:
pg. ____a. Table identifying the mitigations required that are the
responsibility of the developer and others. A phasing plan is
required if mitigations are proposed in phases.
pg. ____b. Figure showing all proposed mitigations that include:
intersection lane configurations, lane widths, raised medians,
median openings, roadway and intersection dimensions, right-
of-way, offset, etc.
pg. ____18. The Highway Capacity Manual Operation Method or other
approved method is used at appropriate locations within the study
area.
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Appendices Page A-4
Satisfactory
Indicate Page # in report:
YES
NO
NOT
REQUIRED
pg. ____19. Analysis complies with Congestion Management Program
requirements.
pg. ____20. Appropriate freeway analysis is included.
pg. ____21. Appropriate freeway ramp metering analysis is included.
pg. ____22. The traffic study is signed by a California Registered Traffic
Engineer.
THE TRAFFIC STUDY SCREEN CHECK FOR THE SUBJECT PROJECT IS:
____________ Approved
____________ Not approved because the following items are missing:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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Guidelines for Transportation Impact Studies in the San Diego Region
Appendices
APPENDIX B
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Guidelines for Transportation Impact Studies in the San Diego Region
Appendices Page B-1
ATTACHMENT B
RAMP METERING ANALYSIS
Ramp metering analysis should be performed for each horizon year scenario in which ramp metering is
expected. The following table shows relevant information that should be included in the ramp meter
analysis “Summary of Freeway Ramp Metering Impacts.”
LOCATION
DEMAND
(veh/hr)1
METER
RATE
(veh/hr)2
EXCESS
DEMAND
(veh/hr)3
DELAY
(min)4
QUEUE
(feet)5
NOTES:
1 DEMAND is the peak hour demand expected to use the on-ramp.
2 METER RATE is the peak hour capacity expected to be processed through the ramp meter. This value
should be obtained from Caltrans. Contact Carolyn Rumsey at (619) 467-3029.
3 EXCESS DEMAND = (DEMAND) – (METER RATE) or zero, whichever is greater.
EXCESS DEMAND
4 DELAY = --------------------------- X 60 MINUTES/HOUR
METER RATE
5 QUEUE = (EXCESS DEMAND) X 29 feet/vehicle
NOTE: Delay will be less at the beginning of metering. However, since peaks will almost always be more than one
hour, delay will be greater after the first hour of metering. (See discussion on next page.)
SUMMARY OF FREEWAY RAMP METERING IMPACTS
(Lengthen as necessary to include all impacted meter locations)
LOCATION(S)
PEAK
HOUR
PEAK HOUR
DEMAND
D
FLOW
(METER RATE)
F
EXCESS
DEMAND
E
DELAY
(MINUTES)
QUEUE
Q (feet)
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
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Appendices Page B-2
DISCUSSION OF RAMP METER ANALYSIS
A. CAUTION: The ramp metering analysis shown in Attachment B may lead to grossly understated
results for delay and queue length, since important aspects of queue growth are ignored. Also, the
draft guidelines method derives average values instead of maximum values for delay and queue
length. Utilizing average values instead of maximum values can lead to obscuring important effects,
particularly in regard to queue length.
Predicting ramp meter delays and queues requires a storage-discharge type of analysis, where a
pattern of arriving traffic at the meter is estimated by the analyst, and the discharge, or meter rate, is
a somewhat fixed value set by Caltrans for each individual metered ramp.
Since a ramp meter queue continues to grow longer during all times that the arrival rate exceeds the
discharge rate, the maximum queue length (and hence, the maximum delay) usually occurs after the
end of the peak (or highest) one hour. This leads to the need for an analysis for the entire time
period during which the arrival rate exceeds the meter rate, not just the peak hour. For a similar
reason, the analysis needs to consider that a substantial queue may have already formed by the
beginning of the “peak hour.” Traffic arriving during the peak hour is then stacked onto an existing
queue, not just starting from zero as the draft analysis suggests.
Experience shows that the theoretical queue length derived by this analysis often does not material-
ize. Motorists, after a brief time of adjustment, seek alternate travel paths or alternate times of arrival
at the meter. The effect is to approximately minimize total trip time by seeking out the best combina-
tions of route and departure time at the beginning of the trip. This causes at least two important
changes in the pattern or arriving traffic at ramp meters. First, the peak period is spread out, with
some traffic arriving earlier and some traffic arriving later than predicted. Second, a significant pro-
portion of the predicted arriving traffic will use another ramp, use another freeway, or stay on surface
streets.
It is acceptable to make reasonable estimates of these temporal and spatial (time and occupying
space) diversions as long as all assumptions are stated and that the unmodified, or theoretical
values are shown for comparison.
B. Additional areas for study include being able to define acceptable levels of service (LOS) and
“significant” thresholds (e.g., a maximum ramp meter delay of 15 minutes) for metered freeway
entrance ramps.
Currently there are no acceptable software programs for measuring project impacts on metered
freeway ramps nor does the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) adequately address this issue.
Hopefully in the near future a regionwide study will be initiated to determine what metering rate
(at each metered ramp) would be required in order to guarantee that traffic will flow (even at LOS
“E”) on the entire freeway system during peak-hour conditions. From this, the ramp delays and
resultant queue lengths might then be calculated. Overall, this is a very complex issue that needs
considerable research and refinement in cooperation with Caltrans.
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Guidelines for Transportation Impact Studies in the San Diego Region
Appendices
APPENDIX C
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Guidelines for Transportation Impact Studies in the San Diego Region
Appendices Page C-1
LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS) DEFINITIONS (generally used by Caltrans)
The concept of Level of Service (LOS) is defined as a qualitative measure describing operational
conditions within a traffic stream, and their perception by motorists and/or passengers. A Level of
Services definition generally describes these conditions in terms of such factors as speed, travel time,
freedom to maneuver, comfort and convenience, and safety. Levels of Service definitions can generally
be categorized as follows:
LOS D/C* Congestion/Delay Traffic Description
(Used for freeways, expressways and conventional highwaysA)
“A” <0.41 None Free flow.
“B” 0.42-0.62 None Free to stable flow, light to moderate
volumes.
“C” 0.63-0.79 None to minimal Stable flow, moderate volumes, freedom to
maneuver noticeably restricted.
“D” 0.80-0.92 Minimal to substantial Approaches unstable flow, heavy volumes,
very limited freedom to maneuver.
“E” 0.93-1.00 Significant Extremely unstable flow, maneuverability and
psychological comfort extremely poor.
(Used for conventional highways)
“F” >1.00 Considerable Forced or breakdown. Delay measured in
average flow, travel speed (MPH). Signal-
ized segments experience delays >60.0
seconds/vehicle.
(Used for freeways and expressways)
“F0” 1.01-1.25 Considerable
0-1 hour delay
Forced flow, heavy congestion, long queues
form behind breakdown points, stop and go.
“F1” 1.26-1.35 Severe
1-2 hour delay
Very heavy congestion, very long queues.
“F2” 1.36-1.45 Very severe
2-3 hour delay
Extremely heavy congestion, longer queues,
more numerous breakdown points, longer
stop periods.
“F3” >1.46 Extremely severe
3+ hours of delay
Gridlock.
s Level of Service can generally be calculated using “Table 3.1. LOS Criteria for Basic Freeway
Sections” from the latest Highway Capacity Manual. However, contact Caltrans for more specific
information on determining existing “free-flow” freeway speeds.
* Demand/Capacity ratio used for forecasts (V/C ratio used for operational analysis, where V = volume)
A Arterial LOS is based upon average “free-flow” travel speeds, and should refer to definitions in
Table 11.1 in the HCM.
Dec. 5, 2022
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2022 East-West Corridors Emergency
Resurfacing and Restriping
Eric Zielke, Senior Engineer
Tom Frank, Transportation Director/City Engineer
Dec. 5, 2022
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22
ITEM 4: EAST WEST CORRIDORS
•https://youtu.be/boBfGexmbSg?t=71
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
1.provide input on the draft striping plans
2.provide input on the vehicle Level of
Service methodology
ITEM 4: EAST WEST CORRIDORS
3
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44
ITEM 4: EAST WEST CORRIDORS
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BACKGROUND
•Project is part of city’s Pavement
Management Program (PMP)•PMP used to preserve, maintain and
rehabilitate streets to improve safety,
enhance pavement condition and extend
life of roadway infrastructure
5
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PMP Objectives
•Improved safety•Enhanced rideability•Cost-effective pavement maintenance•Fuel efficiency & environmental benefits•Lower vehicle maintenance costs•Increased tourism•Economic development
6
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PMP –Treatment Methods
•Crack Sealant•Pothole Repairs/Asphalt Concrete
Patching•Slurry Seal and Fog Seal•Asphalt Grind & Overlay
7
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88
ITEM 4: EAST WEST CORRIDORS
Exhibit 1 –Location Map
Project includes following arterial streets:•Carlsbad Village Dr (I-5 to College Blvd)•Tamarack Ave (Carlsbad Blvd to Carlsbad Village Dr) •Cannon Rd (I-5 to Faraday Ave)•Poinsettia Ln (Carlsbad Blvd to Melrose Dr)•La Costa Ave (I-5 to Fairway Ln, past El Camino Real)•Olivenhain Rd (Encinitas limits to Rancho Santa Fe Rd)
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Proposed Improvements
•Resurfacing streets to prolong life of
pavement•Striping improvements•Narrower vehicle lanes -lowers
maintenance costs•Install Continental or high visibility
crosswalks
9
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1010
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1111
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Striping Approach
Typically •10-foot vehicle lanes•8-foot bike lanes•Buffers next to door-zones and vehicles•Green paint reserved for conflict zones•Transitions to interchanges under revision
12
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1313
•Cannon Rd –Faraday to El Camino
Real
•College Ave –Palomar Airport Road
to El Camino Real
•Poinsettia Lane –Skimmer Ct./ Oriole
Ct. to El Camino Real
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1414
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1515
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Reconfigure Arterials Approach
•Typically, not changing number of
vehicle lanes approaching intersections
•Intersection Guidelines for
Transportation Impact Studies in the San
Diego Region
•Comply with Mobility Element
16
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1919
•Avenida Encinas-Palomar Airport Road to Cannon
Road
•Carlsbad Blvd. –Beach Avenue to State Street
•La Costa Avenue-From Fairway Lane to Rancho
Santa Fe Road
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Avenida Encinas-Palomar Airport Rd to Cannon Rd
20
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Carlsbad Blvd –Beach Ave to State Street
21
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La Costa Ave -From Fairway Lane to Rancho Santa Fe
Road
22
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2323
•Poinsettia Ln –from Avenida Encinas to Carlsbad Blvd
•Cannon Rd -Avenida Encinas to El Arbol Dr
•Tamarack Ave –Carlsbad Village Dr to Skyline Dr
•Carlsbad Village Dr –Appian Rd to Chatham Rd
ITEM 4: EAST WEST CORRIDORS
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Poinsettia Ln –Avenida Encinas to Carlsbad Blvd
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Cannon Rd -Avenida Encinas to El Arbol Drive
25
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Tamarack Ave –Carlsbad Village Drive to Skyline Drive
26
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Tamarack Ave –Carlsbad Village Drive to El Camino Real
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Carlsbad Village Dr –Appian Road to Chatham Road
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NEXT STEPS
34
•Finalize project plans and bid documents
•Traffic and Mobility Commission and City
Council to approve plans in January 2023
•Request City Council to award construction
contract in February 2023
•Target construction spring 2023
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
1.provide input on the draft striping plans
2.provide input on the vehicle Level of
Service methodology
ITEM 4: EAST WEST CORRIDORS
35
Dec. 5, 2022
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