HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-05-01; Traffic and Mobility Commission; MinutesMay 1, 2023 Traffic & Mobility Regular Meeting Page 1
Council Chambers
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
May 1, 2023, 4 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER: 4:03 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Coelho, Fowler, Penseyres, Proulx, Garcia and Kohl.
Newlands – Absent.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Chair Coelho led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Minutes of the Regular Meeting held on March 6, 2023
Minutes of the Regular Meeting held on April 3, 2023
Motion by Commissioner Kohl, seconded by Vice-Chair Fowler to approve the Minutes of the
Regular Meeting held on March 6, 2023, and the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held on April 3,
2023, as presented. Motion carried, 6/0/1 (Newlands – Absent).
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Kristine Schindler spoke in support of bicycle education such as smart cycling classes and the new
program called city cycling.
Tom Gibbs expressed his concern for the safety of the children on Simsbury Court and requested
that the city consider speed bumps to reduce vehicle speeds.
Gerry Rahill expressed his concern regarding the speed limit on La Costa Avenue from I-5 to El
Camino Real and the danger this poses to the cyclists.
Jaclyn Harty spoke about slowing traffic on Tamarack Avenue between Garfield Street and
Jefferson Street, and the potential to add a crosswalk.
CONSENT CALENDAR: None.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS:
1. POLICE REPORT REGARDING TRAFFIC & MOBILITY-RELATED MATTERS DURING THE MONTH
OF MARCH 2023, INCLUDING NOTABLE NEWS FROM THE MONTH OF APRIL – Received a
presentation from a representative of the City of Carlsbad’s Police Department that provide
an overview of traffic and mobility-related police matters during the month of March 2023,
including notable news from the month of April. (Staff Contact: Lieutenant DeVelasco, Police
Department).
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Staff’s Recommendation: Receive the presentation.
Lieutenant DeVelasco presented the report and reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file
in the Office of the City Clerk).
The Commission received the report.
2. CARLSBAD BOULEVARD AND TAMARACK AVENUE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROJECT NO. 6058 – Receive a report on traffic study results and
other data regarding the Carlsbad Boulevard and Tamarack Avenue Intersection
Improvements Project, Capital Improvement Program Project No. 6058, and make a
recommendation to the City Council on the preferred design option, a traffic signal or
roundabout. (Staff Contact: Tom Frank, Lauren Ferrell and Nikki Matosian, Public Works
Department and Communication Department).
Staff’s Recommendation: Receive the report and make a recommendation.
Associate Engineer Ferrell, Transportation Director Frank and Community Relations Manager
Matosian presented the report and reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office
of the City Clerk).
The Commission received the report.
Kris Wright spoke against the roundabout.
Jan Neff-Sinclair spoke against the roundabout.
Hope Nelson spoke against the roundabout.
Jason Oziel spoke against the roundabout.
Don Thorstenson spoke in support of the roundabout.
Gerry Rahill spoke in support of the roundabout.
Ayden Zielke spoke in support of the roundabout.
Paige Decino spoke in support of the roundabout.
Kathy Kinaire spoke in support of the roundabout.
Gary Nessin spoke in support of the roundabout.
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Jaclyn Harty spoke against the roundabout.
Leslie Williams spoke against the roundabout.
Kristine Schindler spoke in support of the roundabout.
Kevin McGoldrick spoke in support of the roundabout.
Michael Hedrick spoke in support of the roundabout.
Christina McGoldrick spoke in support of the roundabout.
Joe Whitaker spoke in support of the roundabout.
Elena Thompson spoke in support of the roundabout.
Joyce Hassell spoke against of the roundabout.
Mona Gocan spoke in support of the roundabout.
Sophia Gocan spoke in support of the roundabout.
Paul Gocan spoke in support of the roundabout.
Motion by Vice-Chair Fowler, seconded by Commissioner Kohl to recommend to the City
Council the roundabout as their preferred design option at the intersection of Carlsbad
Boulevard and Tamarack Avenue. Motion carried, 6/0/1 (Newlands – Absent).
3. FISCAL YEAR 2023-24 – TRAFFIC AND MOBILITY COMMISSION WORK PLAN – Receive a
presentation and provide staff input on the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Traffic and Mobility
Commission workplan for future submittal to the City Council. (Staff Contact: Nathan Schmidt,
Public Works Department).
Staff’s Recommendation: Receive the presentation and provide input.
Transportation Planning and Mobility Manager Schmidt presented the report and reviewed
a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk).
The Commission received the report and provided input.
In response to Commissioner Kohl’s suggestion to consider protective/permissive left turn
signal phasing at traffic signals throughout the city, Transportation Planning and Mobility
Manager Schmidt responded that under Goal 1 Objective B that staff will present an annual
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update on the city’s traffic signal system and could include an analysis of looking at new
phasing improvements such as the ones suggested.
In response to Commissioner Garcia’s inquiry about revising crosswalks and sidewalks,
Transportation Planning and Mobility Manager Schmidt explained that staff could add some
elements about providing safer crossings at school sites and in areas with high pedestrian
activity to the workplan.
In response to Chair Coelho’s request to enhance transparency by looking at a larger section
of what is happening with traffic and mobility, and reviewing the budget for the year, Deputy
City Manager, Public Works Gomez responded that staff starts early in the calendar year to
prepare the budget for the following fiscal year. She added that on May 23, 2023, a draft
Operational budget and a Capital Improvement Project budget will be presented to City
Council and the public and the Traffic & Mobility Commission will have an opportunity to
provide input before it comes back to the City Council by end of June 2023 for approval.
Deputy City Manager, Public works Gomez added that staff could present the draft of the
Operational budget and the Capital Improvement Projects budget to the Traffic and Mobility
Commission at the June meeting for comments.
Transportation Planning & Mobility Manager Schmidt summarized the Traffic and Mobility
Commissioners requests for the workplan as follows:
1. As part of the city’s traffic signal program, staff will provide updates regarding signal
phasing changes, including the consideration of protective/permissive phasing and right
turn overlaps.
2. Staff will also add the consideration of crosswalks and better sidewalks at locations where
needed and with an emphasis around schools and areas of high pedestrian activity.
3. Staff will consider the request to provide a tentative timeline of when regular items will
be presented to the Traffic and Mobility Commission.
4. Staff will add to the workplan to provide an overview of the approved budget during the
Traffic & Mobility Commission August meeting, on items related to the Transportation
Department.
CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER COMMENTS:
In response to Commissioner Proulx’s earlier question about what happens with the non-agenda
public comments, City Traffic Engineer Kim responded that when public comments are received
at the Traffic and Mobility Commission meeting, staff follows up with any specific traffic request
or concern, provided that the contact information is available. He added that staff also follows
up on Commissioner comments or questions either via email or during the City Traffic Engineer
Comments portion of the meeting.
Transportation Planning & Mobility Manager Schmidt announced that the month of May is Bike
Month. He referred to the city’s website for special bike month related events adding that there
may be increased levels of bikers on the road.
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TRAFFIC AND MOBILITY COMMISSION COMMENTS:
In response to Commissioner Kohl’s question regarding the dashed lines approaching
intersections with bike lanes, City Traffic Engineer Kim responded that the dashed lines are not
mandatory, and it is permissible for vehicles to cross a single white bike lane line. He added that
in Carlsbad, the dashed white bike lane lines approaching intersections varies between 100 and
200 feet and staff use 100 feet on slower roadways under 35 miles per hour posted speed limit
and along faster roadways with higher speed limits staff goes up to 200 feet with the dashed
lines.
In response to Commissioner Penseyres question about the status of the roundabout on Quarry
Creek, City Traffic Engineer Kim responded that staff has a project to replace the painted splitter
island going eastbound on Marron Road and El Salto Falls with a raised concrete island to
encourage people to stay on the right-hand side of the road and not enter the traffic circle going
in the wrong direction.
In response to Commissioner Penseyres question about adding striping to offset the sight
distance issue due to the overgrown foliage along Jefferson Street, between Marron Road and
the I-5 freeway, City Traffic Engineer Kim responded that striping is what staff can do in house
and green paint can be implemented easily with a work order. He added that staff will look at
this situation with the specific goal of either addressing vegetation by trimming or to look at
adding green paint. ADJOURNMENT: Chair Coelho adjourned the Traffic & Mobility Commission Regular Meeting on May 1, 2023, at 7:12 p.m.
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Eliane Paiva, Secretary