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Home My WebLink About2023-12-04; Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission; ; Semiannual Transportation ReportMeeting Date: Dec. 4, 2023 To: Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission Staff Contact: Tom Frank, Transportation Director/City Engineer tom.frank@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2766 Subject: Semiannual Transportation Report Districts: All Recommended Actions Receive the Semiannual Transportation Report. Executive Summary The City of Carlsbad is committed to helping everyone get around the city in a safe and convenient way, whether by foot, car, bike or public transit. In 2015, the City Council approved an updated General Plan, which included several new policies to achieve these goals. Specifically, the Mobility Element of the General Plan envisions a transportation network that balances all the different modes of transportation, unlike previous policies that focused primarily on the car. Understanding that transforming Carlsbad’s road system would take many years, in 2018, the City Council asked staff to present updates twice a year to measure progress being made. This report highlights recent activities and covers changes that have been made to project priorities since the city proclaimed a traffic safety emergency in August 2022. Discussion Traffic safety emergency The City of Carlsbad proclaimed a local emergency on traffic safety Aug. 23, 2022, to address a more than 200% increase in collisions involving bikes and e-bikes since 2019. Under an emergency proclamation, a city can more easily redeploy staff and resources and expedite certain processes to allow projects to be completed more quickly. Following the emergency proclamation, the City Council allocated $2 million that enabled city staff to immediately launch a wide variety of programs, projects and initiatives to enhance traffic safety in Carlsbad. City staff have initiated a wide variety of programs, projects and initiatives to enhance the safe use of city streets. Some could be completed immediately while others are longer term in nature. All are described in the Safer Streets Together Plan, which was approved by the City Council Sept. 27, 2022. Decreases in injury collisions Data on injury collisions has informed the emergency proclamation, the Safer Streets Together Plan and the actions by the city to improve the safe use of local roads. Dec. 4, 2023 Item #2 Page 1 of 6 City staff analyzed injury collision data from Sept. 1, 2022, to Aug. 31, 2023, the 12-month period between the beginning and end of the emergency proclamation. The analysis found Carlsbad saw a measurable reduction in injury collisions over this time period. While encouraged by these changes, staff will continue to monitor data related to injury collisions in Carlsbad to track trends. •13% decrease in injury collisions across all modes of travel. •20% decrease in injury collisions involving bikes and e-bikes. •22% decrease in injury collisions involving pedal bikes. •18% decrease in injury collisions involving e-bikes. Compared to injury collisions involving cars and bicycles, Carlsbad has relatively few injury collisions involving pedestrians. However, consistent with national trends, Carlsbad has seen an increase, even during the traffic safety emergency. The city will continue to closely monitor pedestrian data, as we make improvements to crosswalks, sidewalks and other infrastructure, just as we are doing for roads and bike lanes. The emergency proclamation ended on Sept. 8, 2023, however traffic safety remains core to the city’s mission. Staff will continue to carry out programs and initiatives identified in the Safer Streets Together Plan, as directed by the City Council. Dec. 4, 2023 Item #2 Page 2 of 6 Past Six-Month Accomplishments The Transportation Department has made significant strides in advancing our city's mobility goals over the past six months. The following section highlight a selection of our key accomplishments, which represent a portion of the department's broader efforts to enhance transportation infrastructure, promote sustainable mobility options, and ensure the safety and convenience of all road users. Past six-month accomplishments include: •Successfully responded to the local emergency, including installation and update of green bike paint and use of message boards •Completed construction of Tamarack Ave Traffic Calming Project and implemented green bicycle lane enhancements at 36 intersections to address high bicycle collision activity (both under Emergency Declaration) •Continued updates to Carlsbad Residential Traffic Management Program •Began construction on the Carlsbad Boulevard Pedestrian Improvements Project •Successfully conducted neighborhood meeting for traffic calming on Hummingbird Road •Completed design for traffic calming on Victoria Ave, Highland Dr, Nueva Castilla Way, Circulo Sequoia, and Celinda Dr •Initiated design for traffic calming on Blackrail Road, Carrillo Way, Nueva Castilla Way, and Plum Tree Road •Deployed temporary speed feedback signs on 27 streets to address residents' speeding concerns •Collaborating with the Carlsbad Unified School District to develop Safe Routes to School plans for Sage Creek High School, Jefferson Elementary School, and Aviara Oaks Middle and High School. •Initiated and substantially completed construction of the 2022 East-West Corridor Emergency Resurfacing and Restriping Project as a part of the Local Emergency Declaration for bike, e-bike and traffic safety •Completed 90% engineering design of the 2023 Slurry Seal Project •Completed 50% engineering design of the 2023 Overlay Project •Completed 90% engineering design for the Beach Access Repairs and Upgrades from Pine Avenue to Tamarack Avenue Project •Completed 100% engineering design and continued environmental assessment and permitting process for the El Camino Real Widening from Arenal Road to La Costa Avenue •Completed construction of the 2021 Sidewalks Improvement Project •Initiated construction of Segment 2 of the Avenida Encinas Coastal Rail Trail and Pedestrian Improvements •Completed 60% engineering design and initiated environmental review and permitting for the Carlsbad Boulevard and Tamarack Avenue Intersection Improvements Project •Continued implementation and configuration of Cubic/Trafficware traffic signal controller software •Coordinated with Caltrans to facilitate traffic clock synchronization between Caltrans and city controllers as Caltrans migrates its traffic central system software and upgrades outdated signal controllers Dec. 4, 2023 Item #2 Page 3 of 6 •Updated general signal timing parameters based on California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, or MUTCD •Collected continuous vehicle count data on El Camino Real, Palomar Airport Road, and Rancho Santa Fe to monitor monthly and seasonal variations in traffic patterns •Provided engineering support to re-IP controller, video, and other signal equipment for data transmission on the new fiber optic communications network •Completed server migration for central traffic system software to improve communication reliability •Completed central traffic system software upgrade to improve remote signal controller functionality •Completed server migration for Bluetooth travel time devices •Established communication and required configuration updates to all Bluetooth travel time devices •Established remote connection with previous ‘offline’ traffic signals •Provided engineering design support for future pedestrian traffic signal at Avenida Encinas/San Carlos •Provided engineering design support for future traffic signal at Avenida Encinas/Chick- fil-A/In-N-Out Next six-month project highlights: •Completion of construction of the East West Corridors Restriping projects •Completion of construction of the Carlsbad Boulevard Pedestrian Improvements project •Begin construction of traffic calming improvements on Victoria Avenue, Highland Drive, Nueva Castilla Way, and Circulo Sequoia •Complete design of traffic calming plans for Blackrail Road, Carrio Way, Nueva Castilla Way, Plum Tree Road and on Faraday Avenue along the frontage of the future Veterans Memorial Park •Complete the planning phase of the Safe Routes to School projects for Sage Creek High School, Jefferson Elementary School, and Hope Elementary School •Finalize conceptual designs for the Tyler Street Complete Street study as originally identified in the Village and Barrio Master Plan •Initiate the planning phase of the Tamarack Complete Streets project which includes the portion of Tamarack Avenue between Carlsbad Boulevard and Carlsbad Village Drive •Complete the FY 22-23 Growth Management Plan Circulation Section •Present the Sustainable Mobility Plan Implementation Plan to the Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission •Present the draft Local Mobility Analysis Guidelines to the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission •Initiate the process of updating existing plans to meet the criteria of a Vision Zero Action Plan •Prepare feasibility study and alternatives analysis for intersection control at Kelly and Park Drive and present to the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission and City Council •Complete 100% engineering plans and specifications for the Terramar Area Coastal Improvements Project Dec. 4, 2023 Item #2 Page 4 of 6 •Complete 100% engineering plans and specifications for the Barrio Lighting Phase II Pedestrian Lighting Project •Continue to work with neighboring agencies to maintain coordination between adjacent traffic signals •Change remaining legacy 170 city traffic controllers to 2070 style •Complete remote connections to all remaining ‘offline’ traffic signals •Provide configuration and turn on support for future pedestrian traffic signal at Avenida Encinas/San Carlos •Provide configuration and turn on support for future traffic signal at Avenida Encinas/Chick-fil-A/In-N-Out Regional Planning Activities Over the next six months, city staff and council representatives will collaborate with our regional planning partners at the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) on crucial planning studies essential for the transformation of our local and regional transportation network. These studies include the SANDAG 2025 Regional Plan and the Regional Active Transportation Plan. The 2025 Regional Plan is a comprehensive 30-year strategy that examines the growth of the San Diego region, where people will live, and how people will move around the region. The regional plan acts as the transportation master plan for the region and includes significant transit, freeway, and active transportation projects. Updated every four years, this plan presents an opportunity to reassess how we can effectively improve the quality of life for everyone in our region for generations to come. The Regional Active Transportation Plan serves as an update to the 2010 Regional Bike Plan. Its primary purpose is to align the regional bikeway network with the goals of the Regional Plan, taking into account post-pandemic travel trends, including the increased use of electric bikes. Some regional bikeway projects may also incorporate enhancements for safer walking, traffic calming measures, and additional amenities such as secure bike parking. City staff will collaborate with the Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission to thoroughly review these significant regional planning documents and provide constructive feedback to SANDAG. Fiscal Analysis This item is a presentation on the work related to management of the city’s transportation assets and it has no fiscal impact. Next Steps Staff will continue to provide updates on workload and schedule as part of future semiannual transportation reports. The next semiannual transportation report is expected to be in summer of 2024. Environmental Evaluation Dec. 4, 2023 Item #2 Page 5 of 6 This action does not constitute a project within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act under Public Resources Code section 21065 in that it has no potential to cause either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Public Notification This item was noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled meeting date. Exhibits None Dec. 4, 2023 Item #2 Page 6 of 6 Semiannual Transportation Report Tom Frank, Transportation Director/City Engineer Dec. 4, 2023 RECOMMENDED ACTION 1.Receive the Semiannual Transportation Report ITEM 2: SEMIANNUAL TRANSPORTATION REPORT 2 TODAY’S PRESENTATION 1.Traffic safety emergency accomplishments 2.Continued priority on traffic safety 3.Progress on traffic signal program 3 BIKE + E-BIKE COLLISIONS 4 PAST ACTIONS •Carlsbad specific e-bike safety laws •Public education program •Increases in spot enforcement 5 BACK TO SCHOOL 6 EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION Government Code Section 8630 Carlsbad Municipal Code Chapter 6.04 7 Activate the Emergency Operations Center Immediately redeploy resources Streamline procurement and other processes Increase focus and collaboration among our residents, businesses, other agencies and our business community Emergency Proclamation 8 9 10 AC T I O N S T O D A T E Safer Streets Together Plan 11 Three Es of Traffic Safety 12 13 RE S U L T S T O D A T E 14 RE S U L T S T O D A T E 2022 2023 Emergency proclamation INJURY COLLISIONS: BIKES AND E-BIKES 15 AC T I O N S T O D A T E Safer Streets Together Plan 16 AC T I O N S T O D A T E Safer Streets Together Plan 17 AC T I O N S T O D A T E Safer Streets Together Plan 18 EDUCATION 19 ENGINEERING 20 ENGINEERING 21 ENFORCEMENT 22 SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS 24 trainings1,000+ students 23 ONGOING PRIORITY Safer Streets Together comprehensive plan continues to be implemented •100+ major road projects planned over next 5 years •Ongoing education and outreach •Continued enforcement •Strategic plan 24 TRAFFIC SIGNAL PROGRAM •Communications network upgrades •Signal operations 25 Traffic Signal Communications Network 26 27 95% 28 •Focused on high volume corridors •Impacts from regional decisions •Caltrans-controlled signals Coordinated traffic signals •Speed •Travel Time ITEM 3: TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEM UPDATE 29 REAL-TIME VEHICLE DATA 31 32 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS •City Council •Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission •Community members •Partners •City staff 33