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Home My WebLink About2011-05-02; Traffic Safety Commission; ; Investigate the need to install a stop sign on Calle San Felipe at Calle PosadaCITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: May 2, 2011 LOCATION: INITIATED BY: Intersection of Calle San Felipe/Calle Posada Tracy Anderson 7935 Calle San Felipe Carlsbad, CA 92009 ITEM NO. 6B REQUESTED ACTION: Investigate the need to install a stop sign on Calle San Felipe at Calle Posada. BACKGROUND: Calle San Felipe intersects Calle Posada in a T-intersection configuration in a residential area with Calle San Felipe being considered the "stem" of the T-intersection. Calle Posada is considered the "top" of the T (see exhibit 1). This intersection is currently uncontrolled on all approaches. An elementary school is located 1,000 feet to the north of the intersection. DATA: Calle San Felipe and Calle Posada are located in the southeast portion of the city. Both streets are unclassified on the Circulation Element of the General Plan but function as local streets based on street width and adjacent land uses. These streets serve a residential neighborhood comprised of single family homes. Both Calle San Felipe and Calle Posada have a curb-to-curb width of 40 feet with gutter and sidewalk on both sides. Both roadways have a prima facie speed limit of 25 miles per hour and Calle San Felipe is posted 25 miles per hour in each direction. There have been no reported traffic collisions at the intersection for the six-year period from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2010. Each stop sign request received by staff is analyzed based on standards and guidelines found in the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and the Caltrans Highway Design Manual. Stop signs, if improperly used, can cause substantial inconvenience to drivers and should be used only where justified. One of the conditions that may warrant consideration of installing a stop sign on the minor street is when the safe approach speed to the intersection is less than 10 miles per hour, which occurs when there is restricted visibility for the driver. As drivers approach an uncontrolled intersection, right-of-way assignment is based upon the rules of the road. Ideally, the driver should have an unobstructed view of the entire intersection and sufficient distance along the line of sight at the intersecting street for the driver to anticipate and avoid conflicts with approaching vehicles. When a driver on the minor street is traveling towards the major street, a decision is required to determine whether braking to a stop is necessary because of an approaching vehicle on the major street. This decision point location on the minor street must allow the driver sufficient distance to view both the right and left approaches on the major Page 1 CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: ( continued) May 2, 2011 ITEM NO. 6B street. The driver on the minor street, generally not having the right-of-way, can then initiate actions to slow, stop, or avoid a conflict with other vehicles, as necessary, when sufficient sight distance is provided (see Exhibit 2). For the analyses of local streets, the minor street decision point location is assumed to be 50 feet from the intersection assuming the vehicle on the minor street has an approach speed of 10 miles per hour. A distance of 150 feet (stopping sight distance for 25 miles per hour) along the major street should be provided to minor street drivers to view vehicles approaching the intersection. At the study intersection, the sight distance from Calle San Felipe looking to the east was measured to be 127 feet, which is less than the required 150 feet. The sight distance limitation is due to landscaping on private property on the northeast comer of the intersection. Sight distance looking to the west was found to be 190 feet, which is more than the 150 foot minimum requirement. The above-stated sight distance measurements do not consider parked vehicles within the line of sight. Sight distance is further reduced when any vehicles park on the north side of Calle Posada adjacent to the intersection. Based on these findings, staff determined that the 10-mile per hour safe approach speed criteria is not being met for southbound Calle San Felipe drivers and a stop sign can be considered for installation on Calle San Felipe at Calle Posada. The Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee requested that staff investigate whether or not the restrictive vegetation could be trimmed or removed prior to proceeding with the installation of a stop sign on Calle San Felipe at Calle Posada. Based on a field evaluation (see Exhibit 3), staff has determined that the large palm trees on the northeast comer cannot be trimmed nor would it practicable to remove them. RECOMMENDATION: Based on the findings contained in this report, the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommends the installation of a stop sign on Calle San Felipe at its intersection with Calle Posada. This would include a striped limit line and "STOP" pavement legend placed on the roadway. NECESSARY CITY COUNCIL ACTION: The City Council must adopt an ordinance to establish the stop control as recommended. Page 2 NOT TO SCALE LOCATION MAP MISSION ESTANCIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROPOSED CALLE STOP LOCATION CALLE VALLARTA PROPOSED STOP SIGN ON CALLE SAN FELIPE AT CALLE POSADA EXHIBIT 1 CALLE POSADA MEASURED LINE OF SIGHT ------------ (fJJ NOT TO SCALE DECISION POINT CONFLICT POINT -- w 0.... _J w W LL _J _jz <( <( u (/) - -------- ....... 127' MEASURED ' 150 REQUIRED -- DECISION POINT ....-~REQUIRED ,.... ....-....-LINE OF SIGHT 150 REQUIRED 190' MEASURED ....... ....... ~ w 0.... _J w WlL _J _jz <( <( u (/) CALLE POSADA DATE OF MEASUREMENTS: 3/22/11 CALLE SAN FELIPE/CALLE POSADA SIGHT DISTANCE ANALYSIS EXHIBIT 2 Exhibit 3