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Home My WebLink About2024-05-06; Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission; ; Faraday Avenue Improvements - Conceptual Design, Capital Improvement Program Project No. 6099 Meeting Date: May 6, 2024 To: Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission Staff Contact: John Kim, City Traffic Engineer John.Kim@carlsbadca.gov or 442-339-2734 Nick Gorman, Associate Engineer Nick.Gorman@carlsbadca.gov or 442-339-2793 Subject: Faraday Avenue Improvements - Conceptual Design, Capital Improvement Program Project No. 6099 Recommended Action Receive a presentation and provide input regarding the Faraday Avenue Improvements Conceptual Design Background On July 26, 2022, the Veterans Memorial Park Master Plan was approved by the City Council. Exhibit 1 shows the proposed site plan for the park. Veterans Memorial Park is located on 93.7 acres, near the intersection of Faraday Avenue and Cannon Road, see the location map in Exhibit 2. The access to the park will be along Faraday Avenue. Faraday Avenue is classified as an Employment/Transit Connector Street in the city’s Mobility Element of the General Plan. The existing speed limit is posted at 40 miles per hour, or mph, based on an Engineering and Traffic Survey established on May 24, 2016. The critical speed on the Engineering and Traffic Survey was found to be 42 mph. The design contract for the park does not include off-site improvements. The traffic study for the park provided preliminary recommendations for access to the park along Faraday Avenue. It is also noted that with access to the future Veterans Memorial Park being provided on Faraday Avenue, it is anticipated that pedestrian and bicycle activity on this roadway will increase. The expected increase in pedestrian and bicycle activity, with the existing posted speed limit of 40 mph and a measured critical speed of 42 mph, prompted this project to explore the addition of traffic calming along the project frontage. The addition of traffic calming along Faraday Avenue would help reduce vehicle speeds and provide a more inviting environment for all modes of travel along the park frontage. Discussion May 6, 2024 Item #5 Page 1 of 7 To meet the proposed timeline of construction of Veterans Memorial Park, staff began studying potential traffic calming solutions for Faraday Avenue to help facilitate access to the park for all modes of travel. Alternative studies included evaluation of horizontal deflection (roundabouts, chicanes) and vertical deflections (raised features). Ultimately, it was determined that vertical deflection would work best for this specific location. Proposed conceptual design The proposed conceptual plan includes three raised crosswalks along the frontage of the park. One is proposed at the southern leg of the Faraday Avenue/Whitman Way intersection, one just south of the western driveway and one just south of the eastern driveway. See Exhibit 3 for the proposed conceptual plans. The three raised crosswalks are strategically placed nearby the two entrances to the park to help slow down vehicles as they approach the segment where vehicles, bikes and pedestrians will be entering/exiting the park. Raised crosswalks use vertical deflection to reduce vehicle speeds and have been implemented successfully and quickly in other neighborhoods in the city. In the next phase of the project, each location where raised crosswalks are proposed will be analyzed to determine if drainage improvements are required. The raised crosswalks will be enhanced with rectangular rapid flashing beacons to improve pedestrian access. Additionally, each crossing location will be enhanced to include curb extensions and a center median refuge island. Curb extensions help to physically narrow the roadway, create a shorter distance for pedestrians to cross and increase the visibility of pedestrians prior to crossing. Center median refuge islands allow pedestrians to navigate one direction of traffic at a time and help further decrease the required crossing distance. At each the two proposed park driveways, this project would also propose to construct a left- turn lane. In the Transportation Impact Study that was prepared for Veterans Memorial Park, these left-turn lanes were identified as a requirement to help facilitate vehicular access to the park and help reduce delays to vehicles travelling along Faraday Avenue. Emergency vehicle considerations Before proceeding with the project, city staff reviewed the conceptual designs with the city’s Fire Department. Fire Department staff voiced their support of the proposed project. Next Steps Staff are currently in the process of awarding an agreement for the engineering design and construction support services for the Faraday Avenue traffic calming and mobility improvements. Upon execution of this agreement, staff will apply any relevant feedback from the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission to the design. Staff will then return to the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission with the 100% plans. Exhibit 1. Veterans Memorial Park Site Plan 2. Location Map 3. Preliminary Faraday Avenue Improvements Concept Plans May 6, 2024 Item #5 Page 2 of 7 Exhibit 1 May 6, 2024 Item #5 Page 3 of 7 2 LOCATION MAP May 6, 2024 Item #5 Page 4 of 7 PB M W M W PB 5050 Avenida Encinas Suite 260 Carlsbad, CA 92008 Phone: (760) 476-9193 MBAKERINTL.COM LEGEND Exhibit 3 May 6, 2024 Item #5 Page 5 of 7 PBM W M W PB PB PB PB 5050 Avenida Encinas Suite 260 Carlsbad, CA 92008 Phone: (760) 476-9193 MBAKERINTL.COM LEGEND May 6, 2024 Item #5 Page 6 of 7 PB M W IRR M W PB PBPB PB PB PB PB PB PBEMEMPB EM PBPBM W M W 5050 Avenida Encinas Suite 260 Carlsbad, CA 92008 Phone: (760) 476-9193 MBAKERINTL.COM LEGEND May 6, 2024 Item #5 Page 7 of 7 John Kim, City Traffic Engineer Nick Gorman, Associate Engineer May 6, 2024 Faraday Avenue Improvements Conceptual Design, CIP No. 6099 RECOMMENDED ACTION Receive a presentation and provide input regarding the Faraday Avenue Improvements Conceptual Design. ITEM 5: Faraday Avenue Improvements 2 BACKGROUND •July 26, 2022, the Veterans Memorial Park Master Plan was approved by the City Council –Park construction is planned to begin at the end of 2024, with completion in Summer 2026 –Anticipated that pedestrian and bicycle activity will increase with construction •Design contract for the park does not include off-site improvements –Including access to the site (vehicle, bike & pedestrian) –Traffic calming and other mobility improvements along Faraday Ave ITEM 5: Faraday Avenue Improvements 3 •Faraday Ave from Cannon St to edge of Veterans Memorial Park (approximately 0.5 miles east of Cannon Rd) •Designated as an Employment / Transit Connector in the General Plan Mobility Element •Serves as a connection to/from the Carlsbad Research Center employment hub FARADAY AVENUE ITEM 5: Faraday Avenue Improvements 4 •One vehicular lane, a bike lane and on-street parking on the north side •Posted speed limit of 40 miles per hour •No existing driveways along park frontage •No single-family homes fronting FARADAY AVENUE ITEM 5: Faraday Avenue Improvements 5 6 EXISTING TRAFFIC SIGNAL PROPOSED RAISED CROSSWALK ITEM 5: Faraday Avenue Improvements PROPOSED CONCEPT PLAN PROPOSED PARK DRIVEWAY 7 Raised Crosswalk With RRFB Center Median Refuge Island Curb Extensions 8 Lane Removal Raised Crosswalk With RRFB Center Median Refuge Island Curb Extension Left Turn Lane 9 Raised Crosswalk With RRFB Center Median Refuge Island Curb Extension Left Turn Lane 10 EMERGENCY RESPONSE On December 19, 2023, staff held a meeting with representatives from the Fire Department regarding the conceptual traffic calming improvements on Faraday Avenue. After explaining each feature and answering questions, the Fire Department supported the traffic calming improvements as presented. ITEM 5: Faraday Avenue Improvements 11 NEXT STEPS Upon receiving input from the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission, staff will work with a consultant to prepare engineering design plans and develop construction plans for the project. Staff will then return to the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission with the engineering design plans and construction plans. ITEM 5: Faraday Avenue Improvements 12 RECOMMENDED ACTION Receive a presentation and provide input regarding the Faraday Avenue Improvements Conceptual Design. ITEM 5: Faraday Avenue Improvements 13