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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-02-04; Traffic Safety Commission; ; Investigate the need to establish an ALL-WAY STOP at the intersection of Las Flores Drive and Pio Pico Drive.CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT - COMMISSION MEETING OF: February 4, 2013 ITEM NO. 6A LOCATION: Intersection of Las Flores Drive and Pio Pico Drive INITIATED BY: Greg & Cathy Berry 1290 Las Flores Drive Carlsbad, CA 92008 REQUESTED ACTION: Investigate the need to establish an ALL-WAY STOP at the intersection of Las Flores Drive and Pio Pico Drive. BACKGROUND: DATA: The subject intersection serves the adjacent residential neighborhoods in the northwest quadrant of the city and is located between the 1-5 freeway and Buena Vista Elementary School (see Exhibit 1). During the school year, this intersection can be congested with pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles. Both Las Flores Drive and Pio Pico Drive are unclassified in the Circulation Element of the General Plan but function as collector streets. Las Flores Drive features curb and gutter, sidewalk and street lights on both sides of the street. It has a curb-to-curb width of 40 feet with a single travel lane in each direction, separated by a painted center line. On- street parking is allowed on both sides of Las Flores Drive. South of Las Flores Drive, Pio Pico Drive features curb and gutter, sidewalk and street lights on both sides of the street south of Las Flores Drive. It has a curb-to-curb width of 40 feet, with a single travel lane in each direction, separated by a painted center line. On-street parking is allowed on both sides of the street with some red curb prohibiting parking. North of Las Flores Drive, Pio Pico Drive is largely unimproved with a curb-to-curb width of approximately 24 feet. Due to the proximity of Buena Vista Elementary School, school area signage and pavement legends are present on both Las Flores Drive and Pio Pico Drive. Yellow school crosswalks have been painted across the north, east and south legs of the subject intersection. Currently, traffic on Pio Pico Drive is STOP-controlled at Las Flores Drive while Las Flores Drive is uncontrolled. As part of this request, staff conducted an analysis to establish an ALL-WAY STOP at the subject intersection. The analysis is based on Section 2B.07 of the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which specifies the consideration of different factors to determine whether or not an ALL-WAY STOP is justified at a particular location. Collision records indicate that no collisions were reported at the subject intersection during the period from 2008 through 2012. A 24-hour approach count was conducted on November 7, 2012, the results of which are shown on Table 1. Page 1 COMMISSION MEETING OF: (continued) CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT February 4, 2013 - ITEM NO. 6A Table 1: 24-Hour Traffic Count Summary at Las Flores Drive and Pio Pico Drive Las Flores Drive Pio Pico Drive Total Time Eastbound Westbound Subtotal Northbound Southbound Subtotal Volume 0000-0100 10 3 13 1 1 2 15 0100-0200 4 0 4 1 0 1 5 0200-0300 4 0 4 2 1 3 7 0300-0400 1 0 1 1 1 2 3 0400-0500 3 5 8 7 6 13 21 0500-0600 22 21 43 11 11 22 65 0600-0700 65 61 126 20 33 53 179 0700-0800 191 120 311 68 72 140 451 0800-0900 166 110 276 103 68 171 447 0900-1000 147 61 208 38 46 84 292 1000-1100 123 63 186 39 41 80 266 1100-1200 137 70 207 76 42 118 325 1200-1300 161 81 242 87 48 135 377 1300-1400 144 62 206 68 45 113 319 1400-1500 201 116 317 89 47 136 453 1500-1600 187 93 280 82 45 127 407 1600-1700 208 86 294 86 51 137 431 1700-1800 192 92 284 103 63 166 450 1800-1900 139 49 188 31 50 81 269 1900-2000 94 29 123 29 17 46 169 2000-2100 71 23 94 20 12 32 126 2100-2200 48 21 69 8 11 19 88 2200-2300 30 5 35 4 12 16 51 2300-2400 14 3 17 4 5 9 26 Totals 2362 1174 3536 978 728 1706 5240 The intersection of Las Flores Drive and Pio Pico Drive did not meet the California MUTCD criteria based on minimum traffic volumes or collision history. As part of the analysis, staff conducted turning movement counts to quantify the pedestrian volumes on a typical school morning and school afternoon. The turning movement counts were conducted on October 30, 2012 and the results are summarized in Table 2 and 3. Table 2: Turning Movement Count, 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Roadway Approach Entering Vehicles Pedestrians Northbound 95 6 (2 adults & 4 children) Southbound 74 2 (1 adult & 1 child) Eastbound 226 1 adult Westbound 120 7 (4 adults & 3 children) Page 2 • COMMISSION MEETING OF: (continued) CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT February 4, 2013 ITEM NO.GA Table 3: Turning Movement Count, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Roadwav Annroach Direction Enterine: Vehicles Pedestrians Northbound 91 16 (6 adults & 10 children) Southbound 28 1 child Eastbound 188 none Westbound 131 13 (5 adults and 8 children) Our studies indicate that there is significant pedestrian activity that occurs at the subject intersection that is in conflict with vehicular traffic, not only during school times but during events when the school ball fields are used for events. Section 28.07 of the California MUTCD allows consideration of an ALL-WAY STOP when there is a "need to control vehicle/pedestrian conflicts near locations that generate high pedestrian volumes." An elementary school can be considered a location that generates high pedestrian volumes and the city has installed ALL-WAY STOPs at other locations nearby school locations as a result of similar analyses. These locations include Paseo Aliso and Via Adelfa near El Camino Creek Elementary School, Camino de las Ondas and Hidden Valley Road adjacent to Pacific Rim Elementary School, Calle Acervo adjacent to Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary School and Calle Acervo near La Costa Canyon High School, and at Monroe Street and Gayle Way adjacent to Carlsbad High School. Staff conducted field measurements of the existing sight distance conditions at the subject intersection. The posted speed limit on Las Flores Drive is 30 miles per hour and the minimum stopping sight distance required for 30 miles per hour is 200 feet. Sight distance from the south leg of the intersection was measured to be 110 feet looking to the east (Figure 1) and 125 feet looking to the west {Figure 2). Sight distance from the north leg was measured to be 75 feet looking to the west (Figure 3} and 125 feet looking to the east (Figure 4). The California MUTCD recommends consideration of an ALL-WAY STOP when there are "locations where a road user, after stopping, cannot see conflicting traffic and is not able to reasonably safely negotiate the intersection unless conflicting cross traffic is also required to stop." Although sight distance could be increased by the prohibition of parking, staff cannot support removal of available parking due to the high demand for on-street parking. Page 3 - COMMISSION MEETING OF: (continued) CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT February 4, 2013 Page4 """ ITEM NO. 6A COMMISSION MEETING OF: (continued) CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT February 4, 2013 Page 5 - ITEM NO.GA - COMMISSION MEETING OF: (continued) RECOMMENDATION: CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT February 4, 2013 ITEM NO.GA Based on the findings contained in this report, the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommends the installation of an ALL-WAY STOP at the intersection of Las Flores Drive and Pio Pico Drive. NECESSARY CITY COUNCIL ACTION: The City Council must adopt an ordinance to establish the stop control as recommended. Page 6 ,... ...-----------------------,, ~ ~ ~ I LOCATION MAP LEGEND: • PROPOSED STOP LOCATION © EXISTING TRAFFIC SIGNAL 0: 0 8 0: 0 0: BUENA VISTA WY. ~ BUENA PL <( "' 5 -< 0 KNOV.U:S A 1/f.. ~I 5 <( 0 YOURELL "" "' ~ tj 0 :::, z "' <( I); ii: a. 0 FOREST DR. BUENA VISTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUENA VISTA WY. CYNlHIA LN. KNOV.U:S A VE. Al/f.. NOT TO SCALE PROPOSED ALL-WAY STOP AT LAS FLORES DRIVE AND PIO PICO DRIVE N " " ? ~ I • .I I 3 ! w ,i • ~ ! C ~ " <. C ~ ~ j C EXHIBIT ! ' , 1 l e_ •