HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-10-03; Traffic Safety Commission; ; Information Only regarding Pilot project for Rancho Santa Fe Road reducing speedCOMMISSION MEETING OF:
CITY OF CARLSBAD
TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
October 03, 2016 ITEM NO. 6 C-4
LOCATION: Rancho Santa Fe Road Pilot Project Update
INITIATED BY: Doug Bilse, City Traffic Engineer
REQUESTED ACTION: Information Only
DATA:
The City Traffic Engineer will present an update on the presentation made to the Traffic
Safety Commission (TSC) on September 14, 2015 identifying a pilot project along Rancho
Santa Fe Road to reduce vehicle speed along this arterial street. Several residents living
in neighborhoods adjacent to Rancho Santa Fe Road submitted concerns that the high
vehicle speed on this arterial was inconsistent with the residential character of the area
and inhibited bicycle and pedestrian use. Rancho Santa Fe Road serves several schools
and shops in the area (see Exhibit 1} that would greatly benefit by providing bicycle and
pedestrian friendly facilities. The following recommendations were approved at the
September 14, 2015 TSC meeting as a pilot project to evaluate the effectiveness of
treatments to reducing vehicle speed on arterial streets adjacent to residential areas
and schools:
1. Install a radar speed feedback signs on Rancho Santa Fe Road
2. Reduce the vehicle lane widths and stripe a bicycle buffer between the bicycle lane
and the #3 vehicle lane.
3. Install high visibility crosswalks at the intersection of Rancho Santa Fe Road and Calle
Barcelona.
The FY 16/17 budget funds Item #1 and staff is procuring the speed feedback signs that
are scheduled to be installed by the end of the calendar year. Item #2 will be funded
through the city's pavement management program and the proposed re-striping is
scheduled to occur during the re-surfacing of Rancho Santa Fe Road over the next 5
years. Item #3 will also be done as part of the pavement work scheduled on Rancho
Santa Fe Road.
Speed zones reflect driver behavior and must be justified by a valid Engineering and
Traffic Surveys as required by the State of California. That means that speed limit signs
are not an appropriate tool to slow down drivers, but it is a valid way to measure the
success of the speed reduction efforts included in the Rancho Santa Fe Road Pilot
Project. There are two speed zones currently established on Rancho Santa Fe Road. The
segment between the north city limits and La Costa Avenue is posted at 55 MPH and the
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CITY OF CARLSBAD
TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
COMMISSION MEETING OF:
(continued)
October 03, 2010 ITEM NO. 6 C-4
segment between La Costa Avenue and Olivenhain Road is posted at 50 MPH (Exhibit 2).
Staff will re-evaluate the critical speed after each phase of the Rancho Santa Fe Road
Pilot Project is completed, and the posted speed limit will be adjusted as necessary.
The following table is a summary of collision data for Rancho Santa Fe Road between
San Elijo Road and La Costa Avenue for the time period between 1/1/2008 to
9/27/2016. Comparable roadway sections on other arterial streets with similar speed
zones in Carlsbad have been included for comparative purposes .
. Traffic Collisions
1/1/2008 thru 9/27/2016
Roadway Section Length Total Annual Injury Fatalities
(miles) Collisions Collisions Collisions
oer mile
Rancho Santa Fe Road: 1.07 115 13.9 63 3
Calle Alvaro-La Costa Ave
Rancho Santa Fe Road: 1.70 130 9.9 66 1
La Costa Ave-San Elijo
El Camino Real: 1.75 197 14.5 115 2
Point-La Costa Ave
Palomar Airport Road: 1.26 229 23.5 140 0
El Camino Real-Melrose
This pilot project directly advances the following core values identified in the Carlsbad
Community Vision:
· • Small town feel, beach community character and connectedness
• Access to recreation and active, healthy lifestyles
• Walking, biking, public transportation and connectivity
• Neighborhood revitalization, community design and livability
NECESSARY CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
No City Council action required for this item.
Attachments: Exhibit #1: Rancho Santa Fe Study Area with Adjacent Land Uses
Exhibit #2: Map of Rancho Santa Fe Road with speed zones
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NOT TO SCALE
LOCATION MAP
LEGEND:
-55 MPH Speed Zone
111111 50 MPH Speed Zone
e Traffic Signal
Rancho Santa Fe Road
Speed Zones
0 La Costa Town Square
[ij La Costa Canyon High School
[I] Mission Estancia Elementary School
EXHIBIT
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