HomeMy WebLinkAboutSNC 99-01; Cannon Road to Legoland Drive; Street Name Change (SNC)mo
January 20, 1999
Carlsbad City Council
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
GloDal Family Attractions
One LEGO Drive
Carlsbad.CA 92008
Telephone (760) 918-5300
Fax (760) 918-5408
Re: Highway Signage
Dear Mayor Lewis and Carlsbad City Council Members,
This letter is in reference to previous communication and especially the recent meeting of
January 13, where the issue of highway signage with directions to LEGOLAND was
discussed with Mayor Lewis, Ann Kulchin and Ray Patchett. (Gary Gallegos from
Caltrans partly participated via conference call).
Enclosed with this letter is LEGO's official recommendation to City Council, requesting
approval.
Supported by Caltrans, LEGO strongly recommends the overhead highway signage
solution as being the right thing to do! This is based primarily on safety, visitor service
and traffic management points of view.
Recalling Team Califomia's initial invitation to LEGO, we never predicted highway
signage to be an issue at this late stage, just two months before opening date.
LEGO acknowledges that this recommendation is costly, and therefore please read
LEGO's acceptance to pay for the extra cost as an indication of the seriousness of the
problems we believe could be the consequences of the limited signage which is currently
being planned.
We very much hope for City Councils timely approval of LEGO's recommendation and
offer to pay for the extra cost, allowing the signage program to be effective as of March
13, 1999.
Best regards.
ge Madsen Bob Montgomery
cc: Bill Haviluk
Ray Patchett
Gary Gallegos, Caltrans
Proposal for Cannon Road Street Name Change
LEGOLAND recommends that the City Council consider and adopt a resolution changing the
name of a short section of Cannon Road to "Cannon Road J LEGOLAND Drive." The name
change applies only to the section of Cannon Road between the north and south bound Interstate
5 freeway off-ramps undemeath the overpass. Caimon Road would otherwise remain unchanged.
The purpose of this street name change is to provide clear direction to LEGOLAND visitors on
the freeway that they must use the Caimon Road / LEGOLAND Drive off-ramp to reach
LEGOLAND. Without this change, many park visitors not familiar with Carlsbad may
unknowingly exit the freeway onto Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad Village Drive, Tamarack or
Poinsettia Lane/Aviara Parkway.
Renaming this section of Cannon Road will make it possible for CALTRANS to place the name
"Cannon Road J LEGOLAND Drive" on the overhead freeway signs. Based on CALTRANS
policies, "LEGOLAND Drive" can not be identified on the overhead freeway signage unless
Cannon Road is renamed at the off-ramps to include "LEGOLAND Drive."
Although CALTRANS will be providing two small signs for LEGOLAND in the shoulder of the
freeway instructing guests to use Cannon Road, these signs are located only at the Cannon Road
off-ramps and do not give sufficient notice further up the freeway. By identifying LEGOLAND
Drive at more northerly and southerly points on the freeway, the visitor should not mistakenly
exit at other local streets such as Carlsbad Village Drive and Palomar Airport Road.
Following is an example of the change that would be made to one of the freeway signs:
Existing:
Carlsbad Village Dr 1/2
Tamarack Ave 1
Cannon Rd 2
Proposed:
Carlsbad Village Dr 1/2
Tamarack Ave 1
Cannon Rd
Legoland Dr 2
The name change will make it possible to modify a total of nine overhead freeway signs located
as far north as Carlsbad Village Drive and as far south as Poinsettia Lane/Aviara Pkwy (see
attached map for approximate locations). This will give adequate advance notice to motorists
making it possible for them to move into the right hand lane in time to exit at Cannon
Road/LEGOLAND Drive.
Precedent for this type of street name change has been set in the City of Carlsbad at the
Poinsettia LaneJAviara Pkwy freeway off-ramp. To implement that change, the City renamed a
portion of Poinsettia Lane at the freeway intersection to "Poinsettia Lane/Aviara Parkway". This
enabled CALTRANS to place "Aviara Pkwy" on the freeway signs.
During the entitlement process for LEGOLAND, the City's clear intention was for Cannon Road
to be the primary access route to LEGOLAND. The City was specifically seeking to reduce any
additional visitor traffic on Palomar Airport Road that the park might generate. Please refer to
the Carlsbad Ranch Specific Plan, approved by the City Council in January of 1996. The
Specific Plan identifies Cannon Road as the primary means of access to LEGOLAND. The
following paragraph on page 117 states:
"Parking and Circulation:
Access to the guest parking will be taken from LEGO Drive by way of
Cannon Road. All directional signage including freeway signs, signs on
Palomar Airport Road and promotional advertisements shall direct
motorists towards Cannon Road."
LEGOLAND recommends this action in the best interest of the City of Carlsbad. This will
ensure the park visitor finds his way easily, safely, and directly to the park, thereby achieving the
traffic management goals referenced above.
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