HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-11-06; Traffic Safety Commission; ; REMOVAL OF THE NORTHERN CROSSWALK AT INTERSECTION OF CASSIA ROAD AND EL CAMINO REALCITY OF CARLSBAD
TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
COMMISSION MEETING OF: November 6, 2017 ITEM NO. 6B
LOCATION: El Camino Real at the intersection of Cassia Road
INITIATED BY: Doug Bilse, Senior Engineer
REQUESTED ACTION: Conduct a public hearing for the removal of the northern
crosswalk at the intersection of El Camino Real and Cassia Road in
conjunction with the El Camino Real pavement overlay project.
BACKGROUND:
DATA:
As part of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) the City of Carlsbad approved a
project to remove the northern crosswalk at the intersection of El Camino Real and
Cassia Road. The CIP also includes the El Camino Real pavement overlay project that is
currently under construction and will require the roadway to be re-surfaced. The
pavement work on El Camino Real presents an opportunity to efficiently remove the
northern crosswalk at the intersection of Cassia Road per the approved CIP project.
The northern crosswalk proposed to be removed links the northeast and northwest
corners of the intersection of El Camino Real and Cassia Road. This is a redundant
crosswalk because there is also a southern crosswalk at this intersection. The unique
lane configuration at this intersection does not allow the eastbound and westbound
traffic to be served concurrently. As a result, each time a pedestrian crosses El Camino
Real using the northern crosswalk, approximately 37 seconds of green time is
unnecessarily taken away from traffic along El Camino Real. The extra 37 seconds of
green time made available to El Camino Real as a result of the removal of the northern
crosswalk can avoid significant traffic congestion during the AM and PM Peak Hour
commutes. Pedestrians that can no longer cross El Camino Real using the northern
crosswalk will need to walk an extra 50 to 100 feet to use the southern crosswalk
adding approximately 15 to 30 seconds to their trip.
El Camino Real is classified as an arterial street in the Mobility Element. The portion of
El Camino Real near Cassia Road carries approximately 53,800 vehicles per day.
Surrounding development includes professional office and residential land uses. The
posted speed limit on this portion of the roadway is 55 miles per hour.
Staff is proposing to utilize the pavement overlay project on El Camino Real as an
opportunity to remove the northern crosswalk at the intersection of Cassia Road.
California Vehicle Code § 21950.5 calls for a "Notice of Public Hearing" to be posted at
the project site (see attachment 1) to accept public comments regarding the proposed
removal of a crosswalk. Staff posted this notice on October 6, 2017 at each corner of
the project site in accordance with the California Vehicle Code. Notices were also
posted at: City Hall, the Faraday Center, offices located near the project site, and
mailbox depots at each residential complex adjacent to the project site.
BASIS OF ACTION:
The Mobility Element of the Carlsbad General Plan describes arterial streets as "primary
vehicle routes through the city for both local and regional vehicle trips." It directs staff
to coordinate traffic signals "to optimize vehicle movement." While pedestrian use on
arterial streets are not subject to the multimodal level of service (MMLOS) standard,
the mobility element calls for "pedestrian facilities to be provided consistent with ADA
requirements." The proposed project will enhance vehicle movement along El Camino ·
Real while maintaining ADA requirements for pedestrian facilities.
Intersection Level of Service Analysis
An operational analysis of the proposed crosswalk removal was conducted to evaluate
the projected vehicular levels of service. In accordance with the Mobility Element the
intersection was analyzed using the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) methodology. The
current signal timing plans assign 44 seconds for the pedestrian phase crossing the
northern crosswalk of ECR (7 seconds "WALK" plus 37 seconds "DON'T WALK). The
removal of the northern crosswalk will improve traffic flow by increasing the green time
allocated to El Camino Real by approximately 37 seconds. This will result in significant
reductions in the average delay experienced by all drivers using the intersection. The
Synchro computer software was used with recent traffic counts to calculate delay (in
seconds) and the corresponding level of service as summarized in Table 1 below.
TABLE 1: Intersection Level of Service Analysis Summary
Existing (pedestrian activation for Proposed (pedestrian activation
Intersection northern crosswalks) for southern crosswalk)
AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour
Delay LOS Delay LOS Delay LOS Delay LOS
El Camino Real 108.5 F 124.1 F 36.0 D 41.0 D
and Cassia Road
The removal of the northern crosswalk will improve vehicle traffic flow through the
intersection of El Camino Real and Cassia Road when the pedestrian phase is activated.
When the pedestrian phase is activated in the PM Peak Hour, drivers currently
experience an average delay of 124.1 seconds which is a level of service (LOS) "F". If the
northern crosswalk is removal, vehicles traveling through the intersection are expected
to experience an average delay of 41.0 seconds which equates to a LOS "D". This
estimated reduction in average of delay of 83.1 seconds (124.1 -41.0= 83.1) is only
experienced when the pedestrian phase is activated to cross El Camino Real.
RECOMMENDATION:
Hold a public hearing to allow community members to comment on the removal of the
northern crosswalk at the intersection of El Camino Real and Cassia Road.
NECESSARY CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
None
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Site Plan
2. Public notice
Attachment 1: Intersection of El Camino Real @ Cassia Rd
Proposed removal of northern crosswalk
131 ft/3.5 fps =
{city of
Carlsbad
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING:
REMOVAL OF ONE OF TWO CROSSWALKS OF EL
CAMINO REAL AT INTERSECTION OF CASSIA ROAD
Posted October 6, 2017
THE CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION IS HOLDING A PUBLIC
HEARING (IN ACCORDANCE WITH C.V.C. SECTION 21950.5) TO ACCEPT PUBLIC
COMMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSAL TO REMOVE ONE OF TWO CROSSWALKS
ACROSS EL CAMINO REAL AT THE SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION OF CASSIA ROAD
BACKGROUND
The subject crosswalk recommended for removal is located at the signalized intersection of
El Camino Real and Cassia Road and connects the northeast corner (near All Cats
Hospital) and northwest corner. If the crosswalk is removed, pedestrians will still be able to
cross El Camino Real via the remaining crosswalk that connects the southwest and
southeast corners of the intersection. Due to the configuration of this intersection, the
pedestrian phases ("WALK" and "DON'T WALK" indications) for the two crosswalks across
El Camino Real cannot be served simultaneously; this requires significant signal time to be
wasted when both crosswalks are activated . A recent professional study by a Traffic
Engineering firm determined that when the pedestrian phase for both of the crosswalks is
activated it significantly impacts traffic flow along El Camino Real leading to unnecessary
congestion increasing greenhouse gas emissions. The removal of the crosswalk will require
pedestrians to walk approximately 30 feet to use the remaining El Camino Real crosswalk.
The City is required to give notice to the public, per Section 21950.5 of the California
Vehicle Code, when a crosswalk is identified for removal to ensure the public is notified and
has an opportunity to provide comment. Notice was posted at the site, as required.
Public Hearing will be held at the Traffic Safety Commission:
Monday, November 6, 2017 at 5:00 p.m.
Carlsbad City Hall Council Chambers
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive
Public comments may be given during the public hearing on November 6th, 2017 or can be
submitted in writing, in advance, to Sheila Cobian, City Clerk, at 1200 Carlsbad Village Dr.
If you have any questions, please call Doug Bilse, Senior Engineer, at (760) 602-7504 or
send an email to doug.bilse@carlsbadca.gov.
Doug Bilse
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Doug,
Lynn A. Yut, D.V.M. <lyut_dvm@allcatshosp.com>
Thursday, October 26, 2017 6:26 PM
Doug Bilse
Traffic and Cassia crosswalk
I own All Cats Hospital at the corner of Cassia and El Camino Real. I am also a long time resident of the city. Is there
somewhere that I can review your traffic study? I am not sure I will be able to attend your meeting but I have some
comments on the crosswalk in specific and the street lights in general in Carlsbad. As for the crosswalk, I do not see that
removing that crosswalk will improve traffic on El Camino Real and the removal will inconvenience residents as well as be
a waste of Carlsbad's resources. First, I only occasionally see anyone crossing the street and I can't EVER in 10 yrs
remember seeing 2 people cross on opposite sides at the same time. Second, if you look at the signaling as it is right
now, the east/west directions have separate signaling anyway. These signals trip separately due to the lack of a left turn
light even though you have 2 left turn lanes in either direction. There are always cars going in both directions and this trips
the signals more than any pedestrian. I think if you want to improve this intersection there should be left turn lights only in
both directions at the same time and you should remove the sensors for traffic and just trip the signals all the time. I can't
tell you how many signals I have sat through turning left onto cassia from the southbound direction and going west on
Cassia because the car was not read by the lights. I have seen many people run these lights, especially the left turn onto
Cassia which is very dangerous due to the speed on El Camino Real. I have spent hours of my life analyzing the amazing
lack of function of this intersection. It is even worse and more treacherous when it is foggy. Lots of green house gases.
I also want to comment on the street lights in general in Carlsbad. As I have lived here for about 30 yrs, I have seen the
growth in signals in the city. I think the early use of the traffic sensors were beneficial with the lower population and traffic
flow of Carlsbad. I now think that you need to rethink what you have been doing with these signals. Perhaps that is why
the traffic study. What I experience every day is that once you get stopped by a signal, you are then forced to sit at every
signal after that for usually the 2 min 30 sec of the Carlsbad standard. This makes for frustration as you watch the signal
ahead of you stay green while there is no traffic going through it and then it turns red when you get there. This is a
function , I would suppose of your sensors saying there is no traffic. There are times coming off the south bound 5 onto
Palomar Airport Rd that I hit every signal red and it takes me over 10 minutes to get through Pio Pico. I think the standard
should be shortened to 1 min 30 sec or at most 1 min 45 in almost all of the intersections of Carlsbad, this seems to be
Encinitas standard. This would at least shorten the wait time as you hit signal after signal and would shorten the time it
takes to drive across Carlsbad. I do not experience this frustration once I leave Carlsbad and travel in the surrounding
cities. I know that the annual survey of residents said traffic was a problem. I can tell you it is NOT the construction
occurring, it is the lack of flow due to the traffic lights. I hope the city manager and the city council spend the money that it
takes to fix this situation as it definitely makes me want to move out of the city. Thank you for your time.
Lynn A. Yut, D.V.M.
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