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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1973-10-01; Traffic Safety Commission; Minutes4 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Monday, October 1, 1973 City Manager's Conference Room Present: Chairman Bill Harkins, Bob Nelson, Kent Whitson, Manny Puentes, Chief Ralph Laughlin, Col. A1 Wood, Tim Flanagan, Interim City Manager Frank Lilley Absent: Moe Sims Guest: Robert L. Taylor 1. Approval of Minutes ' The minutes of the August 6, 1973 meeting were approved as submitted. 2. Truck Traffic on Chestnut Ave. ' The Commission recommended that the Engineering Division and the Police Department gather data concerning truck percentages and truck destination routes on Chestnut Ave, near Cameo Rd. to be presented to the Commission. The Commission recommended against prohibiting truck traffic on Chestnut Ave. at this time until a feasible alternate route becomes available. 3. Truck Parking on Pi0 Pic0 Dr. between Chestnut Ave. and Palm Ave. . The Police Department reported that, by ordinance, no commercial vehicles over 21 feet are permitted to park for more than three hours on a city street in a residential area. The above section of Pi0 Pic0 Drive is in a residential zone; therefore, the Police Department can cite for any illegal truck parking, 4. Evaluate Overnight Parking on State St. between Laguna Dr. and Beech Ave. The Commission recommended that the overnight parking continue to be restricted from 3AM to 5AM on State Street. This section is zoned commercial and considered part of the downtown area: therefore, the Public Works Department wishes to have this street free of vehicles early in the morning for street sweeping purposes. Also, the Police Department prefers to eliminate overnight parking on streets in commercial areas as an aid to eliminating traffic accidents and deterring crime. 5. Angle Parking on State Street The Commission definitely feels the angle parking on State Street from Elm Awe. to a point 325 feet north of Grand Ave. has to be altered to decrease the number of accidents and improve the traffic flow. The Commission recommended that the Engineering Division draft several parking plans alternate to the existing parking plan on State Street and present them to the Commission at a later meeting. These alternate plans are to include a one-way system, a 30O-angle parking system, and a parallel parking system. _c rrakfic Safety Commiasic October 1, 1973 Page 2 6. Request for 4-way Stop Control at the Intersection of Park Drive and Tamarack Avenue Due to the excellent accident history, the Commission recommended against establishing 4-way stop control at the above intersection. However, after reviewing the traffic volumes at the intersection, the Commission did recommend that the existing stop control (Tamarack Ave. traffic now stops for Park Drive traffic) be reversed, thereby stopping northbound and southbound traffic on Park Drive. The Commission pointed out that the reversal of the stop control will make it safer for children using the school crosswalk on the north leg of the intersection _(across Park Drive). Also, once Tamarack Avenue is built to El Camino Real, it will become one of the major east-west through streets in the city. 7. Request for 4-way Stop Control at the Intersection of Harding Street and Chestnut Avenue The Commission decided against establishing 4-way stop control at this intersection at this time. eering Division keep this intersection under observation for any increase in traffic volumes or number of accidents. The Commission did recommend that the Engin- 8. Re-evaluate Existing 35 MPH and 45 MPH Speed Zones on Carlsbad Blvd. After reviewing the traffic speed zone survey, the Commission recommended that the existing 35 MPH speed zone on Carlsbad Blvd. between Manzano Dr. and Tierra del Oro be changed to 45 MPH, and that the existing 45 MPH speed zone on Carlsbad Blvd. between Tierra del Oro and the Agua Hedionda Lagoon bridge remain unchanged. These recommendations are in conjunction with the Commission's previous action to recommend that a 45 MPH speed zone be established on Palomar Airport Road from Manzano Drive to Plaza del Norte. The Commission felt that a realistic speed zone of 45 MPH should extend from the Agua Hedionda Lagoon bridge on Carlsbad Blvd. all the way to Plaza del Norte on Palomar Airport Road. suggested that all of their recent recommendations regarding speed zones be presented in one package to the City Council. It was pointed out that the existing 35 MPH speed zone on Carlsbad Blvd. between Manzano Drive and Tierra del Oro qualifies as a speed trap, according to the Vehicle Code. Therefore, any citations issued for speed violations would invariably be thrown out of traffic court. Also, the Police Department expressed the difficulty in their enforcement of such an unrealistic speed zone, and therefore preferred to see more uniform speed zones along the above roadway. The Commission - 9. Discussion of Intersection of Carlsbad Blvd. and Oak Ave. The Commission recommended against any type of stop or signal control on Carlsbad Blvd. at Oak Ave., as it would seriously reduce capacity arid may result in an increase of accidents. The Commission did fecl that the recent installations cf 35 NPH signs on Carlsbad Blvd. in the vicinity of Oak Ave. by the Public Works Department would help matters. - ,Tra€*f ic Safety Commissi October 1, 1973 . Page 3 10. Parking Restrictions on Beach Parking Lots The Commission recommended that the closing hours of the third parking lot south of Agua Hedionda Lagoon bridge on the west side of Carlsbad Boulevard be changed to conform with the 12:OO midnight to 6:OO AM closing time of the other two parking lots in the area. Respectfully submitted, Kent A. Whitson KAW/de .