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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-04-01; Traffic Safety Commission; Minutes”- MINUTES MEETING OF: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION DATE OF MEETING: April 1, 1990 (Regular Meetlng) TIME OF MEETING: 3:OO p.m. PLACE OF MEETING: Clty Council Chambers CALL TO ORDER Chairman Courtney called the Meeting to order at 3:OO p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Courtney, Allen, Blake, Green and Stachoviak. Absent: None. Staff Members Present: Bob Johnson, Traffic Engineer Sgt. Jim Byler APPROVAL OF MINUTES: On motion by Commissioner Stachoviak, the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held March 4, 1996, were approved as presented. AYES: Courtney, Allen, Blake, Green and Stachoviak ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: There were no requests to address the Commission. PREVIOUS BUSINESS: Bob Johnson reported that the Faraday Avenue speed zone item discussed at the March Commission meeting, and recommended to the City Council, is tentatively scheduled for the April 9, 1996, Council meeting. NEW BUSINESS: A. El Camino Real, Hosp Way to South Citv Limit - Request to establish a prima facie speed limit. Bob Johnson reported that this is a speed zone issue addressing the need for raising the speed limit on El Camino Real, on approximately a nine-mile segment from Hosp Way to the south City limits. He used a transparency to show the segment of road, and stated that currently there is a 50 mile per hour speed limit. Portions of the road are six lanes with a raised median and some are four lanes with a painted median, with a minimum of four lanes, up to six lanes. There are signalized intersections at various cross streets. April 1, 1996 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 2 NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) Mr. Johnson stated that he has mentioned at several other meetings, that the speed limit has to be justified and supported by the results of an Engineering and Traffic Survey, in compliance with the California Vehicle Code, He said that with the change in the speed limit laws, the requirement that the speed limit on a road like El Camino Real be justified by a Survey becomes critical to eliminate the possibility of the speed limit being 65 miles per hour. Mr. Johnson said that there is legislation pending at this time to extend the deadline to January 1, 1997, to conduct surveys to correct the speed limits. The deadline had been March 31 of this year, and Carlsbad still has a number of surveys to be completed. He said this extension of time will give the Engineering Department time to conduct the needed surveys. Mr. Johnson said that if the surveys are not completed, the maximum speed limit of 65 miles per hour would apply, and there are certain streets in Carlsbad that should not have a speed limit of 65 miles per hour. He said that the Police Department would have to wait until a driver traveled faster than 65 miles per hour in order to issue a ticket. Mr. Johnson said that the only roads that will have a maximum speed limit of 55 miles per hour, will be two-lane roads that are not divided. Mr. Johnson stated that the Police Department requested this action on El Camino Real, and the results of the surveys are in the packet. He indicated there were four different surveys with ten different areas, and the surveys indicated the critical speeds were between 56 and 59 miles per hour throughout this area. The accident rate on this segment of road is low and there are no problems indicated. Mr. Johnson reported that the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee evaluated the results of the surveys and found that the 50 miles per hour speed limit that is posted at this time is no longer supported by the results of the Engineering and Traffic Surveys, and they recommended that the speed limit be raised to 55 miles per hour. Commissioner Allen inquired whether Engineering and Traffic Surveys done in the past were no longer effective because of the change in the speed limit, and Mr. Johnson stated that surveys are required to be updated every five years, and if conditions have changed, the speed limits must be adjusted accordingly; particularly, now with the new maximum speed limit. He added that the speed limit must be within the first five mile per hour increment, and that would put this speed limit at 55 miles per hour. Chairman Courtney stated that if the critical speed is still within the limits, then the posted speed would be legal for five years. Commissioner Allen inquired how they knew it was supported, and Mr. Johnson stated they work with the Police Department and Sgt. Byler’s office, and his officers are doing the enforcement. They have a pretty good feel when speeds are creeping up in any area. When Sgt. Byler feels that a certain area needs to be checked, the Engineering Department conducts a survey to determine whether or not the posted speed is correct. Commissioner Green said there are two points in that segment of road where there are curves with a lot of pedestrian traffic; one by the Country Store, and the other by the nurseries. He said that the northbound lanes would be the ones that need some sort of signage to alert the drivers that there is pedestrian traffic there. April 1, 1996 TRAFFIC SAFm COMMISSION Page 3 NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) Mr. Johnson stated that both of those areas were discussed by the Coordinating Committee, but they felt it was not a problem. There have been some accidents with intoxicated persons crossing the road, but not often enough to require any drastic action. He said that posting any signs would not help the situation. He said a pedestrian symbol sign is available, but it is not that effective and not recommended. Commissioner Green said that he felt the curving of the road created a sight distance problem. Mr. Johnson said that the workers in the area have been alerted to the danger of crossing the road, and that is the most effective method of dealing with the problem. Sgt. Byler stated that a Detective goes out in the field and talks with the workers. They have a program El Protector, and the Officers and Detective go out and try to educate as many people as they can. There is a Spanish-speaking Officer in the Police Department, and that helps get the message across to the workers in the fields there. Commissioner Green said that he thought an appropriate sign would be respected by drivers, and again would recommend such signage for the northbound lanes. ACTION: On motion by Commissioner Green, the Traffic Safety Commission adopted the recommendation of the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee to establish a 55 mile per hour prima facie speed limit on El Cal Camino Real from Hosp Way to the South City limit. AYES: Courtney, Allen, Blake, Green and Stachoviak REPORTS FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS: Commissioner Green stated that approximately a year ago he brought up the subject of the utility vehicles and City vehicles parking on City sidewalks, and he maintained at the time that the sidewalks were not built for the weight of those vehicles, and also this blocks the passage of pedestrians who often have to walk in the street to go around the vehicles. He said that during the past year he has continued to see cable company, telephone and City vehicles parking on the sidewalks. Mr. Green said that this could cause the cracking of the sidewalks in the future and expose the City to a trip and fall situation. He said that Mr. Johnson was to send a memorandum to call this to the attention of those doing this, and he wondered if there is any way to control this. Mr. Green said they could park on the street and place cones around the truck. Mr. Johnson said he called this to the attention of the City and the utility companies. He said it is very difficult to control this, and they usually only put two wheels on the sidewalk, which does distribute the load on the sidewalk. He said there is a utility coordinating committee, and he will tell them to bring that to their attention again. Commissioner Green said his first concern is for pedestrians, who must go around the trucks and walk in the streets. Chairman Courtney stated that this would need to be placed on the agenda for the Commission to discuss. April 1, 1996 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 4 REPORTS FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS: (Continued) Commissioner Stachoviak stated he had a question about Tamarack Avenue where it ends at the beach area. He said there is a crosswalk on the Boulevard, east and west, but there isn't any on the south side and none in the area going into the parking lot. He asked whether it would be safer to have some striping or a crosswalk in that area, as people wander across there in all directions and the skateboarders seem to add to the problem. Mr. Johnson stated he will check into that situation. REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER: Bob Johnson stated that he had no further report. ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion, the Regular Meeting of April 1, 1996, was adjourned at 3:28 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Minutes Clerk