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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-09-13; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesSeptember 13,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 1 MEETING OF: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION DATE OF MEETING: TIME OF MEETING: 3:OO P.M. PLACE OF MEETING: September 13,2004 (Regular Meeting) CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER Chair Gordon Cress called the Meeting to order at 3:OO p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Chair Gordon Cress Vice-Chair Steve Dorsey Commissioner Susan Gardner Commissioner Guy Roney Absent: Commissioner Bonnie Bradshaw Staff Members Present: Robert Johson, Deputy City Engineer, Trimsportation Division Sgt. Marc Reno, Carlsbad Police Department Lt. Don Rawson, Carlsbad Police Department APPROVAL OF MINUTES: July 12,2004 ACTION: Motion by Chair Cress, and duly seconded by Commissioner Roney to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of July 12,2004 as presented. VOTE: 3-0-1 AYES: Cress, Dorsey, Roney NOES: None ABSTAIN: Gardner September 13,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 2 August 2,2004 ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Roney, and duly seconded by Chair Cress to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of August 2,2004 as presented. VOTE: 2-0-2 AYES: Cress, Dorsey NOES: None ABSTAIN: Gardner, Roney ITEM 4 -ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. ITEM 5 -PREVIOUS BUSINESS: Chair Cress presented a Traffic Safety Commission Resolution of Commmbtion to James Courtney to honor Mr. Courtney for dedicating eleven and one-half years of service to the Traffic Safety Commission. James Courtney thanked the Commission for the Commendation and recognition of his service. Robert Johnson, Deputy City Engineer, Transportation, stated that at tomorrow night’s City Council meeting, the Council will adopt the ordinance to install a stop sign on Avenida Circeula at its intersection with Paseo Almendro and to install a stop sign on Paseo fdmendro at its intersection with Camino Serbal. In addition, the City Council has adopted the recommendation of the Traffk Safety Commission to establish an all-way stop at the Cypress Avenue/Ocean Street intersection by installing a stop sign on Cypress Avenue. ITEM 6 - NEW BUSINESS: ITEM6A. Review and comment on the existing Procedure for the Removal of an Unwarranted Adult School Crossing Guard. Mr. Johnson stated that the purpose of Item 6A was to review and comment on the existing Procedure for the Removal of an Unwarranted Adult School Crossing Guard. Referring to Exhibit 1, September 13,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 3 Mr. Johnson explained that in September of 1987, Carlsbad developed the Procedure for the Removal of an Unwarranted Adult School Crossing Guard. At the time, there were intersections where an Adult Crossing Guard was stationed that did not meet the minimum warrants for an Adult Crossing Guard as specified in the Caltrans Traffic Manual. There was no established policy or criteria to use by staff in the consideration of removing the Adult Crossing Guard. Consequently, a Procedure for the Removal of an Unwarranted Adult School Crossing Guard was developed and submitted for comment by the Traffic Safety Commission. After review by the Commission, the Procedure was submitted for comment to the Superintendents of each elementary school district serving Carlsbad. It has been seventeen years since development of the Procedure, and it needs to be updated to remove the reference to the Caltrans Traffic Manual. This reference will be replaced with reference to the Manual on Uniform Tra@c Control Devices (MUTCD) 2003 Edition as amended by the MUTCD 2003 California Supplement. Other revisions to the Procedure may also be needed after further review by the Commission. Mr. Johnson explained that the Carlsbad Police Department funds a total of twenty-two Adult Crossing Guards at intersections throughout the city where elementary school pedestrians cross. In the past, the Police Department contracted with a temporary agency to provide employees to serve as the Adult Crossing Guards. The temp agency has declined to continue this service and the Police Department is making other arrangements to provide the guards. Mr. Johnson stated that the Carlsbad Police Department would continue to fund the guards out of the Police Department budget. However, the administration of furnishing the Adult Crossing Guards may become a school district responsibility, with Carlsbad continuing to fund the Adult Guards, if this provision is successfblly negotiated with each school district. In addition, Mr. Johnson stated that since the funding and staffing of an Adult Crossing Guard is the responsibility of the Police Department, when an Adult Crossing Guard does not report for duty at an intersection, and if notified in advance, the Police Department will attempt to provide a uniformed officer to serve the crossing guard function on that day. It has become an increasing burden as Carlsbad continues to grow and more schools are added to the list where the Police Department provides Adult Crossing Guards. To minimize the fmcial and staffing burden of the Adult Crossing Guard program, the Police Department may decide that there is a need to eliminate guards at unwarranted intersections. If that decision is made, an up-to-date procedure for removing unwarranted Adult Crossing Guards will be necessary. Mr. Johnson referred to Exhibit 2, which is a draft of Procedures for the Removal of an Unwarranted Adult Crossing Guard, showing suggested revisions to the current policy. Other revisions can be incorporated into the Procedure, as necessary. Mr. Johnson stated that the Engineering staff would conduct a pedestrian study during three “normal” school days in a 30-day period. Only elementary school students crossing unaccompanied by an adult will be counted. Noted would be any unusual or significant data regarding the intersection. The Engineering Department staf€ will compare existing field data with the Adult Crossing Guard warrants contained in the MUTCD 2003 Edition as amended by the MUTCD 2003 California Supplement. September 13,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 4 Mr. Johnson stated that the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommends that the Traffic Safety Commission review and comment upon the draft Procedure. Upon receiving comments from the Commission, it is recommended that the Procedure be submitted by staff to the Superintendents of the school districts having elementary schools in Carlsbad where an Adult Crossing Guard is provided. Their comments could be incorporated into the Procedure and re-submitted for review by the Traffic Safety Commission before being finalized. DISCUSSION: Vice-Chair Dorsey asked how often the Adult Crossing Guards warrants contained in the MUTCD were updated. Mr. Johnson explained that periodic updates are made to the MUTCD, usually every one to one and one-half years, but not always to Adult Crossing Guard warrants. Vice-Chair Dorsey asked if the final decision resided with the Police Department as to the removal of an unwarranted Adult Crossing Guard. Mr. Johnson stated that the Police Department would meet with the school district and school principal to discuss the matter. If the schools were adamant to not remove the Adult Crossing Guards, the City Council would have the final decision on the matter. At any rate, a transition period would be in place to prevent a lack of coordination. It would not be the intention of the Police Department to take a hard stand on an immediate removal of the Adult Crossing Guard. More accurately, the Police Department will work with the schools for a mutually satisfactory resolution. Commissioner Gardner shared her concern that counting only how many unaccompanied elementary age children crossed the street would not show the whole picture. She said that adults should also be counted, and it should be noted how many children were crossing with the adult to get a better count of the ratio of children with adults to unaccompanied children. Mr. Johnson stated that school pedestrian counts obtained by staff are usually grouped as she was suggesting. In fact, it is the intention also to note students that are dropped at the corner by their parents and told to cross the intersection with the Adult Crossing Guard. Chair Cress agreed with Commission Gardner and added that some parents would not accompany their children at all if they knew that an Adult Crossing Guard would be present. September 13,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 5 Lt. Rawson, Police Department, stated that the police department would assist in any way that they Can. MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Vice-Chair Dorsey and duly seconded by Commissioner Roney, to change the wording contained in 3.D of the draft, the MUTCD to include “latest addition . . . contained in the MUTCD . . .” VOTE: 4-0-0 AYES: Cress, Dorsey, Gardner, Roney NOES: None ABSTAIN: None MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Gardner, and duly seconded by Vice-Chair Dorsey to amend the wording contained in 3.B of the draft, “all pedestrians including groups. . . accompanied and unaccompanied by an adult are counted.” VOTE: 4-0-0 AYES: Cress, Dorsey, Gardner, Roney NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ITEM NO. 6B Install a stop sign on the unnamed private street in Car Country Carlsbad at its intersection with Paseo Del Norte. Referring to Exhibit 1, Mr. Johnson stated that the unnamed private street located in Car Country Carlsbad intersects Paseo Del Norte in a T-intersection configuration. The private street is essentially a cul-de-sac serving several automobile dealerships. No intersection traffic control has been established on the private street. Mr. Johnson explained that a traffic counted was conducted in November 2003 that determined that the trafEc volume on the unnamed private street approaching Paseo Del Narte was 1,209 vehicles in a 24-hour period. Staff conducted a wmant analysis for an all-way stop at this intersection and it was determined that none of the warrants were met to consider establishing an all-way stop at the T- intersection of Paseo Del Norte and the unnamed street. Staff also conducted a study to determine if September 13,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 6 the 10-mile per hour safe approach speed criteria was met. Consideration is typically given to placing a stop sign on the minor street (in this case, the unnamed private street) if the 10-mile per hour safe approach speed criteria is not met. MI-. Johnson referred to Exhibit 2 stating that a driver on the minor street (stem of the T-intersection) when approaching the major street reaches a decision point when slowing or braking to a stop is necessary if there is another vehicle approaching fiom the left or right. The decision point on the minor street must allow the driver to view, both to the right and left, an approaching vehicle that is on the major street. The driver on the minor street, not having the right-of-way, can slow, stop, or avoid a conflict with other vehicles, as necessary, when the proper clear sight triangle is provided. For the unnamed private street, the decision point is assumed to be 50 feet from the conflict point for an approach speed of 10 miles per hour. Using the critical speed on Paseo Del Norte of 40 miles per hour, a distance of 195 feet along Paseo Del Norte is necessary to view the vehicle approaching the intersection by the driver on the unnamed private street positioned at the decision point. Mr. Johnson stated that the horizontal curvature of Paseo Del Norte combined with parked vehicles on the east curb of Paseo Del Norte limits the view of the driver on the unnamed private street to observe approaching vehicles on Paseo Del Norte fiom the driver’s left. A distance of only 80 feet is available. Looking to the right, the driver has more than 300 feet for the clear sight line. Consequently, the 10-mile per hour safe approach speed criteria is not met and a stop sign can be considered for placement on the unnamed private street. Mr. Johnson stated that the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommends that a stop sip be installed on the unnamed private street at its intersection with Paseo Del Norte. Further, an ordinance will be required to be adopted by the City Council to establish the stop condition, as recommended. DISCUSSION: Vice-Chair Dorsey asked if there was a recent history of accidents. Mr. Johnson stated that there were none at the intersection, but some in the vicinity of the intersection. Commissioner Gardner stated that she had observed several car dealers on that side of the street, and there seemed to be a large number of U-turns made. She stated that a stop sign would help. Chair Cress stated that he thought it was not necessary to have a stop sign in order to see what was going on because a driver would typically first stop anyway to look for vehicles on the major street. September 13 , 2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 7 There were so many vehicles, over 1,200 per day, that would need to stop with or without a stop sign. MOTION: ACTION: VOTE: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN ITEM 7: Motion by Vice-Chair Dorsey and duly seconded by Commissioner Gardner, to recommend that a stop sign be installed on the unnamed private street at its intersection with Paseo Del Norte. Cress, Dorsey, Gardner, Roney None None 4-0-0 REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS Vice-Chair Dorsey stated that he would be out of town and unable to attend the next Regular Meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission scheduled for October 4, 2004. ITEM 8: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER Mr. Johnson stated that the workshop for the Traffic Safety Commissioners and public officials would be held on October 2,2004 in Poway, and that it was not too late to sign up. He stated that Commissioners Bradshaw and Roney would be attending. Vice-Chair Dorsey asked if the workshop would be offered again during the year. MI-. Johnson stated that it was held approximately every eighteen months. Mr. Johnson stated that next month’s regular meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission would be held on October 4, 2004 at 3:OO p.m. September 13,2004 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 8 ADJOURNMENT: Chair Gordon Cress adjourned the Regular Meeting of September 13,2004 at 3:38 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Ruth Steckdaub Minutes Clerk