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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-07-02; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesMINUTES MEETING OF: DATE OF MEETING: TIME OF MEETING: PLACE OF MEETING: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION July 2,2007 (Regular Meeting) 3:00 p.m. City Council Chambers CALL TO ORDER: Vice-Chair Roney called the Meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Absent: Staff Members Present: APPROVAL OF MINUTES: June 4,2007 ACTION: VOTE: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: Vice-Chair Guy Roney Commissioner Gordon Cress Commissioner Steve Dorsey Commissioner Bonnie Bradshaw Chair Susan Gardner Robert Johnson, Deputy City Engineer, Transportation Lt. Don Rawson, Carlsbad Police Department Motion by Commissioner Dorsey, and duly seconded by Commissioner Bradshaw, to approve the minutes of the regular meeting on June 4,2007 as presented. 3-0-1 Roney, Dorsey, Bradshaw None Cress ITEM 4 - ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. July 2,2007 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 2 ITEM 5 - PREVIOUS BUSINESS: Robert Johnson, Deputy City Engineer, reported the City Council has adopted an ordinance based upon the recommendation by the Traffic Safety Commission to establish a 35 mile per hour prima facie speed limit on Dove Lane from El Camino Real westerly to its terminus at Moorhen Place. On June 26,2007, based upon the recommendation by the Traffic Safety Commission, the City Council introduced an ordinance to install an all-way stop sign on both Impala Drive and Orion Street at their intersection. ITEM 6 - NEW BUSINESS: ITEM 6 A: Establish an all-way (multiway) stop at the intersection of Xana Way/Camino Michelle. Mr. Johnson informed the Commission that this item was initiated by Steve Smith, a resident of Carlsbad, living at 6715 Xana Way. Mr. Smith's request was to establish an all-way stop at the intersection of Xana Way and Camino Michelle. Xana Way from Corintia Street to Alga Road follows a curvilinear alignment for approximately one-half mile in length and it has a curb-to-curb width of 40 feet. South of Camino Michelle there are driveways serving single family residents located on both sides of Xana Way. Speed information was obtained with a Speed Sentry placed by the Carlsbad Police Department on Xana Way in November 2006. The Speed Sentry was placed at 6711 Xana Way to monitor the northbound traffic and at 6755 Xana Way to monitor southbound traffic. The results from the Speed Sentry showed the average speed to be 23.5 miles per hour for both northbound and southbound traffic on Xana Way. The 85th percentile speed, which is commonly called the critical speed - speed at which 85% of the vehicles traveled at or below - was found to be 30 miles per hour for northbound traffic and 29 miles per hour for southbound traffic. Mr. Johnson explained that staff conducted a "cut-through" traffic study to determine if drivers are using Xana Way to bypass traffic on the arterial streets, Melrose Drive, and Alga Road. On May 8, 2007 the cut-through traffic study was performed in the morning from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. and in the evening from 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. In all cases, only one cut-through vehicle was either traveling northbound or southbound on Xana Way. In the morning, there was one southbound vehicle and zero northbound vehicles, and in the evening there was one vehicle in each time period. This is a very low volume from Alga Road using Xana Way to cut through to reach Corintia Street and then to Melrose Drive. The concern expressed by Mr. Smith was that traffic on Alga Road would divert onto Xana Way to reach Corintia Street and then travel east on Corintia Street to Melrose Drive to make a right turn. There is a raised median on Melrose Drive prohibiting left turns. The concern was that this cut- through movement would be done in lieu of remaining on Alga Road and continuing on Melrose Drive. The study indicated that was not the case. The travel time for both directions indicates why it is not conducive to be used as a cut-through route. Driving at the speed limit from Alga Road, it July 2, 2007 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 3 takes 101 seconds to travel down Xana Way and then to Corintia Street to reach the Melrose Drive/Corintia Street intersection. This is in comparison to remaining on Alga Road, proceeding eastbound to Melrose Drive, making a right turn to travel down Melrose Drive to Corintia Street, and that time is approximately 61 seconds traveling at the posted speed limit. The difference is about 40 seconds additional time to use Xana Way as a cut-through route. Referring to Table A in the staff report, Mr. Johnson stated that the average daily traffic (ADT) on Xana Way was 1,954 vehicles per day in February 2007. That ADT is within the design range of 2,000 vehicles for a local street, such as Xana Way. Following up on the request by Mr. Smith, staff conducted an all-way stop warrant analysis for the intersection of Xana Way and Camino Michelle, a T-intersection. There is an existing stop sign on Camino Michelle to assign the right of way for those vehicles that are leaving the Promenade development and stopping at Xana Way to make either a right turn or left turn. Continuing, Mr. Johnson explained that the purpose of a stop sign is to assign right of way, and if an unwarranted all-way stop is installed then drivers may perceive an all-way stop as a nuisance or as an unnecessary impediment to their travel. There are conditions when a stop sign may be warranted or should be given serious consideration. For instance, a street entering a through highway or the intersection of a minor road with a major road, where right of way rule is hazardous for some reason. A third reason might be at an unsignalized intersection in the middle of a corridor of signalized intersections, it may be more appropriate to not have an all-way stop and instead consider a traffic signal. If there is a combination of high speed, restricted view from the side street, or a serious accident problem, that may signify a need to consider establishing an all-way stop. Mr. Johnson advised the Commission that staff uses warrants for all-way stops as contained in the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Those warrants include volume data. There needs to be 300 entering vehicles over any eight hour period on the major street. The warrant also considers delay. The minor street needs to experience at least 30 seconds of delay per vehicle. 30 seconds is a very long time for a minor street vehicle to be delayed at an intersection, and staff does not typically see that length of a delay in a residential neighborhood intersection. In addition to that 30 second delay, there needs to be 200 vehicles during that same eight hour period entering from the minor street. Another of the warrants is a collision history. If there are five traffic collisions or accidents in 12 month period of the type susceptible to correction by a stop sign, an all-way stop may be considered. The traffic volumes for the intersection were obtained on February 14, 2007 through intersection approach counts. Referring to Table A, it was found that the 300 vehicle threshold was not met. In the minor street subtotal column, staff did not find the 200 entering vehicle threshold being met. The volumes are very low entering this intersection over a 24 hour period and based on volumes and delay, the warrants were not met. Based on the good collision history, meaning no intersection collisions, the warrants are not met after completing the analysis. The warrant criteria indicated in the staff report, Criteria A, B, C and D, is not satisfied to justify an all-way stop. July 2,2007 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 4 A review of the traffic collision history found that there have been no reported traffic collisions at the subject intersection from January 1,2004 through May 31,2007. On June 22,2007 there was a "mid-block" collision south of Camino Michelle. Unfortunately this was a drunk driver that struck several parked vehicles on the side of Xana Way, just to the south of the intersection. This type of collision is very difficult to address when drunk drivers are involved. There are collisions throughout the City as a result of drunk drivers, whether it happens on residential streets or on arterial streets. Mr. Johnson stated that the last item staff reviewed was corner sight distance. Referring to Exhibit 2, he stated that corner sight distance is provided at an intersection to allow the driver of a vehicle stopped on the minor street (Camino Michelle) to view approaching vehicles on the intersecting road (Xana Way) and determine when to enter or cross the intersection. The driver position is assumed to be 10 feet behind the prolongation of the curb on Xana Way. 275 feet of corner sight distance is required because of Xana Way's posted speed of 25 miles per hour. Looking southerly to the driver's left, the actual distance is 590 feet, so drivers have a substantial distance to view approaching northbound vehicles. In the other direction, for a driver to be looking northerly, the actual distance is 360 feet to view vehicles approaching southbound to the Camino Michelle intersection. This greatly exceeds the minimum requirement of 275 feet. Mr. Johnson concluded that this item was reviewed extensively by the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee and they found that none of the four MUTCD warrants were met to consider establishing an all-way stop at the intersection of Xana Way and Camino Michelle. In addition, there have been no reported traffic collisions at this intersection hi the last three years and the minimum required corner sight distance for a driver stopped on Camino Michelle is exceeded in both directions along Xana Way. Consequently, there are no factors present at the intersection to justify the installation of an all-way stop on Xana Way at Camino Michelle. Therefore, the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommends that Mr. Smith's request for an all-way stop at the intersection of Xana Way and Camino Michelle be denied. DISCUSSION: Commissioner Dorsey asked if the Speed Sentry clocked the speeds that people were driving and if it was the big board that shows the speed that the driver is going as they drive by. Lt. Rawson replied that the Speed Sentry device is a box approximately 18-20 inches by 14 inches long. It is the same concept as the radar trailer, which would have the big display and your speed is at the top. The Speed Sentry mounts on a pole and there is an option of turning on the display for the driver to see their speed as one drives by or have the display off. Unless it is requested, the Police Department always displays with the speed off. The Speed Sentry is difficult to spot. People aren't really looking for it, so they figure with the display off hi the designated places, it gives a truer picture of the true speeds of drivers. In this particular event, he had several conversations with Mr. Smith and Mr. Smith chose the locations he felt the Speed Sentries would be best located for the July 2,2007 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 5 study. The Carlsbad Police Department was able to place the Speed Sentries where Mr. Smith selected. Commissioner Bradshaw asked about cut-through traffic. She wanted to know what the "big deal" was about cut-through traffic. Xana Way is a public right of way. Vehicles should be able to drive on any street that they want. Mr. Johnson explained that Mr. Smith's concern was that if drivers receive a red indication on Alga Road and cannot pass through the intersection of Xana Way on a green, they are forced to stop. Then some drivers may choose to make a right turn and proceed down Xana Way to make the left turn at Corintia Street to reach Melrose Drive. By doing this, drivers perceive they would save time by not waiting at the signalized intersection or waiting to make a right turn at the Melrose Drive/Alga Road signalized intersection. It is simply driver impatience, being in a hurry, trying to save time by using Xana Way and if this unwanted cut-through traffic is on Xana Way, the concern by Mr. Smith was that those individuals would be speeding through the residential area. Because of that concern, staff conducted the cut-through study and they found virtually no cut-through traffic, as indicated in the report. Commissioner Cress said that he drove the area three tunes in a two hour period last week, and he did not notice anyone exceeding the speed limit on the street while he was there. It is very well marked. There is a 25 mile per hour speed limit sign just south of Alga Road. The only thing he noticed was that there are a lot of vehicles parked on the west side of Xana Way at the intersection of Camino Michelle. That does squeeze the street down when there are vehicles parked on both sides of the street. He wanted to know the width of Xana Way. Mr. Johnson answered that it was 40 feet curb to curb, so there is 20 feet from the centerline to the curb, which is the standard residential width which allows on-street parking plus one travel lane in each direction. The narrower the streets are, the slower vehicles travel. For instance, the new livable street standard of 34 feet psychologically helps drivers to slow down. Having vehicles parked on the street creates that psychological phenomenon so that drivers would hopefully slow down because they have to be alert to potential conflicts and parked cars with doors opening, parked cars pulling out, or someone stepping out from between the cars. Commissioner Cress stated that he did not see a need for a stop sign on Xana Way. He mentioned that the Commission had covered this before that if staff puts up a stop sign on a street that people perceive as unneeded and unnecessary pretty soon drivers are going to start ignoring it and running it, which can lead to bad results, too. July 2,2007 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 6 Public Testimony; Vice-Chair Dorsey called for Public Testimony. Jack Cumming, 201 Grand Avenue, Carlsbad, stated that he drove the subject area and looked at the intersection of Xana Way and Camino Michelle. He said there was a median sign that said "Promenade" at the intersection where Camino Michelle conies in. He stated he did not know if the sight line took that sign in consideration and whether that might not be a factor. Basically, it looked like a pretty quiet area to him. He was surprised it was on the agenda. Seeing no others to testify, Vice-Chair Dorsey closed Public Testimony. DISCUSSION: Mr. Johnson clarified that the monument sign that Mr. Cumming mentioned was not an impediment or obstruction reducing the corner sight distance. There was a clear line of sight for Camino Michelle drivers. Commissioner Cress stated that when he drove it, he pulled into Camino Michelle and turned around and stopped there. He felt the sight distance both ways is more than adequate. Vice-Chair Roney stated that when he was at the intersection, a big van was parked on the street if you're going northbound where the hedge is. However, it seemed like everyone was pretty much local traffic. MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Commissioner Bradshaw, to not establish an all-way stop at the intersection of Xana Way/Camino Michelle. VOTE: 4-0-0 AYES: Roney, Cress, Dorsey, Bradshaw NOES: None ABSTAIN: None July 2,2007 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 7 ITEM 6B: Elect a Vice-Chairperson of the Traffic Safety Commission to serve from August 2007 through July 2008. Vice-Chair Roney asked if there were any candidates for the Vice-Chair position. MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Dorsey, and duly seconded by Commissioner Bradshaw, to elect Commissioner Cress to serve as Vice-Chairperson of the Traffic Safety Commission from August 2007 through July 2008. VOTE: 3-0-1 AYES: Roney, Dorsey, Bradshaw NOES: None ABSTAIN: Cress ITEM 6C: Consider adoption of a Traffic Safety Commission Resolution of Commendation for Bonnie Bradshaw. MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Commissioner Dorsey, to adopt a Traffic Safety Commission Resolution of Commendation for Bonnie Bradshaw. VOTE: 3-0-1 AYES: Roney, Cress, Dorsey NOES: None ABSTAIN: Bradshaw Mr. Johnson stated that the Commendation would be mailed to Commissioner Bradshaw before she moves from Carlsbad. Vice-Chair Roney thanked Commissioner Bradshaw for her service and the Commission applauded her contribution. Commissioner Bradshaw thanked everyone for allowing her to serve on the Commission. July 2,2007 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 8 Commissioner Cress asked Mr. Johnson if a replacement for Commissioner Bradshaw has been identified. Mr. Johnson responded that there has been no official action by the City Council. The appointments are handled by Mayor Lewis, who interviews potential candidates and then offers the candidate's name to the City Council for concurrence. That has not happened at this time and he does not know when the matter will be scheduled as a City Council agenda item. There is no City Council meeting July 3, 2007, and the following three weeks will have City Council meetings. If someone isn't appointed in July, then there are only two City Council meetings in August. ITEM 7: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS None. ITEM 8: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER Mr. Johnson stated that last Thursday night the Pedestrian Master Plan open house was held at the Faraday Building. There were approximately 20 people who attended and they offered very good comments. One of the attendees was Commissioner Bradshaw. The consultant will take all of the information and put it together and follow through the Master Plan process. The next public workshop is in October and there will be notification on that workshop. The next regular meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission is scheduled to be held on August 6,2007 at 3:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion Vice-Chair Roney adjourned the Regular Meeting of July 2, 2007 at 3:26 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Ruth Woodbeck Minutes Clerk