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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-02-04; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesMINUTES MEETING OF: DATE OF MEETING: TIME OF MEETING: PLACE OF MEETING: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION February 4,2008 (Regular Meeting) 3:00 p.m. City Council Chambers CALL TO ORDER: Chair Roney called the Meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Absent: Staff Members Present: APPROVAL OF MINUTES: December 3,2007 ACTION: VOTE: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: Chair Guy Roney Commissioner Steve Dorsey Commissioner Jack Gumming Vice-Chair Gordon Cress Commissioner Susan Gardner Robert Johnson, City Engineer Carlton Urban, Deputy City Engineer, Transportation Doug Blise, Traffic Signal Systems Engineer John Kim, Associate Engineer, Transportation Lt. Don Rawson, Carlsbad Police Department Motion by Commissioner Cumming, and duly seconded by Commissioner Dorsey, to approve the minutes of the regular meeting on December 3,2007 as presented. 3-0-0 Roney, Dorsey, Cumming None None February 4,2008 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 2 January 7,2008 ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Dorsey, and duly seconded by Commissioner Gumming, to approve the minutes of the regular meeting on January 7,2008 as presented. VOTE: 2-0-1 AYES: Dorsey, Gumming NOES: None ABSTAIN: Roney ITEM 4 - ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. ITEM 5 - PREVIOUS BUSINESS: None. ITEM 6 - NEW BUSINESS: ITEM 6A: Investigate the need to install a stop sign on Contour Place at its intersection with Strata Drive. Mr. Johnson introduced Associate Engineer, John Kim, who will present the staff report. Mr. Kim informed the Commission that the purpose of this item is to investigate the need to install a stop sign on Contour Place at its intersection with Strata Drive. To clarify, there will be some future associated work in this area, such as installing a painted crosswalk across Strata Drive as well as Contour Place, a pedestrian ramp at the pathway to the school grounds, and associated Pedestrian Crossing Warning signs. The stop sign issue is the only subject of this staff report since it requires an ordinance to be adopted by the City Council for approval. Mr. Kim explained that Contour Place intersects Strata Drive in a T-intersection configuration in a school zone. It is located in a residential area with Contour Place being considered the stem of the T- intersection. Strata Drive is the top of the T. The intersection is currently uncontrolled. Contour Place and Strata Drive are both local streets located within the Calavera Hills residential development and both are unclassified on the Circulation Element of the General Plan. These streets serve a residential neighborhood comprised of single-family homes. Strata Drive provides access to and from Tamarack Avenue while Contour Place is a cul-de-sac having 18 single-family homes. On the north side of Strata Drive, directly opposite of Contour Place, there is a publicly accessible concrete path that provides access to both Calavera Hills Elementary School and Calavera Hills Middle School. February 4,2008 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 3 Staff recently received a citizen request for a painted crosswalk on Strata Drive at Contour Place due to the number of school pedestrians crossing Strata Drive during school beginning and end times. Studies were conducted by staff and peak hour vehicle/pedestrian counts indicated significant numbers of school pedestrians crossing Strata Drive. Based on staff observations, pedestrians crossing either the west or east leg of Strata Drive were dropped off by vehicles stopping on the southerly curb of Strata Drive in the vicinity of Contour Place. Pedestrians were also dropped off on the north side of Strata Drive, but were not included hi the counts since they did not cross either Strata Drive or Contour Place. In the morning there was a combined 90 pedestrians crossing Strata Drive on either leg of which 90 were either middle school students or elementary age pedestrians, hi the after school peak hours, there is a combined 84 pedestrians that were either of middle school or elementary age. Based on staff observations, it was determined that a painted school crosswalk across Strata Drive would designate a preferred pedestrian crossing. The work to install the crosswalk includes a new pedestrian ramp on the north side of Strata Drive' to accommodate the disabled per ADA requirements. Construction will be performed by City forces in the near future prior to the painting of the crosswalks, and is not the subject of this staff report. Mr. Kim explained that in order to assign the right-of-way at the proposed crosswalk, staff recommends that a stop sign be installed on Contour Place at Strata Drive. The California MUTCD indicates that a stop sign should be considered at the "intersection of a less important road with a main road where application of the normal right-of-way would not be expected to provide reasonable compliance with the law." This would reinforce the right-of-way assignment at the intersection. After a stop sign is established on Contour Place at Strata Drive, staff intends to install the pedestrian ramp and then paint a crosswalk across Contour Place to encourage pedestrians to use the marked crosswalk across Strata Drive. Exhibit 2 shows the location of the proposed stop sign. Staff conducted a warrant analysis for an all-way stop at this intersection and none of the warrants for an all-way stop were satisfied. Based on the study results and staff observations, stop signs for both directions on Strata Drive at Contour Place are not recommended. Staff will continue to monitor the situation after the proposed changes are implemented. The Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommends the installation of a stop sign on Contour Place at its intersection with Strata Drive. The City Council must adopt an ordinance to establish the stop control as recommended. Public Testimony: Chair Roney called for Public Testimony. Sarah Anderson, 3615 Contour Place, Carlsbad, thanked the Commission for addressing this issue because she and other residents have been concerned for quite awhile with the traffic situation, especially in the mornings and afternoons when elementary and middle school students are coming and going. Ms. Anderson submitted pictures for the Commission to review in order to help explain where their concerns are coming from. Residents have found that the side park where students are February 4,2008 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 4 coming and going is extremely congested. There is poor visibility for the children. She loves the idea of the stop signs. The more the merrier, because they find that cars frequently speed through Strata Drive where the drop off and pick up is. Cars are not just coming and picking up and unloading; most of the parents are stopping and parking, even double-parking, and are backed up along Contour Place as well as Strata Drive for 10 or 15 minutes waiting for their children to come out from school. The children are leaving the side park and stepping out between closely parked vehicles. Quite a few people drive SUVs and from a small child's visibility standpoint, they can't see between those cars. The children are stepping out between large vehicles and trying to get out from that side park. The crosswalk is great, but sometimes people park right on the crosswalk, depending on who is driving and what they feel like doing. Ms. Anderson stated that what the residents would like to propose is to keep the side completely visible and open for the students. Something that would be extremely low cost would be to paint that area of curb red and to say No Parking at Any Time. This would constrain the parents coming to pick up then* children from stopping in that area. At least that would leave that area visible for small children to be able to find their way to the crosswalk. Parents will try to educate their children to use the crosswalk, but they know that some students will still dart across the street. One mother complained that her son was almost hit last week. The police were called and they responded the next day to monitor the situation. The residents realize that the police can't be there every single day to monitor the situation, and that's not what they are asking for. Residents appreciate periodically if a police officer comes and takes a look. Continuing, Ms. Anderson proposed not only the red zone, but possibly some school zone sign or light or something that signifies that students will be crossing ahead - a sign stating "10 miles per hour while students present," or something like that. A stop sign on Contour Place will probably help, but it will not stop the speeding of vehicles down Strata Drive, and it won't help with the visibility right outside that side park. The red paint would certainly be a very economical way of considering what the City could do as an addition. Ms. Anderson asked if today's meeting was just for a crosswalk and a stop sign. Mr. Kim responded that today's meeting was just for a stop sign. Shannon Durbin-Yates, 3623 Contour Place, Carlsbad, stated that she supported everything that Ms. Anderson stated. She wanted an explanation as to why three stop signs not appropriate at this tune and only one is, because her greatest concern is that a stop sign just on Contour Place will not slow people down. Strata Drive is a speedy thoroughfare right now. If there were stop signs on all three corners, she could understand how that would slow the flow of traffic, plus having increased visibility of the areas that Ms. Anderson talked about with making that front area open. Where one stop sign on a cul-de-sac that has no outlet, she doesn't understand how that is going slow the traffic down. That is her concern. She is amazed at the speed with which drivers race through Strata Drive to go all the way through. February 4,2008 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 5 Seeing no others wishing to testify, Chair Roney closed Public Testimony. DISCUSSION: Commissioner Dorsey asked if installing crosswalks required City Council action. Mr. Kim stated that they did not. Commissioner Dorsey asked if painting a curb red requires City Council action or an ordinance. Mr. Johnson replied that installing painted crosswalks, red curbs, or school zone signing that would accompany the painted crosswalks does not require City Council action. What does require City Council action is approval of a stop sign. That's why this item is before the Commission for a recommendation. Commissioner Dorsey asked if the addition of the other two stop signs that were not warranted, would not be a speed control device anyway? Mr. Kim replied that a stop sign is not meant for speed control. Its purpose is to assign the right-of- way. Staff did the studies in conjunction with an all-way stop warrant, and the intersection did not meet those warrants for an all-way stop. Mr. Johnson added that if speeding on Strata Drive is a concern, as the Commission is well aware of, Carlsbad has the Carlsbad Residential Traffic Management Program. That is the program to address speeding in a residential area. After this meeting, Mr. Kim can talk with Ms. Anderson and Ms. Durbin-Yates briefly about that in more detail. Staff can mail a copy of that program to each of them they can review and then they can get in touch with staff. Associate Engineer, Jim Murray, is the person that addresses traffic calming issues. With a written request to staff, staff can start addressing speeding issues. A stop sign is not installed to control speeding. The City Council has specifically approved the fact that stop signs will not be used for speed control. That is indicated in the Carlsbad Residential Traffic Management Program. When a particular intersection, like the one under discussion today, does not meet one or more warrants as contained in the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) that is an indication that based on all of the factors in the MUTCD the stop sign is not needed. February 4,2008 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 6 The stop sign on Contour Place is not intended to address speeding on Strata Drive. It does assign right-of-way for those left-turn vehicles so that the driver has to first stop, look both ways, look to see if there is a pedestrian in the future painted crosswalk, and then negotiate the left turn. Current right-of-way assignment takes place at an uncontrolled intersection as it exists today in this location. However, there may be a tendency for a driver turning from Contour Place to make their left turn at a relatively low speed and not be cognizant of a pedestrian hi a striped crosswalk. That is why that proposed stop sign is being brought to the Commission for a recommendation. Commissioner Gumming stated that he visited the site and looked at the park that is a primary access to the school. He saw no signage in the area indicating that there was a school. There were no limitations on parking. There was nothing limiting parking on school days, for example, or during school hours. He would like to see this item carried over so there can be a little more study. He felt this was a disaster waiting to happen. There is parking allowed all along the street. Some of the people are parked to let children off, some are double-parked to let children off, and then the children are coming out from between parked cars into the flow of traffic to go to the school. His feeling is that they owe it the children to protect them and safeguard and uphold them. Commissioner Gumming understands the concerns with an all-way stop, that we need'uniform standards of traffic control, and we want to minimize the interruptions of traffic flow, and want to use it to assign right-of-way, and right-of-way can mean right-of-way among conflicting vehicles. Here we have a right-of-way control problem where the people who have the right-of-way are little people who are emerging from parked cars to cross an unprotected roadway without a crossing guard, without any crossing protection, and without any redlining. Commissioner Gumming stated that some of the residents told him there were thoughts of having resident volunteers act as crossing guards at mis site. Others said there were thoughts of doing night painting of red curbs so there could be a safe drop-off zone. Drop-off zones for schools are a major challenge, so he has to believe there have been practices that have been developed that can make the drop-off safer than what they're seeing here and safer than what he believes it would be if staff moved forward to complete what is proposed today. Without the parking being addressed, without the drop-off problem fully being addressed-just addressing the vehicle right-of-way challenge, he is troubled by this and he favors that a motion be made to carry this item over for further study. Chair Roney asked if Mr. Johnson could respond because it appears that there is a pedestrian and a parking issue even though the right-of-way is being resolved. He wanted to know if the crosswalk is going in and can the red curb be put in, and is all this going to happen in a short time period? Mr. Johnson clarified that the item before the Commission today is the recommendation for the stop sign. The written staff report and verbal report by Mr. Kim indicated the actions that were being taken regarding school signage that will go in and painted crosswalks that will be installed. Everything that Commissioner Cumming has mentioned is already in process. The first step is to make sure a stop sign is installed. The Commission needs to recommend either yes or no on the stop sign. Whatever the recommendation is would go to City Council. The City Council would act and a stop sign may be approved. Then staff would follow-up with that painted crosswalk and school February 4, 2008 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 7 signing. There is certain signing that takes place with painted lines on the roadway versus non- painted lines. The speed management is a different program and the need for the red curb would also be assessed at the time of the installation of the crosswalks. This is a very typical example of how school zone signing and striping is handled. Staff is already initiating all of those other items. The one item the Commission does need to address today is the stop sign issue. Commissioner Gumming asked if the community wants to have input into the larger picture, what is the proper format. Chair Roney answered that Mr. Johnson stated what was already in process, including the crosswalk and the school signage. The red curbing is a separate issue. Mr. Johnson added that the red curbing would be looked at in conjunction with the painted crosswalks and the proximity of the driveways. Mr. Kim has been studying the situation and there has to be an assessment. After the improvements go in, if there needs to be additional traffic control devices installed, it will be looked at. Chair Roney stated that Mr. Kim and Mr. Murray would follow-up and work with the community members, so it isn't just dying if they vote on the parking sign. There is activity going on separate from what the Commission is doing. Mr. Johnson replied that the community could certainly call Mr. Kim and ask what is happening and provide their input. There is no reason to slow down the process to bring it back to the Commission at a future meeting when these items are currently in process and the items were initiated by the local community. Therefore, staff would like to move it forward. MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Gumming, and duly seconded by Commissioner Dorsey, to recommend the installation of a stop sign on Contour Place at its intersection with Strata Drive. VOTE: 3-0-0 AYES: Roney, Dorsey, Gumming NOES: None ABSTAIN: None February 4,2008 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 8 ITEM 6B: Establish a prima facie speed limit upon Lionshead Avenue from Melrose Drive to the east city limit. Mr. Johnson indicated this item is a request by staff to have the Commission provide a recommendation regarding the establishment of a prima facie speed limit on Lionshead Avenue from Melrose Drive to the east city limit. Lionshead Avenue is a relatively new street. It is an industrial street with a curb-to-curb width of 52 feet. Lionshead Avenue is located east of Melrose Drive and is the first signalized intersection to the north of Palomar Airport Road. It is approximately 0.86 miles in length with about 26 driveways that intersect the road. Some of the industrial lots that are fronting onto the roadway have been constructed or in the process of being constructed, and others located primarily on the south side are vacant lots. Mr. Johnson stated that to determine the appropriate prima facie speed limit to be established, staff conducted an Engineering and Traffic Survey as required by the California Vehicle Code. A portion of the Engineering and Traffic Survey is to conduct a speed survey on the roadway. At two locations on Lionshead Avenue, staff determined that the critical speed, which is the 85* percentile speed, there was a 48 mile per hour critical speed and a 50 mile per hour critical speed. This indicates that the prima facie speed limit should be posted at a 50 mile per hour speed limit. The collision history is favorable. There has been one collision reported on this particular roadway. The collision rate is lower than the statewide rate for a similar roadway. There are bike lanes on both sides of the street and the road has been constructed to City standards with curb and gutter, sidewalk, and streetlights. Considering all factors included in the Engineering and Traffic Survey, Mr. Johnson indicated that the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee is recommending a prima facie speed limit of 50 miles per hour upon Lionshead Avenue from Melrose Drive to the east city limit. DISCUSSION: Commissioner Gumming asked why there is a continuation of Poinsettia Avenue in Vista, which is posted at 45 miles up to the Carlsbad boundary and beyond that, and now it would be at 50 miles per hour if the Commission votes on that today. It is designed to be a single lane road with access areas like driveways. The traffic condition as of now is that it is a developing area, so it is in an early stage. A few months ago there was a similar item for Faraday Avenue from Melrose Drive to Orion. That is two lanes in each direction posted at 40 miles per hour. At Orion you do a sort of jog and then onto Faraday Avenue. They're not dissimilar areas. What is the consistency practice for setting speeds within the City and thoroughfare of this sort to insure that motorists see that there is a consistent pattern that applies? Why would Faraday Avenue be at 40 miles per hour and Lionshead Avenue at 50 miles per hour? You're going 45 miles per hour from Vista, you get to zoom on and swing onto Melrose Drive, and then slow down onto Faraday Avenue. Is there a logic that supports that? February 4,2008 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 9 Mr. Johnson said he'Alike to qualify that Faraday Avenue from Orion to Melrose Drive has not been before the Traffic Safety Commission. The Commission has not provided a recommendation. There are speed limit signs on that roadway because at the time that the roadway was opened the Police Chief wanted speed limit signs posted and the appropriate citations could be issued by Lt. Rawson and his staff. This speed zone will be coming to the Commission in a future meeting. Mr. Johnson indicated that with respect to Lionshead Avenue, in Carlsbad the Carlsbad Police Department enforces speed limits. Carlsbad speed limits have to meet the Engineering and Traffic Survey criteria so those tickets are upheld in court. He cannot speak for Vista as to why they would post a lower speed limit unless they believe that their portion of the road would comply with the California Vehicle Code and the results of the Engineering and Traffic Survey. On Melrose Drive, the Carlsbad portion from Palomar Airport Road to the north city limits is posted at 55 miles per hour. That item came to the Commission previously. That posting is in compliance with the results of the Engineering and Traffic Survey. However, Vista has a 50 mile per hour posting. Only the Vista engineers can speak as to why they have a 50 mile per hour posting. In Carlsbad, with respect to Melrose Drive, that speed limit does comply with the Engineering and Traffic Survey, so the tickets would be upheld. The same would be applicable to Lionshead Avenue. The Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee, which Lt. Rawson sits on, believe it is a good recommendation and that tickets would be upheld by the Traffic Commissioner in the San Marcos court. Mr. Johnson stated that Lionshead Avenue is an industrial street and has different design standards. Faraday Avenue is a secondary arterial. It has different design standards from Melrose Drive, which is a prime arterial and is the highest classification in the City of Carlsbad if you exclude the freeways. The consistency - different roadways based on their geometric design - major and prime arterials have raised medians, secondary arterials like Faraday Avenue for the most part do not have a raised median. They have a striped median. The secondary arterial and a major arterial are each two lanes in each direction, whereas a prime arterial has six lanes, three lanes in each direction. There are different design characteristics depending on the roadway classification which may or may not give the public an indication of consistency. Having design standards and arterial classifications in the Circulation Element is one tiling. The results of the Engineering and Traffic Survey have to be considered to post a speed limit. A legal speed zone gives Lt. Rawson and his staff the tools to write tickets when they use radar and find somebody exceeding the posted speed limit. Commissioner Gumming replied that explanation was very helpful. He apologized for having forgotten this material that was mentioned in the staff report. Under the basic speed law, do these speed studies get revisited every five years or so? Mr. Johnson indicated that Engineering and Traffic Surveys were updated every 5 years or sooner if there are changed conditions. For instance, the Commission and the City Council may take action on Lionshead Avenue and recommend a 50 mile per hour speed limit. If for some reason a traffic signal was installed at the intersection at Eagle Drive and Lionshead, that would be a changed condition and staff would have to resurvey the road. It may or may not change the recommendation of a 50 mile per hour speed limit. If it did change, staff would have to come back to the Commission and go back to City Council. Any time there are changed physical conditions or an increase in the collision February 4,2008 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 10 history or traffic control added, whether an all-way stop or traffic signal, staff would have to update the Engineering and Traffic Survey. If there are basically no changed conditions, then staff updates the survey every five years. MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Gumming, and duly seconded by Commissioner Dorsey, to establish a 50 mile per hour prima facie speed limit upon Lionshead Avenue from Melrose Drive to the east city limit. VOTE: 3-0-0 AYES: Roney, Dorsey, Gumming NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ITEM 6C: Review, comment upon, and approve the TSC rules and procedures, and adopt TSC Resolution No. 2008-1. Commissioner Dorsey stated that in view of the Commission absentees at this meeting, he moved that this item be continued to the next meeting. MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Dorsey, and duly seconded by Commissioner Cumming, to continue this item until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission. VOTE: 3-0-0 AYES: Roney, Dorsey, Cumming NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ITEM 7: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS Commissioner Cumming suggested that the Commission adopt a resolution of condolence for Gordon Cress and best wishes to him and his illness. Beyond that, he wanted to welcome the new Associates and wish them well in their new positions. February 4,2008 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 11 Mr. Johnson indicated that the way to handle this was a minute motion and then he could send something to Commission Cress, such as condolences or speed recovery. Typically, a minute motion is how this would be handled. Commissioner Dorsey asked if it wouldn't be easier to just send a get well card to Commissioner Cress. Mr. Johnson responded yes and he would send a get well card to Commissioner Cress on behalf of the Commission. ITEM 8: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER Mr. Johnson stated that a voicemail he received from Commissioner Gardner indicated that she would not be able to attend today's meeting and she also indicated that because of work conflicts she may have to resign from the Commission. It will be up to Mayor Lewis and the City Council to appoint a replacement. That can sometimes take a couple of months. The next regular meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission is scheduled to be held on March 3,2008 at 3:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. There are several items on the agenda, including an update on the status of the Pedestrian Master Plan that is currently being worked on. It will be presented by Marshall Plantz, Senior Civil Engineer in the Engineering Department. Thelma Hays will be notified of the update. The Pedestrian Master Plan is being worked on, processed, and developed by a consultant. ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion Commissioner Dorsey adjourned the Regular Meeting of February 4,2008 at 3:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Ruth Woodbeck Minutes Clerk