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Home My WebLink About2007-11-05; Traffic Safety Commission; ; Revise the prima facie speed limit upon Armada Drive from Palomar Airport Road to LEGOLAND Drive( ( CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: November 5, 2007 LOCATION: INITIATED BY: Annada Drive, Palomar Airport Road to LEGOLAND Drive City Engineer ITEMNO. 6B REQUESTED ACTION: Revise the prima facie speed limit upon Armada Drive from Palomar Airport Road to LEGOLAND Drive. BACKGROUND: A prima facie 35 mile per hour speed limit was established on Armada Drive from Palomar Airport Road to LEGOLAND Drive in 1997. Subsequent to the date of originally establishing the prima facie speed limit, the critical speed on the roadway has increased. Pursuant to guidelines in the California MUTCD, the Armada Drive prima facie speed limit is a candidate to be raised by five miles per hour. SETTING SPEED LIMITS: Optimal mobility is enhanced and overall traffic flow improved when drivers are operating their vehicles at a speed that is reasonable and safe. It is generally acknowledged that the control of speed can be a significant factor in influencing and improving roadway safety. In fact, the premise of CVC section 22350, Basic Speed Law, is that no person shall drive upon a road at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent taking into account weather, visibility, and traffic on the road and in no event at a speed that endangers the safety of others. Most drivers operate vehicles in a reasonable manner. Therefore, traffic laws established on the basis of the behavior of the reasonable and prudent motorist are found to be the most successful. As a result, speed limits that are considered credible and enforceable will help enhance traffic safety and the operating efficiency on the roadway and achieve driver compliance. Roads in Carlsbad are designed in accordance with engineering standards to satisfy the goals of a safe roadway and to enhance efficient traffic flow. One way to achieve the goals is to establish proper and reasonable speed limits that can be enforced. Speed limits that are reasonable can help to achieve voluntary compliance by the majority of drivers without need for the presence of a police officer. Laws and/or the establishment of speed zones that arbitrarily restrict travel by the majority of motorists can lead to wholesale violations of the posted speed limit. For a speed limit to be considered effective, drivers must believe that the posted speed limit is safe and proper. ( ( CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: November 5, 2007 ( continued) ITEMNO. 6B In the City of Carlsbad, the predominant practice for managing speed is by legally establishing a prima facie speed limit and then posting the speed limit upon the road with regulatory signs. A prima facie speed limit recognizes that conditions change throughout the day and there is no one safe speed for all the conditions that may be present upon the roadway. Police enforcement is used to target the most egregious violators of the speed limit. A fundamental tenet is that laws are enacted to protect the majority of the public by regulating the unsafe or unreasonable actions of the few. When law enforcement officers and the courts have confidence that speed limits have been set on a reasonable basis, their enforcement efforts are more effective. Nationally recognized vetted practices and guidance per standards and procedures in the Federal Highway Administration's national Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices 2003 Edition are considered when setting speed limits. In California, this manual is titled the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The most common method of establishing speed limits incorporates traffic engineering principles and other factors, such as using the results of a speed survey, into the Traffic and Engineering Survey. Prima facie speed limits are established by law when the City Council adopts an ordinance and the speed limit is posted on the roadway to indicate the maximum reasonable speed for a driver to operate a vehicle under ideal conditions in off-peak free flowing conditions. Among many factors, the three most persuasive arguments to consider when setting a realistic, or rational, speed limit are: 1. Critical speed (85 th percentile speed) 2. Collision history 3. Conditions that may not be readily apparent to the driver The premise implied in speed zoning is that the majority of drivers are operating their vehicles at or near the 85 th percentile speed. Drivers that operate their vehicle at speeds higher than the 85thpercentile speed should be the focus of the police. An important speed zoning concept is that the disparity in speed between vehicles on the road is reduced when prima facie speed limits are established at or near the 85th percentile speed and, as a result, safety is enhanced. Also, a speed limit that is established based upon the 85th percentile speed will increase driver respect for the speed limit sign. Only those signs that have the respect of the roadway user will have a positive effect to control traffic. A review of the collision history on a roadway is an important element in the process to establish a speed limit. The review will reveal if there is a high incidence of speed-related collisions on the road at specific locations. Absent a significant collision history attributed to speed, it can be concluded that drivers are operating their vehicle in a reasonable and prudent manner at the speed they chose to drive. The installation of a speed limit sign does not automatically decrease accident rates nor increase roadway safety. Speed limits should not be lowered for conditions that are readily apparent and the speed limit signs are not used as intersection, curve or hazard warning devices. For the unusual conditions or conditions not readily apparent to drivers, appropriate warning signs are installed. ( CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: November 5, 2007 ( continued) ITEMNO. 6B Design factors such as the geometric elements of the road, sight distance, or other factors may have a significant impact on the free flowing speed chosen by drivers. This driver chosen speed, in tum, is considered when establishing a prima facie speed limit. A number of factors may be considered when establishing a prima facie speed limit. The 2003 MUTCD lists such factors as: A. Road characteristics, shoulder condition, grade, alignment, and sight distance; B. The pace speed; C. Roadside development and activity; and D. Reported crash experience for at least a 12-month period. As stated, basic speed law requires drivers to operate their vehicle at a speed that takes into account all roadway factors, environmental elements, adjacent land uses, and other traffic on the road. These are, in general, all readily apparent factors. Warning signs placed on the roadway can alert drivers to the presence of an unseen or unanticipated condition. As a result, drivers can operate their vehicle in a reasonable and prudent manner by adjusting speed for the condition that may be encountered. In summary, through the use of engineering, educational, and enforcement techniques, the management of vehicle speed is conducted. Voluntary public compliance with the posted speed limit is the goal when determining a realistic prima facie speed limit to establish. The realistic speed limit takes into consideration the normally competent and careful actions of a reasonable driver and provides for the regulation of unreasonable behavior by a few individuals. A posted speed limit should be readily accepted by drivers, be fair and reasonable, be related to risk on the roadway, be determined by the majority of drivers, and one that has a factual foundation. Posted speed limits reflect a balance of the various factors specific to the roadway. As a result, roadway safety is improved and community concerns about traffic speed are addressed. DATA: Armada Drive, a four-lane divided roadway, is not classified on the Circulation Element of the General Plan. The road is 0.87 miles in length and has a curb-to-curb width that varies between 68 feet and 72 feet. Armada Drive is controlled by a traffic signal at its intersection with Palomar Airport Road and terminates on the north at the LEGOLAND roundabout. A bicycle lane is provided on both sides of Armada Drive with parking allowed on a portion of the westerly side of the road adjacent to the flower fields. Two traffic lanes in each direction are separated by either a raised, landscaped median or a striped, two-way left-tum lane. Fleet Street, a private road serving office uses and a museum, intersects Armada Drive at two locations. It is controlled by a stop sign placed on Fleet Street at both intersections with Armada Drive. Nine driveways have been constructed on Armada Drive to serve existing business establishments. North County Transit District operates bus service on Armada Drive with several bus stops provided for transit patrons. ( ( CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: November 5, 2007 ITEMNO.6B ( continued) Annada Drive follows a curvilinear alignment and has roadway grades that vary between 1.0% to 8.0%. The steepest portion of the road is northerly of Palomar Airport Road. Based upon traffic counts obtained in August 2007, two-way total traffic volumes on Annada Drive range from 4,136 vehicles per day south of the northerly Fleet Street intersection to 8,280 vehicles per day northerly of Palomar Airport Road. The directional distribution of traffic volumes on Annada Drive is indicated in Table A. TABLE A 24-HOUR TRAFFIC VOLUMES ARMADA DRIVE 24-HOURADT DATE LOCATION. S/B TOTAL 8/08/07 4,315 8,280 8/28/07 South of Fleet Street 1,959 2,177 4,136 There have been three reported collisions in the two-year period ending May 31, 2007. Two of the three collisions were speed-related. However, the roadway collision rate for Annada Drive is 0.76 accidents per million vehicle miles, which is less than one-half of the statewide collision rate of 1.90, based upon a comparable roadway. The 85 th percentile speed has been determined throughout the United States to generally conform to a safe and reasonable speed limit. The California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (FHWA's MUTCD 2003 Revision 1, as amended for use in California) provides guidance when a speed limit is to be posted. It states that "the speed limit should be established at the nearest 10 km/h (5 mph) increment to the 85th percentile speed. However, in matching existing conditions with the traffic safety needs of the community, engineering judgment may indicate the need for a further reduction of 10 km/h (5 mph)." California Vehicle Code section 627 defines the term "Engineering and Traffic Survey" and lists its requirements, as follows: 627. (a) "Engineering and traffic survey," as used in this code, means a survey of highway and traffic conditions in accordance with methods determined by the Department of Transportation for use by state and local authorities. (b) An engineering and traffic survey shall include, among other requirements deemed necessary by the department, consideration of all of the following: (1) Prevailing speeds as determined by traffic engineering measurements. (2) Accident reports. (3) Highway, traffic, and roadside conditions not readily apparent to the driver. ( c) When conducting an engineering and traffic survey, local authorities, in addition to the factors set forth in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (b) may consider all of the following: • (1) Residential density, if any of the following conditions exist on the particular portion of highway and the property contiguous thereto, other than a business district; ( ( CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: November 5, 2007 ( continued) ITEMNO. 6B (A) Upon one side of the highway, within a distance of a quarter of a mile, the contiguous property fronting thereon is occupied by 13 or more separate dwelling houses or business structures. (B) Upon both sides of the highway, collectively, within a distance of a quarter of a mile, the contiguous property fronting thereon is occupied by 16 or more separate dwelling houses or business structures. (C) The portion of highway is longer than one-quarter of a mile but has the ratio of separate dwelling houses or business structures to the length of the highway described in either subparagraph (A) or (B). (2) Pedestrian and bicyclist safety. Staff completed the Engineering and Traffic Survey (attached) for Armada Drive from Palomar Airport Road to LEGO LAND Drive. Results of two speed surveys, contained within the Engineering and T~affic Survey prepared for Armada Drive, are summarized in Table B. TABLEB SPEED SURVEY DATA FOR ARMADA DRIVE 0.23 miles n/o Palomar Ai 0.20 miles s/o Fleet Street The pace speed is the 10 mile per hour range of speeds that contain the highest number of observed vehicles. Generally, the critical speed is located in the upper range of the pace speed. Sections 22357 and 22358 of the California Vehicle Code authorize local authorities to establish a prima facie speed limit on the basis of the results of an Engineering and Traffic Survey. The Engineering and Traffic Survey considers such factors as the number of collisions that have occurred on the road segment, roadway features, adjacent land uses, driveway locations, traffic volumes, pedestrian volumes, critical speed, horizontal and vertical alignment, stopping sight distance, and conditions that may not be readily apparent to the driver. RECOMMENDATION: Based upon the results of the Engineering and Traffic Survey, the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommends establishing a 40 mile per hour prima facie speed limit upon Armada Drive from Palomar Airport Road to LEGOLAND Drive. NECESSARY CITY COUNCIL ACTION: An ordinance will be required to be adopted by the City Council to establish the 40 mile per hour prima facie speed limit upon Annada Drive, as recommended. PROPOSED SPEED ZONE NOT TO SCALE PROJECT NAME LOCATION ____ "s r=-c---CANNONRD. ( MAP LEGEND: @ TRAFFIC SIGNAL ==:I DRIVEWAY PROPOSED SPEED ZONE FOR ARMADA DRIVE EXHIBIT 1 DRA'MI BY: SCOTT EVANS, CARLSBAD ENGINEERING DEPT. 9 11 07 C: 1RAmc SPEEO ZONES SPEED ZONE-ARMADA2.DWG ( CITY OF CARLSBAD ( Et+..~INEERING AND TRAFFIC SUKVEY STREET: Armada Drive LIMITS: Palomar Airport Road to LEGOLAND Drive A. Prevailing Speed Data: Date of Speed Survey Location of Speed Survey 85th Percentile 10 MPH Pace Percent in Pace Posted S eed Limit B. Midblock Accident History: (6/01/05 through 5/31/07) Speed-Related Accidents Total Accidents Accidents/Million Vehicle·Miles (MVM) California Statewide Accidents/MVM C. Traffic Factors: Average Daily Traffic Traffic Controls Pedestrian/Bicycle Traffic Bicycle Lanes On-Street Parking Other D, Roadway Factors: Circulation Element Street Classification Length of Segment Roadway Width Number of Lanes Vertical Alignment Horizontal Alignment Sidewalks Driveways Street Li htin Direction: Northbound/Southbound 8/23/07 0.23 Mi. n/o Palomar Airport Road 41 MPH 33 to 43 MPH 83% 35 MPH 2 3 0.76 Direction: Northbound/Southbound 8/30/07 0.2 Mi. s/o Fleet Street (North) 45MPH 36 to 46 MPH 81% 35 MPH 1.90 (2005 Rate for 4 or More Divided Lanes) 8,280 -North of Palomar Airport Road (8/08/07); 4,136 -South of Fleet Street (N) (8/28/07) Traffic Signal at Palomar Airport Road; Roundabout at LEGOLAND Drive Moderate Bicycle Lane on Each Side Except Northerly 400 Feet of East Side Parking Allowed only on West Side in Designated Spaces Bus Route; Bus Turnouts Exist on Each Side Not Classified 0.87 Mi. 68 Feet to 72 Feet 2 Lanes Each Direction Roadway Grades Vary from 1% to 8% Curvilinear Sidewalk on Each Side Nine Driveways Street Lights on Each Side E. Special Conditions: Travel lanes are separated by either a two-way left-turn lane or a raised, landscaped median. Southbound travel lanes are reduced to one throu h-lane and one ri ht-turn-on! lane at Palomar Air ort Road. F. Adjacent Land Uses: Light Industrial/Manufacturing, Agricultural, LEGOLAND Theme Park, Resort/Restaurant, Museum, Scenic Overlook G. Remarks/Conditions Not Readily Apparent: Armada Drive serves as a connection between Cannon Road on the north, which is a major arterial, and Palomar Airport Road, which is a prime arterial. Northbound motorists approaching LEGOLAND Drive are advised · of a roundabout at the intersection through a series of curve warning signs and 15 MPH speed advisory plates. Pedestrians cross Armada Drive at various midblock locations to access the sidewalk/scenic overlook on the west side of the roadway and a pedestrian access gate to LEGOLAND on the east side of the roadway. Pedestrians also cross the roadway using four marked crosswalks at the intersections of Fleet Street N and Fleet Street S . H. Traffic Engineer's Recommendation (Explanation): This speed zone satisfies the conditions of Section 627 of ttie California Vehicle Code and has been prepared and evaluated in accordance with the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices with respect to design and prevailing speeds, accident records, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, intersection and driveway spacing, and roadside and traffic conditions not readily apparent to the driver. A speed limit posting of40 MPH is found to be appropriate and ·ustified. ~=,,.......,....,.. DATE: 08/23/07 TIME: 10:05 AM TO CITY OF CARLSBAD( SPEED SURVEY 10:40 AM TOTAL VEHICLES: WEATHER: Clear & Warm CRITICAL SPEED: LOCATION: Armada Drive -.23 mi. n/o Palomar Airport Road VEHICLES IN PACE: OBSERVER/RECORDER: M. Rehfeldt ---------PACE SPEED(S): 35 MPH POSTED SPEED LIMIT SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION OF TRAVEL MPH # % l: # % %tile % # 65 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 X 45 X X 44 X X 43 X X 42 X X X 41 40 X X X 39 X X X X X 38 X X X X X X 37 X X X X X X X 36 X X X X X 35 X X X X X 34 X X X X 33 . X X X X 32 X 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 1 2 1 1 100 2 4 2 2 99 2 4 2 2 97 2 4 3 3 95 2 1 3 6 6 6 92 6 3 3 3 86 6 3 3 6 7 7 83 8 4 5 10 10 10 76 10 5 6 12 9 9 66 6 3 7 14 12 12 57 10 5 5 10 8 8 45 6 3 5 10 9 9 37 8 4 4 8 10 10 28 12 6 4 8 9 9 18 10 5 1 2 5 5 9 8 4 1 1 4 2 1 2 2 3 4 2 1 1 1 2 1 Engineering Department Transportation Division 100 41 MPH ------'-'------ 83 % ----------- 33 TO 43 MPH NORTHBOUND DIRECTION OF TRAVEL MPH 65 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 X 43 X X X 42 X X X 41 X X X X 40 X X X X X 39 X X X 38 X X X X X 37 X X X 36 X X X X 35 X X X X X X 34 X X X X X 33 X X X X 32 X 31 X X 30 X 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 ---------------:{ \ DATE: • 8/30/07 TIME: 10:15 AM TO CITY OF CARLSBAD , SPEED SURVEY 11:00AM TOTAL VEHICLES: WEATHER: _S_u_n~ny~&_H_o_t _________ _ CRITICAL SPEED: LOCATION: Armada Drive-0.2 mi. s/o Fleet Street (N) VEHICLES IN PACE: OBSERVER/RECORDER: J. Gale ---------PACE SPEED(S): 35 MPH POSTED SPEED LIMIT NORTHBOUND DIRECTION OF TRAVEL MPH # % E # % %tile % # 65 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48, 47 X 46 X 45 X X X X 44 X X X X X 43 X X X X X X 42 X X 41 X X X X X X 40· X X X X X X X 39 X X X X X X 38 X X 37 X X X X X 36 X X 35 X X 34 33 X 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 1 1 100 2 1 1 1 99 2 1 1 2 2 2 98 2 1 1 2 4 4 96 6 3 4 8 9 9 92 10 5 5 10 6 6 83 2 1 6 12 10 10 77 8 4 2 4 6 6 67 8 4 6 12 11 11 61 10 5 7. 14 9 9 50 4 2 6 12 9 9 41 6 3 2 4 5 5 32 6 3 5 10 11 11 27 12 6 2 4 5 5 16 6 3 2 4 6 6 11 8 4 1 1 5 2 1 1 2 3 3 4 4 2 1 1 1 2 1 Engineering Department Transportation Division 100 45 MPH ----------- 81 % ----------- 36 TO 46 MPH ---------- SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION OF TRAVEL MPH 65 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 X 49 X 48 X 47 X X X 46 X X X X X 45 X 44 X X X X 43 X X X X 42 X X X X X 41 X X 40 X X X 39 X X X 38 X X X X X X 37 X X X 36 X X X X 35 X 34 X X 33 X 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21