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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-08-06; Traffic Safety Commission; ; Establish a No Parking zone on both sides of Salk Avenue from College Boulevard to Fermi Court( CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: August 6, 2007 LOCATION: Salk A venue, College Boulevard to Fermi Court ITEMNO.6B INITIATED BY: Seth Schulberg, Carlsbad Research Center Owners' Association, 1530 Faraday Avenue, Suite 100, Carlsbad, California 92008 REQUESTED ACTION: Establish a No Parking zone on both sides of Salk Avenue from College Boulevard to Fermi Court BACKGROUND: Salk Avenue is located within the Carlsbad Research Center (CRC), generally in the southeast quadrant of the El Camino Real and College Boulevard intersection (see Exhibit 1). Mr. Schulberg, representing the CRC Owners' Association, has requested that parking be removed on both sides of Salk A venue from College Boulevard to Fermi Court. In December of 2006, Meissner Jacquet, the property management company for CRC, sent letters to all owners and tenants stating that no on-street parking would be allowed on Salk A venue and those vehicles would be towed, including the issuance of implementing fines to owners of lots not compliant. Meissner Jacquet, at that time, provided Section 9.5 of the covenants, conditions & restrictions (CC&R's) stating "Off-street parking adequate to accommodate the parking needs of the owner or occupant, and the employees, and visitors thereof, shall be provided by the owner or occupant of each lot." Salk A venue is a public street and Meissner Jacquet is not authorized to tow vehicles. DATA: Salk Avenue was completed in the late 1990's between College Boulevard and Fermi Court. The road is a public street that has a width of 52 feet curb-to-curb, a length of about 790 feet (0.15 mile), and currently does not have a posted speed limit. This segment of Salk A venue follows a linear alignment and has a centerline grade of 2.88%. In Spring 2007, the extension of Salk A venue from Fermi Court to El Camino Real was completed. A stop sign was installed at the stem of the "T" on Fermi Court at Salk A venue. Additionally, to establish the preferred pedestrian crossing location at the intersection, and to enhance pedestrian visibility, painted crosswalks were added at the pedestrian ramps in both the east/west and north/south directions. A pedestrian crossing sign has been added on Salk Avenue on the eastbound approach to Fermi Court to give notice to drivers of the pedestrian crossing location. A pedestrian crossing sign for the westbound approach to Fermi Court will be added on Salk A venue when the contractor completes the construction punchlist. ( ( CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: August 6, 2007 ITEMNO. 6B ( continued) Currently, on-street parallel parking is allowed on both sides of Salk Avenue from College Boulevard to Fermi Court. However, parking is prohibited via signs placed on both sides of Salk Avenue beginning at Fermi Court and continuing easterly to El Camino Real. The parking prohibition in this segment of Salk A venue is due to the curvilinear geometry of this roadway segment and the need to maintain adequate corner sight distance. Traffic counts that were collected at two locations on Salk A venue on July 10, 2007 verify that significantly more drivers utilize Salk A venue between College Boulevard and Fermi Court than from Fermi Court to El Camino Real. The volume imbalance is expected to change after buildings located on the newer segment of Salk A venue become occupied. Salk Avenue traffic volumes obtained July 10, 2007 are presented in Table A. An additional traffic count obtained on the easterly portion of Salk A venue on July 17, 2007 is also indicated on Table A. DATE 7/10/07 7/10/07 7/17/07 TABLE A 24-HOUR TRAFFIC VOLUMES SALK AVENUE 24-HOURADT LOCATION .E/B W/B TOTAL Salk A venue east of College Boulevard 1,682 1,267 2,949 Salk A venue west of El Camino Real 36 459 495 Salk A venue west of El Camino Real 36 489 525 Upon receipt of the letter from Mr. Schulberg, staff began an informal survey of parked vehicles on Salk A venue. At random times during the week and weekends, the number of parked vehicles on each side of Salk A venue were noted, including whether the vehicle was parked on the north or south side of Salk A venue. Salk A venue survey results are presented in the attached Summary of On-Street Parking Results. Based upon observations from June 28, 2007 thru July 26, 2007, the majority of vehicles were found to park Monday through Friday and primarily on the south side of Salk A venue. The maximum total number of vehicles parked on both sides was observed to be 26 vehicles on a weekday. Further, staff found that on-street parking on Fermi Court was fully utilized during the weekday, including parking spaces at the businesses on Fermi Court. To control on-site parking, some of the off-street private facilities have a sign indicating that parking requires a permit or that a parking space is specifically assigned to an individual. Based upon a review of Tenant Improvement Plans for each business located on Fermi Court, there are more off-street parking spaces provided than required for the industrial lots on Fermi Court. With most of the industrial lots being at maximum utilization of their on-site parking, staff concludes that Fermi Court and Salk A venue are both being used for overflow parking. CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: August 6, 2007 ( continued) ITEMNO. 6B In years past, staff has received a number of requests from the property owners to add to or maintain the existing public on-street parking to accommodate the industrial lot parking overflow. It should be noted that the City of Carlsbad does not enforce CC&R's and is not obligated to provide additional parking for private businesses. For various reasons, there has not been a demonstrated need to remove on-street parking except in specific locations. These include some portions of Salk A venue and Fermi Court that have been painted red to remove parking due to a fire hydrant location or limited comer sight visibility. Salk Avenue is sufficiently wide to accommodate parked vehicles on both sides and also provide a travel lane in each direction. In the future, to accommodate a significant traffic volume increase on Salk A venue, property owners will be required to install a traffic signal at the College Boulevard and Salk Avenue intersection. Also, two southbound left-tum lanes from College Boulevard to eastbound Salk Avenue will be required. This is an addition of one left-tum lane and it will require striping revisions on Salk A venue to facilitate the two eastbound traffic lanes needed for the future dual left-tum lanes on College Boulevard. These future changes will necessitate the removal of a portion of the available parking on Salk A venue. At this time, however, no improvement plans for the changes have been submitted and the exact length of parking removal has not been determined. In general, parking restrictions on a public street are considered when there are significant safety concerns that would result from vehicles being parked on the street or if conflicts are present with the parked vehicles. In the last five years, there have been no reported traffic collisions on Fermi Court. One traffic collision in May 2005 was reported on Salk A venue when a tractor with a semi-trailer failed to negotiate the tum from Fermi Court to westbound Salk A venue. This collision resulted in a hit and run. Staff has not found, at this time, a demonstrated problem or safety issue on Salk A venue that results when vehicles are parked on either side. Therefore, a parking restriction on one or both sides of Salk Avenue is not recommended. Staff recognizes that future intersection control at College Boulevard and Salk A venue will require removal of parking on a portion of the south side of Salk A venue and a limited portion of the north side. The parking removal would be implemented with the installation of signs that indicate "No Parking Anytime". RECOMMENDATION: The Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommends that the request to establish a No Parking zone on both sides of Salk A venue from College Boulevard to Fermi Court be denied. Staff further recommends a monitoring of Salk A venue and should safety be compromised, a reconsideration of a parking restriction could be initiated. NECESSARY CITY COUNCIL ACTION: No action required by the City Council if the request is denied. f .. __ _ --- NOT TO SCALE ( LOCATION MAP REQUESTED NO PARKING ZONE PROJECT NAME REQUESTED "NO PARKING" ZONE SALK AVENUE DRAWN BY: SCOTT £VANS, CARLSBAD £NG/NEERING DE:PT. 7/17/07 C: \mAmC\PARKING\PARKING-SALK A\IE".DWG EXHIBIT 1 Date June 28, 2007 June 28, 2007 June 29, 2007 June 30, 2007 July 1, 2007 July 2, 2007 July 2, 2007 July 2, 2007 July 3, 2007 July 5, 2007 July 5, 2007 July 5, 2007 July 7, 2007 July 9, 2007 July 9, 2007 July 9, 2007 July 9, 2007 July 10, 2007 July 10, 2007 July 10, 2007 July 10, 2007 July 10, 2007 July 11, 2007 July 11, 2007 July 11, 2007 July 11, 2007 July 11, 2007 July 11, 2007 July 13, 2007 July 13, 2007 July 13, 2007 July 14, 2007 July 16, 2007 July 16, 2007 July 17, 2007 July 17, 2007 July 17, 2007 July 17, 2007 July 17, 2007 July 18, 2007 July 19, 2007 July 19, 2007 July 19, 2007 July 19, 2007 July 20, 2007 July-20, 2007 July 24, 2007 July 25, 2007 July 25, 2007 July 26, 2007 July 26, 2007 SUMMARY OF ON-STREET PARKING RESULTS SALK AVENUE COLLEGEBOULEVARDTOFERMICOURT North Side South Side ])~y•of (Total (Total Time Week Vehicles} Vehicles) 10:15 a.m. Thursday 8 13 1:45 p.m. Thursday 2 13 11:20 a.m. Friday 8 11 1:10 p.m. Saturday 1 0 5:30p.m. Sunday 0 0 9:45 a.m. Monday 7 8 12:48 p.m. Monday 7 10 4:28 p.m. Monday 2 5 1:00p.m. Tuesday 2 4 7:01 a.m. Thursday 0 1 10:30 a.m. Thursday 2 7 1:45p.m. Thursday 1 4 7:02 a.m. Saturday 0 0 7:14 a.m. Monday 0 1 8:30 a.m. Monday 4 10 1:15 p.m. Monday 4 11 4:17p.m. Monday 5 4 7:28 a.m. Tuesday 0 3 7:30 a.m. Tuesday 0 3 8:00 a.m. Tuesday 2 7 8:36 a.m. Tuesday 6 10 1:30 p.m. Tuesday 5 11 8:24 a.m. Wednesday 6 11 9:00 a.m. Wednesday 7 15 9:35 a.m. Wednesday 9 16 11:35 a.m. Wednesday 9 15 1:25 p.m. Wednesday 10 16 2:35p.m. Wednesday 10 13 11:20 a.m. Friday 9 11 12:40 p.m. Friday 9 6 2:45p.m. Friday 4 6 11:41 a.m. Saturday 0 0 8:15 a.m. Monday 6 5 4:21 p.m. Monday 3 9 9:10 a.m. Tuesday 11 9 9:28 a.m. Tuesday 11 11 11:30 a.m. Tuesday 11 13 3:13 p.m. Tuesday 9 6 3:32p.m. Tuesday 9 5 11:15 a.m. Wednesday 13 11 12:28 p.m. Thursday 8 10 12:43 p.m. Thursday 8 10 3:30p.m. Thursday 5 8 3:40 p.m. Thursday 5 7 9:05 a.m. Friday 8 12 10:26 a.m. Friday 13 13 12:35 p.m. Tuesday 5 7 2:15 p.m. Wednesday 5 12 3:18 p.m. Wednesday 4 13 12:20p.m. Thursday 5 12 3:12 p.m. Thursday 4 10 Both•·Si-.les (Total I>arked Vehicles)· 21 15 19 1 0 15 17 7 6 1 9 5 0 1 14 15 9 3 3 9 16 16 17 22 25 24 26 23 20 15 10 0 11 12 20 22 24 15 14 24 18 18 13 12 20 26 12 17 17 17 14 I CARLSBAD RESEARCH CENTER Mr. Bob Johnson City of Carlsbad Public Works -Engineering Department 1635 Faraday A venue Carlsbad, California 92008 Dear Mr. Johnson: OWNERS' ASSOCIATION RECEIVED JUL 05 2007 ENGINEERING DEPARTMeNT The Carlsbad Research Center Owner's Association (CRCOA) would like to call your attention to a public safety traffic concern regarding Salk Avel).Ue. As you know Salk A venue has recently been built-out and what was formerly a stub road off 9ollege A venue, is now a through route to El Camino Real. The connection has resulted in a significant increase in vehicular use and speed on Salk Avenue. This connection serves as an important link between two major roadways and will no, doubt see increasing use. The new reaqh of Salk Avenue, east of Fermi Court, is posted as a No Parking Zone. However, Salk Avenue, west of Fermi Court is not posted and on-street parking is allowed. The CRCOA believes this inconsistency creates an unsafe condition on Salk A venue. As cars move west on Salk from El Camino Real, they travel a wide street that curves and descends downhill, a condition that encourages travel at or al;,ove the posted speed limit. When this traffic passes Fermi Court, it encounters a Salk Avenue that is significantly narrowed by on-street parking. We believe this poses a risk to public safety related to people accessing their parked cars and creates the potential for ·collisions between cars pulling out from the curb and traffic on Salk A venue. Parking on the street in this location seems to create a hazardous condition which could be easily remedied. Therefore the CRCOA is seeking the city's help in correcting this condition. In the interest of safeiy and consistency we ask that the City dt:signawand post all of Saik Avenue as a No Parking zone. The CRCOA would also like to point out that it is clearly the intent of the Carlsbad Research Center Specific Plan to discourage' on-street parking. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions or require additional information. Sincerely, Seth Schulberg CRCOA Staff 1530 FARADAY AVE., STE. 100, CARLSBAD CA 92008, PH: 760/931-0780 FNC 760/931-5744