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HomeMy WebLinkAbouttecp_111814 Please be advised that the City needs to be notified 72 hours in advance of a meeting if any specific accommodations or interpreter services are needed in order for you to attend. The City complies with ADA requirements and will attempt to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities upon request. I hereby certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing agenda was posted on the bulletin board at the main entrance of the City of Ukiah City Hall, located at 300 Seminary Avenue, Ukiah, California, not less than 72 hours prior to the meeting set forth on this agenda. Dated this 14th day of November, 2014 Lory Limbird, Recording Secretary TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE AGENDA REGULAR MEETING UKIAH CIVIC CENTER ANNEX Conference Room No. 5 411 West Clay Street Ukiah, California 95482 TUESDAY, November 18, 2014 3:30 P.M. _________________________________________________ 1. CALL TO ORDER: 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: August 12, 2014 3. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS: The Traffic Engineering Committee welcomes input from the audience. In order for everyone to be heard, please limit your comments to three (3) minutes per person and not more than 10 minutes per subject. The Brown Act regulations do not allow action to be taken on non-agenda items. 4. OLD BUSINESS: 5. NEW BUSINESS: a. Discussion and Possible Action regarding request for no parking zone at 732 S. State Street (Ellie’s Mutt Hutt). b. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Proposed No Parking Zone on West Church Street between Spring Street and Thompson Street. c. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Oak Manor School Crosswalk. d. Verbal Report on the composition of the Traffic Engineering Committee. 6. COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS: 7. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS: 8. ADJOURNMENT: MINUTES of the Traffic Engineering Committee August 12, 2014 Page 1 TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MINUTES 1 August 12, 2014 2 Minutes 3 4 MEMBERS PRESENT OTHERS PRESENT 5 Dan Baxter, TEC Chairman Meredyth Reinhard, Public Health 6 Rick Seanor, Staff Robert L. Faulk 7 Roger Vincent, Public Representative Phil Baldwin, City Council, Mayor of Ukiah 8 Trent Taylor, UPD A.R. “Buck” Ganter 9 Ben Kageyama, Staff Pinky Kushner 10 Jerry Whitaker, Staff Mark Hilliker 11 Susan Knopf 12 13 MEMBERS ABSENT STAFF PRESENT 14 Kim Jordan, Staff Lory Limbird 15 John Lampi, Public Representative Jarod Thiele 16 17 1. CALL TO ORDER 18 The Traffic Engineering Committee meeting was called to order by Chairperson Baxter at 3:00 pm in 19 Conference Room No. 5, Ukiah Civic Center Annex, 411 W. Clay Street, Ukiah, California. 20 21 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – July 8, 2014 22 Chairman Baxter corrected the minutes to state “Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas” instead of 23 “Buddhists”. 24 25 M/S: Taylor/Vincent to approve July8, 2014 minutes with correction. Motion carried by an all AYE 26 voice vote of the members present. 27 28 3. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS 29 none 30 31 4. OLD BUSINESS 32 none 33 34 5. NEW BUSINESS 35 a. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Traffic Concerns on Walnut Avenue. 36 37 Member Seanor introduced this item. Staff received a letter from Robert L. Faulk requesting 38 consideration of traffic items on Walnut Avenue. Walnut Avenue is approximately 37 feet wide with 39 parking and sidewalks on both sides of the street. There are a number of cars parked along the street 40 which has the effect of making the street appear narrow to drivers. Walnut Avenue extends from Todd 41 Grove Municipal Park to N. Pine Street providing access to the park, the Municipal Pool, Anton 42 Stadium, the Golf Course and neighborhoods. In April 2012, an engineering and traffic survey (speed 43 zone survey) completed on Walnut Avenue confirmed the posted 25 mph speed zone. Staff observed 44 that there is no speed limit sign for eastbound traffic. The Street Maintenance Division is scheduled to 45 install a 25 mph sign on Walnut Avenue for eastbound traffic. Since the week of July 28, 2014, the 46 speed radar trailer has been posted on Walnut Avenue east of Todd Road. The speed radar trailer is 47 an effective tool to provide direct feedback to drivers of their speed compared to the posted speed 48 zone. Staff recommends Walnut Avenue for the Police Department’s “Directed Enforcement 49 Program” which will provide additional emphasis on driving within the posted speed limit. 50 51 Mark Hilliker entered at 3:07 pm. 52 53 At the intersection of N. Pine Street and Scott Street there is a green guide sign which directs traffic for 54 the Municipal Park, Golf Course and Municipal Pool to Walnut Avenue. Staff recommends that the 55 MINUTES of the Traffic Engineering Committee August 12, 2014 Page 2 arrow on this sign be reversed to direct traffic to Grove Avenue. There is a second green sign on the 1 southwest corner of Pine Street and Walnut Avenue. This sign should be relocated to Pine Street and 2 Grove Avenue. 3 4 A “STOP” sign is not recommended for the intersection of Walnut Avenue and N. Spring Street. Stop 5 signs are considered when there is an equal volume of traffic on both cross streets and there is a high 6 volume of pedestrians. Stop signs are specifically not to be used as speed control devices. 7 8 A crosswalk on Walnut Avenue at N. Spring Street is not recommended. A crosswalk at this location 9 would have the effect of a mid-block crosswalk which may give pedestrians a false sense of security. 10 This location may be a candidate project for “Safe Routes to School” funding with additional work to 11 establish the crossing location. 12 13 Staff recommends: 14 1. Walnut Avenue for the Police Department’s “Directed Enforcement Program”; and 15 2. Modification to the two green guide signs located at N. Pine Street and Scott Street and on the 16 southwest corner of Pine Street and Walnut Avenue to direct traffic to Grove Avenue. 17 18 Member Taylor explained that with the “Direct Enforcement Program”, Walnut Avenue will be included 19 in the police briefing and the officers will then target this area. 20 21 Member Vincent stated his opinion that school buses use Walnut Avenue instead of Grove Avenue 22 because it is quicker for school buses to use Walnut Avenue. A bus can turn the corner at a protected 23 stop sign instead of waiting for a break in on-coming traffic. It is difficult to see down Walnut Avenue 24 because of all the cars that park along this street. Children walking to and from Pomolita Middle 25 School walk across Walnut Avenue in the morning and afternoon on every school day. This should 26 warrant a 4-way stop sign at Walnut Avenue and Spring Street. 27 28 Member Seanor stated that limited sight distance is a consideration for a stop sign. 29 30 Robert Faulk asked why there are crosswalks on Grove Avenue and not on Walnut Avenue. 31 32 Member Seanor stated that historically crosswalks were located on Grove Avenue. 33 34 Member Whitaker added that the crosswalks on Grove Avenue are painted yellow because they are 35 closer to the school. 36 37 Robert Faulk stated there are parties that include drinking of alcohol at Anton Stadium and Todd 38 Grove Park. This means drinkers drive very fast down Walnut Avenue usually at speeds much higher 39 than limit. 40 41 Member Seanor restated that the concern is a crosswalk at Walnut Avenue and Spring Street would 42 have the effect of a mid-block crosswalk which may give pedestrians a false sense of security when 43 crossing the street. 44 45 Mark Hilliker stated he lives at 618 Grove Avenue and the rate of speed coming down Grove is 46 always over the speed limit of 25 mph, usually over 35 mph. 47 48 Susan Knopf stated she lives at 460 Todd Road which is ½ block from Walnut Avenue. There is 49 definitely a problem when parents are picking up the children who participate in Pop Warner and 50 cheerleading practices. There have been times when she was unable to cross Walnut Avenue. 51 52 Member Taylor stated that if a speed zone survey finds that 85% of people drive faster than 25 mph, 53 speed limit in that area can then be increased. This is not what is wanted in this neighborhood. 54 55 MINUTES of the Traffic Engineering Committee August 12, 2014 Page 3 Chairperson Baxter asked if the Committee wants to ask Rick Seanor to investigate the site again to 1 determine if a stop sign is warranted at Walnut Avenue and Spring Street. 2 3 Robert Faulk asked if the police would accept a list of color and model of the cars and the license 4 plate numbers of habitual speeders. 5 6 Member Taylor replied to Mr. Faulk that he can make a list and email it to him and it will be added to 7 the police briefing. 8 9 Member Taylor would like to have the city council fund permanent flashing signs put under the stop 10 signs. 11 12 Pinky Kushner stated that Spring Street has a rise and flattening which makes cars approaching 13 Walnut Avenue hard to see. 14 15 Member Seanor stated that an unwarranted stop sign could be challenged in court. 16 17 Motion made by Member Vincent to go with the 2 staff recommendations and add a 4-way stop and 18 crosswalks at the intersection of Walnut Avenue and Spring Street. This motion died for lack of a 19 second. 20 21 M/S Taylor/Whitaker to recommend that more research to be done in the area of Walnut Avenue and 22 Spring Street to determine if a 4-way stop sign and crosswalks are warranted there. Motion carried by 23 a 5 AYE/1 NO voice vote of the members present. The NO vote was cast by Member Vincent. 24 25 6. COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS 26 Member Kageyama announced that the NWP Rail Trail Project has been awarded to a local 27 contractor, Gregg Simpson Trucking. Work will start at end of August. This project will include a bike 28 and pedestrian trail running along the railroad tracks from Gobbi Street to Clara Avenue. Included will 29 be crosswalks on Gobbi Street and Perkins Avenue. There may be trail lighting installed in the future. 30 31 Member Vincent stated there was an article in the Ukiah Daily Journal about the Grand Jury 32 recommendations for crosswalks countywide. Ukiah City Council did authorize the engineering 33 response from the Department of Public Works. 34 35 Chairperson Baxter stated Electric Department Director Grandi made a comment about the traffic 36 light located at Talmage Road and Airport Park Blvd. When travelling north on Airport Park Blvd, 37 traffic cannot proceed north onto Betty Street. There is a green turn signal for traffic turning west onto 38 Talmage Road but there is a standard green light for traffic turning east and not a turn signal. This 39 could be confusing to drivers. 40 41 The traffic signal located at State Street from Hastings Avenue is very short there causing back-ups 42 especially when driving west over State Street. 43 44 Member Seanor explained this signal was damaged and is now on recall mode giving a fixed time for 45 traffic to cross the intersection. The loop is scheduled to be fixed at this location. 46 47 7. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS 48 none 49 50 8. ADJOURNMENT 51 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:58 p.m. 52 53 54 55 Lory Limbird, Recording Secretary 56 Attachment “B” Proposed no parking zone CITY CODE, UKIAH, CALIFORNIA AGENDA ITEM 5D §7030 CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER; OFFICE ESTABLISHED The office of City Traffic Engineer is hereby established. The office of City Traffic Engineer shall consist of a committee who shall serve without additional compensation, consisting of the City Manager, the Chief of Police, the City Engineer, the Planning Director, the Superintendent of Public Works or their duly appointed representatives, together with a representative of the local transit authority, and two (2) City residents of driving age, each of whom may from time to time be determined and appointed by the Council. The chairman shall be chosen by vote of the committee. Any member of such committee, whether appointed by this Chapter or by action of the Council, may be removed by the Council at any time. (Ord. 553, §1, adopted 1963; Ord. 985, §1, adopted 1997; Ord. 1025, §1, adopted 2000) §7031 USE OF TERM "CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER" Whenever in this Chapter the designation or term "City Traffic Engineer" is used, it shall mean the committee comprising the office of City Traffic Engineer acting through a majority of the members thereof, or a duly authorized representative of the office of City Traffic Engineer. All references to the office of City Traffic Engineer in the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter and the singular shall include the plural. (Ord. 553, §4, adopted 1963) §7032 POWERS AND DUTIES UNDER THIS CHAPTER The City Traffic Engineer shall exercise the powers and duties as provided in this Chapter and in the traffic laws in this City. Whenever the City Traffic Engineer is required or authorized to place or maintain official traffic-control devices or signals, he may cause such devices or signals to be placed or maintained. (Ord. 553, §4, adopted 1963) §7033 POWERS AND DUTIES GENERALLY; DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY It shall be the general duty of the City Traffic Engineer to determine the installation and proper timing and maintenance of traffic-control devices and signals, to conduct engineering analyses of traffic accidents and to devise remedial measures, to conduct engineering and traffic investigations of traffic conditions and to cooperate with other City officials in the development of ways and means to improve traffic conditions, and to carry out the additional powers and duties imposed by ordinances of this City. Whenever, by the provisions of this Chapter, a power is granted to the City Traffic Engineer or a duty imposed upon him, the power may be exercised or the duty performed by his deputy or by a person authorized in writing by him. (Ord. 553, §1, adopted 1963) §7034 MEETINGS; RECORDS The City Traffic Engineer shall hold at least one regular meeting each month. It shall adopt rules for the transaction of business and shall keep a record of its resolutions, transactions, findings and determinations, which record shall be a public record. (Ord. 610, §1, adopted 1971)