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HomeMy WebLinkAbouttecm_031015TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MINUTES March 10, 2015 Minutes MEMBERS PRESENT Dan Baxter, TEC Chairman Rick Seanor, Staff Ben Kageyama, Staff Roger Vincent, Public Representative Trent Taylor, UPD Dan Hunt, Staff Kevin Thompson, Staff MEMBERS ABSENT John Lampi, TEC Vice -Chairman OTHERS PRESENT Maureen Mulheren, Council Member Jillian Berry, New Life Preschool Shelley Schmidt, UVAH Pam Jensen, UVAH STAFF PRESENT Lory Limbird Darin Malugani, Public Works Department Nancy Sawyer, Community Services Officer UPD 1. CALL TO ORDER The Traffic Engineering Committee meeting was called to order by Chairperson Baxter at 3:03 pm in Conference Room No. 5, Ukiah Civic Center Annex, 411 W. Clay Street, Ukiah, California. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES — November 18, 2014 O Motion/Second: Vincent/Taylor to approve November 18, 2014 minutes. Motion carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present. 3. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON NON -AGENDA ITEMS none 4. OLD BUSINESS Member Vincent remarked at the last TEC meeting a discussion occurred concerning the crosswalks in front of Oak Manor School. At that time a motion was made and seconded to have the Public Works Department investigate this site further and report back. Member Seanor stated that he, Tim Eriksen and Ben Kageyama had surveyed this site. There is concern about relocating the east -west crosswalk on Oak Manor Drive due to many driveways on the east side of Oak Manor Drive. Public Works perfers crosswalks to have a curb -cut so pedestrians can easily transition onto the sidewalk. Member Kageyama added that they had observed vehicles leaving the school driveway. He suggested the school district could provide a painted median on the school's private property as part of school district improvements. Officer Sawyer stated two school administrators patrol the exit area during heavy traffic which lasts approximately 12 minutes. Only one school bus is allowed to turn left during heavy traffic times; all other vehicles are directed to only turn right. This empties out the parking lot efficiently. Member Taylor wanted to make sure the school understands that they cannot direct traffic out in street. Officer Sawyer reminded the committee that the school is still interested in moving the cross O walk. Member Kageyama stated that if the crosswalk is moved north, there are existing residential driveways that would conflict with that crosswalk. MINUTES of the Traffic Engineering Committee March 10, 2015 Page 1 Member Seanor stated the Public Works Department will look into this further. Chairman Baxter stated this discussion will resume at the next TEC meeting. 5. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Request for School Zone at New Life Preschool. Member Seanor introduced this item. He received a letter from Jillian Berry, Chairwoman of New Life Preschool, requesting consideration of a school zone in the area surrounding New Life Preschool. Staff determined that a preschool does not meet the definition of a school and, therefore, it would be inconsistent with state and national standards to post school zone signs. Jillian Berry stated when driving north bound on N. Oak Street, there is not a 25 mph speed sign for about 10 blocks. She asked if a sign could be installed close to the school. New Life Preschool has provided kindergarten classes in the past. If New Life Preschool provides kindergarten classes in the future, would that justify a school zone? Member Seanor stated the definition of a school is for grades kindergarten through 12th recognized by the state education authority. Jillian Berry asked if the intersection of N. Oak Street and Henry Street would qualify for a four-way stop. Member Seanor stated to put in a four-way stop; this area would have to go through an engineering traffic study and did not think this site would qualify. N. Oak Street is designed to be a through traffic street. Council Member Mulheren asked if pedestrian crossing signs could be put in the street? Member Seanor answered there are such signs on Perkins and State where there are multiple lanes of traffic but this area does not qualify. OJillian Berry asked if there is anything that can be done to make this site safer? Member Taylor suggested to install speed limit signs closer to the area and to paint 25 mph in traffic lanes. Member Vincent asked if the city could paint the crosswalks yellow the next time they are scheduled to be painted. Staff Malugani stated the school zones are painted at the end of summer before school starts. Member Taylor stated that if portable pedestrian crossing figures are put on the sidewalk, this becomes an encroachment issue. Member Seanor clarified that portable figures can be put on private property but not in the street or on the sidewalk. Jillian Berry made clear that the main issue is speeding on N. Oak Street. Motion/Second: Vincent/Taylor to install a 25 mph speed limit sign on the east side of N. Oak Street visible to north bound traffic in the 200 or 300 block of N. Oak Street. Motion carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present. b. Discussion Regarding the Operation of the Traffic Signals at the North State Street and Scott Street Intersection and at the North State Street and Norton Street Intersection (verbal report). Member Seanor delivered a verbal report to answer a letter he received from Linda Barnes concerning the operation of traffic signals at the intersections of N. State St. and OScott St. and N. State St. and Norton St. MINUTES of the Traffic Engineering Committee March 10, 2015 Page 2 The traffic signals at the intersections of N. State St. and Scott St. and N. State St. and Norton St. have had the same traffic signal control program for at least the last 20 years. The signals are programmed to have the northbound signal at State and Scott turn red prior to the southbound turning red. This additional time for the southbound green signal at State and Scott allows southbound traffic to clear out of the "gap" on State St. between Norton St. and Scott St. This allows for the next cycle of northbound traffic at State and Scott to have a chance to turn left when this signal turns green. All collision reports are funneled into the SWITRS (Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System) data base. Three different collisions were reported in the vicinity of the N. State St. and Scott St. and N. State St. and Norton St. intersections between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014. None of the primary collision factors on these 3 reports were related to the signal regarding left turns onto Scott Street or Norton Street. Council Member Mulheren asked if it would be possible to post warning signs for north bound traffic on State Street, for example "LEFT TURN YIELD ON GREEN". Member Seanor stated there is a project being worked on that will start soon called the Downtown Streetscape Project. This project involves a "road diet" which will convert State Street to one lane north bound and one lane south bound with left turn pockets starting at Henry Street and proceeding south to Mill Street. Ultimately, the "road diet" will extend north on State St. from Henry St. to Norton St. and south on State St. from Mill St. to Gobbi St. When the project is extended north to Norton St., left turn lanes will be evaluated at the intersections of State and Scott and State and Norton. O The Public Works Department could install "LEFT TURN YIELD ON GREEN" signs on the signal arms to be coordinated with the Electric Department for use of their bucket truck at both Scott Street and Norton Street. Motion/Second: Taylor/Vincent to put up signs as discussed at both Scott and Norton Streets. Motion carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present. c. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Removal of Passenger Loading Zones and Posting School Area Signs on South Dora Street near St. Mary of the Angels Catholic School. Member Seanor introduced this item. He received a letter from Jim Werner, on behalf of the St. Mary of the Angels Catholic School, asking the committee to consider removing the two passenger loading zones adjacent to the school. In addition, Mr. Werner requested the consideration of additional school area signs. Member Seanor recommended putting up signage at the yellow crosswalk, one north bound and the other south bound to indicate the school crossing on S. Dora Street. Member Taylor stated that in the past, UVAH put out cones in front of their building to reserve that space for their vans which was an encroachment issue. He would like to see this area changed to a bus loading zone to allow UVAH to load and unload their vans. Pam Jensen produced a letter from UVAH to Rick Seanor sent by USPS on March 6, 2015. Member Seanor indicated that he had not received the letter. Shelley Schmidt from UVAH asked if the passenger loading zone now in front of UVAH at 915 S. Dora Street could be extended south for a total length of 52 feet on the east MINUTES of the Traffic Engineering Committee March 10, 2015 Page 3 side of S. Dora Street so UVAH could use the area for loading and unloading their clients. Member Taylor suggested that the committee resolve St. Mary's request at this time and consider the UVAH issues at the next meeting. Member Seanor stated any action to remove parking spaces has to be presented to the City Council. If UVAH issues are considered at next TEC meeting on April 14, this issue could be presented to the City Council during the May 6t' meeting. Motion/Second: Taylor/Vincent to remove the two passenger loading zones and install the School Crossing Assembly signs. These actions will occur after the other issues with the bus zone in front of UVAH are dealt with. Motion carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present. 6. COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS Chairman Baxter stated MTA has been asked to remove the existing bus stop shelter on Mason Street at Clara Avenue by the owner of the Ukiah Window Store, the store adjacent to the shelter location. The owner is remodeling the business and the shelter is now in front of the door that will become a main entrance. The shelter will be moved to the other side of Clara Avenue. Member Kageyama stated the Rail Trail project is temporarily on hold. The contractor is waiting for the lights for the Rail Trail to arrive. Work will resume soon. Council Member Mulheren asked when the cones will be removed from Gobbi Street at the south end of the Rail Trail. Member Kageyama replied the cones will be removed when the permanent signs are installed. Chairman Baxter stated he went to a meeting concerning county connections to the Smart Train. The Smart Train is projected to start operation at the end of 2016. The rail head probably will not be located any further north than Windsor or the Santa Rosa airport. 7. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS none 8. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:12 p.m. Lo4otimbire de6rding Secretary MINUTES of the Traffic Engineering Committee March 10, 2015 Page 4