HomeMy WebLinkAbouttecp_091493TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE
UKIAH CIVIC CENTER
Conference Room 3
300 Seminary Avenue
Ukiah, California 95482
SEPTEMBER 14, 1993
2:00 P.M.
A G E N D A
BEARD, BORECKY FOR GOFORTH,
BUDROW, FERNANDEZ, FORD,
HARRIS, AND TURNER
I
IZ.
III
CALL TO ORDER
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: JULY 13, 1993
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS:
a. Request from Methodist Church for Passenger Loading
Zone at Entrance on Smith Street between Pine and
Bush Streets - Mrs. Keene
b. Request from Senior Center for Red Curb Next to
North Driveway - Senior Center
c. Request for Fire Lane Designation in Cul-de-sac of
Mendocino Place - Roger A. Sprehn, Fire Marshal
d. Speed Humps in City Streets to Reduce Vehicle Speed
- Traffic Committee
e. Existing Parking Limits:
Mason Street, West Side - All Day Parking
Mason Street, East Side - 1 1/2 Hour Parking
- Traffic Committee
f. Parking, East Side of Orchard along Mervyn's
Frontage - Traffic Committee
g. Request for Red Curb, North Side Ford Street, North
State Street to where Street Widens - Traffic
Committee
h. Request to Consolidate MTA Routes through Town -
Traffic Committee
Traffic Engineering Committee
September 9, 1993
Page 2
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS (continued)
i. Alternatives for Gobbi Street - Waugh Lane
Intersection Congestion - Traffic Committee
j. Consider Recommendation to Remove Traffic Signals
at North State Street and Norton Street - Bill
Beard
IV. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
V. ADJOURNMENT
B:1\TEC
A091493
TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE
UKIAH CIVIC CENTER
Conference Room 3
300 Seminary Avenue
Ukiah, California 95482
AUGUST 10, 1993
2:00 P.M.
The Traffic Engineering Committee meeting of August 10, 1993, was
canceled. The City Manager declared August as a hiatus month.
Kathy Kinch, recording Secretary
TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE
MINUTES
JULY 13, 1993
2:00 p. m.
The meeting was called to order at 2:03 p.m. by Chairman Turner, in Conference Room 3, at
the Ukiah Civic Center, Ukiah, California. Members present were: Beard, Budrow, Fernandez,
and Ford.
Members absent: Borecky and Hams.
Others Present: Henry Brooks, Ken Lovelady, Mrs. Kurt Yost, and B. J. Bell, Cazol Hugo
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
ON A MOTION by Ford, seconded by Fernandez, it was carried by the following roll call vote,
to the Traffic Engineering minutes of June 8, 1993, were approved as submitted.
AYES: Beard, Budrow, Fernandez, Ford and Chairman Turner.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: Borecky and Hams.
ABSTAIN: None.
STAFF REPORTS
a. Mill Street and Siring Street Intersection. Enforcement Report. Public
Works/Engineerine Report on Intersection Visibility and Identification
Bill Beazd reported the intersection of Mill and Spring Streets could possibly be identified with
a solid yellow and broken yellow centerline running east and west and north and south on Mill
Street and Spring Street to help identify the location as different then mid-block azeas.
b. Helen Avenue Washington Avenue to South End of Helen Avenue
Bill Beazd reported the 1993/94 Budget includes a project to construct curb, gutter, sidewalk and
widen the paving along the frontage of Nokomis School on Helen Avenue. The project would
provide sidewalk for school children and keep them separated from pazked vehicles.
MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE JULY 13, 1993
1
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS
a. Request to Eliminate Red Curb. West Side of Mason Street between Standley Street and
Smith Street - Schwazm's Paint Store
Cazol Hugo stated one additional parking space could be obtained for customer parking if the
red curb between Standley and Smith Streets was eliminated.
ON A MOTION by Beard, seconded by Fernandez, it was carved by the following roll call
vote, to approve the request to eliminate the red curb, west side of Mason Street between
Standley Street and Smith Street.
AYES: Beard, Budrow, Fernandez, Ford and Chairman Turner.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: Borecky and Hams.
ABSTAIN: None.
b. Request for Red Curb between Driveway at 421 Pomolita Drive and Driveway to
Medical Office Next Door -Henry Brooks
Mr. Brooks explained the curb length between the driveways of 421 Pomolita and the medical
office, located next door, is a short curb. Customers for the medical office park at the curb,
however, there is adequate parking space in the pazking lot of the medical office. The curb is
to short to accommodate a compact or any size vehicle, and, therefore, the vehicles block the
access to the driveway of 421 Pomolita preventing him exiting or entering his driveway. He is
requesting a red curb to eliminate on-street parking between the driveway of 421 Pomolita Drive
and the driveway of the medical office next door.
It was noted the curb is currently painted red, however, the paint is faded.
It was the consensus of the Traffic Engineering Committee to repaint the red curb between the
driveway of 421 Pomolita Drive and the driveway to medical office next door.
c. Request for Controls to Slow Speeding Traffic on Willow Avenue between Dora Street
and Spring Street -Ken Lovelady
Mr. Lovelady advised vehicles drive with excessive speed on Willow. He expressed a concern
for childrens safety who live in the residential azea. He noted there are no posted speed limit
signs and inquired if a "Children at Play" sign could be posted.
Ken Budrow suggested the possibility of undulations on residential streets.
MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE JULY 13, 1993
2
There was discussion on the legal aspects and City liability of undulations on residential streets;
there are several residential streets where vehicles drive with excessive speed; there is no stop
sign at the intersection of Spring and Willow; stop signs do not reduce vehicle speed and are not
installed to control traffic speed; stop signs should not be placed on main arterial streets; and
traffic speed enforcement on residential streets is very difficult to achieve.
d. Request for Controls to Slow Speedine Traffic on North Oak Street between Low Gap
Road and Magnolia Street - Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Yost
Mrs. Yost explained people use North Oak Street as a cut-off to avoid the light at Low Gap and
North State Street. Vehicles fly around the curve in front of 1154 North Oak Street at very
dangerous speeds. She stated that after moving into their house someone cut the corner so close
that they drove three feet up on the lawn nearly hitting the moving van parked in the driveway.
ON A MOTION by Ford, seconded by Fernandez, it was carried by the following roll call vote,
that the City government establish a network of through streets and reduce traffic flow on side
streets.
Steve Turner stated that as part of the General Plan process, a traffic engineer performed traffic
counts and a cursory street study designating through streets versus neighborhood streets as
resource material for the Traffic and Circulation Committee. He suggested this item be
reviewed by the Planning Department for consideration in the General Plan.
Bill Beard stated he disagrees and the Committee should reevaluate traffic circulation in the City,
make recommendations for changes to establish through routes to eliminate traffic problems that
exists, and not focus on certain through streets and neighborhood streets.
AYES: Fernandez, Ford and Chairman Turner.
NOES: Budrow and Beard.
ABSENT: Borecky and Hams.
ABSTAIN: None.
e. Request for Stop Sien on Helen Avenue. North Bound at Doolan Canyon Drive and a
Crosswalk Across Doolan Canyon Drive at Helen Avenue -Jan McGourty
Bill Beard stated he received a telephone call from Mrs. McGourty requesting a stop sign and
crosswalk on Helen Avenue at Doolan Canyon Road.
MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE JULY 13, 1993
ON A MOTION by Budrow, seconded by Beard, it was carved by the following roll call vote,
to deny the request for a stop sign on Helen Avenue, north bound at Doolan Canyon Drive and
a crosswalk across Doolan Canyon Drive at Helen Avenue because there aze two (2) homes in
this area and a crosswalk would not be beneficial due to low traffic volume on Doolan Canyon
Drive.
AYES: Beazd, Budrow, Fernandez, Ford, and Chairman Turner.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: Borecky and Hams.
ABSTAIN: None.
f. Request to Relocate Bus Stop Located on the East Side of Orchazd Avenue at Hospital
Drive to the East Side of Orchard Avenue just North of the Mervyn's Driveway -Steve
Turner. MTA
ON A MOTION by Beard, seconded by Budrow, it was carried by the following roll call vote,
to approve the request by MTA to relocate the bus stop located on the east side of Orchard
Avenue at Hospital Drive to the east side of Orchazd Avenue just north of the Mervyn's
driveway.
AYES: Beazd, Budrow, Fernandez, and Ford.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: Borecky and Hams.
ABSTAIN: Chairman Turner.
g. Request for a Permanent Bus Stop at Pomolita School on Dora Avenue, at North West
Corner of Spring Street -Steve Turner. MTA
ON A MOTION by Budrow, seconded by Fernandez, to approve the request by MTA for a
permanent bus stop at Pomolita School on Dora Avenue, at north west corner of Spring Street.
AYES: Beard, Budrow, Fernandez, and Ford.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: Borecky and Hams.
ABSTAIN: Chairman Turner.
h. Request for aThree-Way Stop Sign on Waugh Lane and Gobbi Street - B. J. Bell
Mr. Bell stated he would like to see athree-way stop on Waugh Lane and Gobbi Street. To
make aleft-hand turn from Waugh Lane onto Gobbi Street is very hazardous, and in 15 years
he has witnessed several accidents at this intersection.
MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE JULY 13, 1993
4
Stephen Ford stated that Gobbi Street is a main arterial and disagreed with the placement of stop
signs on Gobbi Street at Waugh Lane.
Mr. Bell asked if a yield/slow sign could be placed on Gobbi Street at Waugh Lane to slow
east/west bound traffic, allowing traffic from Waugh Lane to enter safely onto Gobbi Street.
Stephen Ford stated yield signs are not placed on main arterial streets.
Bill Beard advised there are funds in the 1993/94 budget for acquiring aright-of--way to extend
Clay Street, from the railroad tracks to Leslie at Peach, that will provide another east/west
connection between Gobbi and Perkins Streets. The City has also purchased property at
Talmage, east side of Waugh Lane for ultimate widening of the intersection.
Discussion followed regarding: placement of stop signs at Waugh Lane on Gobbi Street is too
close to the railroad crossing; the stop signs at Main and Gobbi Streets are of greater distance
from the railroad crossing; placement of a stop sign, for west bound traffic only, on Gobbi
Street; east bound traffic is the heaviest flow of traffic; installation of traffic signal lights at
Gobbi Street and Orchard Avenue could cause east bound traffic to backup onto the railroad
crossing; the narrow bridge on Waugh Lane causes traffic to back-up; the Orchard Avenue
extension can be used as easy access onto Gobbi Street; and placement of stop signs should not
be placed on main arterial streets.
ON A MOTION by Beard, seconded by Fernandez, it was carried by the following roll call
vote, traffic counts be obtained for the intersections of Leslie and Perkins Streets, Leslie and
Gobbi Streets, Waugh Lane and Gobbi Street and Waugh Lane and Talmage as information to
the Traffic Circulation Committee for the General Plan.
AYES: Beard, Fernandez, Ford, and Chairman Turner.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: Borecky and Hams.
ABSTAIN: None.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
Ken Budrow requested that a proposed red curb on Ford Street, north side of the street, from
State Street east approximately 200 feet be placed on the September agenda.
a. Traffic Circulation. Orchard Avenue. Gobbi Street to Brush Street and Orchard
Street/101 Interchanee
Bill Beard reported he has not received the final report from the initial phase of the study. Staff
will be obtaining a consultant proposal for Phase II which will outline in detail traffic circulation
and eventually preparing a Project Study Report (PSR) which Caltrans uses to evaluate a project.
MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE JULY 13, 1993
5
There will be discussions with the City, County, MCOG, and Caltrans as to what can be done
within allowable standards, what potential funding may be available, and give the City options
or alternatives on funding costs.
AD,iOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:02 p.m.
,2
Steve Turner, hairman
k, F , ~ ~ , , , i ~ J---~
Kathy Kinch, Rec. rding Secretary
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M071393
MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE JULY 13, 1993
6
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: September 8, 1993
TO: Traffic Engineering Committee r ~~~
FROM: Kathy Kinch, Recording Secretax~ ~ `~~ v
RE: LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 1, 1993 FROM MARY WATT
The attached letter is not an agenda item. However, it is being
forwarded to you for review and for discussion at the September 14,
1993 meeting.
See you there.
September I, 1993
TO: City Council -City of Ukiah ~~~
FROM: Mary Hiatt -~~//I'/I ~~~~'~~
RE: Walnut/Bush Intersection I ' l
Dear Members of the Council:
I live on the corner of Walnut and Bush and am very concerned with the traffic at this ,--,
intersection. There are stop signs on Bush, both north and southbound, but Walnut _, ~~
has no stops. Going west on Walnut there is "Stop Ahead" near the intersectio nd `'
people think the traffic is going to stop, but they don't and there are continual) recks.
Some people, who obviously almost got hit, honk nearing the intersection anti ail the'
way through it. Because there are no stops on Walnut, traffic comes down Doted
turns on Bush and gains time rathe rrtising State or Dora, creating a "main drag"
on Walnut/Bush. I have witness d 5 redcs so far and several near misses. Traffic
during school time only magnifie~ the_probtem.
I have written to the Public Works Department on two occasions and asked that the
engineering department look at the intersection and consider placing stops signs
at both the Walnut Street corners. My neighbors agree with the need for stop signs
here as well.
Please consider my request for review of this intersection. Thank you in advance.
Mary Hiatt
416 Walnut Ave.
Ukiah, CA 95482
MEMORANDUM
DATE: July 20, 1993
TO: Bill Beard, City Engineer
FROM: Roger A. Sprehn, Fire Mars I
SUBJECT: MENDOCINO PLACE -FIRE LANE DESIGNATION
As you may know, residents at the end of Mendocino Place use the cul-de-sac for
parking vehicles. Ukiah Fire Department personnel are concerned that this parking
may interfere with fire fighting efforts in the event of a structure or wildland fire in that
area. Fire Department apparatus requires a clear turn-around area with a 35' radius,
as well as clear areas to the fire hydrant at the end of the cul-de-sac.
I am requesting the Traffic Engineering Committee consider designating a "Fire Lane -
No Parking" area in this cul-de-sac.
Please let me know if you have questions or need additional information.
RAS:fm
INSTITUTE OF
TRANSPORTATION
STUDIES
Managing
Neighborhood
Twaff'c
The growing popularity of speed bumps in
Califomia has prompted Traffic Engineer Ed-
wazd Cline to design a "kinder, gentler speed
hump" which he contends reduces the prevail-
ingspeed withou[inducing motorists to "hutry-
up and slow: '
The "kinder, gentler" hump is about 2`/e inch
high -compared to a height of between 3 and
4 inches for the typical speed hump used in
Califomia. Although the difference is small,
Cline contends that even a variation of '/~ inch
is noticeable to drivers who travel over the
humps. The insGlllation of one 3'/,--inch-high
hump (due to a contractor's mistake 1 provoked
immediate complaints from irate motorists,
Cline says.
The 2'/a inch humps have been tested and
accepted for use in the cities of Agoura Hills
and Westlake Village. Recently, the city of
Los Angeles and Los Angeles Counry have
installed a few 2'/g inch speed humps to see
how well they work.
Cline, a consulting traffic engineer for tour
different Califomia cities and apart-time in-
swctorontraffic topics, gave his views on the
use of speed humps in askill-building session
on neighbofiood traffic managementpresented
at this year s Califomia Symposium on Trans-
portation Issues. Also covered in the session
were realistic speed zoning and implementa-
tion of preferential parking districts.
)Continued on page 4)
JULY 7993
S/wtter speed humps like this one can deter speeding as efjecrive/y at higher humps, Traffic Engineer Edt.nrdC/ine told
parricipants al the 45th California Symposium on Transportation /slues. See page !0 far library resources on the topic.
Managing
NeighAAborhood
V
/Continued from page l 1
Cline estimated that about 50 of California's
476 incorporated cities have now installed a[
least one speed hump - if only as a demonstra-
tionproject toassess whether speed humps are
effective in slowing traffic on residential streets.
The Institute of Transportation Engineers (f I'E)
is in the process of developing draft policies
and procedures on speed humps.
"All of you sooner or later will be confronted
with [he speed hump issue;' Cline told an
audience of transportation professionals. "Lo-
cal government is going to make you do it.
Don'[ do like I did and go ballistic (fighting i[).
Just be reasonable and follow some guide-
lines."
Data gathered about SIX
weeks after installation
indicated that the
average speed dropped
by 9 miles per hour.
Like most traffic engineers who strive to keep
traffic moving smoothly, Cline said, he has
been fmstrated over the years by neighbor-
hood residents' demands for traffic control
measures which people mistakenly believe
willmakestreetssafer. Suchmeasuresinclude
posting unrealistically low speed limits that
can't be enforced and installing stop signs
where traffic conditions don't justify them.
Cline said he opposed installing any speed
humps for many years, but learned [hat speed
humps could help resolve some neighborhood
speeding problems after [he City Council of
Agoura Hills insisted in 1987 that a series of
humps be installed on one 40-foot-wide resi-
dential street where speeding was a problem.
It was by accident [hat Cline discovered that
milder speed humps could work.
Although specifications called for 3-inch-high
humps over a 12-foot-long base, the contractor
ended up installing humps that were only
about 2'/, inches high. Cline found he could
comfortably drive his Buick over the humps a[
40 m.p.h., and he feared the low humps would
have little if any effect on the speed of traffic.
Surprising Results
Surprisingly, casual observation and hand-
held radar measurements seemed to indicate
that [he speed humps did slow traffic, although
Cline could not be certain because the "before"
data for the street were flawed. Still, critical
speed ([he speed exceeded by only l5% of
drivers) was 31 m.p.h. and average speed was
26 m.p.h. after humps were installed -both
lower speeds than he would expect on this type
of street.
The City of Agoura Hills chose another 40-
foot-wide residential street fora second speed-
hump project. Data on speeds and traffic vol-
ume was carefully collected before installing
humps. This time, the specifications required
humps that were Z'/q inches high (on a 12-
foot-long base 1. Data gathered about six weeks
after installation indicated [hat the average
speed dropped by 9 m.p.h. (to between 20 and
23 m.p.h. / and the critical speed dropped by 6
to 9 m.p.h. (to 29 m.p.h.)
Cline said observation showed that drivers did
not "hurry up and brake" or "gutter tun" to get
azound the humps.
Other advantages of the gentler humps, ac-
cording to Cline:
• Both residents and drivers accepted them, so
[he continuing attention of city staff was no[
required.
• Traffic was not diverted to other nearby
residential streets.
• There is little potential for accidental dam-
age to vehicles.
• There have been no reports of a noise
problem caused by speed humps la common
complaint in some cities).
• Fire engines typically can go over the bumps
at 20 m.p.h. when fully loaded, although fue
chiefs still do not endorse speed humps of any
height.
"You may ask, `Can't you
basically drive over
these humps at 45
m.p.h?' Yes, you can,
but that is not what
happpens"
"You may ask, `Can't you basically drive over
these humps at 45 m.p.h?"' Cline said. "Yes,
you can, but that is no[ what happens. Maybe
people just need a gentle reminder."
Subsequently, the City of Agoura Hills adopted
a policy on speed humps that specifies their
height shall be 2s/a inches±'/g inch over a 12-
foot-long base. The policy also specifies that
speed humps will only be considered for streets
thatcarry at leas[ 2,000 vehicles perday, where
[he grade of the street does no[ exceed a
sustained grade of 6%. A petition signed by
60%v of the affected residents must be pre-
sented to the city.
Cline prefers [o mazk speed humps with chev-
rons,of white marking tape and by posting a
"bump" sign neazby. Installation of the hump
is done in two courses, using a template that
flares out a[ the gutter. Checking the height
while the work is in progress is important.
Marking material is applied before [he hump is
rolled. The cost per hump has typically been
TECH TRANSFER University of California
about $2,300. An estimated 50% of the cost is
for high-quality marking material.
Realistic Speed Zoning
One reason for the growing use of speed humps
is [he gap between [he 25 m.p.h. speed limit for
residential streets and the real speed of drivers
on [hose streets- which speakers at the sympo-
sium agreed is closer to 35 m.p.h.
Gary Foxen, a traffic engineer with [he
Autmobile Club of Southern California, said
it's enforcement, not posting speed limit signs,
that has potential to change speeds. Police
agencies don't-and shouldn't-enforce every
posted speed limit with the same zeal, accord-
ing to Foxen. The law requires police to look at
prima facie speed limits.
"They look a[ traffic behavior If traffic is
moving at 35 m.p.h., they will wait until some-
one comes through going 45 -and cite [ha[
person."
Foxen contends that realistic speed limits should
be set based on a survey of the real speeds of
vehicles using the road. The correct speed limit
probably is a[ or just below the "critical" or
"85th percentile" speed -the speed exceeded
by only 15% of drivers.
Foxen has written a booklet, "Realistic Speed
Zoning; ' which is available from the Highway
Engineering Departrnent, Automobile Club of
Southern California, 2601 South Figueroa
Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007.
PrefereMlal Parking Districts
Another common conflict between neighbor-
hoodresidents and other drivers involves park-
ing on residential streets [ha[ offer convenient
access to such attractions as colleges, shopping
districts or transit stations. In azeas such as the
Westwood neighborhood near UCLA, resi-
den[scomplained they could not park neaz [heir
homes because streets were jammed with com-
muters' cars.
The United Stales Supreme Court upheld the
constitutionality of preferential parking pro-
grams on Oct. I I, 1977, when it held that such
restrictions would not violate the equal protec-
tion louse of [he l4[h Amendment.
Rafael Prepena, transportation engineer in [he
Regulations Division, City of Los Angeles
Deparment of Transportation, explained how
preferential parking works in Los Angeles.
Initially authorized in 1979, the program now
includes 39 preferential parking districts for
which 71,744 permits were sold in 1991-92.
The cost of a resident's annual permit is $15.
Mycligible resident can also purchase up to
two visitor permits at a cost of $10 for six
months. One-day guest permits maybe pur-
chased for $ I.
The process of establishing a district- includ-
ingsigning and issuing perrrtits-takes 12 [018
months. Substantial majorities are required for
approval at each step of the process. Final
approval of a new district requires "yes" votes
of 13 of 15 City Council members.
Before a public hearing can be held on pro-
posed creation ofany district, a parking survey
is conducted to determine whether at leas[
75% of the legal on-street parking spaces are
occupied by vehicles, and whether a[ least
25% of [he spaces are occupied by non-resi-
dent vehicles. Survey takers note the license
plate numbers of parked vehicles and inn the
numbers through the Departrnen[ of Motor
Vehicles to determine how many of the ve-
hides azelicensed topeople outside the neigh-
borhood.
Although the operation of preferential parking
districts requires some added expense and
inconvenience, the approach is now widely
accepted in the city of Los Angeles, Preprena
said.
"Managing neighborhood traffic is one of those
problems that will nevergo away,"said David
Royer, principal vansporta[ion engineer for
the city of Los Angeles and the session's
moderator. "At least we're doing better than
we ever have before."
- By Betsy Wing
~AF4"1.'4E.r~St-t:IPS Skit4PIMIGw Y:U'r'4TF£E
"~~ht9 ,l i' _ rt:iC,I x'tWeCn d'12 IZ_~Aial.lr,
ahp.ir:a: ~.,,. .~ Iv ~. ~;h'~,,~., and u,• acymc.::c r:
ti~at t. ~ ~ ,~.ir ~ n, .: ~ I~~u~:mci i~ `Chadd sa,d. "i'enplc
:ac aln~:uh .uirn .n c~~~crrunent. ^oti ~.~e art
lalliue Irenple tl~~ a ~.ce:ur erring toe lean up dn~uir.
end a alee~uun :wd create a searuless mtenmxl:d
system. ~~ hen in ruaall we are going todo is al f ect
Ix rlomrwu~e on the margin-maybe improving
things Igor„~_
Dick Cuny. Shasta County Director of F'uhlic
Works, and John Mitchell Lasxn County Direc-
tor of Public Works, said counties like theita
could be Icft behind as attitudes toward iranspor-
Lttion change, because kx:al money will be re-
ytrired to attract federal funding or private part-
ners to complete projects, (Editor's note: See
"Preserving Rural hrfrastmc[ure," on page 7.
Revenue from two halfcent sales taxes in Los
Angeles County-onepassedin 1980andanotber
in 1990-has bcenthekey[o gettingprojects then;
off the ground according to Deputy Executive
Director Judith Wilson. The sales taxes contrib-
u temorethan $700 million annually for transpor-
ta[ionimprovements, which MTA further lever-
agesthrough bonding. `"Iltat's a staggering local
commitment to transportation," Wilson said
The agency's top priority is consmtction of the
Red Line subway. To compete effectively for
federal funding, the L.A. County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority offered [o pay 50% of
constmction costs for the next segment, rasher
than asking the federal govemmen[ to pay 80% or
90%. Final approval of 50% federal funding is
expected this summer.
Los Angeles County, like California, is expe-
riencing what Wilson called "the dark side of
consumption-based taxation," because tough
economic times are causing sales tax revenues
to fall below projections. "Bu[ even if we have
to back down from our very aggressive fund-
ing strategy - and I hope we won't -we've
gotten the ball rolling," she added.
By Betsy Wing
No. 42 JULY 1997
Designing
Speed
Humps
Guidelines for the Design and
Applicatiee o/Speed Humps: an
ITE Reeorawended Practice
Washington. D.C.: Technical Council Task
Force on Speed Humps, Institute of Transpor-
tation Enginem- 1993, 22 pages.
ITE has jutt released this proposed recom-
mended ptxuY torreviewand comment The
guidelines re~xw speed hump development
and experience, and include chapters on com-
munity relations, monitoring and evaluation,
and implementation. The design and constmc-
tion recomntertdations are somewhat limited,
considering the wide range of geometric de-
signs used N other countries; ffE recom-
mends aparabolic profile hump 12 feet in
length and 3 to 4 inches center height. Other
recommendations: speed humps are appropri-
ate only for 2-lane residential streets with a
posted speed limit of 30 m.ph. or less, and they
should no[ be used on streets carrying signifi-
cant amounts of emergency, transit or other
long-wheelbase vehicles.
The Use o/ Road Humps for
Moderating Speeds on Urban
Streets
By David Zaidel, A.S. Hakkert and A.H.
Pis[iner. In Accident Am/VSis and Preven-
tion, Vol. 24. No. 1, Feb. 1992, pp. 45-56.
An excellent general overview of the use of
speed humps. This paper, based on literature
review and an international survey, evalu-
ates community acceptance of speed humps
and the factors influencing it. Seven typical
speed hump cross-sections are shown, with
their design speeds. Accommodation of
transit and emergency vehicle access is
addressed.
Road Humps for the Control of
Vehicle Speeds
By C.J. Lines. In Traffic Engineering and
Control, Vol. 34, No. I, Jan. 1993, pp. 2-5,7.
This important article reports on [he new Brit-
i shspeed hump regulations, with recommended
hump spacings and resultant speed distribu-
tions for both circulaz-profile and flat-topped
(raised [able) speed humps. Relationships be-
tweenspeed and hump spacings have changed
over time as drivers have become more accus-
tomed to road humps.
ITE is seeking
comment on a
proposed
reCOml'Mfended
practice for speed
hump design.
ITE recommends a
parabolic profile
hump 12 feet in
length and 3 to 4
inches in center
height.
Rational Approach for Geometric
Design o/ Speed-Control Road
Humps
By T.F. Fwa and C.Y. Liaw. InTransportation
Research Record 1356, 1992, pp. 66-72.
Starting from [he assumption thatpeak vertical
acceleration is the most suitable indicator of
driver discomfort in road hump analysis, this
paperpresen[s [he conceptual background and
methods of estimating parameters for the geo-
metricdesign ofhumps.The major steps of the
design procedure are outlined. This design
method was verified with British speed hump
data; the method offers a reasonable first de-
sign for general application.
Humps for Use on Bus Routes
By J.R. Jarvis and G. Giummarra. In Road &
TransporlResearch, Vo1.1,No.4,Dec.1992,
PP~ 32-47.
This Australian study examines in detail [he
effect of selected raised pavement designs on
arange of buses and arepresentative passenger
car. Neighborhood speed studies are presented.
Although the bus drivers' union opposed any
type of road humps, new hump designs pro-
vide significant improvements in passenger
and bus driver comfort which should help gain
acceptance for the devices.
Safe and Effective Roadway
Humps: The Seminole County
Profile
By David A. Nicodemus. In Compendium of
Technical Papers, Institute of Transportation
Engineers 61 st meeting, 1991, pp. 102-105.
Having rejected [he more typical Watts-type
speed hump after field testing, [his Florida
community has opted for a long, flat plateau-
type speed hump known in Europe as a
"raised table." Nine such humps were in-
stalled on a 1.3 mile residential connector
street Traffic speeds were significantly re-
duced, traffic volumes dropped slightly, and
responses from residents and law enforcement
were positive.
TnHic Humps as Recommended by
SVT: Design and Effects
By T. de Wit. Planning and Transport Re-
search and Computation /nternational, 12th
Annual Meeting. Proceedings of Seminar L,
1984, pp. 101-110.
A detailed discussion of Dutch design stan-
dazds, including hump spacing, cross-section,
pavement texture and hump visibility. Effects
on speed distributions are reported.
For information on the avai/ability of these
materials, contact Interlibrary Lending,
/TS Library, 412 McLaughlin Hal[,
University of California, Berkeley. CA
94720; (510) 642-3604.
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]0 TECH TRANSFER Umversi~y of California