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HomeMy WebLinkAbouttecm_051094TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE CONFERENCE ROOM NO. 3 MAY 10, 1994 5:30 P.M. MINUTES MEMBERS PRESENT Budrow, Ken Fernandez, William Ford, Stephen Kennedy, Rick Woods, Larry MEMBERS ABSENT Chairman Steve Turner Harris, Michael STAFF PRESENT Kathy Kinch Recording Secretary OTHERS PRESENT Edy McGilliuray Cathy Edmonds Christy Harpe Laurene Sparks Re[a Roberts The Traffic Engineering Committee meeting was called to order by Vice-Chairman Budrow at 5:30 P.M. Roll was taken with the results listed above. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of April 12, 1994, were not available. DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS: a. Request for 4-Way Stop at Cypress and Bush Streets -Cathy Edmonds Cathy Edmonds, 710 West Smith Stree[, advised she travels on Cypress and Bush Streets everyday to take her daughter to Pomo]ita School. She stated vehicles travel at excessive speeds. There are three (3) schools located within this area, and that there is always a Police MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMrITEE MAY 10, 1994 1 Unit in the area during peak hours. She also advised there is a playing field where school events are held, soccer games, jogging, City league games, softball and track. There are numerous after school activities were children are walking or riding their bikes to and from the playing field. The current speed posted is 30 M.P.H. with a 25 M.P.H. school zone from Cypress to the bridge. Christy Harpe, 698 North Bush Street, presented a video tape to the Committee for their review of the intersection taken during and at the end of the school day. Steve Ford advised there are warrants for stop signs and multi-way stop signs. Stop signs are not installed to control traffic speed. When there are to many stop signs vehicles start yielding at stop signs because there are no obvious reasons for stopping, and this creates accidents. A speed study is performed [o determine the proper speed for a speed zone, however, speed surveys are not performed adjacent to school property because the speed limit is automatically 25 M.P.H. Rick Kennedy stated that he anticipated the peak hours for this intersection occur in the morning commute period, noon hour and at the end of the school day. Staff could conduct intersection counts during the noon and mid-afternoon hour. He advised a recommendation must go before the City Council for the installation of stop signs. Discussion followed regarding traffic warrants that are considered for the installation of stop signs; stop signs are not installed to control traffic speed; stop signs are installed to provide right-of-way assignment; stop signs are not cure-all and when installed without meeting warrant guidelines can create problems not previously experienced at intersections; Engineering Staff perform traffic counts\speed survey on the north and south, and west approach; and with afour- way stop, during peak hours, the intersection will appear congested. A review of the Accident Summary Report for the period January 1, 1993 to December 31, 1993, indicates one accident involving a vehicle and an 8 year old bicyclist, and was caused by an improper turn by the 8 year old bicyclist. Staff is aware of a recent collision between a vehicle and a young male bicyclists which was the result of bicyclist failure to stop at Cypress as required. ON A MOTION by Ford, seconded by Fernandez, it was carried by a consensus vote the Engineering Department conduct an intersection traffic count/speed survey of Cypress and Bush Streets. If the survey meets all warrants, Staff is to recommend to the City Council that afour- way stop be installed. If warrants are not met, Staff is to bring all traffic information to the Committee for further review. b. Request for the Elimination of On-Street Parking along Church Stree[ at Spring= Ben Foster, Resident Rick Kennedy advised he received a telephone call from Mr. Foster requesting the elimination MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MAY 10, 1994 2 of on-street parking along Church Street at Spring. Ken Budrow advised Church Street is very narrow from Dora to Highland. There is one block that has "no parking" adjacent to the offices of Trinity School, between Hope and Barnes. Steve Ford recommended establishing a policy for parking on narrow streets, (34 feet or more, two-way traffic parking on both sides; 27 feet to 34 feet two-way traffic with parking on one side of the street; 20 feet to 27 feet two-way traffic no parking on either side of the street; and under 20 fee[ is based on the situation. This is based on a 10 foot traffic lane with a 7 foot parking space. Rick Kennedy advised he is not aware of traffic problems within this area, and expressed a concern on the elimination of on-street public parking for homeowners. Ken Budrow inquired if Trinity School and residents were informed of this request. Rick Kennedy responded no. ON A MOTION by Ford, seconded by Fernandez, it was carried by a consensus vote to continue this item to the June 14, 1994 meeting, to receive comments from the Police and Fire Departments, and to forward a letter of notification to the residents within this area of the request. The Pubic Works Director/City Engineer establish a standard street width and policy for the elimination of on-street parking. c. Request for Special Parkine Privileges to be Granted to Volunteers along Streets Surrounding the New Life School, 300 West Smith -Betty Wallen. Director Rick Kennedy advised he received a letter from Ms. Betty Wallen, Director of New Life School, for special on-street parking privileges for their volunteer workers. Currently the on-street parking is 2-hour parking. The pre-school uses the facility of the First Baptist Church and on several mornings the parking lot is filled with no spaces available. He also advised this item would be a recommendation from the Traftic Engineering Committee to the City Council for approval. Discussions followed regarding how many volunteers would require special parking privileges; displaying a plaque in the front window to identify which vehicles are the volunteers; and this location is within the Parking District. ON A MOTION by Ford, seconded by Fernandez, it was carried by a consensus vote the Traffic Engineering Committee recommend to the City Council to deny the special parking privileges to be granted to volunteers of the New Life School, along streets surrounding the New Life School because of the Parking District restrictions. d. Request for Traftic Si nag 1 Rephrasing at State and Scott Street -Lucille Mirata MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MAY 10, 1994 3 Rick Kennedy advised he received a letter from Lucille Mirata, 488 North State Street, concerning the hazardous situation at Scott and State Streets. The signal light for north bound traffic on State Street turns red before the signal light for south bound traffic on State Street. Drivers waiting to make a left turn onto Scott Street from the north bound lane tend to feel safe in completing the turn when the light turns yellow or red, unaware the south bound light is still green. She states she has observed numerous near misses and several collisions. Rick Kennedy advised during K-Mart hearings it was discussed relocating one of the traffic signals onto Clara. Discussion followed regarding the three phase signal with I controller which operates the Norton and Scott Streets intersection; the signal phase may change with the construction of the new K- Mart; the Engineering Department could conduct a turning movement count at the referenced intersection to determine if the lag green phase is still needed to facilitate the clearing of the short traffic lanes between Scott and Norton Streets on State, prior to the green phase for Scott and Norton Streets; and if the lag green phase is removed there is a good possibility that the north bound vehicles stopped in the approaches [o Norton Street would not allow sufficient space for vehicles making a left turn from Scott to enter the north bound lanes. ON A MOTION by Budrow, seconded by Kennedy, it was carried by a consensus vote the Engineering Staff conduct a turning movement count at the referenced intersection to determine if the lag green phase is still needed to facilitate the clearing of the short traffic lanes between Scott and Norton Streets on State, prior to the green phase for Scott and Norton Streets, and notify Mrs. Mirata of Staff's findings. e. Request for the Elimination of On-Street Parking alone McPeak Street between Clay and Mill Streets -Sound Off Article Ken Budrow expressed no one at this point has come forward and to make the request. Discussion followed regarding the establishment of a policy for the elimination of on-street parking for narrow streets this item can be reconsidered at that time. ON A MOTION by Kennedy, seconded by Budrow, it was carried by a consensus vote, to deny the request for the elimination of on-street parking along McPeak Street between Clay and Mill Streets until Staff presents a parking policy on narrow streets to the Committee for action. MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MAY lo, 1994 4 MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS a. Distribution of Publication Entitled "Traffic Calming" to Committee Members. Rick Kennedy distributed to the Committee a copy of a Traffic Calming publication for their information. AD.TOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m. ~.N Z~lz~>-_~ Steve Turner, Chairman ~ ~~, ~/ ~ ~~ ,_ Kathy Kinch, Recording Secretary B:1\TEC M051094 MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMRTEE MAY 10, 1994 5