Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbouttecm_031902TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE UKIAH CIVIC CENTER Conference Room No. 3 300 Seminary Avenue Ukiah, California 95482 TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2002 MINUTES MEMBERS PRESENT Kevin Cotroneo, Public Member Michael F. Harris, Risk Manager/Budget Officer Dan Walker, Ukiah Police Department David Lohse, Associate Planner II Jim Looney, Public Works Supervisor Diana Steele, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Chuck Yates, Fire Chief/Fire Marshal Ben Kageyama, Public Member OTHERS PRESENT Craig Lehman Geneieve Tollini Ruth Toxqui MEMBERS ABSENT Doug Pilant, Public Member STAFF PRESENT Rick Seanor, Dep. Dir. of Public Works Kathy Kinch, Recording Secretary The Traffic Engineering Committee meeting was called to order by Acting Chairman Kageyama at 3:08 p.m. Roll was taken with the results listed above. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of the Traffic Engineering Committee minutes of February 19, 2002, was continued to the April 16, 2002 meeting. DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS: NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action regarding sioht distance concerns due to parking adiacent to 406 Talmage Road as requested by Mr Craig Lehman owner of Lehman's Honda Acura Letter dated February 12, 2002. Member Steele reported Staff received a letter from Craig Lehman of Lehman Honda Acura, stating customers visiting the business located next to his shop, park on the street near his driveway making it very difficult to have clear site visibility of on-coming traffic when exiting the driveway. He has contacted the Police Department on several occasions for assistance. Mr. Lehman is requesting a "No Parking" zone in front of his business. TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MARCH 19, 2002 Page 1 of 5 Member Looney stated there is appropriate advance warning signage and signage at this location. There is no interference of site distance from the intersection of Talmage and Airport Park Boulevard to the business approach and access. He expressed a concern that traffic may not be merging early enough from the right lane into the left lane. It appears vehicles start to merge near the vehicles parked on the street. Craig Lehman, Owner, stated vehicles making a left turn from Airport Park Boulevard onto Talmage Road, into the right lane, travel at a higher speed to pass the vehicles in the left lane before merging. He also stated there are vehicles parked next to the curb cut of his driveway making it very difficult to make aright-hand turn from the driveway. He is requesting a "No Parking" zone from the driveway extending 25 - 30-feet west on Talmage Road. Member Looney stated the transition of the travel lane narrows at Waugh Lane. There is a fog line that starts before Lehman's driveway and angles towards the railroad tracks. Rick Seanor, Deputy Director of Public Works, stated he visited the site to measure the parking width distance from the curb to the fog line. Beginning at the curb cut of the driveway, the parking area width measures less than 8 feet in width at a location approximately 20-feet west towards the railroad tracks the parking area measures an 8-feet. ON A MOTION by Member Harris, seconded by Member Looney, it was carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present, the distance from the driveway of Lehman's Honda Acura west to a point where there is 8-feet of on-street parking be designated "No Parking" and appropriate signs installed as determined by the Public Works Department. b. Discussion and possible action regarding continuing problems caused by parking along the east side of North Bush approaching Low GaD Road as stated by Ruth Toxgui, North Bush Street. Letter dated FebruarXS 2002. Acting Chairman Kageyama reported at the February 19, 2002 meeting, a motion was made to red curb the driveway transitions from Gibson Street to Low Gap Road. As discussed at the February meeting, Ms. Toxqui requested restricted on-street parking along the east side of North Bush Street opposite the Mendocino County Administration Buildings. Member Looney advised five feet on each side of the driveway transitions, including any space not adequate for on-street parking has been painted red. He noted with the exception of the northern most property where a resident has two driveways, the resident requested the space between the two driveway transitions not be painted red. Ruth Toxqui stated vehicles are still parking next to the driveway curb returns within the red zones. The parked vehicles make it very difficult to exit and enter her driveway, and do not allow for a clear line of sight visibility of on-coming traffic. She contacted the Police Department again for assistance to have a vehicle removed from her driveway. Frank Zeek Elementary School is located to the north and it has become very difficult to see children walking in the area. Ms. Toxqui also stated she spoke with Mr. James Anderson, Administrator for the County of Mendocino, and he responded that he distributed a memorandum to the employees requesting they utilize the on-site parking, but cannot prevent employees from parking on Bush Street. Mr. Anderson referred Ms. Toxqui to return to the Traffic Engineering Committee for further assistance. TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MARCH 19, 2002 Page 2 of 5 Geneive Tollini stated she lives directly across from the Administration Offices of Mendocino County. She also stated vehicles have parked in her driveway; it has become very difficult to enter and exit her driveway when vehicles are parked next to the curb return, vehicles are parking in the red zones; she has observed County employees parking their vehicles in front of her home from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; it has become difficult for her friends and family to park within the area when visiting; and it is difficult for the Street Sweeper to clean the street. Acting Chairman Kageyama stated the on-site parking lot located next to Bush Street is usuatty full. A lengthy discussion followed regarding the utilization of on-street parking by customers and County employees; there is on-site parking located at the southwest of the complex, east side of the complex, and a parking lot located behind Public Health; request the Police Department to patrol the area on a temporary basis for illegal on-street parking; the possibility of installing time limited parking; and this location is not within the Parking Enforcement jurisdiction. ON A MOTION by Member Harris, seconded by Member Looney, it was carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present, to request the Parking Ticket Hearing Officer, Michael Harris, to meet with James Anderson, Administrator for Mendocino County to discuss possible parking solutions; contact Larry DeKnoblough, Parking District Officer, to discuss if the Police Department has the authority to cite a vehicle parked within a restricted parking zone located outside the parking district; contact the Ukiah Police Department to find out if the Parking Enforcement Officers have authority to cite vehicles parked illegally in red zones, or are there other resources for parking enforcement; and request Mrs. Toxqui to meet with neighbors regarding the time restricted on- street parking. It was the consensus of the Committee to continue this item to the next scheduled meeting with all information brought back to the Committee. OLD BUSINESS Discussion and possible action regarding on-street parking on West Church and West Stephenson Streets near Trinity School. Member Steele reported that at the December 18, 2001 meeting, a motion was made for Staff to meet with Trinity School to discuss the on-street parking problems, discuss possible options, and to meet with the Police and Fire Departments regarding safety issues. In discussions with Acting Fire Chief Chuck Yates, while viewing aerial photographs of the area and west of Dora, they discussed potential parking for one-side only. She questioned if the item should be addressed as a neighborhood problem. ON A MOTION by Member Harris, seconded by Member Lohse, it was carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present, that the Planning, Public Works, and Fire Departments meet to discuss and develop possible solutions regarding neighborhood on-street parking in the areas of Dora, Highland, Standley Street, Clay Street, and Smith Street. This item is to be continued to the next scheduled meeting. TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MARCH 19, 2002 Page 3 of 5 b. Discussion regarding hatch marks oainted within crosswalks for hioh visibility, Recommend standards and policy. DRAFT ~~~~~plines Installation and Sianaae of Diagonally Hatched Crosswalks GUIDELINES Diagonally hatched crosswalk markings may be fnstaHed considered for use at the following locations: 1) Arterial streets and high volume collectors with three or more lanes and speeds of 30 mph and greater 2) At higher volume pedestrian crossings 3) At school crossings 4) At mid block and unsignalized crossings 5) At non-stop controlled crossings meeting the above criteria Diagonally hatched crosswalk installations shall be considered at locations near ~.~Ei*ert,e:,E ~~`-~.:,e~ special needs facilities and where requested by citizens. The City of Ukiah Traffic Engineering Committee shall review and appreae recommend to the City Engineer all future diagonally hatched crosswalks, which do not clearly fit the listed criteria prior to their installation. INSTALLATION Crosswalks shall be enhanced by installing zebra stripes diagonally at 60 degrees to the crosswalk bars .The striping shall be an alternating pattern of Ewe-feet of equal width and spacing depending ' E#~reugFieet on the length of the crosswalk. If used, thermoplastic shall be applied in accordance with Caltrans Standard Specifications See~ien-84. SIGNAGE Either fluorescent yellow green ryedest~ian school crossing (W66) or sc+~eel yellow pedestrian crossing signs (W54) shall be installed at all respective locations where diagonally hatched crosswalks are installed. Please reference the attached Caltrans sign policies. ON A MOTION by Member Harris, seconded by Member Looney, it was carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present, that the Traffic Engineering Committee approve the draft Guidelines, Installation, and Signage of Diagonally Hatched Crosswalks as amended. Member Steele reported Staff has received letters of"Thank You"and Member Looney received an appreciation plaque from Redwood Academy Charter School for the new fluorescent yellow green school crossing signs. COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS Member Harris advised he is the Recycling Coordinator, and requested should Staff or any TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MARCH 19, 2002 Page 4 of 5 Committee member receive complaints or comments regarding the new recycling bins that are now placed on-street, or problems with street sweeping conflicts with the bins, to please forward these to him. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS a. Bus stop located next to Diamonds and Gold Jewelry, 102 N School Street -Stephanie Ricker Member Steele reported Staff received a telephone call from Stephanie Ricker of Diamonds and Gold Jewelry, located at the comer of School and Perkins Streets. Ms. Ricker stated there is an MTA bus stop located on the corner Perkins and School Streets. There is a recessed side door entrance into the store located on Perkins Street, which Ms. Ricker utilizes to enter the store with merchandise. The side door alcove is being used by MTA customers during the winter months to stay out from the winter weather while waiting for the bus. Ms. Ricker is requesting the MTA bus stop be relocated to another area. Member Harris asked if the bus stop could be relocated to the west end of the block. Member Looney responded the west end of the block is designated as loading zone. Discussion followed regarding on Perkins Street from Oak to School Streets there is a loading zone, double driveway between the buildings, followed by two on-street parking spaces. Following across School Street on East Perkins Street next to the Courthouse is a "Prisoner Loading Zone". Member Steele stated she would contact Bruce Richard and Doug Pilant regarding this issue. ELECTION OF OFFICERS ON A MOTION by Member Looney, seconded by Member Harris, it was carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present, to elect Ben Kageyama as Chairman. ON A MOTION by Member Lohse, seconded by Member Harris, it was carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present, to elect Doug Pilant as Vice-Chairman. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m. ~~i ~/ 'Kathy Kinch Recording Secretary R:1\TEC M031902 A Ch~rma n <ageyama TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MARCH 19, 2002 Page 5 of 5