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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 6.1 Stop Sign Request Lancaster Rd (2) CITY OF UBLIN AGENDA STATEMENT City Council Meeting Date: February 24, 1992 SUBJECT: Public Hearing: Request for Stop Sign and Crosswalk Installation on Lancaster Road at Ann Arbor Way Report by Public Works Director Lee Thompson EXHIBITS ATTACHED: 1) Letter from Mrs. Rose Deming and Petition 2) Report from TJKM 3) Location Map RECOMMENDATION: 1) Open public hearing \ 2) Receive Staff presentation and public comment 3) Question Staff and the public 4) Close public hearing and deliberate 5) Deny request on the basis that stop signs and a crosswalk in this location are unwarranted and would create a false sense of security for pedestrians FINANCIAL STATEMENT: No cost to the City if request is denied. The cost of a stop sign installation, including Stop Ahead signing and marking, and a crosswalk would be approximately $1,000. DESCRIPTION: In November of 1991, Staff received a letter and petition from Mrs. Rose Deming requesting that the City consider installing stop signs and a crosswalk on Lancaster Road at the intersection of Ann Arbor Way. There is an existing stop sign on the north (Ann Arbor) leg of the intersection. The reasons indicated in Mrs. Deming's letter are (1) reduction of speed and (2) to provide a safe crossing for children going to school. The Traffic Safety Committee subsequently studied the intersection, and Mrs. Deming was advised that Staff recommended against the stop sign installation. Mrs. Deming has requested that the City Council review her request and Staff's findings, which are as follows. Lancaster Road is a neighborhood street which parallels Amador Valley Boulevard and forms a straight line between York Drive and Penn Drive. York and Penn are collector streets which form a loop around the Wells/Cronin School sites and enter Amador Valley Boulevard. Ann Arbor Way forms a "T" intersection with Amador Valley Boulevard at its north end and with Lancaster Road at its south end. There are presently school (yellow) crosswalks across Lancaster Road at both Penn Drive and York Drive, and there are single-approach stop signs for traffic entering York and Penn from Lancaster Road. There are crosswalks across Amador Valley Boulevard at both Penn Drive and York Drive, and also at Burton Street. The Burton Street intersection is controlled by three-way stop signs and has an adult crossing guard during the hours that children are going to or coming home from school. It was intended that children going to school utilize the existing crosswalks. Mrs. Deming's letter states that the crosswalks at York and Penn Drives are not convenient for some children and that they tend to cross the street at any location along Lancaster. Staff requested that TJKM, the City's traffic engineering consultant, prepare a report concerning this request. TJKM's report is summarized as follows: Volume Warrants The highest 8-hour vehicular volume entering the intersection was a total of 264 vehicles. As indicated on the attached warrants, the minimum volume warrant is 300 vehicles per hour for the highest 8 hour period. Therefore, the vehicular volume (average 33 per hour) at this intersection falls far short of this warrant. TJKM's ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ITEM NO. COPIES TO: Rose Deming, 6928 Lancaster Rd. Carl Springer, TJKM C T Y CLERK FcC11 , 9 D volume warrant, which the City has used for stop sign studies in the past, is lower than the State warrant of 500 vehicles per hour. Pedestrian counts were conducted during the times of day that children would be walking to school. During the morning count, 8 pedestrians and 3 bicyclists crossed Lancaster Drive southbound at Ann Arbor. There were no pedestrians or bicyclists crossing in other directions. During the afternoon count, no pedestrians or bicyclists crossed in any direction. It should be noted that the afternoon count was based on the time of day that children would be leaving Frederiksen School rather than Wells School, as TJKM focused on the safety of younger children. TJKM' s report states that the school departures are spread over a wider range of time than the morning arrivals, which would tend to reduce the number of pedestrians per hour. Accident Warrants There have been no reported accidents at this intersection since Staff began maintaining its accident map in 1984. The accident warrant is five or more accidents per year of a type correctable by stop signs. Therefore, the accident warrant is not met. Visibility Lancaster Road is a level street with clear visibility in both directions for well over the warrant of 160 feet. S eed A speed survey reveals an 85th percentile speed of 22 mph westbound and 26 mph eastbound. Overall, 90% of the vehicles recorded were traveling under 25 mph. Only one of the 341 vehicles recorded was traveling over 30 (and less than 35) mph. Conclusion Based on the criteria listed above, Staff feels that the intersection of Lancaster Road and Ann Arbor Way does not meet the warrants for multi-way stop sign installations. The intention behind installation of stop signs is to assign right- of-way at intersections and to reduce the number of accidents. Stop signs are not an effective means of speed control. While the speed of vehicles may be reduced at the intersection itself, motorists tend to speed up between stop signs; therefore, speeding would not be alleviated. When stop signs are installed in locations where there is little cross traffic, drivers tend to come to rolling stops or to ignore the stop signs completely. A pedestrian or bicyclist, particularly a child, may feel falsely secure crossing the street at a stop intersection when, in fact, an oncoming vehicle may not come to a stop. Additionally, drivers who develop the habit of ignoring unwarranted stop signs may also ignore stop signs that are warranted. Most drivers are law-abiding and have no intention of violating traffic regulations; however, when an unwarranted restriction is imposed, it may result in unintentional violations. Stop signs also add to the pollution problem by increasing the amount of gasoline used by cars in starting and stopping rapidly. Regarding the matter of the crosswalk, pedestrians also tend to feel safe in a crosswalk and may step out into the street in front of oncoming traffic. Conversely, pedestrians tend to look for cars more carefully when the "protection" of the crosswalk is not there. In this case, crosswalks exist within a block or two of the Lancaster/Ann Arbor intersection, and Staff recommends that children walking to either Frederiksen or Wells School utilize the existing crosswalks. Staff recommends that the City Council conduct a public hearing, deliberate, and deny the request for stop signs and a crosswalk on Lancaster Road at Ann Arbor Way. a: (corres)\feb\agststop Page 2 October 26 , 1991 �► C� Mr . Lee Thompson DUBLIN POLICE SERVICES v0s,`Q, Ap'o 100 Civic Plaza P.O. Box 2340 /Ce�O Dublin, CA 94568 Dear Mr . Thompson, There is a need to install a Stop sign and perhaps a cross- walk at the intersection of Ann Arbor Way and Lancaster Road . Attached are resident signatures who are in favor of this action. The reasons below justify our request . REDUCE HIGH SPEEDS Lancaster Road is a long stretch of road with 24 houses end-to-end. Cars frequently exceed the speed limit resulting in an unsafe residential environment . There are many children and animals playing along this road . People who exceed the speed limit could easily cause an accident or even death. PROVIDE SAFE CROSSING Lancaster Road is intersected by one road . This road is called Ann Arbor Way . There are stop signs and cross-walks at both ends of Lancaster . These end streets are York Drive and Penn Drive . Ann Arbor intersects Lancaster half-way down Lancaster Road or 12 houses from York Drive . Wells School is located behind Lancaster Road : If any children going to or from school should need to cross the street safely, they must walk to. either end of Lancaster to do so . Because there is no convient crossing at this time , children cross the street anytime and anyplace. There is danger in doing so since high speeds are often reached along Lancaster Road . There are 3 courts along the same side as Ann Arbor . Ann Arbor is the only through street and is located at midpoint of Lancaster Road . Please consider this complaint as necessary action to prevent a tragedy from happening in the future . cerely, Rose Deming 6928 Lancaster Road Dublin, CA 94568 (829-8819) And All of the resident signatures attached . LETrW- "t> Attachment to Letter I agree to the fact that Lancaster Road is in need of a stop sign at the intersection of Ann Arbor Way. This stop sign will-provide a safe place to cross and reduce the speed of automobiles . DATE SIGNATURE ADDRESS PHONE 1012� �Ze � egg nlc. orc 1 -�S/c1 S 12 j��/ ,�,�.� /�,� �" d i✓�v �` �� �' 6' q-3 ' �0 0&k/l /o L'�/�/� �Ci �c�ll�r i �v 49C I50 Lo t-)0-S- e i� 'L) a,4C, ,Z (b Z (-g 13 q Z Lrznca.s "-- 432q-os�o i MEMORANDUM f F� #I te Z ) 8 199 �O January 30, 1992 R TO: Mehran Sepehri FROM: Christopher S. Kinzel SUBJECT: Lancaster Drive/Ann Arbor STOP Sign Request This is to present the results of our analysis related to the request for STOP signs at the intersection of Lancaster Drive and Ann Arbor Way in the City of Dublin. TJKM conducted 24-hour machine volume counts and speed measurements at the intersection on Tuesday, December 3, 1991. In addition, manual pedestrian crossing counts were conducted at the intersection on the same day. The T-intersection currently operates with stop control on the Ann Arbor leg. The need for additional STOP sign control on Lancaster Drive was evaluated based on the stop sign warrants presented in Attachment A. The following discussion looks at each of the warrants in turn. WARRANT 1: Volumes The 24-hour machine counts revealed that the highest 8-hour vehicular volume entering the intersection was 264 vehicles, an average of 33 vehicles per hour. This volume is 11 percent of the volume required to satisfy the first warrant. Therefore, the first warrant is not met. The pedestrian counts were conducted from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. to reflect the expected peak pedestrian crossing hours based on both Wells. and Fredriksen school schedules. During the a.m. count period, 8 pedestrians and 3 bicyclists crossed Lancaster Drive southbound on the west leg of the intersection. No pedestrians crossed either of the other two legs of the intersection during the a.m. count. In addition, no pedestrians crossed any leg of the intersection during the p.m. count period. The p.m. peak measurement period reflects the Fredriksen schedule more than the Wells schedule due to a focus on the safety of younger children. It is important to note, however, that school departures in the afternoon are spread over a wider period of time than are morning arrivals, lessening p.m. hourly pedestrian volumes overall. 4837 Chabot Drive,Suite 214, Pleasanton,California 94588-: PLEASANTON•SACRAMENTO•FRESNO•WAl t,EPo 2T F"m -r3 t-M Mehran Sepehri -2- February 13, 1992 WARRANT 2:Accidents City staff reports that no accidents are Down to have occurred at the intersection within the past eight years. Therefore, the accident warrant is also not met. WARRANT 3: Visibility The actual sight distance on both Lancaster Drive approaches to the intersection was not measured, but visibility in both directions very obviously exceeds 160 feet. Therefore, this warrant is not met. SPEED STUDY The machine speed survey revealed that the 85th percentile speed on Lancaster Drive is 22 miles per hour(mph) westbound and 26 mph eastbound. Overall, 94 percent of the vehicles recorded were travelling under 25 mph and 6 percent were travelling between 26 mph and 30 mph. (Only one vehicle of the 341 vehicles recorded during the 24-hour period was travelling between 31 and 35 mph). The results of the speed study indicate that there is good compliance with the 25 mph speed limit through the intersection. CONCLUSIONS The Federal Highway Administration's Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices warns that STOP signs should not be used as speed control devices. Placing a STOP sign at the intersection could possibly create more problems than it would solve. The infrequent speeding through the intersection would become even less frequent, but speeding on other segments of Lancaster Drive could be worsened. Also,a STOP sign (and/or crosswalk) could give pedestrians a false sense of confidence in crossing the intersection. For these reasons and those mentioned above,all-way STOP sign control is not warranted at the intersection of Lancaster Drive and Ann Arbor Way from a traffic engineering standpoint. COPY: Lee Thompson Carl Springer ATTACHMENT I WARRANTS FOR THREE-WAY STOP SIGN INSTALLATION Three-way_.STOP sign installation may be considered if any of the following conditions exist: WARRANT 1: VOLUME Total vehicular volume entering the intersection from all approaches must average 300 per hour for any eight hours of an average day. (24-hour equivalent approximately 4,000 vehicles.) In addition, the vehicular volume entering the intersection from the minor street or streets for the same eight hours must average at least 1/3 of the total volume entering the intersection(100 per hour minimum). WARRANT 2: ACCIDENTS Five or more of types susceptible of correction by STOP signs within a 12-month period, with satisfactory observance and enforcement of less restrictive control. WARRANT 3: VISIBILITY The straight line sight distance on one of more approaches of the major street for vehicles or pedestrians crossing the intersection is less than 160 feet. NOTE: Volume-warrants to be reduced by a 60 percent Residential Area factor if ALL of the following conditions are met: (a) Both streets have residential frontage with existing 25 miles per hour speed limits. (b) Neither street is an adopted through street. (c) Neither street exceeds 40 feet of roadway width. (d) No existing STOP sign or signal is located on the more heavily traveled street within a distance of 800 feet. (e) Intersection has three legs, with streets extending 800 feet or more away from the intersection on at least two sides. (f) Installation of a three-way STOP is compatible with overall traffic circulation needs for the residential area. 11/02/90 157-001 '61p ibL51706 } 7579 N�,�� �a�a3 ��o� A1\O9pcy�oZ6�6�0\4�1�aa � 0��� i �0 3 �2 O tk 4 p ga 6gg 1,�2 4 7258 -7594 564 7563 1 e 1c�\O S9r>3 '578 W 48 7547 4399 �'x ?361 6g�> 6 g co 36 6 N LLJ � 0 � \7562 � 32 ' 7531 �%546 16 xz 7515 ; �, I > r> � 6g NI o'n, 7497' FREDERIKSEN s 0 6 s�j �! 74 ELEMENTARY \�� �,,y�6-� �. -81-' SCHOOL N.T.S. / 6g a �•sue, `,;•�� SEN I cD 1 7475 O r6�� _ - r` r- 7459: >, `-F` -- V 61 ,-MARACK 7 'o DR. c-Q '.6 S \ n �� `6, > <o, `•,"'O,r> r� t NI i I v' 9 O 6+ ` 0 r. m fn ! i '7368 � p Q1 O N �, z I N ! m 6981 _ S roXISTItOG CRpsSwL�LK- `r 7431 7350 0 �' -y -�` 2\'� .`r�, O: Q v l__ D 9 r� 2 i 7339 co /,`/ S 7409 p n \� 7332 �� I ti .' 5a' o rn \ 60 Q,� 9S {? 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O /` O\ (y/ r "' 060 co R �O �°' �6 S fir' g°�� G �yy� o g y o 1 o a tiT ^° h e 9 O o \ S O O p u' 2 \ e o - Q a 4�6 �� 0p >09\ 7090 p`� �O ,ro CT pV 1 1�9 F� \ 6 \ 9/ 0 O G 10 O rl �• eS m ` 0 122 66 IN 1. s Kl p �(. 1 O c "� n �O 96, o a+ h 4 � . > apo�� 42\9 1 40 q`�\�a� �3y ,O �`p�o,/p0�\ O�p�6 �0�� p^pp5 y e 68\e0/ g , \:Is � a F' �> \ S� �� �a! ro , �6 o ham' o o• � 92 J 1 , X00 r, �o a Op .�pl p/ o 690 , 6 `y WELLS �Zpl \`�6 ,�� '� co `'1°�/ o �o�'°��^°o 6�v INTERMEDIATE 1 12 2 7201�, >F9 Q[r�j\\, EK\`�CIJG� O►JE-�ilAy STOP �} row i��h v 692':6/i SCHOOL ��,\ > y psi v'6•i fv +�-� p�rL;, ro 6g 8' 0. ^ l�� •`d ip �:66 I r,�0 ; 0 9S I 9 ro / `O ro F\<,`0 / ")" , 1, 69� . \60 OOS 6974 `O� �� ` ro0�/�� 'Q S6iQueSTED STOP SIGNS A►JD O\ 1/ V 69 �. °i O� �, ro0/ y69 _ CRDSSWAL i E Ei X &?oSSWA-V `.SG�c.�/y69� eG �•• p; O;' �O/' �' A6g 2 v ? 6 °a O' 6A` Esc \00 p 54 �0 'o j 0> �. 7052 T..ro°j s 6: saw 0 c� O `' % O9 0 2 O - 6. \ 9 �pQ , 0,6' 4,9 9 i�0 O. 9�S t O>`s�a �C1� 'ly ��' hrO �� Oe9� ,oS� Pok c �E�' 4 9 10 \g 0o X` 06 -o Q 6' P� O 1 ���' O° }O O> s �0 Ss ^O O 60 0 \ �1°i ti �� e. 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