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AG EN~DA STATEMENT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE:
OlT¥ OLERK
File # l--ll lzzl-I,: I, 1
October 21, 1997
SUBJECT:
Crossing Guard for Dublin Elementary School
at Shannon Avenue and Vomac Road
Report prepared by: Lee S. Thompson, Public Works Director
EXHIBITS ATTACHED:
1) Resolution approving the installation of stop signs on
Landale Avenue at Vomac Road
2) Crossing Guard Study Performed by TJKM
3) Stop Sign Study Performed by TJKM
4) Map of the Landale Avenue/Vomac Road intersection
5) Letter with petition dated September 22, 1997,
to Mayor Guy Houston
RECOMMENDATION:
1) Adopt resolution authorizing the installation of an all-way stop
sign at the intersection of Vomac Road and Landale Avenue.
2) Receive report and discuss the installation of a crossing guard at
Dublin Elementary School and the possible removal of the
crossing guard on Silvergate Drive at Amarillo Road.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT:
The cost of a crossing guard is approximately $8,100 per year.
Costs for purchasing and installing 2 stop signs on Landale Avenue
is estimated at $500.
DESCRIPTION: Mayor Guy Houston received a letter on September 22, 1997, from
the Dublin Elementary School Parent Faculty Club requesting a crossing guard for the reopened school.
Staff also received a request from a Dublin citizen to consider the installation of stop signs at the
intersection of Landale and Vomac Road, which is related to the activity of new students at the Dublin
Elementary School.
The City's traffic consultant, TJKM, has performed a warrant study for a crossing guard at Vomac Road
and Shannon Avenue and revisited the warrant study for the two crossing guards for Nielsen School. It
was expected that the pedestrian traffic had changed at Nielsen School due to the reconfiguration of the
school boundary lines.
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COPIES TO:
ITEM NO.
The State of California has established warrants or guidelines for the installation of crossing guards.
These guidelines are generally accepted by most cities in the State, including the City of Dublin.
The warrants are as follows:
"Adult Crossing Guards are normally assigned where official supervision of elementary school
pedestrians is desirable while they cross a public highway on the "suggested route to school."
Adult Crossing guards may be warranted under the following conditions:
1. At Uncontrolled Crossings:
Where there is no alternate crossing guard within 1,200 feet; and where vehicular traffic
volume exceeds 350 vehicles in each of any two daily hours during which 40 or more
school pedestrians cross while going to or from school.
2. At STOP Sign Controlled Crossings:
Where there is no alternate crossing guard within 1,200 feet; and where the vehicular
traffic volume on roads of four or more lanes exceeds 500 vehicles per hour during which
40 or more school pedestrians cross going to or from school.
3. At Traffic Signal Controlled Crossings:
Ao
Where the number of vehicular turning movements through the school crosswalk
exceeds 300 vehicles per hour while school pedestrians are going to or from school.
Bo
Where there are circumstances not normally present at a signalized intersection,
such as crosswalks more than 80 feet long with no intermediate refuge, or an
abnormally high proportion of large commercial vehicles.
The Dublin Elementary School study at Shannon Avenue/Vomac Road indicates that there were 19
pedestrians (12 children and 7 adults) crossing Vomac Road between 7:45 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. in the
morning, and during that time there were 190 vehicles on Vomac Road.
The Sharmon/Vomac intersection is considered a stop sign controlled intersection as all three directions of
traffic must stop. The warrants do not recommend crossing guards for stop controlled intersections unless
the street is at least four lanes wide. However, even ifVomac Road was four lanes, there would need to
be 500 vehicles per hour during which 40 or more school pedestrians cross. Since this intersection only
had 19 pedestrians, most of whom were children with parents, and there were only 190 vehicles recorded,
the warrant would not come close to being met.
TJKM has also performed crossing guard studies at two other locations due to the boundary changes for
Nielsen School: one is Amarillo Road at Alegre Drive and the second one is Silvergate Drive at Amarillo
Road, both of which are uncontrolled crossings. Amarillo Road at Alegre Drive has approximately 52
pedestrian crossings (33 children and 19 adults) between the hours of 8:15 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. In the
afternoon between 1:30 p.m. and 2:20 p.m., there were a total of 54 pedestrians (31 children and 23
Page 2
adults) crossing Amarillo Road. The 1990 Study, which was used to place the crossing guard, indicated
79 and 54 pedestrians in the peak hours.
The traffic volume is 208 vehicles. This location more than meets the pedestrian criteria, but not the
vehicle count. Staff feels that these counts are close enough to meet the warrants for a crossing guard,
and it is appropriate to keep the present crossing guard at this location.
The crossing on Silvergate Drive at Amarillo Road had approximately 16 pedestrian crossings (11
children and 5 adults) in the intersection between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. The total traffic volume was
305 vehicles. The previous study to install the crossing guard (performed in October 1986) was based on
46 pedestrian crossings on Silvergate Drive and a survey that indicated that an additional 4 children would
cross if a crossing guard was provided. This intersection does not meet the crossing guard warrant.
TJKM also performed an all-way stop warrant study at Landale Avenue and Vomac Road. This
intersection does meet the all-way stop warrants, and Staff recommends that stop signs be installed on
Landale Avenue (Vomac Road is presently stop controlled).
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the resolution for the installation of an all-way stop sign
at Vomac Road and Landale Avenue and discuss the installation of a crossing guard at the Shannon
Avenue/Vomac Drive intersection and the removal of the crossing guard on Silvergate Drive at Amarillo
Road.
Page 3
/
RESOLUTION NO. - 97
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN
APPROVING INSTALLATION OF STOP SIGNS ON LANDALE AVENUE
AT THE INTERSECTION OF VOMAC ROAD
The City Council of the City of Dublin hereby resolves as follows:
~: Pursuant to City of Dublin Municipal Code Section 6.04.070, and in the interest of
public safety, stop signs shall be erected at the following location:
Landale Avenue, at the intersection of Vomac Road
~. Said stop sign location shall be added to Section 6.16.010 of the City of Dublin Traffic
Code.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 21 st day of October, 1997.
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
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MEMO
October 14, 1997
To:
From:
Subject:
Mr. Mehran Sepehri
Gordon Lure
Crossing Guard'Study
Project No.: 157-001 Task 49
Background
A crossh~ ~mmrd is typically warranted if the Recommended Crossing Guard Warrants
for the City o£Dublin are met (see Table 1). These warrants, wkich are based on ones
prcsen~d in the Caltrar~.~ Tra/~. Marmal, are guidelines that consider the volume of
pedestrian and vehicular traffc. The warrants do not directly address other cond/tions
.~uch as visibility: child security and safety, effectiveness and location of exdstSng trafSc
control, the type of traffic, and alternative methods of increasing the levels of pedestrian
and vehicular traffic control. Because of the relatively high cost of providing adult
crossing =o%tards, the warrants are set to cover only the very highest needs as far as
pedestrian-vehicle volume conffict.
TJE:M has used crossing guard warrants for '~L3nconl~rol]ed Crossings" and =STOP Sign
Controlled Crossinff? ~o evaluate the fo]lowing three in~rsestions:
a) Amarillo Road/-~degre Drive (uncon~olled crossing on Amarillo)
b) Silvergate Dr./,kmari]Io Road (STOP control]ed crossing on Silvers=ate)
c) Vomac Road/Shannon Avenue (STOP controlled crossing on Vomac)
Adult crossing ~srcls have been assignecl ~o the first two intersections,
while tlhe ¥omac RoacUShsn-non Avenue intersection docs not have a crossing guard.
.~,marilIo l:LoadJAjegre Drive
This intersection is a T-intersection with .kle=oTe Drive term{hating at Amarillo Road.
Nielsen Elementary School ~s lo~ated on the eastside of~narillo Road, opposi~ of
.~je=~re Drive..&mezZo l~oad runs in the north-south direction and is not controlled by
STOP s~gns. Aleg~e Drive runs in the east-west direction, with a STOP siffn on the
eastbound approach to _&m~o. Each school day, an adult crossing ~ard is t).-p~cally
present at the ~ntersect~on from 7:48 a.m. to 9:2~ a.m. and 1:40 p.m. to 3:~0 p.ra.
Vehicle volume counts were conducted on the A_marillo Road approaches to Alewife Drive
on Tuesday, September 30, 1997. Pedestrian counts were conducted at the
_&maritlo/kle~re infiemec~on for a total of four hours on Wednesday, October 1, 1997.
For one hour in the morning and two hours in the aff~ernoon, there are ma~y school
children crossing AmarLllo at .&le~re. Between 8:15 a.m. and 9:15 a.m., there were a
~
" 10/14/97
Mr. Mchran 5cpehri
2
total of 52 pedestrians (33 children and 19 adults) crossing Amarillo. Between 1:30 p.m.
and 2:30 p.m., thcre were a f~ota! of 54 pedestrians (31 ckilctren and 23 adults) crossing
.~narillo. Be~veen 2:30 p.m. and 3:80 p.m., there were also a total of 54 pedestrians (48
children and 11 adults) crossing Amarillo. During the three hours with high pedestrian
volumes, the highest vehicular volumes on Amarillo occurred between 8:15 a.m. and
9:15 a.m. a~cl between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., when there were a total of 208 and 85
vehicles, respectively.
Since Amarillo is not STOP controlled, the crosswalk across Amarillo is considered
~uncontrolled". The Recommended Crossing Guard Warrants for uncontrolled crossings
require a minimum of 350 vehicles during any two hours when there are ag least 40
school pedestrians. Given the' ]ow vehicular volumes on Amarillo at Alegre, the existing
crossing guard at ttxe intersection is ~echnically not warranted. However, the high
pedestrian volumes may justify keeping the crossing guard at this intersection.
Silvergate Drive/Amarillo Road
This intersection is a T-Lntersection with Amarillo Road terminating at Sflvergate
Drive, wkich extencls west from San 1Lemon Road. Children cross Silvergate either
going to or coming from Nielsen Elementary School, which is located to the south on
at Sflvergate/Amsrillo are STOP control]ed. Each
.Amarillo Road. All three approaches typic, ally present at the intersection from 7:45
school day, an adult crossing guard is
a.m. to 9:85 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. to 3:80 p.m.
The Recommended Crossing Guard Warrants for STOP sign controlled crossings require
a minimum of 800 vehicles over four or more lanes of traffic. Essentially, the Warrants
state that a crossing guard is not needed at a STOP controlled crossing unless there are
four or more lanes oftrafSc. Since Si]vergate is STOP controlled and has only three
lanes (westbound through, westbound lei% and eastbo~md through) at Amarillo, a
crossing guard is not warranted. Furtherraore, the Warrants require that the 500
vehicles occur during any ~wo hours when there are at least 40 school pedestrians.
Vehicle volume counts were conducted on the Silvergate approaches to Amarillo on
Tuesday, September 30, 1997. Pedestrian counts were conducted at the
Silvergate/AmarHlo intersection for a t~tal of four hours on Wednesday, October 1,
1997. The vehicle and pedestrian counts indicate that during the busiest hour for
pedestrians (8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m,), there were only 305 vehides on Silvergate while only
16 pedestrians (11 children and 5 adults) were crossing. Therefore, although an adult
crossing guard has been assig-ned to Silvergate/-Am~.arill°, the guszd is not warranted
because of low vehicular and pedestrian volumes, as well as insufficient approach lanes
on Silvergate.
,!
Mr. Mehran Sepchri
3
10/14/9 7
Vomac Road/Shannon Avenue
This intersection is a T-intersection w~th Shannon Avenue terminating at Vomac Road.
The recently reopened Dublin Elementary School is located on the eastside of Vomac
Road, opposite of Shannon Avenue. The main driveway for the school is located on
Vomac Road south of Shannon. During the morning drop off period, vehicles waiting to
turn left into the driveway back up on southbound Vomac. If the driveway were
relocated directly opposite of Shannon, most of the backup would occur in the school
parking lot rather than on the public street.
.411 three approaches at Vomac/Shannon are STOP controlled. The Recommended
Crossing Guard Warrants for STOP sign controlled crossings require a minimum of 500
vehicles over four or more lanes of traffic. In other words, there must be at leasg four
lanes of tra~c before a crossing guard is warranted at a STOP controlled crossing.
Since Vomac is STOP controlled and has a total of only cwo lanes (one lane in each
clirectlon) at Shannon, a crossing guard is not warranted. Furthermore, the Warrants
require that the 500 vehicles occur during any two hours when there are at least 40
school pedestrians.
Vehicle volume counts were conducted on the Vomae approaches ~o Shannon on
Tuesday, September 30, 1997. pedestrian cotmts were conducted at the
VomacTShannon intersection for a total of four hours on Wednesday, October 1, 1997.
The vehicle and pedestrian counts indicate that during the busiest hour for pedestrians
(7:45 a.m.-8:45 a.m.), there were only 190 vehicles on Vomac while only 19 pedestrians
(12 children and 7 adults) were crossing. Therefore, an adult crossing guard is not
warranted at Vomac/Shannon, because of low vehicular and pedestrian volumes, and
also because of insufficient approach lanes on Vomac.
TJKM has used crossing guard warrants to evaluate the following three intersections:
1) Amarillo Road and Ale~e Drive, 2) Silvergate Drive and Amarillo Road, and
3)Vomac Road and Shannon Avenue. Adult crossing guards have been assigned to the
first two intersections, while the Vomac Road/Shannon Avenue intersection does not
have a crossing guard.
Of the three intersections, only the uncontrolled intersection of Amarillo/Alegre come
close to meeting she Recommended Crossing Guard Warrants for the City of Dublin.
The high pedestrian volumes at Amaritlo/.~degre may justify keeping the adult crossing
guard at the intersection. The other two intersections (Silvergale/.A~marillo and
VomacYShannon) do not meet the Crossing Guard Warrants for STOP controlled
intersections, because of low vehicular and pedestrian volumes, and insufficient
approach lanes.
TABLEI
RECOMMENDED CROSSING GUARD WARRANTS
FOR THE
CITY OF DUBLIN
A~lult Crossing Guzrds mr~ normally sss{gne~l whara
element~ sch~l ~est~s is 8es{~b]e w~e they ~oss a pubic ~ghw~y on the
"sugges~d route ~ sch~l." Ad~t Cros~ Gu~ ~ay ~ w~te~ ~Ser the
fol]o~ con~6ons:
1. At Uncontrolled Cros~s:
~ere there ~ no ~a~ ~oss~ ~d ~t~ 1~00 fe~t; ~d where
ve~c~ trs~c wolfe excee~ 350 ve~es ~n emch of ~y two d~y
ho~s 8~g w~6k 40 or more s~l ~des~s ~oss w~]e Eo~ to or'
~om sch~l.
g. At STOP S{~ Controlled Cross~gs:
~nere there is no ~ate cross~ ~ ~tb~n 1,200 feet; ~d where
the ve~c~ tr~c wolfe on roa~ of fo~ or more l~es excee~
500 ve~es per ho~ d~ng w,~ch 40 or more sch~l ~des~s
S. At ~c Si~ Controlled Crossings:
A. ~ere the numar o~ ve~cul~ l~n~ movements t~ough the
s~l ~ossw~k excee~ 300 we~c]es ~r ho~ ~-~le sch~l
pedestH~ ~e go{nE ~ or ~om
B. ~ere ther~ ~e c~c~st~CeS not no~Y present mt s si~zed
intersec~on, such ss ~ssw~ more th~ 80 feet lon~ ~th no
inte~e~ate refuge, or ~ mbno~lY ~gh pro~ion of l~ge
commer~ we~cles.
Transportation Consultants
MEMO
October 16, 1997
Project No.: 157-001 Task 60
To:
From:
Subject:
Mehran Sepehri
Chris D. Kinzel
Landale Avenue and Vomac Drive All-Way Stop Analysis
This memo is to present the results of TJK.M's analysis related to the request for all-way STOP
sign control at the intersection of Landale Avenue/Vomac Drive in the City of Dublin.
Background
This intersection is a T-intersection with Vomac Drive terminating at Landale
Avenue. Landale Avenue runs in the east-west direction and Vomac Drive runs in
the north-south direction. The intersection currently operates with STOP sign
control on Vomac Drive and no control on Landale Avenue. Dublin Elementary
School, which reopened as a public school in September 1997, is located on the
east side of Vomac Drive between Landale Avenue and Bullbrook Avenue.
TJKM conducted a full stop sign warrant analysis at this intersection, consisting of
a review of volumes, speeds, accidents and sight distance. Volumes at the
intersection are moderate, and barely meet the volume warrant for the placement of
all-way stop si=o-ns at the intersection. However, in the research it was noted that
both Landale Avenue and Vomac Drive have been declared Through Streets in the
Dublin Traffic Code. The definition of a through street is that all cross streets
approaching the through street are controlled by stop signs. Thus, by definition,
the intersection of two through streets should be an all-way stop intersection,
unless traffic signals are present or unless the City specifically decides not to place
all-way stops.
Recommendation
Based on the existence of "through street" designation for both Vomac Drive and
Landale Avenue, it is recommended that all-way stops be placed at the
intersection. We believe that this does not specifically require action of' the City
Council, although approval of the all-way stop by the City Council would place
specific emphasis on the intent of the City. Upon the placement of the stop signs
on the two Landale Avenue approaches, the "SCHOOL XING" warning signs and
markings will need to be replaced with "STOP AHEAD" signs. This is required
by the California Vehicle Code and is a good idea because the stop signs are a
higher level of control than are the school warning signs and markings. However,
the yellow, or school, pedestrian cross walks at the intersection will be retained.
In addition, TJKM has been asked by the staff to evaluate reports of congestion at
the entrance to Dublin Elementary School on Vomac Road just south of Shannon
Road. We will report back to the City on this issue in the near future. \157-066
4234 Hacienda Drive, Suite 101, Pleasanton,
· Phone (510)463-0611 · Fax (510)463-3690
7¢¢7. '¢/¢,.~,~ ~¢,,,,¢ September 22, 1997
The Honorable Guy HouSton
Mayor, City of Dublin
Dublin Civic Center.
t 00 Civic Plaza
Dublin, CA 94568
Dear Mr. Houston;
We are writing to request your assistance in obtaining crossing guard (s) for Dublin Elementary
School. Knowing that the safety of our children is a particular concern of yours, we need your
assistance in expediting what we are concerned will become a lengthy evaluation process.
As you know, Dublin Elementary has re-opened after many years. When the decision to reopen the
school was finalized, we worked hard to ensure that the school, faculty, and facilities not only
matched what existed for our children at Nielsen, but set the standard for the District. Thrbugh the
support of many members of the community, the School Board, and the City, we feel proud of and
grateful for what has been accomplished to date with the school reopening.
There is one issue remaining which we feel is of pdmary importance and that is the lack of crossing
guards to supervise the children crossing streets in the vicinity of the school. We feel, as do you, that
the safety of our children is of paramount importance. We are frustrated that the school has opened
as the only..elementary school in Dublin lacking protection for our children. We understand that the
process has been initiated to survey traffic in the vicinity'of the school to see if a crossing guard(s) is
mandated by state guidelines. We have two concerns with this approach. First of all, we need
protection for our children now - the safety of our children cannot be subject to a lengthy review
process. Secondly, even if the results of the survey do not meet the state guidelines; we as the
parent population of Dublin Elementary feel that our students medt the same protection as the rest of
the elementary school population in Dublin. Additionally, we feel there is more potential for problems
as the driving population in the area has not been used to many children crossing the streets - at
least since the departure of Valley Christian.
We need your help in bringing this issue to the attention of the City Council and achieving a quick
resolution. As you can see by the attached page(s) of signatures, there is strong support for this
request within the Dublin Elementary community. We are looking for a recommendation from you as
to our next step in this process, whether it be an agenda item for an upcoming City Council meeting,
or some other step that you think is appropriate.
We look forward to your prompt response and thank you for your assistance. You can contact us
through our PFC Presidents - Mrs. Patty Guadagni (829-9458) or Mrs. Nancy Bastida (829-9278).
Respectfully, ^ .¢~,., .
Represe,'-~ng The Parents of Du ' Elementary School
CC: Mr. John Sugiyama
Mrs. Tess Cohen
We respectfully and urgently request crossing guard protection for Dublin Elementary
School
Family Name Signature Address
.--- ,- % [~:[:r,,-,,x.,- .~..-,4, ~--.
We respectfully and urgently request crossing guard protection fot Dublin Elementary
School
Family Name
Signature
Address