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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 4.04 Speed Lmt DoughertyG~~~ OF Dp~~~ /9`~1~~1 ~`` ~ l/ O~LIFO'~~~~ STAFF REPORT CITY CLERK DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL File # ^©®®-©^O DATE: January 19, 2010 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Joni Pattillo, City Manager SUBJEC Review of Engineering Survey Results and Establishment of Speed Limit for Dougherty Road Prepared ey.' Jaimee Bourgeois, Senior Civil Engineer (Traffic) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This is the second reading of an Ordinance introduced at the regularly scheduled City Council meeting of December 15, 2009. The Ordinance will establish a new speed limit of 40 mph on Dougherty Road between Scarlett Drive/Park Sierra and Dublin Boulevard, since an updated engineering and traffic survey supports a speed limit other than what is currently posted. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The cost to replace existing speed limit signs and pavement legends is approximately $800. Funds for this work are contained in the Street Maintenance Operating Budget as approved by the City Council for Fiscal Year 2009-2010. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council waive the reading and ADOPT the ordinance amending the Dublin Traffic Code to establish a new speed limit on certain portions of Dougherty Road (Scarlett Drive/Park Sierra to Dublin Boulevard). Submitted By Senior Civil Engineer (Traffic) Page 1 of 2 ITEM NO. ~• DESCRIPTION: The California Vehicle Code provides that police may use radar for speed enforcement as long as certain criteria are met. For roadways that are defined as local roads on the federal roadway classification map or, if not shown on that map, roads that are (1) not more than 40 feet in width, (2) not more than one half mile of uninterrupted length, and (3) not more than one traffic lane in each direction, a prima facie 25 mph speed limit may be used without performing a survey. For all other roadways, an engineering and traffic survey (E&TS) is required to establish a speed limit that can be enforced by means of radar. There were 34 roadway segments Citywide that were due to be re-evaluated because the existing E&TS was due to expire; therefore, an E&TS was recently completed for each of these roadway segments. The result for Dougherty Road between Scarlett Drive/Park Sierra and Dublin Boulevard is being brought before the City Council because the results do not support the existing posted speed limit, as described below. Dougherty Road (Scarlett Drive/Park Sierra to Dublin Boulevard): The existing posted speed limit is 35 mph. The adjacent land uses are generally commercial with several driveways located on both sides of the roadway. There exist residential uses at the north end of this roadway segment. The roadway segment varies between six lanes at the southern end and four lanes at the northern end. There is a two-way left-turn lane (TWLTL) north of Sierra Lane. The E&TS indicates that the critical speed is 44 mph. This suggests a posted speed limit of 45 mph. Due to the high density of commercial driveways and the existence of a TWLTL with the potential for head-on collisions, a 5 mph reduction to 40 mph is justifiable. Staff recommends that the posted speed limit be established at 40 mph so that enforcement by use of radar may continue. This Ordinance will amend the City of Dublin Traffic Code to establish a new speed limit of 40 mph on Dougherty Road between Scarlett Drive/Park Sierra and Dublin Boulevard. The City Council considered this matter on December 15, 2009 and waived the reading and introduced the ordinance establishing the new speed limit. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: A notice regarding the public hearing held on December 15, 2009, was mailed to residents and businesses fronting the roadway segment under discussion. Notices were not required to be mailed out for the second reading. ATTACHMENTS: 1. December 15, 2009, Staff Report (without Attachments) 2. Ordinance amending the Dublin Traffic Code to establish a new speed limit on certain portions of Dougherty Road (Scarlett Drive/Park Sierra to Dublin Boulevard). G:\TRANSPORTATIOMLocal Traffic\Speed Limits\stffrpt_Dougherty speed limit 011910.doc Page 2 of 2 r1 % `" ~ ~ ~~ ~~i ~ 19 ~ ~=7`82 STAFF REPORT DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL CITY CLERK File # ^®®®Q D^ DATE: December 15, 2009 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Joni Pattillo, City Manager SUBJE Public Hearing: Review of Engineering Survey Results and Establishment of Speed Limit for Dougherty Road Prepared By: Jaimee Bourgeois, Senior Civil Engineer (Traffic) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This is the first reading of a proposed ordinance which would establish a new speed limit of 40 mph on Dougherty Road between Scarlett Drive/Park Sierra and Dublin Boulevard, since an updated engineering and traffic survey supports a speed limit other than what is currently posted. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The cost to replace existing speed limit signs and pavement legends is approximately $800. This can be covered by the Street Maintenance Operating Budget. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council conduct a public hearing, deliberate, waive the reading and introduce the ordinance establishing a new speed limit on Dougherty Road. Submitted By Public Works Director Rev By Assistant City Manager H~'~ I-i9-~c `""°" 'ATTACHMENT /. y DESCRIPTION: The California Vehicle Code provides that police may use radar for speed enforcement as long as certain criteria are met. For roadways that are defined as local roads on the federal roadway classification map or, if not shown on that map, roads that are (1) not more than 40 feet in width, (2) not more than one half mile of uninterrupted length, and (3) not more than one traffic lane in each direction, a prima facie 25 mph speed limit may be used without performing a survey. For all other roadways, an engineering and traffic survey (E&TS) is required to establish a speed limit that can be enforced by means of radar. The operative criterion determined by an engineering and traftlc survey is the "85th percentile" or "critical" speed. This figure is based on the belief that most drivers will drive at a speed that is safe and reasonable for conditions. In a sampling of speeds that are taken by radar, 85% of drivers are traveling at the 85th percentile speed or lower. Speed limits are to be set at the nearest 5 mph increment to the 85th percentile speed. The second part of the engineering and traffic survey includes an analysis of the roadway to determine whether there are any offsetting factors such as residential density, pedestrian and bicycle features, intersecting driveways, accident history, schools, and so~forth, which would cause the recommended speed limit to be reduced by 5 mph. Engineering surveys are typically performed during non-commute hours and are not performed where roadways are still under construction or where there are temporary conditions (such as a lane closure or inclement weather) that would affect a driver's speed. A Policy Directive was issued by the State of Califomia Department of Transportation in July 2009 that reiterates the standard for establishing speed limits as set forth in the California Vehicle Code (Sections 627, 22358.8 and 40802). Traffic Commissioners take these engineering and traffic surveys seriously and may not uphold citations when the driver is within the 85th percentile speed. Speed limits that are set artificially low are said to be "speed traps" and are typically not enforceable (Attachment 1). There were 34 roadway segments Citywide that were due to be re-evaluated because the existing E&TS was due to expire; therefore, an E&TS was recently completed for each of these roadway segments. The result for Dougherty Road between Scarlett Drive/Park Sierra and Dublin Boulevard is being brought before the City Council because the results do not support the existing posted speed limit, as described below. Douaherty Road (Scarlett Drive/Park Sierra to Dublin Boulevard): The existing posted speed limit is 35 mph. The adjacent land uses are generally commercial with several driveways located on both sides of the roadway. There exist residential uses at the north end of this roadway segment.. The roadway segment varies between six lanes at the southern end and four lanes at the northern end. There is a two-way left-turn lane (TVIILTL) north of Sierra Lane. The E&TS indicates that the critical speed is 44 mph. This suggests a posted speed limit of 45 mph. Due to the high density of commercial driveways and the existence of a TWLTL with the potential for head-on collisions, a 5 mph reduction to 40 mph is justifiable. Staff recommends that the posted speed limit be established at 40 mph so that enforcement by use of radar may continue. A draft ordinance is attached (Attachment 3) that would amend the City of Dublin Traffic Code to establish a new speed limit of 40 mph on Dougherty Road between Scarlett Drive/Park Sierra and Dublin Boulevard. Page 2 of 3 3 orq NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: A notice about the public hearing was mailed to residents and businesses fronting the roadway segment under discussion (Attachments 4 and 5). ATTACHMENTS: 1. California Vehicle Code Section 40802 "Speed Trap" 2. Engineering and Traffic Survey Form Results 3. Draft Ordinance 4. Notice of Public Hearing 5. Mailing List for Notice of Public Hearing Page 3 of 3 N~ 9 ORDINANCE NO. - 10 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN AMENDING THE DUBLIN TRAFFIC CODE TO ESTABLISH A NEW SPEED LIMIT ON CERTAIN PORTIONS OF DOUGHERTY ROAD (SCARLETT DRIVE/PARK SIERRA TO DUBLIN BOULEVARD) The City Council of the City of Dublin does hereby ordain as follows: Section 1: The following language shall be deleted from Section 6.60.030 (35 miles per hour) of the City of Dublin Traffic Code: "Dougherty Road: Park Sierra to Southern City Limit" Section 2: The following language shall be added to Section 6.60.040 (40 miles per hour) of the City of Dublin Traffic Code: "Dougherty Road: Scarlett Drive/Park Sierra to Dublin Boulevard" Section 3. Severability. The provisions of this Ordinance are severable and if any provision, clause, sentence, word or part thereof is held illegal, invalid, unconstitutional, or inapplicable to any person or circumstances, such illegality, invalidity, unconstitutionality, or inapplicability shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, clauses, sentences, sections, words or parts thereof of the ordinance or their applicability to other persons or circumstances. Section 4. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect and be enforced thirty (30) days following its adoption. Section 5. Posting. The City Clerk of the City of Dublin shall cause this Ordinance to be posted in at least three (3) public places in the City of Dublin in accordance with Section 36933 of the Government Code of the State of California. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 19th day of January, 2010, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTEST: City Clerk Mayor Page 1 of 1 ATTACHMENT 2