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Home My WebLink About13 - Tustin Avenue Speed Limit - PowerPoint- StaffAgenda Item No. 13 February 11, 2014 H� ,U F�� TUSTIN AVENUE SPEED LIMIT SANTIAGO DRIVE TO 23RD STREET City Council Meeting February 11, 2014 �n Z� To Begin With - Some Background On Speed Limits 3 Ways to Apply and Enforce Speed Limits per California Vehicle Code • The Basic Speed Law: "No Person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property." This is founded on the belief that most motorists will, on their own, adjust and modify their driving behavior properly based upon the conditions around them. • All Speed Limits are "Prima Facie" ( "at first look ") • Established Speed Limits which are considered by law to be the safe and prudent speed under normal conditions. • Certain Prima Facie speed limits are established by law including a 25 mph speed limit for Residential Districts and streets that are adjacent to Schools, and Senior Centers. Some Background On Speed Limits • Speed Zoning (Posted Speed Limits) Establishing the legal speed limit on a roadway in full compliance with state laws using prevailing speed data, collected as part of an Engineering and Traffic Survey (ET & S). The measured 85th percentile speed most nearly conforms to a safe and reasonable speed limit. • Note of Caution "Speed Trap" = Per the Vehicle Code, a section of a highway where the posted speed is not justified by an engineering and traffic survey, and is set artificially low. Why Are Realistic Speed Limits Desirable ? • They satisfy the requirements of State Law for establishing legally enforceable speed limits on public streets and highways. • They invite public compliance because they conform to the behavior of the majority of drivers (Basic Speed Law) and give a clear reminder to nonconforming violators. • They provide law enforcement agencies with an effective tool to separate the occasional violator from the safe and reasonable driving majority. • They inject an element of logic and reason into an otherwise arbitrary and often emotional issue. Roadway Functional Classification California Road System (CRS) Maps: indicate the functional classification of a Roadway which is used in determining Federal funding to maintain the roads. Roads are classified as Interstate, Freeway, Arterial, Collector and Loca 1. Currently, Tustin Avenue is functionally classified as a "Collector', not a "Local" road on the CRS map. Definition of "Collector" Roadway per Federal Highway Administration: A collector distributes and channels trips between local roads (in this case, cul -de -sacs) and arterials (Irvine Avenue). California Road System (CRS) Map a w w FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM INTERSTATE 1 OTHER FWY OR EXPWY 2 OTHER PRINCIPAL ARTERIAL 3 MINOR ARTERIAL 4 MAJOR COLLECTOR 5 MINOR COLLECTOR 6 LOCAL 7 q - U f � \ ✓ � F 3 � 'OFD g y. 4 b 9 ® NTAA HEIGIdI� �q , r /% �m f ar it NGE � a ujp,Y � ADEL M M M a 1 n1Ar lawn SEE MAP 14W32 M M M a 1 n1Ar lawn • t? 91 � R7 I AL ry III w. fro, NTA A HEIGN.I§- r Y , ry III w. .! •.C' V • I 7�3 1 . . 7 .ZS.r ya f• T K Y ..�.y �a� • -• 1 B r v fp t fln Avenue r •. • low Tustin Avenue ar- (looking South towards Santiago Drive) i ._. Tustin Avenue — Between Santiago Drive and 23rd Street • This segment of Tustin is a quarter mile long with Stop signs at both ends. • There are 12 homes that front Tustin Avenue. • There are 73 homes that access Tustin Avenue off the adjacent cul -de -sacs of Meadow Lane, Vista Baya, Sierra Vista and Vista Marina. • This segment meets the FHWA definition of "Collector ". • This segment does not meet legal Vehicle Code definition of "Residence District ". "Collector" (per FHWA): Describes a road that "distributes and channels trips between local roads (in this case, the cul -de -sacs) and arterials (Irvine Avenue)." "Residence District" (per sec 515 CVC): that portion of a highway upon both sides, within a quarter mile, the contiguous property fronting thereon is occupied by 16 or more separate dwelling houses. Tustin Avenue Neighborhood r � r �9 � So why did the City post Tustin at 30 mph rather than 25 mph? • This segment of Tustin is not within a School or Senior Center Zone, and does not meet the definition of a "Residence District ". Based on this a "prima facie" 25 mph posting would not be legally enforceable. • Engineering and Traffic Survey shows that the current 85th percentile speed is 36 mph. The speed shall be established within 5 mph of the 85th percentile speed (35 mph) per Caltrans Policy Directive. • City used "conditions not readily apparent" to lower the legally enforceable speed posting to 30 mph. • This Speed Limit was posted to allow for legal enforcement (established per the Caltrans Policy Directive, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, and the California Vehicle Code). • There is No History of Speed Related Accidents. 41 The 30 mph Speed is considered Reasonable and Safe. What if City Council wanted to post Tustin at 25 mph rather then 30 mph A. Request to Change Roadway Classification. The process to do this is: 1) Submit a standard form to Caltrans, a marked -up map, a Resolution of the City Council, and a concurrence letter from OCTA or SCAG; 2) Caltrans District Coordinator reviews and if agrees, writes a District Concurrence Letter; 3) Caltrans Headquarters presents the proposed changes to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for approval; 4) If approved by the FHWA, the revised state roadway system maps are posted on the internet and the Caltrans District Coordinator is notified. Note: Per CVC, a "speed trap" designation does not apply to a street functionally classified as "local" on the California Road System Maps. A re- classification to "local" on the CRS Maps would allow for 25 mph speed limit and legal enforcement. Point to Consider: Will most likely require Continual Enforcement to Meet Expectations. What if City Council wanted to post Tustin at 25 mph rather then 30 mph B. Change the Physical Nature of the Street — Traffic Calming City Council Policy L -26: Neighborhood Traffic Management • This Policy was established to address traffic concerns on residential street with demonstrated speeding concerns. • Streets are considered for traffic calming based on measured speeds, posted speed limit, traffic volumes, roadway width, roadway grade, Fire and Police Department Emergency Response Requirements, etc. • Currently at a posted speed limit of 30 mph, Tustin Avenue would not be eligible per Council Policy L -26. With a posted speed limit of 25 mph, Tustin Avenue could be considered for traffic calming. Points to Consider: • Records do not support that there is a significant traffic issue. • Depending on Scope, Calming Improvements could cost from $10,000 for speed humps to $ 75,000 or more for extensive landscaped chokers or medians. • Would adding Street Trees & Sidewalks better Address Pedestrian Safety Concerns? Other Cities Referenced Truckee, CA Changed classification on town maintained streets to "local" to address enforcement problems. Local courts were dismissing numerous citations based on Judge's interpretation of "conditions not readily apparent" used by City to reduce speeds an additional 5 mph. Re- classification to "local" allowed for legal enforcement of lower speed limits without requiring the city to support "conditions not readily apparent" used. Not all streets in town were posted at 25 mph. City established a policy that speed limits will not be established more than 10 mph above or below 851h percentile. For comparison purposes, we have already used the "conditions" clause to reduce Tustin Avenue from 35 mph to 30 mph. Other Cities Referenced Fullerton, CA Changed classification on 36 streets from "collector" to "local" to make the citywide speed survey more manageable in size and easier to administer. Eliminated the need to complete Engineering and Traffic Surveys (ET & S) on these streets. Costa Mesa, CA Has re- classified some streets from "arterial" to "collector ", but has not taken any streets off the CRS Maps by changing classification from "collector" to "local ". Some streets in Eastside Costa Mesa are actually designated "arterial" with posted 25 mph speed limit because they meet the definition of "residence district ". Staff Recommendation • Given the current conditions and history, staff believes that Tustin Avenue between Santiago Drive and 23rd Street is properly classified as a "Collector Roadway ", and the legally established and posted speed limit of 30 mph is safe and reasonable. • A Re- classification of Tustin Avenue to "Local" and a subsequent posting of 25 mph would most likely require continual enforcement and /or the implementation of a physical change to the roadway to gain compliance. • Staff's Professional Opinion would be to Recommend No Change to the Classification or Posted Speed Limit at this time. Consideration could be given to incorporation of Sidewalks and Street Trees on Tustin Ave. to Address Pedestrian Safety Concerns. Questions or Comments. Public Works Department A Well- Engineered Machine Protecting and Providing Quality Public Improvements and Services