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HomeMy WebLinkAbout19 - Newport Coast & Pelican Hill Traffic Issues0 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Agenda Item #19 February 13, 2007 TO: I HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: City Manager's Office Homer Bludau, City Manager 949/644 -3000 or hbludau @city.newport- beach.ca.us SUBJECT: Proposals from Council Members Curry and Gardner to Address Traffic Safety Issues at Newport Coast Drive/Pelican Hill Road North Intersection ISSUE: How should the City address recent construction - related traffic accidents at the intersection of Newport Coast Drive and Pelican Hill Road (North)? RECOMMENDATION: • 1. Approve and direct staff to implement a specific list of Safety Improvement Measures recommended by Council Members Curry and Gardner. 2. Direct staff to report back to the Council and community every three months with information about the effectiveness of these measures. DISCUSSION: At about 10:30 a.m. on February 2nd 2007, a cement truck traveling to The Irvine Company's Pelican Hill Resort construction site took the wrong turn at the Newport Coast Drive /Pelican Hill Road North intersection. The truck overturned, spilling its cement load and smashing part of a pickup truck waiting in the left -hand turn lane (the lane taking vehicles onto NB Newport Coast Drive from Pelican Hill Road North). Only a quick reaction by the pickup truck driver averted a fatality, or at least, serious injuries. This is the second accident involving a loaded cement truck at this intersection, and it has become a serious concern for Newport Coast residents who use that intersection. The intersection has these unique characteristics: 1. Vehicles heading south at the intersection are traveling down grade, usually at a high rate of speed; 2. The road slope and drainage of Pelican Hill Road North at the intersection is towards the • south, meaning vehicles making the right hand turn off Newport Coast Drive onto Pelican Newport Coast Drive Safety — Item #19 February 13. 2007 Page 2 Hill Road North at a higher rate of speed than recommended are "pushed" by their • momentum towards the left hand turn lane; 3. The inlet/outlet for Montecito (Via Burrone) is in close proximity to the intersection, requiring vehicles turning left from Via Burrone on Pelican Hill Road to proceed cautiously, because vehicles making right hand turns from SB Newport Coast Drive onto Pelican Hill Road North quickly reach Via Burrone with limited visibility; The residential and road systems in the Newport Coast were developed in the County, without City input or review. Newport Coast Drive and Pelican Hill Road are now owned and operated by the City following the January 1, 2002 annexation of Newport Coast. 9 Aerial View of Intersection Pelican Hill Road North and Newport Coast Drive • • • NewAoast Drive Safety— Item #19 February 13, 2007 Page 3 • Fixing the Problem. Council Members Curry and Gardner have proposed the following Safety Improvement Measures after conversations with the City Manager, the Public Works Department, and the Police Department: NEWPORT COAST DRIVE x PELICAN HILL ROAD NORTH SAFETY IMPROVEMENT MEASURES IMMEDIATE A — Enforcement & Access 1. Increase enforcement of California Vehicle Code provisions in this area, including speed enforcement, and truck inspection compliance by the California Highway Patrol. 2. Deploy, on a regular basis, City radar trailer to collect speed information and to act as a visual reminder to those who exceed the speed limit. 3. Work with The Irvine Company and other contractors /construction sites in the Newport Coast to ensure that all contractors understand the approved traffic plan and procedures. 4. Ensure that the access gate to Pelican Hill Road South is opened as soon as possible in the event of any closure on Pelican Hill Road North, prior to the complete opening on May 1, 2007. 5. Implement procedures to ensure that Pelican Hill Road South is dear for traffic in the event of an extraordinary opening. 6. Direct the Newport Beach Police Department to review existing signage for sufficiency • and effectiveness. B — Signage 1. Install a warning sign on SB Newport Coast Drive advising trucks of the tipping hazard and a 10 MPH speed requirement. C — Community outreach 1. Use the City web site (www.city.newport- beach.ca.us) to provide ongoing updates to the community in conjunction with the status of the Pelican Hill Road South closure. 2. Direct the Newport Coast Advisory Committee (NCAC) to review this matter and provide additional advice to the Council based on community feedback. LONGER -TERM Capital Projects 1. Initiate discussions with the relevant homeowners associations (esp. Montecito) regarding an easement on HOA property to enlarge the critical intersection for right turns from Newport Coast Drive and/or additional lane space for Pelican Hill Road North. 2. Prepare design parameters to re- engineer this intersection to reduce the "camber" effect that may be an encouraging factor in the rollovers. 3. Install a median barrier on Pelican Hill Road North. 4. Propose funding for a road improvement based on Items 1 -3 within the City's 2007/08 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). If this process is expedited and the City Council concurs, construction can commence as early as Fall 2007. E I NeWO Coast Drive Safety — Item #19 February 13, 2007 Page 4 Council Members Curry and Gardner based some of their recommendations upon an analysis done by NBPD Captain John Klein of various enforcement measures that could be implemented to help address safety concerns at the intersection. Captain Klein's memo is attached. City staff concurs with these Safety Improvement Measures and will, upon direction by the Council, begin to implement them. The warning sign identified in Immediate (B) above has been installed effective February 12, 2007. Environmental Review: The City Council's approval of the "immediate" categories does not require environmental review. A CEQA analysis will have to be done on any capital improvement work, which is likely to be categorically exempt. Public Notice: This agenda item may be noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the public meeting at which the City Council considers the item). Submitted by: Homer Bludau City Manager Attachments: Letter from Council Members Gardner and Curry Memo from Captain Klein n LJ n LJ q CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH OFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL Mayor February 7, 2007 Steven Rosansky Mayor Pro Tem HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL: Edward D. Selich Council Members Dear Colleagues: Keith D. Curry Leslie J. Daigle As you are aware, the recent accident involving a cement mixer and private Nancy Gardner vehicle at the intersection of Newport Coast Drive and Pelican Hill Road North Michael F. Henn has raised ongoing concerns regarding the safety of this intersection and the Don Webb ability to maintain open access to the Pelican Hill community while construction is ongoing on Pelican Hill Road South. In light of prior accidents at this location, we believe it is imperative that the City take the actions necessary to improve safety and ensure access to the community. Accordingly, we have initiated discussions with the City staff, including the City Manager, Public Works and the Police Department to identify both short-term and long -term solutions to this situation. We appreciate the high ' priority the City staff have placed on addressing this intersection since the { accident. At our February 131h meeting, staff will be prepared to provide detailed descriptions of the engineering issues involved in improving this intersection, but the bottom line is we need to take the following steps: n u • Reduce the speed of vehicles, particularly trucks, attempting southbound right hand turn on Pelican Hill Road North. • Ensure that construction traffic is appropriately routed to Pelican Hill Road South. (This driver was making his first visit to the location and should have been on PHR South.) • Increase vehicle code enforcement in the area. • Implement steps prior to the May 1 opening of Pelican Hill Road South that ensure emergency access is provided to Pelican Hill residents on PHR South in the event of a future closure of Pelican Hill Road North. • Re- engineer this intersection to provide a safer, long -term, solution for future traffic. Working with the City Manager, Public Works and the Police Department, we have identified the following action items and we respectfully request your concurrence in moving forward to implementation: City Hall • 3300 Newport Boulevard • Post Office Box 1768 Newport Beach California 92658 -8915 • www.citynewport- beach.ca.us 61 February 7, 2007 Page 2 Enforcement and Access: 1. Increase enforcement of vehicle code provisions in this area, including speed enforcement, and CHP truck inspection compliance. 2. Increase deployment of the City radar trailer to collect speed information and to act as a visual reminder to those who exceed the speed limit. 3. Work with The Irvine Company and other construction sites in the Newport Coast area to ensure that all contractors understand the approved traffic plan and procedures. 4. Implement procedures to ensure that the access gate to Pelican Hill Road South is opened as soon as possible in the event of a closure on Pelican Hill Road North, prior to the complete opening on May 1. 5. Implement procedures to ensure that Pelican Hill Road South is clear for traffic in the event of an extraordinary. opening. 6. Request the Police Department to review existing signage for sufficiency and effectiveness. Short Term Solution: 1. Install warning sign on Newport Coast Drive (southbound) advising trucks of the tipping hazard and 10 MPH requirement. (I understand this has already been implemented). Long Term Solutions: 1. Initiate discussions with the relevant homeowners associations regarding an easement of HOA property to enlarge the intersection for right turns from Newport Coast Drive and /or additional lane space for PHRN. 2. Prepare design parameters to re- engineer this intersection to reduce the "camber" effect that may be an encouraging factor in the rollovers. 3. Provide a funding option for consideration in the 2007 -08 CIP budget. It is our understanding that if this process is expedited and the City Council concurs, construction can commence as early as fall. 4. Install a median barrier on Pelican Hill Road North. Community Outreach: 1. Use the City Web site to provide ongoing updates to the community in conjunction with the status of the Pelican Hill Road South closure. 2. Direct the Newport Coast Advisory Committee to review this matter and provide additional advice to the Council based on community feedback. We would request the concurrence of our colleagues in the implementation of this action plan, recognizing that final funding approval for major improvements will be part of the CIP process later this year. It is our understanding that staff is in concurrence with all of these recommendations. Finally, we would note to the Council the critical importance of these steps to the community and the very high level of concern and priority placed on finding a long term solution for traffic safety. is ;i Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Keith D. Curry Nancy Gardner Council Member, District 7 Council Member, District 6 11 February 7, 2007 Page 3 7 ��waogr� NEWPORT BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT 870 Santa Barbara, P.O. Box 7000, Newport Beach, CA 92658 -7000 MEMORANDUM DATE: February 5, 2007 TO: Chief McDonell FROM: Capt. John Klein SUBJECT: Newport Coast Traffic Concerns On Friday, February 2, 2007 there was a traffic collision that occurred at the intersection of Newport Coast and Pelican Hills Drive North. The collision involved a cement truck that flipped on its side while making a right turn from Newport Coast to Pelican Hills Drive North. The cement truck was part of the Pelican Hills Golf Course construction project. As a result of this collision the Police Department has done the following. Contacted the Irvine Company Project Manager Chris Marsh who advised the involved cement truck company had been told to use Pelican Hills South for access to the construction site. This reportedly was the first delivery made by this cement truck company. Assigned a Traffic Officer to monitor the construction traffic to ensure all construction traffic is using the Pelican Hills Drive South construction entrance. • Assigned a Traffic Officer to make contact with management at the Pelican Construction site to ensure compliance with established construction traffic plan. • Provided Dispatchers and Field Supervisor with contact information for the 24 hour staffed entrance gates at both ends of the Pelican Hills construction site to allow for the opening of the roadway in the event of a future closure to Pelican Hills Drive North to ensure residents have access to and from their residences. *Contacted Irvine Company Project Manager Chris Marsh to ensure that immediate action would be taken to ensure the roadway was clear in any future events requiring Pelican Hills Drive South to be open for resident access. • Spoke with City Traffic Engineering who advised they were placing a work order with General Services for an advisory 10 MPH sign for the right turn lane at Newport Coast and Pelican Hills Drive North. Office of the Chief 949 -644 -3701 • Support Services 949 -644 -3654 • Patrol- Traffic 949- 644 -3742 • Detectives 949 -644 -3790 A me • Assigned a Traffic Officer to review the area and make recommendations concerning, but not limited to additional signs advising construction traffic to use Pelican Hills Drive South, along with other recommended measures to slow traffic. • Have deployed the traffic radar trailer on Newport Coast north of Pelican Hills Drive North to capture speed information and to act as a visual reminder of the posted speed limit. • Scheduling additional commercial truck enforcement and inspections with other law enforcement agencies including the CHP. • Increased traffic enforcement at the intersection of Newport Coast and Pelican Hills Drive North. John Klein Captain PatrollTraffic Division Commander Newport Beach Police Department T: 949/644 -3720 F: 949/644 -3749 E: iklein @nbpd.org C 2 M Steven L. Craig President, Pelican Crest Community Association 1 Oceancrest Newport Coast, CA 92657 (949) 644 -9450 February 13, 2007 Via E -Mail Hard Conv via U.S. Mail Honorable Mayor Rosansky Members of the City Council City of Newport Beach 3300 Newport Boulevard Newport Beach, CA 92663 RE: February 2, 2007 Traffic Accident Newport Coast Drive & Pelican Hills Road North Dear Mayor Rosansky and Members of the City Council: It is my understanding that the Newport Beach City Council will be discussing, on tonight's agenda, issues relating to a recent traffic accident that occurred at the corner of Newport Coast Drive and Pelican Hills Road North. As the President of the Pelican Crest Community Association, I want to express, on behalf of all our members, the serious concerns and fears that our residents have with respect to the this intersection. For the second time in approximately two years, a concrete delivery truck has overturned at this corner while attempting to make a right hand turn. In this most recent incident, by sheer luck and the grace of God, no one was killed. Had the vehicle waiting to clear the traffic light been four feet further west (away from the intersection), the occupant of that vehicle would have been crushed to death by the overturned truck. The circumstance of this latest incident is strikingly similar to the one that occurred at the same intersection a few years ago. In that accident, the driver waiting at the traffic signal was not quite as lucky and was ultimately airlifted to a trauma center for treatment after a concrete delivery truck overturned while negotiating the right turn onto Pelican Hills Road North. The individual did, fortunately, survive. Further adding to the impact, was that the roads in and around the accident were closed and literally hundreds of people were inconvenienced. February 13, 2007 Page 2 of 3 The purpose of this letter is fourfold. 1. This letter constitutes formal notice to the City of Newport Beach that a serious traffic danger exists at Newport Coast Drive and Pelican Hills Road North. 2. The Pelican Crest Community Association requests that the City of Newport Beach appropriate the necessary funds for re- engineering of the intersection and reconstruction of the northwest corner of Pelican Hills Road North. To avoid future fatalities, we further request that all such work be placed on the highest priority and fast - tracked by the Public Works Department. Ideally, we would like to see a dedicated right turn lane that has sufficient safety spacing, as much as twenty (20) feet clear, from the Pelican Hills Road North exit road onto Newport Coast Drive. An architecturally attractive separation barrier should also be considered as an option. 3. The Association requests that the City of Newport Beach enforce the requirement that The Irvine Company construction traffic only use Pelican Hills Road South for their ingress and egress. I understand the overturned cement truck was one that was delivering concrete to The Irvine Company construction site. 4. Finally, the Association requests that the City of Newport Beach impose a requirement that The Irvine Company allow access through Pelican Hills Road South in the event of a road closure at the Pelican Hills Road North/Newport Coast Drive interchange or any other closure on Newport Coast Drive that prohibits or restricts access to the three neighborhoods (Pelican Crest, Pelican Hill and Montecito). During this most recent accident, The Irvine Company representatives would not allow access to residents who needed to get to or from their homes. Despite The Irvine Company's contention that access was provided within twenty minutes, I personally was at the north gate of The Irvine Company construction site and ninety minutes after the above - referenced accident took place, The Irvine Company security personnel were still not allowing residents through the construction gate. It was not until a near riot took place that the guard, who had no prior knowledge of the City's direction to The Irvine Company from the November, 2006 council meeting, finally allowed residents through. Additionally, please note that the reason the guard let residents through had nothing to do with the City's direction and everything to do with the size of the crowd who was demanding access to their homes. February 13, 2007 Page 3 of 3 We, as citizens, should not be forced to riot in order to gain access to our homes. The Irvine Company should have had proper procedures in place to immediately get the south road open. It is, after all, a public road. If The Irvine Company is not going to put firm procedures in place, then the City of Newport Beach should immediately re -open Pelican Hills Road South and let The Irvine Company suffer the same inconvenience and costs that we as residents are suffering. Our Association will anxiously await the courtesy of your reply. Sincerely, en L. Cz a President Pelican Hills Community Association /djc Enclosures Cc: Clarence Barker, The Irvine Company (w /out enclosures) Eric Prevette, The Irvine Company (w /out enclosures) Joe Bolich, Newport Coast Master Association (w /out enclosures) P.S. I have enclosed some photos of the incident to give you a better perspective. L &mil PVC v Flop- 02 F ' ..•f rte. W_: i s