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Home My WebLink AboutCC AG PKT 2002-08-12 #T W AGENDA REPORT � 0,1 6 DATE: August 12, 2002 t° TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council THRU: John B. Bahorski, City Manager FROM: Douglas A. Danes, Director of Public Works /City Engineer SUBJECT: APPROVE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING CITY -WIDE SPEED LIMITS AND CITY SPEED SURVEY, AND APPROVE STATE SPEED SURVEY. SUMMARY OF REQUEST: The proposed City Council action will adopt the resolution which will establish speed limits within the City of Seal Beach, approve the City Speed Survey, and accept the State Speed Survey to enable enforcement of posted speed limits within the City of Seal Beach. BACKGROUND: As requested by the Police Department, a new Speed Survey is submitted for your consideration. The California Vehicle Code (CVC) requires that prima facie speed limits enforced by radar must be justified by an Engineering and Traffic Survey once every seven years. The City last completed the Engineering and Traffic Survey in 1995. Residential streets as defined in the CVC are set at a prima facie of 25 mph. Section 627 of the CVC establishes the criteria for an Engineering and Traffic Survey. Section 8 of the State Traffic Manual explains in detail the procedures for properly conducting an Engineering and Traffic Survey. The elements required for a complete Engineering and Traffic Survey include: radar speed surveys, accident history, traffic volumes to assist in determination of accident rates, and documentation of highway, traffic, and roadside conditions that may not be readily apparent to the driver. Speed limits are established at the first 5 mph increment below the 85% speed, or critical speed. The critical speed represents the highest value at or under which 85% of the vehicles surveyed are traveling. Other factors may provide for an additional 5 mph reduction, but these factors must be well documented• and based on sound engineering judgment. These factors include higher than average accident rates attributed to speed, roadside conditions not readily apparent to the motorist that would create an otherwise unsafe condition at a higher speed, consistency of posting between roadway segments, consistency among adjacent jurisdictions, and an increase in volume of pedestrian not readily apparent to the driver. A residential district is explicitly defined in the CVC. A Agenda Item street without properties directly fronting it, is not a residential street by the CVC definition and does not qualify for a prima facie of 25 mph. If a speed survey is not renewed every seven years, or if speed limits are posted that are not based on a study, then the speed zone is considered a "speed trap" under the CVC and is not enforceable. A speed survey was last performed in the 1995/1996 fiscal year to set the existing speed zones. In June of 2002, RK Engineering Group completed the City of Seal Beach Speed Survey. Staff and the Police Department have reviewed this survey. A comparison with the posted speed reveals that there are some changes required within the City. The following speed limits are recommended based on the Engineering Study and no speed limit is proposed to be raised more than five mph: STREET SEGMENT SPEED LIMIT Exiting Proposed Almond Ave. Aster to Jasmine 25 25 " -�c :•. -. ,�„ �; ,�,; .. ,. ter- > , . .. . -�-•� Almond Aver bean a V r� 30 BalbowL B is .A „ e 1 m c :lvd .. 3I First Street Marina to PCH 40 40 First Street Ocean to Marina 25 25 Lamspon Ave. Seal Beach Blvd to Bassswood 45 45 Lampson Ave. Basswood to East City Limit 45 45 Marina Drive West City Limit to PCH 35 35 Rossmoor Ctr Way West City Limit to Seal Beach Bl 25 25 Seal Beach Blvd. Electric to PCH 35 35 Bec :1;1 d, 'CH`':,o a ,r� . Seal Beac . o 1vd 1s o .wryest• ` • ' ; .... ' .; Seal Beach Blvd. Forrestal to Westminster 50 50 Seal Beap " e lvd .> s ,fit a -4 e ` Seal Beach Blvd. I -405 Fwy to North City Limit 40 40 Ocean Ave. First St. to Fifth St. 25 25 Westminster Ave. East City Limits to Kitts Highway 55 55 Westminster Ave. Road `B" to Kitts Highway 45 45 Westminster Ave. Road `B" to West City Limit 50 50 ** The Police Department will enforce the 25 mph school zone speeds for McGaugh School during school hours. The City Council is essentially free to set any speed limit between 25 mph and 55 mph; but radar enforcement can only be used on those streets where the speed limit conforms to the engineering study results. The speed limits on Pacific Coast Highway, which is a State Highway, are set by the State of California and therefore is not included within the resolution. However, the City has enforcement responsibilities and must accept the State's Speed Survey for the State Highway in order to enforce the speed. The State Speed Survey indicates no changes in existing posted speed limits. FISCAL IMPACT: A traffic- engineering firm was retained to perform the speed study and to prepare the report which will be used as the final court document. The cost for these services will total approximately $10,000 and will be taken from the Engineering Division, Traffic Engineering contract services account in the approved FY 2002/2003 City Budget. The changing of speed limits on the six street segments will require the replacement of speed limit signs and removal of painted traffic legends. This is estimated to cost $2000 and will be taken from the street maintenance budget. ALTERNATIVES: 1) Adopt the proposed resolution which will establish speed limits within the City of Seal Beach, approve the submitted City Speed Survey, and accept the State Speed Survey. With this action, the City will be in compliance with the CVC. 2) Adopt a modified resolution changing the speed limits as agreed upon by the City Council. With this action, the use of radar for ticketing will not be enforceable for those speeds not justified by an engineering study. 3) Do not accept the ordinance or the Speed Survey. With this action, the use of radar for ticketing will not be enforceable for those speeds not justified by an engineering study. RECOMMENDATION: City Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the resolution establishing speed limits, approve the City Speed Survey, and accept the State Speed Survey to enable enforcement of posed speed limits within the City of Seal Beach. Prepared By: Bill G. Zi erman, P.E. Mar K. Vukojevic, P.E. Tra - sportation Manager Deputy City Engineer - gewed „,„/%011°F r . Doug as A. ►r Michael F. Sellers Director of Public Works /City Engineer Police Chief NOT - : D APPROV - John I `. orski, City Manager Agenda Item ADDENDUM DATE: August 12, 2002 . . TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council THRU: John B. Bahorski, City Manager 1 411.111111 - FROM: Douglas A. Danes, Director of Public Works /City Enginee , SUBJECT: ADDENDUM INFORMATION FOR THE CITY SPEED SURVEY. Summarized below are the changes required on the speed survey report submitted to the City Council. All changes will be incorporated into future documents and approved documents. Appendix A • Location 10, Rossmoor Center Way, Section E, Recommended Speed Limit Change to 25 mph Appendix B • Spot Speed Analysis, Almond Ave., Oleander to Violet Change posted speed limit to 25 mph • Spot Speed Analysis, Rossmoor Center Way Change posted speed limit to 25 mph • Spot Speed Analysis, Seal Beach Blvd., PCH to Bolsa Change posted speed limit to 40 mph • Spot Speed Analysis, Westminster Ave., East City Limits to Kitts Hwy Change posted speed limit to 55 mph •