HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-12-11 - State Speed Survey dated June 1995 - Reso to establish speed limitsDecember 11, 1995
STAFF REPORT
To: Mayor and Members of the City Council
Attention: Keith Till, City Manager
From: Stephen G. Badum, Director of Public Works/City Engineer
Subject: 1995/96 SPEED ZONE SURVEY
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The proposed City Council action will adopt a resolution which will establish speed limits within the City of Seal Beach, accept the State Speed Survey dated June 1995, and affirm the
posted speed limits that were established by the State on Pacific Coast Highway to enable enforcement of posted speed limits within the City of Seal Beach.
DISCUSSION:
The California Vehicle Code permits local authorities to establish posted speed limits on streets within their jurisdiction based upon a traffic and engineering survey. The Vehicle
Code mandates that the survey considers the following:
prevailing speeds as determined by traffic engineering measurements
accident records
roadway and traffic conditions that are not readily apparent to the motorist
The procedure to set speed limits, as approved and adopted by the courts, utilizes a method which was developed by Caltrans and the Automobile Club. This method is widely accepted and
used by all cities and counties in California. It is based on the concept that the reasonable speed limit is set at or slightly below the prevailing speed of traffic. The prevailing
speed is determined by using radar speed checks of vehicles utilizing the roadway during off peak hours. The radar speed check records the speed of approximately 100 vehicles for each
direction at half mile increments.
If a speed survey is not renewed every five 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 Vehicle Code and is not enforceable. A speed survey was last performed in the 1990/91 fiscal year to set the existing speed zones. The Police Department Traffic Division
recently surveyed the appropriate roadways and compiled the data for review by the Engineering staff. The new survey data has been tabulated in the attached summary. A comparison
with the existing survey reveals that there are no changes proposed in posted speed limits within the City.
The posted speed limits on Pacific Coast Highway are set by the State of California since it is a State highway, and therefore not included within the resolution. However, the City
has enforcement responsibilities and must accept the State’s speed survey for the State highway. The State speed survey indicates no changes in existing posted speed limits. The State’s
data has been confirmed by the City’s speed survey.
RECOMMENDATION
City Staff recommends that the City Council pass the resolution establishing speed limits on streets within the City of Seal Beach based on the 1995/96 Speed Survey, accept and file
the State Speed Zone Survey dated June 1995, and affirm the posted speed limits that were established by the State on Pacific Coast Highway for enforcement purposes.
NOTED AND APPROVED
Stephen G. Badum, Director Keith Till
Public Works Department City Manager
Attachments: 1) Resolution Number
2) Resolution Exhibit `A’, Speed Survey Summary
3) State Speed Survey Summary
C:\pwd\council\report\speed95.doc