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CC - Item 4C - Request for Additional Traffic Controls on Encinita Ave ,®K statteport TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL FROM: FRANK G. TRIPEPI, CITY MANAGf DATE: APRIL 27, 1999 SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC CONTROLS ON ENCINITA AVENUE DISCUSSION The Traffic Commission received a letter from Ms. Ann M. Bowers, Principal of Encinita School (Exhibit "B") requesting additional traffic controls on Encinita Avenue. The additional traffic controls requested included: STOP signs at the intersection of Encinita Avenue and Pitkin Street; speed bumps on Encinita Avenue; repainting of the crosswalks at Encinita Avenue/ Pitkin Street; and the installation of a loading zone with appropriate sign in front of Encinita School. There have been additional concerns from the public and the Traffic Commission regarding the southbound right turn lane on Encinita Avenue to Mission Drive. Staff review of the subject site included analyses of the existing conditions of the site, the 24-hour traffic volume count, and the reported accident history. Based on these analyses, staff provided separate recommendations for each traffic control request (Exhibit "A"). At the April 1 Traffic Commission meeting, amendments to the staff recommendation were presented to the Traffic Commission and staff. The Traffic Commission voted 4-0 to approve the amended recommendation for the request of additional traffic controls on Encinita Avenue. COUNCIL AGENDA APR 2 71999 ITEM No. J� 1 Request for Additional Traffic Controls on Encinita Avenue City Council-April 27, 1999 Page 2 of 9 The amended recommendation for this request is as follows: 1. Existing yellow crosswalk on Encinita Avenue at Pitkin Street to be REPAINTED. 2. Installation of YELLOW CROSSWALK on Pitkin Street at Encinita Avenue. 3. Installation of WHITE CURB in front of Encinita School parking lot with "Passenger Loading Only, School Days" signage. 4. Installation of "KEEP CLEAR" markings for southbound lane at the intersection, Pitkin/Encinita. 5. Installation of RAISED PAVEMENT MARKERS rumble strips on the northbound and southbound approaches of Encinita at Pitkin. 6. It is recommended that the Temple Sheriffs Department monitor the intersection, when available, specifically for vehicles violating pedestrian right-of-way. 7. Installation of an additional fifty (50') feet of RED CURB to be installed on the west side of Encinita Avenue, north of Mission. 8. Staff recommendation REPAINTING of all curb markings on Encinita between Lower Azuza & Mission Drive. Figure 1 (Exhibit"C") presents the existing conditions and the requested traffic controls for the subject site. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council APPROVE the staff recommendation for additional traffic controls on Encinita Avenue, in addition to the amendments approved during the Traffic Commission meeting on April 1, 1999. EXHIBITS: A. Traffic Commission Staff Report, dated March 23, 1999 B. Letter from Encinita School c. Figure 1 D. Detail A TO: HONORABLE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS ROSEMEAD TRAFFIC COMMISSION FROM: JOANNE ITAGAKI, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DEPUTY DATE: MARCH 23, 1999 O RE: REQUEST FORADDITIONALTRAFFIC CONTROLS ON ENCINITA AVENUE REQUEST- A letter, attached, has been received from Ms. Ann M. Bowers, Principal of Encinita School. Ms. Bowers is requesting STOP signs at the intersection of Encinita Avenue and Pitkin Street, speed bumps on Encinita Avenue, repainting of the crosswalks at Encinita Avenue/Pitkin Street and the installation of yellow curb, with appropriate signs, in front of Encinita School. Staff has also received complaints regarding southbound right turning vehicles on Encinita Avenue at Mission Drive disregarding the pedestrians in the crosswalk. There has also been a concern expressed by the Traffic Commission regarding a large vehicle parking on the west side of Encinita Avenue blocking access to the southbound right turn lane at Mission Drive. In 1994, the Traffic Commission approved the installation of STOP signs at Encinita Avenue and Rio Dell Street. The STOP signs were recommended to provide an additional controlled pedestrian crossing in the area. CONDITIONS Encinita Avenue varies in width from 36-feet to 45-feet between Mission Drive and Lower Azusa Road. The intersections of Encinita Avenue/Mission Drive and Encinita Avenue/Lower Azusa Road are controlled by traffic signals. A three way STOP exists at the intersection of Encinita Avenue/Rio Dell Avenue. There is single yellow skip striping along the centerline of the roadway. The posted speed limit on Encinita Avenue is 30 mph. Figure 1 depicts existing conditions on Encinita Avenue. DATA The recent 24-hour traffic volume count on Encinita Avenue indicated about 6,800 vehicles per day travel on Encinita Avenue between Mission Drive and Lower Azusa Road. The average traffic volume of a collector roadway such as EXHIBIT "A" Request for Additional Traffic Controls On Encinita Avenue Page 2 Encinita Avenue is generally less than 10,000 vehicles per day. Other collector roadways in the City include Marshall Street, Rio Hondo Avenue and Muscatel Avenue. The reported accident history on Encinita Avenue between Mission Drive and Lower Azusa Road was reviewed for the period between January 1, 1996 through June 30, 1998. The reported accident history revealed three accidents occurring on Encinita Avenue between Mission Drive and Lower Azusa Road. These accidents are summarized below: Location & Description Day, Date & Time • Encinita at Rio Dell Sat., 8/16/97, 10:40 a.m. Northbound vehicle proceeding straight rearended an northbound stopped vehicle (unsafe speed). • 321 feet north of Mission Sat., 8/31/96, 7:45 p.m. Westbound pedestrian collided with a southbound vehicle proceeding straight (pedestrian violation & inattention). • 271 feet north of Mission Sun., 5/12/96, 7:30 p.m. Northbound vehicle backing rearended 2 northbound parked vehicles (driver alcohol/drugs, starting/backing, & inattention). DISCUSSION and RECOMMENDATIONS Due to the number of different requests regarding Encinita Avenue, staff has separated each request and made recommendations accordingly. STOP signs on Encinita Avenue at Pitkin Street Ms. Bowers has requested STOP signs at the intersection of Encinita Avenue and Pitkin Street to provide additional direction for vehicles at this crossing guard controlled location. The estimated traffic volume on Pitkin Street would not satisfy the guidelines set in the Caltrans Traffic Manual for multi-way STOP sign installations. In addition, Pitkin Street is approximately 300 feet south of the intersection of Encinita Avenue and Lower Azusa Road. A STOP sign on Encinita Avenue at Pitkin Street would cause a southbound queue of vehicles between Pitkin Street and lower Azusa Road especially during school start and • Request for Additional Traffic Controls On Encinita Avenue Page 3 release times. It is anticipated this queue would create additional potential for traffic accidents. Therefore, the installation of STOP signs on Encinita Avenue at Pitkin Street is not recommended at this time. Speed bumps on Encinita Avenue Speed bumps are not recommended on Encinita Avenue. The City's current policy is not to install speed bumps on public roadways primarily due to the State of California not recognizing the speed bump as an official traffic control device. This is a concern for liability exposure to the City. In addition, studies have shown the speed bumps do not significantly reduce vehicle speed once the vehicle has left the speed bump and often times vehicle speeds increase. Repainting of crosswalk at Encinita Avenue and Pitkin Street Based on field review, the repainting of the yellow crosswalk on Encinita Avenue at Pitkin Street is recommended. Figure 1 depicts this recommendation (see A ). Installation of yellow curb and signs in front of Encinita School The installation of yellow or white curb for loading and unloading of passengers is used in other school locations throughout the City. Yellow curb allows both passenger and freight to be loaded and unloaded at the curb. White curb restricts the loading and unloading to passengers only. The installation of 220 feet of yellow curb directly in front of Encinita School is recommended. It is further recommended that "Passenger Loading Only, School Days" signs be installed. Figure 1 depicts this recommendation (see BD. Southbound right turns and pedestrians on Encinita Avenue at Mission Drive The crossing guard at the intersection of Encinita Avenue and Mission Drive has indicated that southbound right turning vehicles often disregard the pedestrians in the crosswalk on the west leg of the intersection. Staff did confer with Temple Sheriffs Station. A few citations have been issued at this location for vehicles violating the pedestrian right-of-way. There have been no reported accidents at this intersection involving pedestrians. Field review of the location did identify a few vehicles turning right while pedestrians were in the crosswalk. However, the closest pedestrians were at the inside (#1) lane of travel as vehicles turned right. The closer the pedestrians Request for Additional Traffic Controls On Encinita Avenue Page 4 were to the north curb line; fewer vehicles turned right (in the vicinity of the pedestrians). It is recommended that the Temple Sheriff's Department monitor the intersection, when available, specifically for vehicle violating pedestrian right-of-way. Large vehicle blocking access to southbound right turn lane on Encinita Avenue at Mission Drive Field review of the intersection of Encinita Avenue and Mission Drive did identify vehicles legally parking on the west curb line of Encinita Avenue blocking direct access to the southbound right turn lane. It is recommended that an additional 50 feet of red curb be installed on the west side of Encinita Avenue north of Mission Drive. Figure 1 depicts this recommendation (see C ). Attachments JI1Rsd Encinita Ave B. - I 7: 9911iEdl 17 '02 CITY OF ROSEP1E.40 TLL: 618-oUr9218 hUU4 Encinita School _ 4515 N. Encinita Avenue �� Rosemead, CA 91770 �. (626) 286-3155 ` Ann M. Bowers, Principal a' L\ Traffic Commission Rosemead City Half, Rosemead, CA. 91770 Feb. 10, 1999 Dear Sirs: • As principal of Encinita Elementary School in the Rosemead School District,I would like to share with you my concerns about the traffic going past my school en Encinita Blvd. Many parents of students have come to rhe with concerns about the speed of traffic on Encinita Cars barrel around the corner from Lower Azusa Road at 40 or 50 miles per hour. There is nothing to slow them down. The school crossing guard, the children, and their parents are at high risk of injury or death because of this situation. Already, one adult has been hit by a car(in the crosswalk,with the crossing guard!). Luckily, she was not seriously hurt- It is only a matter of time before someone is injured or killed. We are requesting that the traffic commission do the following: 1. Put stop signs at the Encinita Blvd-and Firkin St intersection so that traffic must slow down and stop for the crossing guard. (Create a three-way stop) 2 Put speed bumps on Encinita Blvd. 3. Re-paint the crosswalk at Encinita Blvd. and Pitkin St. (across Pitkin) because it has worn away. 4. Paint a yellow curb at the Encinita School parking lot for loading and unloading only. (This will keep motorists from parking there,forcing other can to pull into the parking lot to drop off students, which creates a hazard for students walking through the parking lot and keeps motorists from seeing students on the sidewalk when they attempt to back out of the parking lot) 5. Place a loading and unloading only"sign near the yellow curb. We believe these measures will substantially help improve the safety of students and their families on their way to and from school. We are passing petitions that will be brought to the March 4 meeting of the Traffic Commission, at which time we will expect that these issues be addressed. Sinc ely yours,7/7 rn • 4'(ti2i tr. it'. !� sur . Ann M.Bowers, Principal f l F E 8 1 1 1.099 ` � . . . _:; EXHIBIT "B" 6.9..0\0.....1 VLiNC N3\f I0OIM\0 • UQ W N 1a J1 31001ry 335 _ _ 0 — 3NIl HJltlry '^ • ld3l IY01108 33S U w Z =IF,ig :01` I3NIl HJitlry © © 4 2 s 350acv ; D 8o a d o w d U a oYa % 1 o sa ti c F T ZN �� C Aa Z I<vWZY aJAOI Z �(Y LEI —Li 2{Q Ja ~ ao Z ,-- 1....?„ U Z =! IZZ� L 1 W U o till Lu == _ e 11.....' (OZ 07 0 vo© 1 2 _ - 1130 Dia Yo i Tri«aQ - t R 1 � r Es------11----:g - s - �g _ s11 ` 11 _ Fr- o< 8v© a 1it: rr iJ I ; i£ bis _C O ,:, ,:.,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,Ht- ' 1 b I Y 0. awrlid cc �_ o T L� 1 $ i on Z Z nl ry1 ,OL .S"S'V <i uil 1; w .sL oz H rvi i aa Z. O <�Y sSz ay aI P - —�` C s J odM �I a ®.lI .0I 1HJIa 3101001ry 335 3NIl HJ1Vry SEI----- aa b° 11 HOt ESEssiw 30tlry EXHIBIT "C" Rumble Strip Installation Gutter Line Centerline Striping //Curb i 000000 8 �P. —4-- 000000 000000 ►{ H 5' TYP. 0 0 O 00000 O 00000 O 00000 Detail A Rsd\Exh\Rumble Strip Installation EXHIBIT "D"