TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, Community Development Director
Erik Zandvliet, T.E., City Traffic Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of Recommendations from the Parking and Public Improvements Commission for Traffic Calming Measures on Valley Drive Between 27th Street and Sepulveda Boulevard; Consideration of a Resolution for Stop Signs in All Directions at the Intersection of Valley Drive and Pine Avenue; and Adoption of a Determination of Exemption Pursuant to Section 15301(c) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Community Development Director Mirzakhanian).
(Estimated Time: 45 Mins.)
A) APPROVE
B) ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 23-0091
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the following recommendations from the Parking and Public Improvements Commission for traffic calming measures on Valley Drive between 27th Street and Sepulveda Boulevard, in conjunction with strict enforcement of speeding violations on Valley Drive between 27th Street and Sepulveda Boulevard:
1. Install a double yellow centerline on Valley Drive between 27th Street and Oak Avenue;
2. Install a speed activated flashing speed limit sign on Valley Drive west of Oak Avenue;
3. Construct a temporary landscaped center median, an eastbound left turn pocket, and a curb extension on Valley Drive between Oak Avenue and Sepulveda Boulevard on a trial basis, to be reviewed at least six months after installation;
4. Install two painted crosswalks across Valley Drive at Walnut Avenue and Elm Avenue to be reconstructed in the future with raised crosswalks, bulb-outs and accessible curb ramps on Valley Drive at Walnut Avenue and on Valley Drive at Elm Avenue through a capital improvement project; and
5. Adopt Resolution No. 23-0091 approving stop signs in all directions at the intersection of Valley Drive and Pine Avenue.
Body
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The recommended initial traffic calming measures can be implemented with currently budgeted funds, as well as through the City’s Non-Motorized Transportation project budget, which reserves $50,000 per year for various pedestrian and bicycle-related capital projects. Raised crosswalks, bulb-outs and accessible curb ramps at two locations would need to be added to the City’s Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) to be considered for future funding opportunities and prioritization.
BACKGROUND:
On March 7, 2023, the City Council heard public testimony from residents concerned regarding traffic safety on Valley Drive after a recent collision involving a young bicyclist at the intersection of Valley Drive and Pine Avenue. The City Council directed staff to work with the Parking and Public Improvements Commission (Commission) to propose possible traffic calming solutions for their future consideration.
On April 17, 2023, the City received a follow-up petition circulated by Chad Feilke, and signed by over one hundred local residents requesting stop signs on Valley Drive at Pine Avenue (Exhibit A of Attachment 2). The petitioners expressed concerns for high volume and speeds on Valley Drive, and additionally requested safe crossings to the Veterans Parkway, specifically raised crosswalks and corner bulb outs on Valley Drive at Walnut and Elm Avenues. The petitioners expressed opposition to the dashed yellow centerline, which allows vehicles to pass a vehicle on the left side if it is stopped in the lane.
On April 27, 2023, the Commission reviewed the neighborhood petition, and considered the analysis of the Traffic Engineer. After hearing public testimony and discussing the matter, the Commission voted unanimously to support staff’s recommended traffic calming measures, as well as the installation of a double yellow centerline on Valley Drive between Sepulveda Boulevard and 27th Street. In addition, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend the installation of stop signs in all directions at the intersection of Valley Drive and Pine Avenue. The Commission asked that the stop signs be reviewed approximately six months after installation to evaluate how the intersection is operating. (Attachments 2 and 3)
Previous Actions
In 2013, the City completed the Veterans Parkway Landscape Master Plan, which recommended pedestrian connections on Valley Drive at Maple Avenue, Pine Avenue and Elm Avenue. The City obtained grant funding and constructed some of the recommended improvements in 2018, but a planned pedestrian path at Pine Avenue was removed from the project due to funding limitations. There is no current pedestrian path at this location.
On January 22, 2015, the Commission held a public meeting to discuss a separate request for stop signs or other traffic measures at the intersection of Valley Drive, Oak Avenue, and 35th Street. The Commission discussed the Traffic Engineer’s evaluation supporting stop signs in all directions and temporary realignment of the intersection approaches and heard from several speakers in favor of the stop signs and/or other speed reduction measures. The Commission passed a motion 4-1 recommending the installation of stop signs in all directions at the intersection of Valley Drive, Oak Avenue, and 35th Street, including temporary realignment of the south and west approaches on a trial basis.
On March 4, 2015, the City Council considered the Commission’s recommendation, heard public testimony, and directed staff to examine other options at this intersection, especially visibility solutions for southbound Oak Street traffic, and ingress and egress solutions for the Ross Manhattan Terrace senior apartments. The City Council directed staff to return the matter to the Commission for further evaluation.
On April 23, 2015, the Commission held a second public meeting and reviewed additional traffic calming measures that could address the residents’ concerns related to speeding and restricted visibility. After hearing public testimony, the Commission voted 3-0 to recommend the installation of 1) painted crosswalks on the north and west approaches at Oak Avenue and 35th Street, 2) a curb bump-out on Valley Drive near the Ross Manhattan Terrace, 3) a northbound left hand turn lane from Valley Drive to Oak Avenue, 4) a center median from Sepulveda Boulevard to Oak Avenue and 5) a speed awareness sign on Valley Drive at Pine Avenue on a trial basis. On July 7, 2015, the City Council discussed the Commission’s recommendation and voted to install painted crosswalks on the north and west approaches at Oak Avenue and 35th Street and install a speed awareness sign on Valley Drive for a minimum six-month trial basis. These measures were implemented accordingly.
The City Council has made pedestrian safety and crossing enhancements a high priority in its overall Work Plan since 2017, and directed staff to explore various crosswalk enhancement opportunities. On February 4, 2020, the City Council approved a prioritized list of proposed crosswalk enhancements to be included in the City’s Capital Improvements Plan as recommended by the Commission at its meeting on September 26, 2019, and directed staff to pursue funding opportunities. The list of enhancements was prepared by the Traffic Engineer based the City’s “Pedestrian Crossing Enhancements Policy” strategies and supported the pedestrian oriented goals and policies of the City’s General Plan, Mobility Element, Downtown Specific Plan and various Neighborhood Traffic Management plans. The prioritized list included proposed crosswalks, signs, corner bulb-outs and curb ramps at the intersections of Valley Drive and Walnut Avenue and of Valley Drive and Elm Avenue.
DISCUSSION:
Valley Drive is a 32-foot wide, two-lane residential collector street with a 30 mph posted speed limit. It has a slight downslope in the westbound direction between Sepulveda Boulevard and 27th Street. Valley Drive is stopped at 27th Street and Sepulveda Boulevard. The southeast side of Valley Drive is along the Veterans Parkway. The Belamar Hotel and Ross Manhattan Terrace senior apartments are located at the east end of Valley Drive. Eastbound Left turns are prohibited on Valley Drive at Sepulveda Boulevard between 6-9 AM and 3-7 PM Monday through Friday. Speed limit signs are posted in both directions, and an electronic speed awareness sign is located on the southeast side of Valley Drive at Pine Avenue. There are white edgelines on both sides of Valley Drive to narrow the appearance of the travel lanes as a traffic calming measure. Valley Drive is posted as a bike route on the southeast side of the street.
The intersection of Valley Drive and Oak Avenue and 35th Street is located in a residential area about 300 feet west of Sepulveda Boulevard. Oak Avenue and 35th Street are 30 to 34 feet wide two-lane local streets with a 25mph prima facie speed limit. There are stop signs on the north leg of Oak Avenue and the west leg of 35th Street at Valley Drive. All streets are improved with curbs, and some sidewalks. Curb parking is allowed on both sides of Oak Avenue and 35th Street, and on the northwest side of Valley Drive. Curb parking demand is generally light during the day and moderate to heavy at night. There are crosswalks and cross-gutters on the north leg of Oak Avenue and the west leg of 35th Street at the intersection. Pedestrian visibility is good in all directions.
Field Observations
Field observations were made on typical days during peak and non-peak periods. Field observations confirm higher traffic volumes on Valley Drive and other physical characteristics as noted above. Right-of-way is assigned by stop signs on Oak Avenue and 35th Street, but the configuration is unusual because the opposing approaches are not stopped. This is due to the angled alignment and high traffic volume of Valley Drive, which is designated as a through street at the intersection. Sight distance is fair from of Oak Street and 35th Street, with the exception that the sharp intersecting angle of Valley Drive restricts sight distance for drivers stopped on both streets. Also, drivers exiting a nearby driveway for the senior living complex may have difficulty seeing vehicles approaching from Sepulveda Boulevard. Higher than expected speeds were observed on Valley Drive through the intersection. The Traffic Engineer observed that most motorists on Valley Drive have a low awareness of pedestrians or stopped cars at the intersection.
Valley Drive between 27th Street and Sepulveda Boulevard is currently posted with a 30 mph speed limit. The latest volume and speed counts were conducted in June and July 2022 respectively. A summary and a comparison to similar counts in 2015 are provided below:
|
DESCRIPTION |
2015 |
2022 |
|
Daily Traffic Volume |
5,404 vpd |
5,463 |
|
50th Percentile Speed |
26 mph |
30 mph |
|
85th Percentile Speed |
37 mph |
35 mph |
The prevailing speed on Valley Drive is higher than expected for a street with fronting residential homes and for its classification as a residential collector street. This speed can be primarily attributed to the high entering speed of drivers entering Valley Drive from Sepulveda Boulevard, as well as the uninterrupted distance between stop signs on a street segment with homes on one side only.
Additionally, the traffic collision history between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019 was analyzed for this street segment. According to City records, there have been eight collisions reported on the segment of Valley Drive between 27th Street and Sepulveda Boulevard during this five year period. Four collisions were reported at Valley Drive and Oak Avenue involving eastbound left turning traffic, and four collisions were reported involving drivers hitting parked cars or other objects.
There were two notable collisions on this street segment since 2020: one collision in 2022 involved an eastbound left-turning driver who failed to yield to a westbound driver at Oak Avenue, and the aforementioned collision in 2023 involving a bicyclist who was sideswiped by an eastbound driver.
Potential Traffic Calming Measures
The City Traffic Engineer analyzed several traffic measures that could address limited intersection sight distance, speeding on Valley Drive, collisions or all three. The City’s Pedestrian Crossing Enhancement policy was also used to evaluate potential crossing treatments for Veterans Parkway access. An evaluation of these measures was presented to the Commission and is summarized below:
Multi-way Stop Signs
The State of California has established guidelines for the installation of stop signs. These criteria have been widely accepted and are used by the City of Manhattan Beach. Multi-way or all-way stop controls are generally recommended when one or more of the State criteria are satisfied and indicate the existing traffic control devices are not sufficient to assign proper right-of-way or cannot be remedied through other means. Two locations have been evaluated for multi-way stop signs as detailed in Exhibit C of Attachment 2 and summarized below:
1. Valley Drive, Oak Avenue, and 35th Street Stop Signs
A stop sign warrant checklist was completed that indicates that multi-way stop signs are warranted at this intersection. This intersection has sufficient right-of-way controls with two-way stop signs, but does not meet minimum minor street volumes and does not meet the minimum warrant for recurring collisions. However, restricted sight distance of approaching vehicles on both Oak Avenue and 35th Street and a higher than expected approach speed on Valley Drive are special conditions that could justify stop signs in all directions. The City Council previously expressed a concern that a stop sign on the westbound approach of Valley Drive could cause significant queuing, which could impede traffic at Sepulveda Boulevard. The City Traffic Engineer alternately considered a three-way stop by adding a northbound Valley Drive stop sign, but this stop sign would not fully address sight distance restrictions and speeding issues. The Commission considered this option but supported other traffic calming measures for this intersection as noted below.
2. Valley Drive at Pine Avenue Stop Signs
A stop sign warrant checklist was completed that indicates that multi-way stop signs are NOT warranted at this intersection. This intersection has sufficient right-of-way controls with a stop sign on Pine Avenue, but does not meet minimum minor street volumes and does not have a recurring collision history. However, the sight distance for drivers waiting at the stop sign on Pine Avenue is somewhat restricted, which can be improved by trimming the landscaping on the northeast corner. A stop sign at Pine Avenue might also have the unintended result of diverting some current Valley Drive traffic onto Pine Avenue as a short cut to avoid Sepulveda Boulevard. Although this stop sign was not included in the Traffic Engineer’s recommendation, the Commission voted to recommend stop signs at this intersection to the City Council.
Valley Drive, Oak Avenue, 35th Traffic Calming
There are several ways to modify or realign Valley Drive west of Sepulveda Boulevard into a more conventional intersection geometry to discourage speeding and the potential for traffic collisions. Several concepts were considered by the Commission and City Council in 2015, including a south and east leg realignment, mini-traffic circle, splitter island, road narrowing, 3-way stop sign, or landscaped center island with a left turn lane. Of the concepts presented, the Commission in 2015 and again in 2023 supported a landscaped center median, left turn pocket and curb extension between Oak Avenue and Sepulveda Boulevard, which would achieve the desired traffic calming in both directions, without potentially diverting extra traffic onto 35th Street or creating a long queue of stopped vehicles. It would also reduce the potential for collisions by improving sight distance for drivers exiting the senior apartments and providing a separate lane for left turning traffic onto Oak Avenue.
Raised Crosswalks and Curb Bulb-outs.
Raised crosswalks and curb bulb-outs can be an effective traffic calming device when carefully designed and installed. Raised pavements generally reduce vehicle approach speed to 24-28 miles per hour, similar to a speed hump. It highlights the location of the crossing, especially if they are constructed with decorative pavement materials. However, raised crosswalks may incrementally slow down emergency response times depending on the design speed of the raised crosswalk. Curb bulb-outs reduce the crossing distance and improve the ability for drivers to see pedestrians waiting to cross. They also reduce the apparent width of the street, further discouraging speeding. New crosswalks and bulb-outs on Valley Drive at Walnut Avenue and Elm Avenue were identified in the City’s crosswalk enhancement study. As an interim measure, painted crosswalks and curb bulb-outs may be constructed at both intersections to determine if speed reductions are achieved before considering raised crosswalks (Exhibits E and F of Attachment 2). It should be noted that curb ramps are required with any crosswalk installation to provide an accessible path across the street. The Commission supported this traffic calming measure and interim installation of painted crosswalks.
Electronic Speed Awareness Sign
There is an existing electronic speed awareness sign on Valley Drive at Pine Avenue, which is periodically rotated to face opposite directions. A solar-powered speed activated flashing speed limit sign could be installed on Valley Drive just west of Oak Avenue that would start flashing if drivers are exceeding the posted speed limit. This sign is effective because it is only activated if the driver is speeding. This measure could be implemented separately or in combination with other measures and was supported by the Commission.
Double Yellow Centerline
Valley Drive is currently striped with a dashed yellow centerline between 27th Street and Oak Avenue. Engineering studies have not found that the type of centerline striping significantly changes driver behavior. The purpose of a double yellow centerline is to make passing on the left side of the centerline illegal, such as where sight distance is limited in a curve or over a hill. It should be noted that left turns are allowed over a double yellow centerline. On Valley Drive, a double yellow centerline would make passing a stopped vehicle illegal (i.e. passing a stopped trash truck or delivery van). This measure was supported by the Commission.
It is recommended that any roadway realignment or crosswalks be tested on a trial basis with striping and delineators. A follow-up study would be conducted and presented to the Commission after six months with an evaluation of their effectiveness, before being considered for permanent measures. The evaluation would include before-after traffic counts, speed study, collision data and public feedback to determine if the measures reduced speeds, improved visibility and discouraged neighborhood intrusion. Speeding can and should be strongly enforced on Valley Drive, now that the speed surveys have been updated and radar/lidar enforcement is defensible in court.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
Residents on this street segment and all petitioners were notified by mail and invited to the Commission meeting held on April 27, 2023, to provide public testimony. The same residents were notified by mail of this agenda item and were invited to attend the City Council meeting or provide public input. The general public has been informed of this agenda item as part of the City’s standard meeting notice practices via public bulletin boards, website calendar. All written or voicemail correspondence related to this matter received prior to posting the agenda for this item has been attached to the staff report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the project qualifies for a Class 1(c) categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301(c) Existing Facilities of the State CEQA Guidelines, as the project involves a change in traffic regulations on an existing street that would not significantly increase or decrease the amount of traffic on either street. Furthermore, there are no features that distinguish this project from others in the exempt class; therefore there are no unusual circumstances. Accordingly, no further environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has determined that no legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 23-0091
2. PPIC Staff Report with Exhibits - April 27, 2023
3. PPIC Minutes - April 27, 2023
4. Recommended Valley Drive Traffic Calming Measures
5. Correspondence Received After Commission Meeting Posting for April 27, 2023