TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Jeff Gibson, Interim Community Development Director
Erik Zandvliet, T.E., City Traffic Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Consider the Parking and Public Improvements Commission Recommendation to Maintain Current Operation of Two Safe Routes to School Project Improvements on Blanche Road Near 29th Street (Interim Community Development Director Gibson).
APPROVE
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Parking and Public Improvements Commission (PPIC) recommendation to maintain current operation of two Safe Routes to School Project improvements on Blanche Road near 29th Street.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
Beginning in 2011, the City of Manhattan Beach applied for and received three state and federal grants to construct pedestrian facilities, access, and safety related improvements throughout the City. These grants included:
• Federal Cycle 3 Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) grant (October 2011).
• Federal Cycle 5 Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant (October 2011).
• State $447,700 Cycle 10 Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S) grant (June 2012).
The majority of the proposed pedestrian improvements funded by these grants are located next to schools or along pedestrian routes to those schools. All of the pedestrian enhancements identified in the design specifications are proven safety countermeasures and conform to industry standards as identified in the Manual on Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). All three grant applications were prepared in cooperation with representatives of the Manhattan Beach Unified School District and Manhattan Beach Police Department. The City conducted meetings with school administration and key school stakeholders to identify problem locations, high crossing locations, and potential solutions prior to submitting the applications. Additionally, several meetings regarding the proposed improvements were held with Grandview Elementary personnel and parents, the Parking and Public Improvements Commission, and City Council.
On September 19, 2018, and November 20, 2018, City Council awarded bids to two contractors for the Cycle 10 and Cycle 3 pedestrian improvements, respectively. In January 2019, prior to the start of work, residents located within 500 feet of each location were notified of the upcoming construction projects.
On February 19, 2019, in response to residents’ concerns regarding the flashing beacon system and speed awareness sign on Blanche Road near 29th Street, the City Council requested that these SRTS proposed improvements be brought back for a staff report and further discussion. At the March 6, 2019, meeting, the City Council discussed the attached staff report, heard public testimony from four residents, directed staff to proceed with construction, and agendized the item for review in six months after construction was complete. This report provides an update on this subject and an opportunity to discuss the post-construction operating conditions with the adjacent residents.
On October 24, 2019, the PPIC held a public meeting to discuss the modifications made to the operation of the two SRTS improvements. After hearing public testimony from four residents, the PPIC recommended that the City Council approve the current operation of the two SRTS project improvements on Blanche Road near 29th Street and to consider the relocation of the speed awareness sign and flashing beacons to a more justified location in the future if feasible, including direction to staff to include speed data from the speed awareness sign in the City Council staff report to show its efficacy.
DISCUSSION:
As part of the Cycle 3 and Cycle 10 Safe Routes to School Grant projects, two safety measures were approved in the Grandview Elementary School area on Blanche Road at or near 29th Street:
1. A rapid flashing beacon/in-roadway warning light system and high visibility crosswalk on the south leg of Blanche Road at 29th Street, and
2. An electronic speed feedback sign on the west side of Blanche Road north of 29th Street.
When construction began, residents raised concerns about the appearance, justification, and appropriateness of the new traffic measures adjacent to their homes. These comments and concerns have been attached to this report. One of their main objections was the brightness of the flashing beacons at night. Pursuant to City Council direction, Engineering staff worked with the residents to modify the original design to alleviate these concerns. The modifications included the following:
1. Installation of shields around the beacons to reduce light glare;
2. Installation of a dawn/dusk switch to prevent the beacons from operating at night;
3. Removal of the audible features to eliminate noise impacts;
4. Relocation of the speed feedback sign next to the rear property lines to reduce visual impact from adjacent private properties; and
5. Programming the speed feedback signs to reduce brightness with ambient light conditions.
The rapid flashing beacons and in-roadway lights are only activated when the controller is pushed, and flash for a short duration while pedestrians cross the street. It should be noted that both the rapid flashing beacons and in-roadway warning lights operate during the day for maximum visibility when children and others are crossing, while only the in-roadway warning lights are activated at night to minimize light glare but raise driver awareness when pedestrians cross at night.
It is the Traffic Engineer’s professional opinion that all of the design elements are needed during the daytime in order to work together as a complete crossing system. First, the high-visibility crosswalk markings designate the proper crossing path for pedestrians and helps alerts drivers via roadway markings. Next, rectangular rapid flashing beacons have the highest driver compliance rate of any flashing beacon type, pursuant to documented studies, during daytime conditions. They are mounted at eye-level to catch the motorist’s attention. Lastly, the in-pavement flashing crosswalk lights provide enhanced driver awareness of a pedestrian in the crosswalk, especially at night, or in foggy/inclement conditions.
Pursuant to the Commission’s request, speed data has been collected near the speed awareness sign. A sample of 160 vehicles was analyzed on November 12, 2019, which was a typical school day. The average approach speed in the southbound direction was 27 mph, and the 85th percentile (critical) speed was 31 mph. This data indicates that the average and critical speeds on Blanche Road are the same as before the sign was installed.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
Adjacent residents within 500 feet of the new traffic devices and others who have voiced their concerns about the Safe Routes to School project improvements on Blanche Road near 29th Street have been notified of the City Council meeting.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant effect on the environment, therefore, pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no further environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
CONCLUSION:
Staff believes that the modifications to the two Safe Routes to School project improvements on Blanche Road near 29th Street made in response to resident concerns have minimized adverse resident impacts while still meeting the pedestrian safety goals of the grants. In the future, it may be appropriate to relocate the existing equipment to a different school crossing location when Grandview Elementary School is modernized and new school routes are established pursuant to a school area traffic study.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. PPIC Report with Exhibits - October 24, 3019
2. Draft PPIC Minutes - October 24, 2019
3. City Council Staff Report with Attachments -October 24, 2019