TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Mark Danaj, City Manager
FROM:
Marisa Lundstedt, Director of Community Development
Erik Zandvliet, T.E. City Traffic Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Update of El Porto Beach Traffic Circulation Study (Community Development Director Lundstedt).
MAINTAIN EXISTING TURN RESTRICTIONS; APPROVE FUNDING APPROPRIATION AND INSTALLATION OF DYNAMIC TURN RESTRICTION SIGNS
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Maintain Existing Turn Restrictions and approve appropriation of $10,000 from the General Fund unreserved fund balance for the purchase and installation of dynamic turn restriction signs.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Purchase and installation of dynamic turn restriction signs would cost approximately $10,000. Savings include recovered staff time of police personnel not required to deploy and retrieve temporary signs on a daily basis.
BACKGROUND:
Between 1983 and 2009, various neighborhood traffic calming measures were implemented in the neighborhood surrounding the El Porto Beach area pursuant to a series of actions taken by the Parking and Public Improvements Commission and the City Council. These measures were intended to reduce traffic and speeding on Ocean Drive, as well as to reduce the impact of beach traffic on certain streets within the neighborhood. From 1998 to 2011, eastbound vehicles exiting the El Porto Beach parking lot on 40th Street were required to make a left turn onto northbound Ocean Drive, and southbound vehicles on Ocean Drive were required to make a left turn onto eastbound 40th Street between 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM on weekdays.
The City Council’s 2009-2010 Work Plan also included an item to evaluate a modification to the turn restrictions on 40th Street at Ocean Drive. On November 16, 2010, the City Council reviewed the initial measures and approved a trial measure to allow drivers to make right turns from eastbound 40th Street onto southbound Ocean Drive, a movement which was previously prohibited. This turn provision was implemented in May 2011.
On February 7, 2012, a follow-up study was presented to City Council that evaluated the trial measure. At that meeting, the Council directed staff to 1) replace existing signs at the Ocean Drive and 40th Street with clearer signs; 2) place a temporary barricade to force left turns on Southbound Ocean Drive onto 40th Street between 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday; 3) replace traffic spikes at the exit of the El Porto parking lot, and 4) bring back a more comprehensive study of all of the issues discussed including using eastbound 40th Street as a possible exit from the El Porto parking lot, and an evaluation of the traffic signals on Highland Avenue to ensure proper timing. Council further requested that the study should include all twelve locations for a period of one year, using weekly intervals, during all four seasons of the year, and on an hourly basis.
On December 15, 2015, staff presented a progress update to the circulation study. Pursuant to City Council direction, the above tasks have now been completed. This staff report is intended to provide the City Council with a comprehensive analysis of the seasonal conditions and effectiveness of the current traffic measures.
DISCUSSION:
Traffic Counts
Since 2008, the City has conducted a series of traffic counts to establish and compare traffic conditions in the El Porto Beach neighborhood. The counts were taken at 12 key locations that are likely to be affected by traffic flows to/from the El Porto Beach and any diversion from Highland Avenue. (Attachment 1) These counts have helped quantify changes to traffic patterns as the result of various traffic calming measures. The most current traffic counts were taken in May 2016. For simplicity, winter and summer counts in 2008, 2011 and 2015/16 have been summarized and compared for this report (Attachment 2). Turning movement counts were also conducted at the intersection of Ocean Drive at 40th Street during these three same periods.
Based on a comparison of traffic counts over the last seven years, the key findings are:
• Generally, traffic is increasing on all streets at a similar rate to overall traffic growth in the South Bay area, approximately ½ percent per year.
• Ocean Drive, 40th Street and 45th Street serve as primary collector streets for both internal neighborhood circulation and El Porto Beach circulation, and have correspondingly higher volumes.
• Traffic volumes fluctuates by about 200 vehicles per day on most streets on a daily basis, except on Ocean Drive, 39th Street and 45th Street.
• Traffic volume on Ocean Drive varies between 1,000 and 2,000 vehicles per day, with similar volumes north and south of 40th Street.
• Traffic volumes on the internal east-west residential streets fluctuate between 100 and 500 vehicles per day, with the exception of 40th Street and 45th Street, which both carry over 1,000 vehicles per day.
• While weekday volume on Highland Avenue was higher in 2015/16, there was no corresponding increase in local neighborhood traffic, likely due to existing prohibitions on Ocean Drive at 40th Street.
• There is a high violation rate of prohibited movements at Ocean Drive and 40th Street during weekday afternoons in 2015, although it is lower than in 2011.
• Eastbound exiting beach traffic on 40th Street is evenly distributed between left, through, and right turn movements at Ocean Drive, despite existing violation rate.
• The eastbound through restriction on 40th Street diverts approximately 40 percent of the through traffic to the north and south evenly.
• The eastbound to southbound right turn permitted movement has increased traffic volume on Ocean Drive south of 40th Street by about 300 vehicles per day, which equates to about a 30% increase.
• Traffic volumes in El Porto appear to be highly variable depending on weather and surf conditions, and other unknown causes.
• Seasonal volume factors could not be identified.
Currently, cut through traffic from Highland Avenue does not appear to be prevalent, either through the El Porto Beach parking lot, or along Ocean Drive. However, the potential for cut through traffic is high, because traffic could be easily diverted if congestion becomes heavy on Highland Avenue between Rosecrans Avenue and 45th Street. This indicates a need to maintain the through restriction in the southbound on Ocean Drive at 40th Street.
Speed Surveys
Highland Avenue between 45th Street and Rosecrans Avenue is currently posted with a 30 mph speed limit. The latest speed survey was conducted in 2009. A summary is provided below:
50th Percentile Speed 31.5 miles per hour (Mean Speed)
85th Percentile Speed 35.9 miles per hour (Prevailing Speed)
10-MPH Pace Speed 28-37 miles per hour
The prevailing speed on Highland Avenue is higher than expected for its classification as a residential collector street. This speed is mainly due to the street segment to the north that has undeveloped fronting properties and is posted at 45 mph. To address the need to raise driver awareness of this change in speed limits, the City has obtained a grant and purchased a permanent speed awareness sign to be installed in the southbound direction this summer.
The area between 40th Street between Ocean Drive and Highland Avenue is currently posted with 25 mph speed limit signs in both directions. The latest speed survey was conducted on June 21, 2016. A summary is provided below:
50th Percentile Speed 19 miles per hour (Mean Speed)
85th Percentile Speed 22 miles per hour (Prevailing Speed)
10-MPH Pace Speed 18-27 miles per hour
The prevailing speed on 40th Street is lower than expected for its classification as a local residential street, but is appropriate for physical characteristics of the street. On 40th Street, drivers do tend to accelerate uphill, which makes 40th Street noisier than other more level streets.
Highland Avenue and 40th Street Traffic Signal
The existing traffic signal at Highland Avenue and 40th Street operates as a two-phase signal, with the signal resting in green on Highland Avenue until a vehicle or pedestrian approaches from 40th Street. The signals on Highland Avenue are not currently coordinated, which facilitates quicker service on 40th Street and 45th Street. This operation reduces the number of vehicles that must wait for a green light on an incline, which would also block adjacent residential driveways. While this can increase the number of potential stops on Highland Avenue, the overall delay on all approaches is less than it would be if it was coordinated, and the stops help dampen speeding on Highland Avenue. No noticeable impact to traffic flow has been evident on Highland Avenue due to traffic signal operation.
White Parking Stripes
Subsequent to the 2012 follow-up study, residents and the Fire Department raised concerns about parked cars impeding the travel lanes on 41st Street and 42nd Street. After sending out notification letters, the City painted white parking stripes on both sides of these street segments between Ocean Drive and Highland Avenue. These stripes clearly identify the extent to which vehicles can park into the street, which helps maintain a minimum street width for proper emergency vehicle response, and reduces the need for enforcement. These parking stripes are similar to stripes painted on 44th Street many years ago, and have been very successful. Additional streets can be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Ocean Drive at 40th Street Turn Restriction
Turning movement counts were conducted at the intersection of Ocean Drive and 40th Street to determine the volume of vehicles exiting the El Porto Beach parking lot, as well as the distribution of these vehicles onto the roadway network. A summary of this distribution is included in Attachment 2 for both summer and winter seasons.
Based on the turning movement counts, it was found that eastbound exiting beach traffic on 40th Street is evenly distributed between left, through, and right turn movements at Ocean Drive during restricted times. The restrictions divert approximately 40 percent of the through traffic to the north and south evenly. It should be noted that this diversion rate would continue at approximately the same percentages if the restrictions were more strictly enforced as well. The removal of the eastbound right turn restriction in 2011 has resulted in an approximately 30 percent increase in traffic on Ocean Drive south of 40th Street. However, only a small increase in actual volume was evident on the east-west streets parallel to and south of 40th street after the restriction was removed. Traffic volumes remain somewhat higher on Ocean Drive north of 40th Street than south of 40th Street, although both segments experienced traffic volume increases between 2011 and 2015/16 due to ambient growth.
It has been questioned whether the hours of the turn restrictions at Ocean Drive and 40th Street should be adjusted to coincide more directly with the peak hour traffic. Based on the hourly traffic counts on Highland Avenue, the southbound PM peak period on Highland Avenue begins at 3pm and ends approximately at 8pm. Therefore, staff does not recommend any change to the current 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. restricted hours.
Enforcement
There are currently fixed signs posted at the intersection to restrict certain turns between 3-8 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition to the fixed signs, police personnel deploy portable barricades on a daily basis to enhance driver awareness and compliance. (See Attachment 3) The Police Department has experienced some challenges with enforcing these restricted movements. Some violators claim that the signs are confusing or they don’t understand what they mean. In addition, police officers do not have a safe location from which to observe violators without blocking traffic flow or being seen.
The Police Department has indicated that speeding is not prevalent on any of the neighborhood streets within the El Porto neighborhood, with the exception of an occasional intentional violator. Speed limit signs are posted along Ocean Drive, Highland Avenue 40th Street and Crest Drive. All of the east-west streets are prima facie 25 miles per hour pursuant to the California Vehicle Code and expected to be common knowledge for registered drivers.
Recent and Proposed Traffic Measures
The City received a grant to purchase a fixed speed awareness sign, and will soon be installing it on Highland Avenue in the southbound direction as drivers enter the El Porto area from El Segundo. This will help make drivers more aware to reduce their speed as they enter a residential area from Vista del Mar.
In early 2016, the City installed 25 mph speed limit signs on 45th Street between Ocean Drive and Highland Avenue in response to a resident concern. Also, speed enforcement was increased in the neighborhood.
In Fiscal Year 2015/16, the City Council approved the design and construction of flashing crosswalk beacons and median island on Highland Avenue at 38th Street. The combination of median refuge and beacons are intended to make pedestrian crossings safer near the public parking structure nearby.
Based on the follow up study, it was found that the current turn restrictions at Ocean Drive and 40th Street create a more equitable split in outbound beach parking lot traffic through the neighborhood, and has not generated significant traffic increases on adjacent east-west streets. Therefore, staff recommends that the current turn restrictions at Ocean Drive and 40th Street remain in place.
However, because the violation rate is remains high with the fixed signs and additional labor is required to deploy and retrieve temporary signs on a daily basis, staff recommends that dynamic turn restriction signs be installed to replace the existing fixed signs at this intersection to clearly convey the restricted hours and movements in real time. (Attachment 4) The signs are solar powered, and would be programmed to display the turn restrictions during the effective hours only, and would remain blank when there are no restrictions. Besides removing sign clutter, the signs would remove any sign ambiguity and eliminate the effort to deploy and retrieve portable signs on barricades. In addition to the signs, additional striping is recommended to reinforce the restricted movements as shown in Attachment 4.
PUBLIC OUTREACH/INTEREST:
Public notices of this meeting have been mailed to all property owners and residents in the El Porto Neighborhood west of Highland Avenue. In addition, staff has invited participation through various methods, including special meeting notices posted in approved locations and e-notifications of interested parties and social media. The City has received some correspondence related to this matter. (Attachment 5)
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity 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 environmental review is necessary. No circulation changes are proposed that would significantly change the traffic patterns in the El Porto neighborhood.
Attachments
1. El Porto Traffic Count Locations
2. El Porto Traffic Count Comparison Tables
3. Photographs at 40th Street and Ocean Drive
4. Proposed Dynamic Turn Restriction Signs Sketch
5. Public Correspondence Received Prior to Publication