HomeMy WebLinkAbout24 - Neighborhood Traffic Management Study UpdateCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item No. 24
June 22, 2004
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Public Works Department
Richard Edmonston, P.E.
949 - 644 -3311
red monston @city. newport- beach. ca. us
SUBJECT: NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT STUDY UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file.
DISCUSSION:
Approximately thirteen years ago the City Council terminated a road bump program
after only one year, during which time a number of concerns with such programs were
identified. Since that time the Council has directed staff to not undertake studies to
deal with neighborhood traffic concerns without specific direction from the City Council.
During that time frame only four such studies have been done, two of which are
presently underway. Of the other two, the one dealing with four streets west of Irvine
Avenue between Holiday Road and Santiago Drive never reached a consensus on
what should be done and who should pay for the improvements. The other study was
on Port Seabourne in front of Anderson School and that study resulted in the
installation of two roadbumps and a narrowing of the street where the students cross
Port Seabourne to and from the area greenbelt. These improvements were funded by
the homeowner association.
Public Works staff is currently working on two Neighborhood Traffic Management
Program (NTMP) studies. One is in the Newport Heights /Cliff Haven area and the other
is in the Newport Hills /Harbor View area. These two studies were undertaken pursuant
to specific City Council direction and separate consulting traffic engineering firms were
hired to assist staff. Both NTMP studies are following a similar course which includes
three meetings in the neighborhood where issues and potential solutions are identified
and discussed. The end product of these studies will be a report containing a series of
actions being recommended for City Council consideration.
The two studies have some differences in their issues and are on different timelines.
The Newport Heights /Cliff Haven study is further along and the final neighborhood
meeting was held in late April. A draft of the report is due to be delivered by June 18"
SUBJECT: Neighborhood Traffic Management Study Update
June 22, 2004
Page 2
This neighborhood is characterized by a grid system of streets which allows for many
possible routes of travel and the main concerns are speed of traffic and the amount of
traffic cutting through the neighborhood. The consultant has identified over thirty
locations where some form of traffic calming is recommended such as mini traffic
circles, landscaped medians and road narrowings. We do not have the estimates for
these improvements yet, but if all of them were to be constructed, the cost would clearly
be several hundred thousand dollars.
The second study in the Newport Hills /Harbor View area was proposed by staff due to a
number of isolated requests and complaints. This area is not a grid system and there is
little attraction for cut through traffic. Concerns identified prior to the first neighborhood
meeting, held about a month ago, were intersection sight distance; speeding on both
Newport Hills Drive and the "horseshoe" streets; pedestrian safety near the school,
nature park, and sports park; and parking related to neighborhood parks and the sports
park. No additional topics of concern were identified during the initial meeting. It is too
early in the course of this study to anticipate the types of improvements that might be
proposed or the estimated costs for any such improvements. The final report for this
NTMP is expected around the first of October.
Once staff has reviewed the final report for each NTMP, it will be agendized for City
Council consideration. At that time the Council will direct staff on which improvements
they support and whether they believe the neighborhood should participate in the
installation and maintenance costs. Subsequently staff will return with a CIP project
proposal and budget request.
Environmental Review:
Not applicable.
Prepared by:
r4at cti "4
Richard Edmonston, P.E.
Transportation and Development
Services Manager
Submitted by:
4 A I — pe S G. a u
Public Works Director