HomeMy WebLinkAbout(2018, 08/14) – L-26 - AmendedL-26
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY
The City has developed Traffic Management Guidelines in an effort to provide residents
with traffic concerns access to traffic management measures that may serve to alleviate
their concerns. It is the intent of this policy to identify traffic calming measures; establish
speed and volume thresholds for the implementation of measures and; define step-by-
step procedures to address traffic concerns.
General
The Goals of the Traffic Management Program are:
A. Manage the speed of vehicles on residential streets with "demonstrated speeding
concerns" (as defined in this Policy) to levels consistent with residential speed
limits, or other posted speed limits as determined by the California Vehicle Code
or the City of Newport Beach Municipal Code.
B. Discourage the use of local residential streets by non -local (cut -through) traffic by
making the streets less attractive as commuter routes.
C. Develop and emphasize focused neighborhood educational programs that can
address residential traffic concerns. This shall be accomplished by the preparation
of a traffic calming pamphlet; holding neighborhood meetings; and public
hearings before the City Council.
D. Implementation of selective police enforcement actions to address traffic related
concerns.
E. Minimize impacts on emergency vehicle response times, which may potentially be
caused by implementation of traffic calming measures.
F. Limit the potential for shifting traffic from one residential street (or neighborhood)
to another when implementing traffic calming measures.
G. Reduce the speed of vehicles on primary and secondary arterial roadways, and in
school zones, through the use of devices, including, but not limited to, radar speed
feedback signs when appropriate.
H. Respond to concerns or complaints in a timely manner.
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Definitions
Traffic management measures for residential streets (as defined herein) generally fall into
three (3) categories:
A. Level 1 Tools are comprised of actions and programs that are primarily
educational and enforcement based. These tools include neighborhood meetings,
police enforcement, signing, and the use of a temporary speed radar trailer.
B. Level 2 Tools include the construction of physical improvements on residential
streets to address documented speed concerns. These tools include road
narrowing, striping modifications, chokers, raised medians, gateways,
neighborhood traffic circles, landscaping, speed bumps, speed tables, speed
cushions and intersection channelization.
C. Level 3 Tools include the construction of physical improvements to reduce traffic
volumes on a local residential street. These tools include neckdowns, turn
restrictions, cul-de-sacs, diagonal diverters, half -closures.
D. A "residential street" is a local, two-lane street with a posted (or prima facie) speed
limit of twenty-five (25) miles per hour ("mph") or thirty (30) mph and a maximum
width of forty-four (44) feet from curb -to -curb.
Definitions for the various traffic calming tools are included in the City's Traffic
Management Guidelines document, or any subsequent successor document.
Criteria
A. The implementation of Level 2 Tools on residential streets shall be considered for
those public streets meeting all of the following criteria:
1. The street segment shall be at least 800 feet in length, and have no
intermediate STOP signs.
2. The two-way volume of traffic on the street shall be between 500 and 4000
vehicles per day.
3. A speed survey must demonstrate that the eighty-five (85) percentile speed
is equal to or greater than thirty-two (32) mph on a posted (or prima facie)
twenty-five (25) mph street, or equal to or greater than thirty-seven (37)
mph on a posted thirty (30) mph street. Speeds above these thresholds
indicate a "demonstrated speed concern."
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4. The street must have a sustained longitudinal grade of six percent (6%) or
less. The street must have a horizontal and vertical alignment such that
there is adequate sight distance, as determined by the City Traffic Engineer.
5. Level 2 measures shall not be installed if, in the opinion of the City Traffic
Engineer, they shall result in excessive diversion of traffic to parallel local
residential streets.
6. Proposed Level 2 measures shall be reviewed by the Police and Fire
Departments for potential impacts to public safety response times.
B. The implementation of Level 3 Tools shall be considered for those residential
streets meeting criteria 1, 5, and 6 , as noted above, and as required by Level 2
Tools. In addition the following criteria must be met:
1. The volume of traffic on the street shall be greater than 4000 vehicles per
day.
Process
The following step-by-step procedures shall be used by the City to address traffic
concerns on residential streets:
A. A resident shall inform the City of a potential problem area. Any traffic calming
request is required to include a petition signed by at least five (5) residents within
the immediate vicinity of the problem area.
B. The City shall review the roadway conditions and collect the appropriate traffic
speed and volume data. If it is determined that an immediate safety issue exists,
staff shall initiate a project to address the situation. Otherwise, staff shall initiate
the appropriate Level 1 traffic calming measures.
C. The Level 1 measures shall be in place for a minimum of three (3) months. If the
Level 1 measures do not address the resident's concerns, the City shall review the
traffic data that has been collected, discuss the issues with the Police and Fire
Departments, and determine if the street qualifies for Level 2 or Level 3 measures.
The residents shall be informed of the results of the traffic analysis.
D. If the traffic data indicates that the residential street(s) may qualify for Level 2 or
Level 3 measures, a letter shall be mailed out to the neighborhood asking residents
to identify specific concerns. After responses to the letter are received, a
neighborhood meeting shall be held. This meeting may be used to develop
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recommended Level 2 or Level 3 implementation measures. A representative of
the Public Works Department and the Police Department shall attend the meeting.
E. Based upon resident input and staff analysis, a draft improvement plan shall be
prepared and submitted to the residents together with an approved petition for
signatures.
F. A neighborhood representative shall be responsible for circulation of the petition
and draft improvement plan. The petition shall be prepared by City staff together
with the neighborhood representative, and shall be approved by the City Traffic
Engineer prior to circulation. The City shall provide a map of the affected area
and/or a listing of all affected addresses to the designated neighborhood
representative. The petition should include only residences or businesses within
the affected area. Person(s) circulating the petition shall attempt to obtain
signatures from all affected residences or businesses that are either an owner or
tenant and at least eighteen (18) years old. The petition must include the current
address, printed name, and signature for person signing the petition. The petition
requesting Level 2 or Level 3 traffic management measures must be supported by
seventy percent (70%) of the total number of residential units/ businesses. In the
event that a traffic calming tool may increase traffic noise, one resident for each
residence immediately adjacent to a proposed location of such traffic calming tool
must sign the petition in favor of the draft improvement plan.
G. If neighborhood support is demonstrated through the petition process, the project
shall be forwarded to City Council for approval. All Level 2 or Level 3 measures
on residential streets shall be approved by City Council prior to final design or
construction. If the petition process is unsuccessful, City staff shall continue
undertaking the appropriate Level 1 actions.
Priority
Requests for the installation of traffic calming measures on residential streets using City
funds shall be prioritized by the City Traffic Engineer considering the following factors:
A. Date of petition submittal.
B. Volume of traffic using the street.
C. Percentage of traffic exceeding the threshold speed limit.
D. Other factors including, but not limited to, number of houses, presence of parks or
schools, street width, and number of residential driveways.
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The City shall also take into account any letters of interest from the residents (or
Homeowners Associations) to provide funding for all or part of the costs of the design
and construction of the improvements.
Guidelines for the Use and Installation of Fixed Radar Speed Feedback Signs
Radar speed feedback signs are installed to provide a real-time dynamic display of a
driver's vehicular speed at a particular location. In locations where traffic -calming
features such as speed humps or chokers are not appropriate for the roadway, radar
speed feedback signs can be an effective installation. This policy applies to signs in fixed
locations, as opposed to radar speed feedback signs on trailers. A radar speed feedback
sign shall be considered for use when all of the following minimum thresholds are met:
A. The roadway under consideration is designated on the Master Plan of Streets and
Highways as a primary or secondary arterial road.
B. The average daily traffic (ADT) volume for the roadway segment is greater than
10,000 vehicles per day.
C. The posted speed limit is thirty-five (35) mph or greater; or
D. Within a school zone area after review and recommendation of the City Traffic
Engineer and Public Works Director.
Staff has developed a point system using the factors listed below. This point system can
be used to establish a priority ranking for future fixed location sign installations on
primary or secondary arterial roads that meet the minimum thresholds. To address
resident or Newport -Mesa Unified School District requests for a radar speed feedback
sign in a school zone, factors # 3 through # 7 shall be used during the review process.
Points
A. Daily Traffic Volume 10,000 -15,000 1
15,000 - 20,000 2
20,000 - 25,000 3
25,000+ 2
Posted Speed Limit 35 mph 1
40 mph 2
45 mph 3
50 mph 1
5
C.
0
E.
F
G
H.
85% speed over limit 0 mph - 2 mph over posted speed
2 mph - 4 mph over posted speed
4 mph - 6 mph over posted speed
Speed related accidents 0 accidents in previous 3 years
1-2 accidents in previous 3 years
3-5 accidents in previous 3 years
6-8 accidents in previous 3 years
9 + accidents in previous 3 years
Near School Greater than 1/2 mile
Between 1/4 to 1/2 mile
Within 1/4 mile
Percent grade
Street Conditions
0%-4%
5%-9%
10%+
Sidewalks both sides
Sidewalks one side
No pedestrian facility
Curves with advisory signing
1
3
5
0
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
1
2
3
0
1
3
3
Bicycle Facility Next to Designated Bicycle Sidewalk 1
Next to Existing/ Planned Bike Route 2
Next to Existing/ Planned On -street Bike Lane 3
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Priority should always be given to those roadways where the number of speed related
accidents is relatively high. In addition, the severity of the accident history should be
strongly considered in the review of all locations.
Radar speed feedback signs shall only be placed where they improve safety and do not
create objections from residents. All residents near a proposed sign location shall be
contacted. Any sign to be placed in front of a home should receive support from the
property owner. Any signs to be placed in school zones should be activated only for two
(2) hours at the start and at the end of the school day.
History
(1990,05/29) - L-13 - Adopted (Road Bumps)
(1991,10/28) - L-13 - Amended
(2006, 09/12) - L-26 - Adopted - incorporating L-13 & L-26)
M.
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(2015,05/12) - L-26 - Amended
(2018,08/14) - L-26 - Amended