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Consent
Item No. 10.
| MEETING DATE: 07/17/2023 |
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| TO: | HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS |
| FROM: | JIM SADRO, CITY MANAGER By: Elias Saykali, Public Works Director |
| SUBJECT: | APPROVE REQUEST FOR A "STOP" SIGN AT NORTH FONDA STREET AND ESSEX DRIVE
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RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council APPROVE AND ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. _____ ENTITLED: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA, CALIFORNIA, DESIGNATING THE EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND APPROACHES FOR THE INTERSECTION OF NORTH FONDA STREET AND ESSEX DRIVE AS A TWO-WAY STOP INTERSECTION.
DISCUSSION:
On February 23, 2023, staff received a request from a resident to install a "STOP" sign for the eastern approach at the intersection of North Fonda Street and Essex Drive. The resident expressed concern that vehicles were driving at unsafe speeds on Essex and Fonda, and that vehicles were not stopping along the eastern Essex Drive approach for vehicles that were traveling along North Fonda Street. The resident was concerned that this road condition makes it a challenge for children to safely cross the street, or walk or bike to the nearby Sierra Vista Elementary School.
On March 23, 2023, the Traffic Committee (Committee) considered this request and discussed the concerns regarding traffic issues at and near this intersection. The Committee unanimously agreed to evaluate the intersection for a "STOP" sign warrant. In May 2023, the City's on-call traffic engineering consultant, AGA Engineers, Inc. (AGA), conducted a warrant study while school was in session and on a non-school day to ensure that the traffic data would reflect the conditions observed by the resident. The results from that study were used to evaluate the intersection to determine if the conditions warranted for an all-way stop control. Per the guidelines from the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD), the multi-way stop requirements were not satisfied and the all-way stop control for the intersection of North Fonda Street and Essex Drive is not warranted. Furthermore, staff reviewed accident report records for this area and discovered that there have been no reported/recorded collisions at this intersection. Additionally, the recorded traffic volumes also do not meet the minimum requirements to install an all-way stop control.
Upon further evaluation of this intersection, staff discovered that the traffic data collected by the study reflects higher traffic counts along North Fonda Street, including pedestrians and bicyclists, than on Essex Drive for the majority of 12 hours of an average day. Currently, there are no "STOP" signs at this intersection and the traffic on Essex Drive is primarily from eastbound vehicles turning left onto North Fonda Street. Although an all-way stop control was not warranted for this intersection, and given the high traffic counts along North Fonda Street, staff decided to evaluate other safety measures that could improve this intersection. After careful consideration and a review of the collected data, staff recommends that "STOP" signs and "STOP" pavement legends be installed on both the eastbound and westbound approaches on Essex Drive at North Fonda Street. This recommendation was reviewed at the June 5, 2023, Traffic Committee meeting, and the Committee unanimously agreed with staff's recommendation to consider the installation of the "STOP" signs and "STOP" pavement legends on Essex Drive at North Fonda Street and to forward to the City Council for consideration and approval.
Notices regarding this recommendation were mailed to following property owners:
North Fonda Street: 610, 611, 620, 621, 630, 631, 640, 641, 650, 651, 660, 720, 730, 731, 740, 741
Essex Drive: 1401, 1411, 1421, 1431, 1441, 1510, 1520, 1521, 1531, 1541
630 North Colfax Street
631 and 640 North Dexter Street
As of the time this staff report was prepared, no letters, emails or phone calls were received in support or opposition to this recommendation.
On March 23, 2023, the Traffic Committee (Committee) considered this request and discussed the concerns regarding traffic issues at and near this intersection. The Committee unanimously agreed to evaluate the intersection for a "STOP" sign warrant. In May 2023, the City's on-call traffic engineering consultant, AGA Engineers, Inc. (AGA), conducted a warrant study while school was in session and on a non-school day to ensure that the traffic data would reflect the conditions observed by the resident. The results from that study were used to evaluate the intersection to determine if the conditions warranted for an all-way stop control. Per the guidelines from the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD), the multi-way stop requirements were not satisfied and the all-way stop control for the intersection of North Fonda Street and Essex Drive is not warranted. Furthermore, staff reviewed accident report records for this area and discovered that there have been no reported/recorded collisions at this intersection. Additionally, the recorded traffic volumes also do not meet the minimum requirements to install an all-way stop control.
Upon further evaluation of this intersection, staff discovered that the traffic data collected by the study reflects higher traffic counts along North Fonda Street, including pedestrians and bicyclists, than on Essex Drive for the majority of 12 hours of an average day. Currently, there are no "STOP" signs at this intersection and the traffic on Essex Drive is primarily from eastbound vehicles turning left onto North Fonda Street. Although an all-way stop control was not warranted for this intersection, and given the high traffic counts along North Fonda Street, staff decided to evaluate other safety measures that could improve this intersection. After careful consideration and a review of the collected data, staff recommends that "STOP" signs and "STOP" pavement legends be installed on both the eastbound and westbound approaches on Essex Drive at North Fonda Street. This recommendation was reviewed at the June 5, 2023, Traffic Committee meeting, and the Committee unanimously agreed with staff's recommendation to consider the installation of the "STOP" signs and "STOP" pavement legends on Essex Drive at North Fonda Street and to forward to the City Council for consideration and approval.
Notices regarding this recommendation were mailed to following property owners:
North Fonda Street: 610, 611, 620, 621, 630, 631, 640, 641, 650, 651, 660, 720, 730, 731, 740, 741
Essex Drive: 1401, 1411, 1421, 1431, 1441, 1510, 1520, 1521, 1531, 1541
630 North Colfax Street
631 and 640 North Dexter Street
As of the time this staff report was prepared, no letters, emails or phone calls were received in support or opposition to this recommendation.
FISCAL IMPACT/SOURCE OF FUNDING:
The proposed installation of the "STOP" sign, STOP legend, and STOP bar striping is estimated to cost $500. The cost estimate includes all materials and labor, and funds are available in the City’s General Fund Street Maintenance budget to perform this work.
GENERAL PLAN RELEVANCE/CITY COUNCIL GOALS & OBJECTIVES:
The installation of the "STOP" sign is consistent with the following areas of the General Plan:
RN 1.8 Safe Street Design
It is also consistent with the following City Council Goals and Objectives:
GOAL 1 - PROTECTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY - Objective G: Improve and enhance traffic and pedestrian safety through regular traffic enforcement, commercial vehicle enforcement, parking enforcement, and DUI enforcement, as well as provide support to the La Habra Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan.
RN 1.8 Safe Street Design
It is also consistent with the following City Council Goals and Objectives:
GOAL 1 - PROTECTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY - Objective G: Improve and enhance traffic and pedestrian safety through regular traffic enforcement, commercial vehicle enforcement, parking enforcement, and DUI enforcement, as well as provide support to the La Habra Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan.