Subject: NEWHALL NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC CALMING PLAN
COUNCIL
DISTRICT: 3
Adopt a resolution authorizing the Director of Transportation to temporarily install traffic control devices to prevent vehicular traffic from making turns at the intersections of O’Brien Court and Campbell Avenue, and Campbell Avenue and Newhall Street (see attached map) for traffic calming purposes, and suspend enforcement of the 5 ton commercial vehicle prohibition on Newhall Street, all for a test period of up to 180 days.
Consistent with the City’s Traffic Calming Policy; the Newhall Neighborhood has requested the installation of temporary traffic diversion devices that would prevent vehicle traffic from turning from Campbell Avenue onto Newhall Street, and vice versa, and from turning from Campbell Avenue onto O’Brien Court, and vice versa. The request is intended to address excessive cut-through traffic volume. The temporary traffic diversions will be tested and evaluated for up to 180 days. During the test period, the City will conduct a final evaluation with input from the community and a final report will be forwarded to the City Council to decide if the temporary traffic diversions will be removed, modified, or converted into permanent traffic diversions.
In April 1998, the Newhall Neighborhood Association contacted the Department of Transportation (DOT) because of their concerns about traffic volume, speeding and truck traffic on Newhall Street and other streets within their neighborhood. In working with the community, several steps were taken to respond to these concerns. First, Photo Radar (NASCOP) was implemented on Newhall Street to reduce speeding. Also, commercial vehicle weight prohibition signs were posted on several streets including Newhall Street, Elm Street, Hamline Street and Myrtle Street.
Traffic speeds were reduced, but high traffic volumes continued to exist. In accordance with the Traffic Calming Policy, the next step was to initiate a comprehensive Traffic Calming Study. Working with the Newhall Neighborhood Traffic Committee, a proposal to install temporary traffic diversions was recommended and supported by DOT, Fire Department and the Police Department. The temporary diversions on Campbell Avenue at Newhall Street will allow adequate emergency access.
Working with the Neighborhood Committee, a petition was drafted by DOT and circulated for signatures by the residents in December 2000. In January 2001, DOT mailed petitions to absentee property owners/landlords within the study boundary. Also in January, DOT disseminated information letters to the businesses on Campbell Avenue that were outside the study boundary. In March, the Neighborhood Committee finished collecting signatures and forwarded the results to DOT.
A total of 282 households and businesses are within the study boundaries and the results of the petition are as follows:
· 203 responses in support of the test diversion devices
· 12 responses in opposition the test diversion devices
· 67 did not respond
A total of 49 absentee owners were petitioned and the results of the petition are as follows:
· 20 responses in support of the test diversion devices
· 5 responses in opposition the test diversion devices
· 24 did not respond
Petition Summary:
· 67% eligible voters support the test traffic diversions (223 out of 331)
· 93% that responded support the test traffic diversions (223 out of 240)
Following the successful petitioning process, a preliminary traffic analysis (see Attachment B) was completed by DOT. The preliminary traffic analysis is attached as a supplement to this memo. The preliminary traffic analysis demonstrates that the traffic diversions will not have significant negative traffic impacts on the surrounding roadways. Newhall Street, Campbell Avenue, and O’Brien Court are not streets of regional significance and are not designated General Plan streets. The traffic diversions will divert traffic from a non-General Plan street onto The Alameda and El Camino Real, which is a State Highway and is consistent with the “Circulation Element” of the General Plan, as more fully set forth in the attached preliminary traffic analysis. The Alameda changes name to El Camino Real on the City of Santa Clara City Limit side. The DOT coordinated with the State Department of Transportation and the Public Works Department of the City of Santa Clara.
The traffic diversions should result in a reduction of through traffic on Newhall Street and throughout the neighborhood. Currently, about 6,000 vehicles per day (VPD) use Newhall Street. The temporary traffic diversions should decrease traffic on Newhall Street north of the Alameda from approximately 6,000 VPD to an estimated 3,600 VPD.
The temporary traffic diversions will be installed and the 5 ton commercial vehicle prohibition signs on Newhall Street will be removed within 30 days after Council action. After the test period is concluded a final report will be drafted by DOT based on traffic data, field observations, community input and coordination with the Fire and Police departments. Ultimately the City Council will decide if the temporary diversion devices will be removed, modified, or converted into permanent diversion devices.
An extensive public outreach program was undertaken to develop the Newhall Neighborhood Traffic Calming Plan and to determine if there was substantial community support for the proposed temporary traffic diversions. The Neighborhood Committee petitioned the neighborhood and the proposed temporary traffic diversions received 67% support from the eligible voters within the neighborhood. A community meeting was held with concerned businesses on March 24, 2001 to discuss the proposed temporary traffic diversions. Follow-up meetings with the businesses were held on April 12, 2001 and April 24, 2001. At the April 24, 2001 meeting, the City agreed to postpone the Council meeting that was scheduled for the spring until late summer to allow time for businesses to submit alternative proposals.
The only alternative that the businesses recommended was to develop a voluntary enforcement program, where they would educate truck drivers and employees not to use Newhall Street between The Alameda and Campbell Avenue. This proposal was not deemed acceptable to both the Neighborhood Committee and the City because of its lack of physical control to divert traffic and the difficulty of on-going enforcement.
This report was coordinated with the Attorney’s Office, Fire Department, Police Department, and the Planning, Building & Code Enforcement Department.
The DOT Traffic Calming Program will fund the installation of barricades and signs and markings for the temporary diversion devices at a cost of approximately $2,000.
Fund: Construction and Conveyance Fund-465
Appropriation: 5486
Amount: $5,000,000
Budget Document: 2001-02
Proposed Capital Budget, Page 669, as approved by Council on June 12, 2001
Exempt
WAYNE K. TANDA
Director of Transportation