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AGENDA BILL Agenda Item No. 5(E) Date: April 1, 2014 To: El Cerrito City Council From: Melissa Tigbao, Engineering Manager / Senior Engineer Yvetteh Ortiz, Interim Public Works Director / City Engineer Subject: STOP Sign on Everett Street at Portola Drive ACTION REQUESTED Adopt a resolution authorizing the Public Works Director/City Engineer to install a STOP sign on Everett Street at Portola Drive DISCUSSION The Public Works Department has received requests from residents concerned about safety at the intersection of Everett Street and Portola Drive. Public Works evaluated the existing conditions, including signs, striping and pavement markings at the T- intersection. The intersection has no traffic control signs on any of its legs. In the past, the City has not typically used stop signs at T-intersections in residential areas. This is because at T-intersections without stop or yield signs, the right-of-way rules are covered under the California Vehicle Code (Section 21800), which requires that drivers on the terminating leg of the intersection yield to vehicles on the continuing street. However, the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) indicates that STOP signs should be used if engineering judgment indicates that one or more of several conditions exist: Intersection of a less important road with a main road where application of the normal right-of-way rule would not be expected to provide reasonable compliance with the law; Street entering a through highway or street; Unsignalized intersection in a signalized area; and/or High speeds, restricted view, or crash records indicate a need for control by the STOP sign. Both Portola Drive and Everett Street are local residential streets. Everett Street, the terminating street, is only allowed a left turn onto Portola Drive. Directly across the intersection is the driveway for a multi-family development. Portola Drive, east of Everett Street, is a relatively wide one-way street westbound, and approaches Everett Street at a downgrade. The downgrade can present unexpected speeds of vehicles as they approach Everett Street. Without an existing STOP sign or limit line, motorists on ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. S(E) Everett Street have a tendency to complete left-turn maneuvers without yielding to the one-way traffic on Portola Drive. Based on the existing roadway configuration and surrounding traffic control devices at the subject intersection, Public Works staff is proposing installation of a STOP sign and associated pavement markings and signs on Everett Street at Portola Drive to improve traffic safety and operations. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS The installation of signs, pavement markings, and curb markings is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly. FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS The cost for installation of signs, pavement markings, and curb markings is estimated to be under $2,000 and are included in the Public Works, Maintenance operating budget. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS El Cerrito Municipal Code Section 11.36.010 requires that the installation of stop signs be approved by a resolution of the City Council. Reviewed by: Scott Hanin, City Manager Attachments: 1. Accompanying Resolution Page 2 ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(E) Attachment 1 RESOLUTION 2014–XX RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CERRITO AUTHORIZING THE INSTALLATION OF A STOP SIGN ON EVERETT STREET AT PORTOLA DRIVE WHEREAS, the Public Works Department has received requests from concerned citizens to evaluate the safety and operations of the intersection of Everett Street at Portola Drive; and WHEREAS, the intersection currently has no STOP-control signs; and WHEREAS, based on the existing roadway configuration and surrounding traffic control devices at the subject intersection, Public Works staff determined that a STOP sign on the terminating leg of the intersection is an appropriate traffic control device to improve traffic safety and operations; and WHEREAS, it is the judgment of the City Engineer that this intersection meet the guidelines of the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for installation of a STOP sign; and WHEREAS, Section 11.36.010 of the El Cerrito Municipal Code requires that the installation of any stop sign be approved by the City Council. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of El Cerrito hereby authorizes the Public Works Director / City Engineer to install a stop sign on Everett Street at Portola Drive. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of El Cerrito finds that this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon passage and adoption. I CERTIFY that at a regular meeting on April 1, 2014 the City Council of the City of El Cerrito passed this Resolution by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: IN WITNESS of this action, I sign this document and affix the corporate seal of the City of El Cerrito on 2014. Cheryl Morse, City Clerk APPROVED: Janet Abelson, Mayor