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AGENDA BILL Agenda Item No. 5(E) Date: May 7, 2013 To: El Cerrito City Council From: Yvetteh Ortiz, Engineering Manager Jerry Bradshaw, Public Works Director/City Engineer Subject: All-Way Stop at the intersection of Colusa Avenue and Eureka Avenue ACTION REQUESTED Adopt a resolution authorizing the Public Works Director/City Engineer to establish an all-way stop at the intersection of Colusa Avenue and Eureka Avenue. BACKGROUND The Public Works Department has received many requests from concerned citizens to evaluate the safety along Colusa Avenue between Fairmount Avenue and Terrace Drive, and is currently working with the neighborhood on evaluating various corridor improvements. As part of this effort, the existing traffic control at the intersection of Colusa Avenue and Eureka Avenue was evaluated. The intersection is located in a residential neighborhood and with three marked yellow crosswalks serves as a school route leading to El Cerrito High School, which is located less than a block away. Colusa Avenue is classified as a collector street and is designated as a proposed bike route in the City’s Circulation Plan for Bicyclists and Pedestrians. Data collected in 2012 shows the 85th-percentile speeds to range between 30 and 32 miles per hour (mph). The posted speed limit of 25 mph is justified based on the recently completed Engineering and Traffic Surveys for this street. Eureka Avenue is classified as a local street and is currently controlled by a stop sign at Colusa Avenue. The intersection has three legs. Uphill traffic on Eureka Avenue must stop for traffic on Colusa Avenue. Colusa Avenue also has a gradual uphill slope from Errol Drive a block to the south and reaches a crest at Eureka Avenue. A horizontal curve is also present on this roadway section as shown. ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(E) Page 2 ANALYSIS All-way (also known as multi-way) stop control can be useful as a safety measure at intersections if certain traffic conditions exist. The primary purpose of an all-way stop sign is to assign right-of-way. All-way stop signs are the most effective when the traffic volumes on all the approaches to the intersection are near equal. The greater the difference between the traffic volumes on the major street compared to the traffic volume on the minor street, the less effective the signs will be. Safety concerns associated with all-way stops include pedestrians, bicyclists, and all road users expecting other road users to stop. As such, an intersection must meet one or more specific traffic criteria established by the State of California, Department of Transportation in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for the installation of all-way stop control. Local jurisdictions may also adopt alternative criteria to incorporate specific local conditions that are not reflected in the State's criteria. The Public Works Department is considering potential criteria for residential streets in the City of El Cerrito. In the meantime, Public Works staff requested that our on-call transportation engineering consultant, Fehr & Peers Transportation Consultants, conduct an engineering study for the intersection of Colusa Avenue and Eureka Avenue based on both the State criteria and potential City criteria. The State criteria indicates that all-way stop control can be installed where the number of vehicles approaching the intersection from all directions is approximately equal for any eight hours of an average day or where there is a collision problem as indicated by a five or more reported crashes susceptible to correction by an all-way stop. Such crashes include right- and left-turn collisions as well as right-angle collisions. The potential City criteria include similar, but reduced thresholds for residential streets. Other criteria that may be considered in an engineering study include the need to control left-turn conflicts; the need to control vehicle/pedestrian conflicts near locations that generate high pedestrian volume; locations where a road user, after stopping, cannot see conflicting traffic and is not able to safely negotiate the intersection unless conflicting cross traffic is also required to stop; and an intersection of two residential collector (through) streets of similar design and operating characteristics where all-way stop control would improve traffic operational characteristics of the intersection. Fehr & Peers determined that although the traffic volume and collision criteria were not met, the criteria based on visibility constraints were met for the State criteria and potential City criteria. Traffic turning left from eastbound Eureka Avenue to northbound Colusa Avenue has limited visibility due to the crest vertical curve at the top of the Eureka Avenue approach to Colusa Avenue. Coupled with the northbound approach horizontal curve, this intersection presents a visibility concern that cannot be corrected through other traffic control measures. Given these conditions, Fehr & Peers recommended installation of an all-way stop at the intersection of Colusa Avenue and Eureka Avenue. The installation of an all-way stop is expected to improve traffic safety at this intersection. Based on these factors, Public Works staff is proposing installation of stop signs, advance warning signs and associated pavement markings on Colusa Avenue to establish an all-way stop at the intersection. ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(E) FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS The cost for installation of stop signs, advance warning signs, and associated pavement markings is estimated to be approximately $2,000 and is included in the Public Works, Maintenance operating budget. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS As required by Chapter 11.36 of the El Cerrito Municipal Code, installation of any stop sign must be approved by City Council Resolution. Scott Hanin, City Manager Attachment: 1. Accompanying Resolution Page 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(E) RESOLUTION 2013–XX RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CERRITO AUTHORIZING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ALL-WAY STOP AT THE INTERSECTION OF COLUSA AVENUE AND EUREKA AVENUE WHEREAS, the Public Works Department has received many requests from concerned citizens to evaluate the safety along Colusa Avenue between Fairmount Avenue and Terrace Drive, and the department is currently working with the neighborhood on evaluating various corridor improvements; and WHEREAS, as part of this effort, an engineering study determined that the intersection of Colusa Avenue and Eureka Avenue meets the State of California criteria for all-way stop control based on visibility constraints; and WHEREAS, the installation of an all-way stop is expected to improve traffic safety at the intersection of Colusa Avenue and Eureka Avenue; and WHEREAS, Chapter 11.36 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 by the City Council of the City of El Cerrito that it hereby authorizes the Public Works Director/City Engineer to establish an all-way stop at the intersection of Colusa Avenue and Eureka Avenue. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon passage and adoption. I CERTIFY that at a regular meeting on May 7, 2013 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 May XX, 2013. Cheryl Morse, City Clerk APPROVED: Gregory B. Lyman, Mayor