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AGENDA BILL Agenda Item No. 5(I) Date: May 19, 2015 To: El Cerrito City Council From: Melissa Tigbao, Engineering Manager / Senior Engineer Yvetteh Ortiz, Public Works Director / City Engineer Subject: STOP Signs at various locations ACTION REQUESTED Adopt two separate resolutions authorizing the Public Works Director/City Engineer to install stop signs on: 1. Mono Avenue at Conlon Avenue 2. Brewster Drive at Buckingham Drive DISCUSSION The Public Works Department has received requests from residents concerned about safety at the intersections of Mono Avenue at Conlon Avenue and Brewster Drive at Buckingham Drive. Public Works staff evaluated the existing conditions, including signs, striping and pavement markings at both intersections. The intersections have warning signs but no traffic control signs on any of their legs. 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. 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 Mono Avenue at Conlon Avenue and on Brewster Drive at Buckingham Drive to improve traffic safety and operations. The proposed stop signs comply with the guidelines provided by the MUTCD as further discussed below. ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(I) Page 2 Mono Avenue at Conlon Avenue 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. Both Mono Avenue and Conlon Avenue are local residential streets. Mono Avenue, the terminating street, intersects Conlon Avenue at a skewed angle. Conlon Avenue is approximately 30 feet wide, with parking allowed on both sides, and approaches Mono Avenue from the east at a downgrade. The downgrade can present unexpected speeds of vehicles as they approach Mono Avenue. Without an existing STOP sign or limit line and given the angle of the street, motorists on Mono Avenue have a tendency to complete left- or right-turn maneuvers without yielding to the traffic on Conlon Avenue. Brewster Drive at Buckingham Drive The intersection of Buckingham Drive and Brewster Drive is in a residential neighborhood, in which Buckingham Drive, a collector street, has a downhill slope from Arlington Boulevard to Brewster Drive. It is a four-legged intersection with unusual geometry, including both horizontal and vertical curvature from each approach. Because of this geometric alignment, visibility of approaching vehicles is limited for any crossing vehicular or pedestrian traffic at the intersection. With Buckingham Drive as the major street and Brewster Drive as the minor street, it is appropriate to assign the vehicular right-of-way to Buckingham Drive, thus installing the stop signs on Brewster Drive. Given these conditions, the Public Works Department recommends the installation of a stop sign on Mono Avenue at Conlon Avenue and a two-way stop on Brewster Drive at Buckingham Drive. 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 are estimated to be under $4,000 and are included in the Public Works Maintenance operating budget. ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(1) 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. Resolution for Mono A venue at Conlon A venue 2. Resolution for Brewster Drive at Buckingham Drive Page 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(I) Attachment 1 RESOLUTION NO. 2015–XX RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CERRITO AUTHORIZING THE INSTALLATION OF A STOP SIGN ON MONO AVENUE AT CONLON AVENUE WHEREAS, the Public Works Department has received requests from concerned individuals to evaluate the safety and operations of the intersection of Mono Avenue at Conlon Avenue; 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 meets 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 City Council designate entrances to intersections where stop signs are installed. 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 Mono Avenue at Conlon Avenue. 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 May 19, 2015 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 2015. Cheryl Morse, City Clerk APPROVED: Mark Friedman, Mayor ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(I) Attachment 2 RESOLUTION NO. 2015–XX RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CERRITO AUTHORIZING THE INSTALLATION OF A STOP SIGN ON BREWSTER DRIVE AT BUCKINGHAM DRIVE WHEREAS, the Public Works Department has received requests from concerned individuals to evaluate the safety and operations of the intersection of Brewster Drive at Buckingham 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 minor 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 meets 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 City Council designate entrances to intersections where stop signs are installed. 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 stop signs on Brewster Drive at Buckingham 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 May 19, 2015 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 2015. Cheryl Morse, City Clerk APPROVED: Mark Friedman, Mayor