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AGENDA BILL Agenda Item No. 5(C) Date: August 21, 2012 To: El Cerrito City Council From: Yvetteh Ortiz, Engineering Manager Jerry Bradshaw, Public Works Director I City Engineer Subject: Various Traffic and Parking Revisions ACTION REQUESTED Adopt two separate resolutions authorizing the Public Works Director/City Engineer to: 1. Install stop signs on: a. Scott Street at Schmidt Lane b. Humboldt A venue at Key Boulevard; and 2. Install 18 feet of green curb marking on the south side of Stockton A venue in front of the El Cerrito Public Library, located at 6500 Stockton Avenue. DISCUSSION Stop Sign Installation at Various Locations The Public Works Department has received requests from residents concerned about safety along Scott Street, from N avellier Street to Schmidt Lane, and Conlon A venue, from Key Boulevard/Humboldt A venue to MacDonald A venue. Public Works staff evaluated the existing traffic control devices, including signs, striping and pavement markings, along these street segments and identified two T -intersections (intersection with 3 legs) that could benefit from the installation of stop signs. The City does not typically use 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 Device (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; ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(C) • 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 intersections, Public Works staff determined that a stop sign on the terminating leg of each intersection is an appropriate traffic control device. The proposed stop signs comply with the guidelines provided by the MUTCD, as further discussed below. Scott Street at Schmidt Lane The T -intersection of Scott Street at Schmidt Lane has no traffic control signs on any of its legs. Scott Street, the terminating street, at 30 feet wide is narrower than Schmidt Lane at 40 feet wide. Scott Street is a local residential street. It is currently stop- controlled at all other intersecting streets including Navellier Street, Donal Avenue, and Manila A venue. Given the various land uses along Schmidt Lane, it currently functions as a collector street although not classified as such in the General Plan. Schmidt tane is also a designated pedestrian route in the Circulation Plan for Bicyclists and Pedestrians. Based on the existing traffic control devices along Scott Street and Schmidt Lane's function as a collector and pedestrian route, the Public Works Department is proposing installation of a stop sign on Scott Street to improve traffic safety and operations at the intersection. A "STOP" legend, limit line, and 25 feet of double yellow centerline will also be installed. Humboldt A venue at Key Boulevard Humboldt A venue intersects Key Boulevard at a skewed angle and is located just immediately north of Conlon A venue thus forming an awkward four-leg intersection. (See aerial image to the right.) Conlon A venue is stop-controlled at this intersection with Key Boulevard. However, Humboldt Street and Key Boulevard are not. Key Boulevard is a minor arterial street that varies in width throughout its length. At Humboldt Avenue, it is approx- imately 60 feet wide, which is very wide compared to other similar arterial streets tn El Cerrito. Humboldt A venue is a local residential street and is currently stop-controlled at MacDonald Ave- nue, which is the north end of the Page2 ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(C) subject block. Based on the surrounding traffic control devices and roadway configuration, the Public Works Department is proposing installation of a stop sign on Humboldt A venue at Key Boulevard to improve traffic safety and operations. A "STOP" legend, limit line, and 60 feet of double yellow centerline will also be installed on Humboldt, while new centerline and edge line striping will be installed on Key Boulevard to visually narrow this wide roadway section. Green Curb Marking in front of the El Cerrito Library (6500 Stockton Avenue) The Public Works Department is proposing to install 18 feet of green curb marking on the south side of Stockton A venue in front of the El Cerrito Library located at 6500 Stockton A venue. This is in response to a request from library staff and a patron, requesting green curb marking to serve the short-term parking needs of the library such · as for book returns. The green curb marking will limit parking duration to fifteen minutes between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., except Sundays and holidays. This time frame captures the varying· operating hours of the library. Currently, there are three unrestricted parking spaces and two disabled parking sp~ces in front of the library. The green curb marking is intended to provide a convenient short- term parking zone for library patrons. The green curb markings will result in the loss of one unrestricted parking space on the south side of Stockton A venue. In April 2012, an initial notification regarding the proposed parking modifications was sent to property owners and current residents within a 300-foot radius of this location. One comment was received from a resident who was concerned with the loss of unrestricted parking in the area. In response to the resident's concern, the Public Works Department will also be removing 20 feet of red curb marking across the street from the library, in front of 802 Lexington Avenue, to provide an unrestricted parking space and cancel out the loss of parking on the south side. In July, a final notification regarding these modifications was sent to the library, the concerned resident, and Fairmont School. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS El Cerrito Municipal Code Section 11.36.010 requires that the installation of stop signs be approved by City Council Resolution. El Cerrito Municipal Code Section 11.40.160 requires that any modification of white, yellow and green curb markings be approved by City Council Resolution. Because the El Cerrito Municipal Code authorizes the City Engineer to install and remove red curb marking, related modifications to red curb marking do not require action by City Council. Page 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(C) Reviewed by: Scott Hanin, City Manager Attachments: 1. Accompanying Resolution for Installation of Stop Signs at Various Locations 2. Accompanying Resolution for Green Curb Marking in front of the El Cerrito Public Library ( 6500 Stockton A venue) Page4 ---PAGE BREAK--- RESOLUTION 2012-XX Agenda Item No. S(C) Attachment 1 RESOLUTION OF THEEL CERRITO CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE INSTALLATION OF STOP SIGNS ON SCOTT STREET AT SCHMIDT LANE AND ON HUMBOLDT A VENUE AT KEY BOULEVARD WHEREAS, the Public Works Department has received requests from concerned citizens to evaluate the safety of several street segments, which included the T-intersections of Scott Street at Schmidt Lane, and Humboldt A venue at Key Boulevard; and WHEREAS, both intersections have no stop-control signs; and WHEREAS, based on the existing roadway configuration and surrounding traffic control devices at the subject intersections, Public Works staff determined that a stop sign on the terminating leg of each 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 gqidelines of the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for 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 by the El Cerrito City Council that it hereby authorizes the Public Works Director I City Engineer to install stop signs on Scott Street at Schmidt Lane and Humboldt A venue at Key Boulevard. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and adoption. I CERTIFY that at a regular meeting on August XX, 2012 the City Council of the City of El Cerrito passed this Resolution by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS: IN WITNESS of this action, I sign this document and affix the corporate seal of the City of El Cerrito on August_, 2012. Cheryl Morse, City Clerk APPROVED: William C. Jones III, Mayor ---PAGE BREAK--- RESOLUTION 2012-:XX: Agenda Item No. 5(C) Attachment 2 RESOLUTION OF THEEL CERRITO CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE INSTALLATION OF 18 FEET OF GREEN CURB MARKING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF STOCKTON A VENUE IN FRONT OF THEEL CERRITO LIBRARY LOCATED AT 6500 STOCKTON AVENUE WHEREAS, the Public Works Department has received requests from library staff and a patron for . short-term parking to meet the needs of the library; and WHEREAS, a green curb marking will result in the loss of one unrestricted parking space on the south side of Stockton Avenue in front of the library, but will provide a convenient short-term parking zone for library patrons; and WHEREAS, the green curb markings proposed would limit parking to fifteen minutes at any time between ten a.m. and eight p.m. except Sundays and holidays; and WHEREAS, El Cerrito Municipal Code Section 11.40.160 requires that any installation or modification of green curb markings be approved by City Council Resolution. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the El Cerrito City Council hereby authorizes the Public Works Director I City Engineer to install approximately 18 feet of green curb marking with corresponding parking sign to limit fifteen minute parking between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00p.m. except Sundays and holidays on the south side of Stockton A venue in front of the El Cerrito Public Library, located at 6500 Stockton A venue. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and adoption. I CERTIFY that at a regular meeting on August XX, 2012 the City Council of the City ofEl Cerrito passed this Resolution by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS: IN WITNESS of this action, I sign this document and affix the corporate seal of the City ofEl Cerrito on August_, 2012. Cheryl Morse, City Clerk APPROVED: William C. Jones III, Mayor