1990 09 19 TTC Minutes
M E M O R A N D U M
departmental Reports q.
TO: Ron Kiedrowski, City Manager
FROM: Frank Reynolds, Director of Public Works~-~
City Engineer
DATE: October 16, 1990
SUBJECT: Technical Traffic Committee
A Regular meeting of the Technical Traffic Committee was held at
11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, September 19, 1990. Attendance
included:
Members: Sergeant John Carlson
Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Indio
Gene Marshall, Local Street & Roads Engineer
Caltrans, District il, San Diego
Tom Hartung, Building & Safety Director
City of La Quinta
Frank Reynolds, Director of Public Works
City of La Quinta
Staff: Steve Speer, Senior Civil Engineer
City of La Quinta
Mr. Reynolds brought the meeting to order at 11:00 A.M.
New Business Item #1 - Consider a proposal to vacate Avenue 53
between Jefferson and Madison Streets
Mr. Reynolds gave a brief oral presentation of the proposed
street vacation. Mr. Reynolds stated that Avenue 53 is
currently in an unincorporated area of the county but is
presently under annexation proceedings by the City and the
developers on both sides of the street within the indicated
vacation limits desire to have the street vacated. All three (3)
of the proposed developments intend to be gated communities with
private streets. Mr. Reynolds further explained that th,e Fire
Technical Traffic Committee
Minutes 9/19/90
Page 2
Marshal has preliminarily indicated opposition to vacating the
street, therefore to obtain other opinions, Mr. Reynolds
requested and welcomed input from the Committee members i,n
attendance.
Sgt. Carlson stated that closure and vacation of Avenue 53 would
have no effect on the Sheriff's Department because they acre
conditioned to think in terms of even numbered avenues whien
responding to emergency calls. Sgt. Carlson said many of the odd
numbered avenues in the valley are nonexistent or discontinuous
from one section to the next and thus unreliable for emergency
response while the even numbered avenues are known to be
continuous.
Mr. Marshall stated that Caltrans in general preferred mare
arterial streets that parallel state highways because it helps
reduce congestion on state highways. He went on to say
however, that if Avenue 53 is vacated, the City should czirefully
look at the internal streets within the subdivision so good
circulation is provided for fire access.
No motion was made, nor was one requested by Mr. Reynolds.
New Business Item #2 - Intersection of Avenue 52 and Washington
Street
Mr. Reynolds gave a brief oral
realignment situation in which
Street is on the new alignment
Washingtion Street is still on
offset of several hundred feet
the creation of a new "T" and
Reynolds requested input as to
appropriate signing of the two
Street.
presentation of the Avenue 52
the portion east of Washington
and the portion west of
the old alignment thus caccsing an
at Washington Street and c:auses
"L" shaped intersections. N[r.
what the committee would c;onsider
intersections on Washington
After some discusssion by the committee, a consensus was
obtained with the following traffic sign measures recommended:
Washington Street @ Old Avenue 52
. Install 90-degree turn advance warning "arrow" signs
for both the eastbound and southbound traffic:.
install 10 mph or 15 mph recommended speed sign on
the post with the advance turn warning sign.
Technical Traffic Committee
Minutes 9/19/90
Page 3
. Remove stop sign for southbound traffic.
Install partial barricade on east leg of intersection
with road closed sign on barricade.
Install full barricade east of ranch access lane when
Landmark Land Company joins old Avenue 52 with new
Avenue 52 near Jefferson Street.
Washington Street @ New Avenue 52
. This intersection should be a 3-way stop.
The westbound traffic should have an advance "Stop
Ahead" warning sign, but no rumble buttons are needed
on the pavement.
No advance "Stop Ahead" warning signs are needed for
the north and south bound traffic.
New Business Item #3 - Bus Shelter at Washington and Tampico
This item was pulled from the agenda by Mr. Reynolds to save
time for other business items that involved higher priori.t.y
traffic concerns.
New Business Item #4 - Speeding on Calle Colima
Mr. Reynolds gave a brief oral historical background of t:tie
factors that have lead to increased vehicular speeds on (:ail le
Colima. Mr. Reynolds stated the Cove Improvement project has
caused every third east-west street, of which Calle Colima is one
of those streets, to be constructed with no cross gutters which
tend to inhibit speed, while all of the other east-west :st:reets
have a cross gutter at each intersection and thus signif:ic:antly
affect lower speeds. As a result, not only is Calle Colima
experiencing higher speeds but increased traffic volume <3:; well
because traffic is avoiding the other east-west streets tYrat have
the cross gutters.
Mr. Reynolds expressed the City's desire to post a desireable
speed limit and enforce it with law enforcement, however, Mr.
Reynolds pointed out that previous attempts to post speed limits
in the Cove that are lower than the 55 mph maximum legal speed
Technical Traffic Committee
Minutes 9/19/90
Page 4
limit, disclosed the fact that in order for a street to tie
considered residential and automatically qualify for the 25 mph
prima facie speed limit provided in the California Vehicle Code
(Section 22352), it must have an average of 16 houses fronting
the street for each quarter mile (Section 515). Mr. Reynolds
then opened the item for discussion and welcomed input fx-om those
members in attendance.
Sgt. Carlson indicated the Cove area is not a "radar" type
environment for law enforcement even if it were legally possible
to enforce the speed limit with radar.
Mr. Marshall said he was not familiar with the 16-house per
quarter mile requirement to achieve the residential status, but
stated the Cove has the "look and feel" of a residential
neighborhood and didn't believe the residential speed zorie~
would be challenged if so posted.
Additional short discussion focused on a recommended solution.
The Committee consensus and recommendation is the City should
post Calle Colima and each "third street" similiarly con:>t.ructed
with 25 mph speed limit signs. Sgt. Carlson said that ai`ter the
signs are posted, the Sheriff's Department will target they area
for patrol with black and white units to establish an eni`arcement
presence to encourage lower speeds.
The meeting adjourned at 12:00 P.M. (Noon)
MISC\100-02