HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-11-10 City Council (18)City
City of Palo Alto
Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING
DATE:November 10, 1997 CMR:447:97
SUBJECT:PARKING
BETWEEN
AVENUE
RESTRICTIONS ON MIDDLEFIELD ROAD
OREGON EXPRESSWAY AND GARLAND
This is an information report, and no Council action is required at the present time.
The purpose of this report is to inform the Council that staff has posted signs to prohibit
parking on both sides of Middlefield Road, between Oregon Expressway and Garland
Avenue, as shown in Attachment 1, .in order to improve traffic safety and reduce
congestion. If this change proves beneficial during a trial period of up to four months,
staff anticipates returning to Council, prior to the end of the four-month period, with an
appropriate resolution permanently establishing these parking prohibitions.
BACKGROUND
As part of the Santa Clara County Traffic Congestion Management Plan (CMP), the City
is required by State law to moItitor certain ,intersections annually, including the
intersection of Middlefield Road and Oregon Expressway. The Level of Service (LOS)
at this intersection has changed from an LOS of E in 1995 to an LOS ofF in 1996. When
the intersection reaches LOS F, the intersection is considered deficient under CMP
guidelines and the City is required to take action to improve the intersection LOS to E or
better, or prepare a deficiency plan.
DISCUSSION
A typical improvement to improve intersection LOS would include widening the
intersection for an approximate distance of 300 feet on both sides of Oregon Expressway
to include one left-turn lane and two through lanes in each direction, prohibiting parking,
and modif36ng the operation of the traffic signal fi’om the existing split phase to an eight-
phase,operation.
However, based on current traffic volumes, a less expensive and less drastic solution is
to ensure that there are two lanes of traffic on Middlefield Road in the southbound
CMR:447:97 Page 1 of 2
direction to accommodate adequate stacking, and two lanes of traffic in the northbound
direction for traffic to properly merge from two lanes into one. While the intersection
presently operates in this manner some of the time, one parked car can severely limit the
operating characteristics and safety. These parking prohibitions will increase the capacity
and safety of the through lanes and improve the intersection LOS to E.
In order to accommodate these improvements within the existing paved area, it is
necessary to prohibit parking from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, on the west
side of Middlefield Road for a distance of 300 feet, and prohibit parking at any time on
the east side for a distance of 200 feet.
The Palo Alto Municipal Code provides that the City Manager may establish such parking
restrictions or prohibitions for periods of time not to exceed four months, at which time
such restrictions or prohibitions shall no longer be of any force and effect unless duly
established by ordinance or resolution of the City Council. This approach allows for a
period of time for testing and adjustment before reaching a final solution, and is consistent
with the procedures staffhas followed in the past. If this change proves to be beneficial,
staff anticipates returning to Council, prior to the end of the four-month period, with an
appropriate resolution establishing these parking prohibitions.
A letter explaining the parking prohibitions was mailed to area residents on October 3,
1997, and no objections have been received to date.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Prohibiting parking is a minor operational improvement, and is categorically exempt under
the California Environmental Quality Act. No environmentalassessment is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Drawing showing parking prohibitions
Prepared By: Ashok Aggarwal
Department Head Review:
City Manager Approval:
KENNETH R. SCHREIBER
,~ctor
Manager
CMR:447:97 Page 2 of 2
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ATTACHMENT 1