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Home My WebLink About1996-08-08 City Council (8)City of Palo Alto C ty Manager’s Report TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING DATE:August 8, 1996 CMR:369:96 SUBJECT:Lytton Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan: Status Report REQUEST This is an informational staff report regarding the initiation of the trial implementation of the Lytton Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan. No Council action is required. RECOMMENDATIONS No Council action is recolmnended. POLICY IMPLICATIONS Council approved a trial installation of a traffic management plan (Alternative 5) for the Lytton Neighborhood on May 8, 1995. The plan is consistent with existing Comprehensive Plan Policy No. 4: Reduce through traffic on residential streets. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY At its meeting of March 11, 1996, Council awarded a construction contract to MCE Corporation for the trial installation of the Lytton Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan (Alternative 5), on a six-lnonth trial basis. The contractor completed the work at the end of May. The scope of work included the following elements with related signing and striping: ao do A traffic circle at Lytton and Fulton; A traffic median on Guinda at Lytton, allowing all movements; A traffic median on Chaucer at Palo Alto Avenue, allowing only right turns in and out of flae westerly leg of Palo Alto Avenue mad all movements in and out of the easterly leg of Palo Alto Avenue except through movements; Three road bumps: two on Palo Alto Avenue mad one on Guinda; and CMR:369:96 Page 1 of 5 Restriping of University Avenue between Fulton and Webster, to accommodate an additional westbound through lane, and widening of the southeast corner, to accommodate northbound vehicles on Middlefield Road turning right onto University. Initial Results of the Trial Traffic Management Plan Staff has been monitoring the ongoing operations of various elements of the traffic management plan and has made adjustments that were necessary for operational and potential safety reasons. Initially, there were several complaints concemhlg the median on Chaucer Street, because it physically restricts the eastbound traffic on Palo Alto Avenue from turning left into Menlo Park. At first, a substantial number of drivers made a right turn onto Chaucer and then made a U-turn, or a three-point turn, to go towards Menlo Park. Accordingly, signs prohibiting U-turns and three-point turns were added on Chaucer between Palo Alto and University Avenues; and the Police Department began providing surveillance in the area. Observations in early Jtme (at the end of construction) hadicated that the number of drivers making U-turns and three-point turns have been substantially reduced. In addition to the data on U-turns and three-point turns on Chaucer Street, staff has collected limited traffic volume data on Chaucer Street and on Hamilton and Palo Alto Avenues. All of the data were collected in late June and early July, one month after completion of the work. The turning volume data were collected over a 12-hour period, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., aa shown below mad in Attaclnnent 2. CMR:369:96 Page 2 of 5 Traffic Turning Counts At OR Close to the Median on Chaucer St. ® LEGEND 15 Traffic Counts Traffic Movement Palo Alto Ave. Chaucer St. The turning volume data show that of the 215 drivers who made a right turn from Palo Alto Avenue onto Chaucer, 16 made a U-turn and 24 made a three-point turn within a 12 hour period (no more than 6 in any one hour period). A total of 15 drivers made a left turn from Palo alto Avenue into Menlo Park (no more than 4 in any one hour period). While these three movements are illegal, the frequency is rather low. However, residents who live on Chaucer Street, and are affected by these movements, have voiced their concern and objection. Twenty-four hour traffic volumes were measured at four locations to help determine the initial impacts. The count locations and recorded volumes are shown in Attachment 3. The volumes represent total two-directional volumes at each location, for a 24-hour period. A comparison of these recorded volumes with volumes recorded before the trial implementation is shown below: CMR:369:96 Page 3 of 5 Location Study B &ore After Volumes Volumes Volumes (1993)(1995)(1996) Pope/Chaucer Bridge 3,350 3,298 3,100 Chaucer Street, south of Palo Alto Avenue 2,472 2,121 2,707 Palo Alto Avenue, west of Chaucer Street 1,800 2,063 1,040 Hamilton Avenue, west of Chaucer Street 3,864 3,313 3,760 This comparison of before and after traffic volumes indicates that the traffic management plan has provided a "medium" level of through trip reduction on Palo Alto Avenue, with a correspondingly medium level of diversion of traffic to the other streets. The traffic increase on Chaucer and Hmnilton is within the range anticipated by staff earlier, as shown, in Alternative 5 (attached). The other elements of the traffic management plan, includhag the median on Guinda Street at Lytton Avenue, seem to be working well, and staff has not received any significant comments or concerns. Staff will continue to observe and monitor the operation of this traffic management plan. At the end of the six-month trial period, staff will return to Council with a full evaluation report that will include collection of field data, including traffic volumes, speeds and accidents, as well as a survey to identify residents’ concerns. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact. However, if a similar plan is approved for permanent installation, a preliminary cost estimate for implementation is $120,000. In addition, implementation will increase maintenance requirements, for which Public Works is not currently staffed. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT An Environmental Assessment (95-EIA-5) recommending a Negative Declaration was approved by the Council at its regular meeting on May 8, 1995. ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1: Alternative 5 Attachment 2: Turning Volumes Attachment 3: Traffic Volumes CMR:369:96 Page 4 of 5 Prepared By: Ashok Aggarwal, City Traffic Engineer Department Head Review: KENNETH R. SCHREIBER Director of Plalming and Community Envirolmaent City Manager Approval: CO:Lytton Neighborhood Study Working Group Melnbers Crescent Park Neighborhood Association (Margaret Feuer) City of Menlo Park City of East Palo Alto East Palo Alto Transportation Task Force Safe Open Streets CMR:369:96 Page 5 of 5 ATTACHMENT1 ALTERNATIVE 5 11/94 3550 3380 LEGEND: EXISTING DAILY VOLUME (1993) PROJECTED DAILY VOLUME Existing stop signs (shown only in the Lytton neighborhood area) Traffic Signals 27670 NEGLIGIBLE CHANGES J28100 IN VOLUMES, i,~ J \ \ 3550 3040 \ TRAFFIC CIRCLE /~O OV~ (ALLMOVEMENTS PERMITTED) 247O 275O 1800 810 125 HALE MAINTAIN ALLEXISTING STOP SIGNS 270 t280 NEGLIGIBLECI-.LANGEIN VOLUME 4360 3230 2O870 21340 1230 \ 3970 SENECA WESTBOUND THROL~H Lp, NF¯BETWEEN GUINDA NID / MIDOLEFIELD / L 18690 19280 ALTERNATIVE 5 Description Alternative 5, illustrated on the map on the opposing page, is a new alternative developed by staff in response to the Committee’s direction. To reduce through traffic and speeds in the neighborhood, this alternative employs a raised median on Chaucer, and numerous traffic calming devices on Palo Alto Avenue, Guinda, Fulton, and. Lytton. The median on Chaucer also would act as a traffic calming device. Only right turns in and out of the east and west legs of Palo Alto Avenue would be possible at the Palo Alto Avenue/Chaucer intersection. Full access for bicycles and emergency vehicles would remain. All movements could be made at the Fulton/Lytton traffic circle and the Guinda/Lytton "oval". Westbound flow through the University/Middlefield intersection is improved as described for Alternative 1. Operation and Effectiveness Table 1 arid the accompanying map provide details on this alternative. The predicted increase on Hale from 125 to 150 vehicles per day is considered to be "noticeable to residents", based on the TIRE index, and is the only such location. In the overall perspective of the lower volumes throttghout the neighborhood produced by this alternative, the absolute increase of 25 vehicles per clay on Hale is relatively small. Alternat’ive 5 provides a "medium" level of through trip reduction, similar to Alternative 2, and a correspondingly medium level of diversion to the surrounding streets (Chaucer, Hamilton, University, and Middlefield). As noted in the previous paragraph, however, volume increases on surrounding streets are not expected to be noticeable. Compared to the other alternatives, Alternative 5 has a relatively high number of new speed reduction devices (6 locations). Alternative 5 strikes a reasonable balance between desired volume and speed reduction versus undesired diversion of traffic to other streets and limitations of neighborhood access and internal circulation. It does not require police enforcement to be fully effective, as do the alternatives with passive turn restrictions. Cost Estimate The estimated cost of a trial installation for Alternative 5 is $44,000. The cost of a permanent installation is $120,000, assuming that the road bumps and signs that are as part of the trial would not need to be replaced. installed An additional cost of $30,000 is required for restriping to create an additional westbound through lane on University Average at Middlefield Road. The cost of this component is separated out because it is an existing approved project from the Citywide Land Use and Transportation Study and staff already expects to pursue funding and implementation as part of the 1996-97 Capital Improvement Program process. City of Palo Alto Transportation Di~qsion ATTACHMENT I Traflfic Turnh~g Counts ~At 01~ Close to the Median on Chaucer St.J LEGENDTraffm 15 Traffic Counts Movement Movement # 1 2 3 4’ 5 6 7 8 Movement Eastbound RT 9 16 Eastbound LT 0 0 U Turns o~ Chaucer 0 1 Po~ Turns on Chaucer 0 2 Through Movemerd 0 0 Southbound LT ~1 ~Vestbound LT 1 1 rqorthbomd U÷Tums 1 2 Count of Vehicles Maneuvering the Movement 7toSAP~ 1’Sto9AM 9TO10AM t0TOt1AM 11TO12AM 12TO1PM 1TO2PM 2TO3PM 3TO4PM 4TOSPM 5TO6PM 6TO7PM TOTAL 13 15 16 13 17 14 22 29 29 22 215 0 2 2 1 0 1 4 1 2 2 15 I 4 2 2 I 2 0 0 2 3 18 0 1 2 3 1 2 4 2 4 3 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 14 1 2 1 0 2 1 1 0 0 2 12 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 8 08/06/96 Ffle:turn._vol.wk4 ATTACHMENT 3 ] /__ Hale St, Everett Ave,Lytton Ave,University Ave, Seneca St. Guinda St, Fulton St. Middlefield Rd, Hamilton Ave, LEGEND 1993 - 24 Hour Total Traffic Oct, 1995 - 24 Hour Total Traffic July, 1996 - 24 Hour Total Traffic City of Palo Alto Transportation Division Lytton Neighborhood Traffic Volumes 8/6/996, ~ashok\lytton_l.cdr