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Home My WebLink About2003-04-14 City Council (2)TO: C ty of Palo Alto C ty al ager s Report14 HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT DATE: SUBJECT: APRIL 14, 2003 CMR:237:03 APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE RESTRICTING NEW DEVELOPMENT ALONG CHARLESTON-ARASTRADERO ROAD CORRIDOR PENDING IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAFFIC PLAN RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that Council adopt the attached ordinance (Attachment A) restricting new development along the Charleston-Arastradero Road corridor for a limited period of time, pending implementation of the Charleston-Arastradero Road Corridor Traffic Management and Safety Plan (Traffic Plan). BACKGROUND The Charleston-Arastradero Road corridor is a major school commute corridor in Palo Alto. From Hoover Elementary and JLS Middle Schools on Charleston, to Gunn High and the new Terman Middle Schools on Arastradero, school commuters of all ages commute along and across these major streets. The predominant land use on both streets is residential and both are classified as residential arterial streets in the 1998-2010 Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan. An advisory panel of neighborhood associations and school PTA traffic safety representatives has recommended that the Transportation Division include each street as a school commute corridor, part of a citywide network of streets important to school commuters. This proposal will be discussed at a meeting of the City/School Traffic Safety Committee on April 24 and at the Planning and Transportation Commission meeting of May 14. A traffic safety and management study of Charleston Road, completed in December 2000, identified a number of deficiencies in pedestrian and bicycle facilities (Attachment C, CMR:188:0!). In addition, concerns about travel safety and residential quality of life have been expressed to Transportation Division staff at neighborhood association meetings along the Charleston-Arastradero Road corridor, and by personal communications from residents and parents of students commuting along or across the corridor. CMR:237:03 Page ! of 5 A number of transportation initiatives have been undertaken to enhance safety for school commuters and other road users on each street. The bicycle lane gap in the vicinity of Gunn High School has been eliminated with installation of new bike lanes. The GO FAST trip reduction program at Gunn High School has encouraged students to use alternative modes of transportation to and from school. Traffic signal improvements are planned for the Arastradero-Donald intersection to serve the new Terman Middle School. Electronic speed advisory signs are being deployed on both Charleston and Arastradero to show drivers their current operating speed and the posted speed limit. Plans are being developed to re- configure Charleston Road between Mumford and Nelson to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety. Despite these improvements, school commuters on both Charleston and Arastradero Roads continue to face serious challenges because of existing local and regional traffic. These challenges will intensify due to future land development and re-development impacting the Charleston-Arastradero Corridor. Some of the impacts will likely derive from the Hyatt Rickey’s project at E1 Camino Real and Charleston, the prospective re-development of the Sun Microsystems site along Charleston between Fabian and San Antonio Road and future re-development of the Elk Club Site on E1 Camino Real near Hyatt Rickey’s. Individually and cumulatively, these land use changes will produce additional traffic volume and an increased number of vehicle turning movements a!ong the Charleston-Arastradero corridor. The additional vehicular traffic and turning movements onto each street will increase the amount of conflict with and exposure to vehicular traffic for students cycling and walking along or across these streets and cross streets. This will make safe, multimodal transportation, as envisioned in the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan, more difficult to attain and preserve for these two important streets and for intersecting streets as well. DISCUSSION Staff proposes to develop and implement a Charleston-Arastradero Road Corridor Traffic Management and Safety Plan to enhance school commute traffic safety, alternative modes of travel, and residential quality of life, in response to current travel conditions as well as to the cumulative transportation impacts of anticipated development within the corridor. It will address the length of Charleston and Arastradero Roads from Fabian to Miranda. The Traffic Plan will focus on transportation and urban design issues and, thus, will not be a land use plan. Rather, it will implement existing Comprehensive Plan goals and policies. One of the primary objectives of the plan is to provide meaningful mitigation for the traffic impacts from new and existing development. The plan will focus on outcomes such as safe and attractive routes to schools, well-landscaped medians where possible, and pedestrian, bicycle, and bus transit improvements along the corridor. Other primary objectives of the plan will be to provide safer traffic flow along the corridor and reduce the incidence of vehicle speeding, without reduction in vehicle travel times or CMR:237:03 Page 2 of 5 causing diversion of through traffic to other streets. The plan is not intended to delay possible short-term improvements while longer-term solutions are explored. Short-term improvements will proceed as identified and scheduled. The requirements of all departments within the City and other agencies (including Caltrans) will be acknowledged and addressed. The plan will be a shared and comprehensive effort managed by the Transportation Division in collaboration with other City departments. Other agencies and entities, including Caltrans, the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board!Caltrain, Palo Alto Unified School District, and the Santa Clara Valley Water District will also be involved in plan development. Attachment B contains the proposed scope of work. The Traffic Plan is anticipated to be completed within six to nine months of initiation. Completion of the Traffic Plan is necessary before permitting additional traffic-generating development projects in this Corridor. The proposed ordinance would disallow consideration of any new land development or re-development that: 1) is located within 440 yards of the Charleston Corridor; and 2) would result in the addition of one or more residential dwelling units or more than 250 non-residential square feet to the conditions existing on April 14, 2003. Individually developed single family dwellings and duplexes are to be exempted from these provisions. The Director of Planning and Community Environment and his staff will prepare implementation guidelines for this ordinance, subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney. The ordinance requires a Council finding that it is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, and welfare to implement the Charleston Road Corridor Traffic Management and Safety Plan before permitting additional traffic-generating development projects in the Charleston Road Corridor. The ordinance would be effective immediately upon its adoption and would conclude on the earlier of the expiration of the 18th month following the effective date, or the completion of implementation of the Charleston Road Corridor Traffic Management and Safety Plan, as determined by the Director of Planning and Community Environment. The ordinance calls for expedited development of a Charleston-Arastradero Road Corridor Traffic Plan including, but not limited to, allowing the City Manager to enter into professional service or consulting contracts without formal or informal bidding, as authorized by the Municipal Code. In addition, Council is asked in the ordinance to state that it determines that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment. The ordinance is exempt from the provisions of CEQA as a regulatory measure taken to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment. CMR:237:03 Page 3 of 5 RESOURCE IMPACT The Plan will require a City expenditure of $200,000, to be reimbursed by development contributions in the form of mitigation funding from prospective development and re- development along the Charleston-Arastradero Road corridor. POLICY IMPLICATIONS The Charleston-Arastradero Road Corridor Traffic Management and Safety Plan addresses the first five Goals of the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan: e T-1 : "Less Reliance on Single Occupant Vehicles". e T-2: "A Convenient, Efficient Public Transportation System that Provides A Viable Alternative to Driving". T-3: "Facilities, Services,and Programs that Encourage and Promote Walking and Bicycling". T-4: "An Efficient Roadway Network for All Users". T-5: "A Transportation System that Minimizes Impacts on Residential Neighborhoods". ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW An Environmental Assessment will be prepared and presented to the Planning and Transportation Commission and City Council for consideration along with the draft Charleston-Arastradero Road Corridor Traffic Management and Safety Plan. Since the corridor plan is intended to implement important provisions of the Comprehensive Plan, an important focus of the Environmental Assessment will be consistency of the corridor plan with the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan. CMR:237:03 Page 4 of 5 ATTACHMENTS A. Ordinance Implementing Traffic Plan Before Permitting Additional Traffic Generating Development B.Charleston-Arastradero Road Corridor Traffic Management and Safety Plan Scope of Work C.CMR: 188:01, Charleston Road Corridor Traffic Management and Safety Study D.Maps of the Charleston-Arastradero Road Corridor (Attached only to Council Member, Library and Office Copies) PREPARED BY: DEPARTMENT HEAD: ~rtation Official STEVE EMSLIE Director of Planning and Community Environment EMILY HARRISON Assistant City Manager CMR:237:03 Page 5 of 5 ATTACHMENT A ORDINANCE NO. ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO DECLARING COUNCIL POLICY TO IMPLEMENT THE CHARLESTON ROAD CORRIDOR TRAFFIC .MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY STUDY BEFORE PERMITTING ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC GENE~hTING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THE CHARLESTON ROAD CORRIDOR AND DECLARING THE URGENCY THEREOF The Council o{ the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as follows: SECTION !. declares as follows: The Council finds and A.The Charleston Road Corridor comprises Charleston and ~-- ¯A:=stradero Roads, from Miranda Avenue to Fabian Way B.The 1998-2010 Palo Alto Comnrehensive Plan ("Comnrehensive Plan") designates this corridor as a residential arterial because it carries large volumes of through-traffic but also has residential uses on both sides of <he street. C.The Comprehensive Plan states that the City’s objective for residential arteria!s is to address the desires of residents of these streets who would like to have slower speeds, safer conditions for bicycles and pedestrians, and aesthetic imnrovemen<s. D.The Comprehensive Plan states that this must be done economically and without appreciably reducing traffic capacity or diverting traffic onto loca! neighborhood streets. Examples of improvements are "boulevard" treatments (landscaped medians and planting strips), gateway features, and traffic signal changes, in addition, improved alternate transportation modes are supported. E.in December 2000, the City received a report entitled, Charleston Road Corridor Traffic Management and Study. This City-co~missioned report identified several findings and recommendations including: The real and perceived unsafe conditions on Chariesnon Road that compromise bicyclist safety; The real and perceived unsafe conditions for ~=d=<nrlans crossing Char!es~on Road; and Traffic diversion and speeding through ~ ~ s~==r~ ro avoid ~ ~, r]~ ~ Road.resi~en~=~: ......~Cna__=~o .... 030409 sm 005323 F.The Charleston Road Corridor is a unique transportation corridor in the City of Pa!o Alto because ofthe concentration of schoo!, recreational and other public assembly facilities on or immediately adjacent to the corridor. These facilities include Gunn Senior High School, Terman Park, Terman Park Library, Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle Schoo!, Fairmeadow Elementary School, Achieve School, Challenger Schoo!, Juana Briones Elementary School, Juana Briones Park, Hoover Elementary Schoo!, Rob!es Park, Mitchel! Park, Mitchel! Park Library, Mitchel! Park Community Center, Cubber!ey Community Center, Mid- Peninsula Jewish Community Day Schoo!, and the new Terman Middle School to be re-opened in the Fal! of 2003. Moreover, while it is located just outside the current Charles<on Corridor between San Antonio Road and Fabian Way, the relocated Jewish Community Center wil! create a major new community center and housing use when it is deve!oped on the former Sun Microsysrems site. These facilities serve a large segment of Pa!o A!to’s youth population and therefore require safe pedestrian and bicycle access. G.The Charieston Corridor is also unique in that school commuters must cross several major intersections, such as the state-controlled E1 Cam!no Real (SR 82), Alma Street, Midd!efie!d Road, and an at-grade Ca!Train rail crossing. The Char!es[on Road ~<~ ~<a~{~c Management and Safe~y Stu~s further recognized that the corridor could be classified as a "school corridor." "Schoo! corridor" would be a new, specialized form of residential arteria! with specia! criteria and policies ro address minimum levels of accommodation for pedestrians and bicyclists, including bike lanes and bike lane widths, sidewalks and sidewalk widths, minimum and maximum distance between safe crossings of the corridor, crosswalk design, pedestrian median refuges,and signa! timing to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians. i.The 200S S[atus Report: Comprehensive Plan imm!ementation Plan indica:es that the Charleston Corridor residential arterial measures described in the Comprehensive Plan have not been compie:ed. J.The City Council wishes to pursue implementation of the Comorehensive P!an and Charies~on Road Corridor Traffic Management and Study before additiona! new development exacerbates existing unsafe traffic conditions. // 030409 sm 005323 K.The City Council hereby finds and determines that it is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, and welfare to implement the Charleston Road Corridor Traffic Management and Safety Study before permitting additional traffic generating deve!opment projects in the Charleston Road Corridor. L.The City Council hereby finds and declares that this Ordinance is necessary as an emergency measure because pending and reasonably anticipated development applications wil! cause serious, irreversible degradation to traffic conditions in the Charleston road Corridor. This degradation wi!] cause i~mediate threats to the safety of schoo! children and pedestrian and bicycle commuters. Moreover, existing vehicular traffic conditions wil! be substantially worsened. SECTION 2. RESTRICTIONS ON DEVELOPMENT APPLZCATIONS. No residential or non-resident!a! application for a discretionary or ministerial development permit of any kind shal! be formally considered, heard, or approved by the City or any officer, emp!oyee, board or com_mission of the City, if, in the sole judgment of the Director of Planning and Community Environment, such application or permit, or any part of the deve!opment contemplated by such application or permit, wil! be: i) Located with 440 yards of the Charleston Corridor; and 2) result in the addition of one or more residentia! dwelling units or more than 250 non-residential square feet to the conditions existing on Apri! 14, 2003. Singly developed single family dwellings and duplexes shall be exempt. The Director of Planning and Community Environment may prepare implementing guidelines for this ordinance, subject to approva! as to form by the City Attorney. SECTION 3. I~I~MZNTATION PERIOD. Section 2 of this ordinance shal! be effective during the implementation of the Charleston Road Corridor Traffic Management and Study, commencing i~mediareiy upon adoption of this ordinance and conc±ud=ng~ ~ on the earlier of the expira:ion of the eighte=n month (!8:h) foiiowinc ~’ ~~ ~n~ effect~-=_~ date, or ~he commie<ion of immi ....: .........._ ~men~=~=on of the Charleston Road Corridor Management and Study, as determined by the Director of Planning and Community Environment. The effective period of ’ _mo~_: ....or extendedSec:ion 2 of this ordinance may be ~:~=~ resolution of the City Council, provided :hat in no circumstance _~= ~--~ for than thirty siwshall Section ?be e.~c~_v_more ~ .. mon:hs : ’lowing~o~the origina! effective date of this ordinance. 030409 sm 005323 SECTION 4. ADMXNZSTI~TI’V~ I~MF.~IES. Any residentia! or non-residentia! applicant aggrieved by this ordinance shal!, before seeking any judicia! or other relief and within thirty (30) days of initial notification that this ordinance affects their application, petition the Director of Planning and Community Deve!opment for modification of, or relief from, this ordinance. Such petition shal! be in writing with a complete description of the facts and reasons upon which modification or relief is requested. Within sixty (60) days thereafter, the Director of Planning and Community Environment shall forward to the City Council his or her recommendations on the petition. The City Counci! may take appropriate action on such petition by resolution or as otherwise advised by the City Attorney. The b2ny Council’s action shai~ be deemed aleg=s_=u~v~ act. SECTION 5. EX2EDITED ZM~LEI~ENTATION. The City Manager is hereby directed to take al! actions necessary to carry out this ordinance in an expedited manner, including but not limited to entering in=o professional service or consulting contracts without formal or informa! bidding, as authorized by the municipal code.This ordinance shall not be construed to authorize any expenditure in excess of existing municipal code authority. SECTION 6. ~ZRONM~TAL F~IqDIN~S. The City Council has determined that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment. This ordinance is exempt from the provisions of CEQA as a regulatory measure taken to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment. The Director of Planning and Community Envirohment is directed to cause filing and posting of appropriate notices of exemption as required by law. / / // // // 030409 sm 005323 SECTION 7. This ordinance shal! be effective immediately upon its adoption as an emergency measure necessary to protect the public peace, health, and safety. INTRODUCED: PASSED: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTENTIONS: ATTEST: City Clerk APP)~OVED AS TO FORM: Mayor ~PmROVED: City Attorney Director of Planning and Community Environment 030409 sm 005323 ATTACHMENTB CHARLESTON-ARASTRADERO ROAD CORRIDOR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY PLAN. Scope Of Work Task 1 a) b) c) d) Task : Existing Conditions and Plan Criteria Data collection - Compile data on vehicle speeds and volumes, cycling and pedestrian volumes, intersection level of service, cycling level of service, and crash data for the corridor. Existing data may need to be supplemented by additional data in order to complete the required data set. Road Safe~. Audit - Conduct road safety audit of entire corridor, including conditions pertaining to safety of pedestrians, bicycles, and motor vehicles. Special emphasis should be given to the needs of children, the elderly, and the mobility-impaired. Due attention should be given to school commute travel barriers such as Caltrain tracks and major intersections. Data Analysis - Analyze existing and forecast (to the year 2025, the citywide computer traffic model horizon year) motor vehicle traffic volumes, cycling and pedestrian volumes, and both motor vehicle and cycling levels of service. Residential AmeniO" Evaluation - Review urban design and landscape architecture (including tree canopy, potential for landscaped center medians, and landscape strip plantings) amenities of the corridor. Petfo~w~ance Criteria - Prepare set of Corridor Performance Criteria, including target motor vehicle level of service, pedestrian and cycling levels of service, target 85 percent motor vehicle speeds, target alternative modes share of travel (school commuter and all trip purpose) along the corridor, target reduction in corridor crashes, target improvements in residential, landscape, and urban design anaenity along the corridor, and target minimum allowable traffic shift to other residential streets along the corridor due to plan improvements. Performance criteria, based on input from residents and City staff, should address effectiveness, cost, aesthetics, and level of community support, environmental impacts, and measurable performance standards for transportation patterns after implementation. 2: Alternatives Development and Evaluation a)Develop and evaluate alternatives to maintaining motor vehicle level of service while improving cycling and pedestrian level of service, as well as residential, urban design, and landscape amenity such as to meet or exceed performance targets. Alternatives may include closure of bike lane gaps, creation of bulb outs (curb extensions) to shorten crosswalk distances, a pedestrian/bicycle undercrossing of Caltrain, creation of median refuges for pedestrian crossings, enhancement of crosswalk visibility through such measures as pedestrian-activated pavement lighting, crosswalk pavement and painting treatments, along with signage improvements. The Pato Alto Citywide Transportation and Land (Nexus) Study findings, especially the Plan Line Study and multimodal transportation forecast model upgrade components will inform this work. b)Develop and evaluate various congestion mitigation alternatives, including improved traffic signal coordination, traffic signal timing and phasing improvements, cycling, pedestrian, and transit improvements, new bicycle/pedestrian undercrossing of Caltrain, and travel demand management efforts such as Gunn High School’s GO FAST program. The Palo Alto Citywide Transportation and Land (Nexus) Study findings, especially the Plan Line Study and multimodal transportation forecast model upgrade, will inform this work. c)Develop and evaluate various alternatives to traffic calming on the corridor in order to manage vehicle speeds, improve travel safety, and enhance residential amenity. Alternatives should include changes to the street cross-section as appropriate, deployment of additional LED radar read-out electronic speed signs, consideration of innovative forms of intersection control, traveler education and awareness programs such as Pa!o Alto’s new Pace Car Program, and improvements in lane markings and delineation, as well as sig-nage. Emphasis should be given to maintaining vehicle progression at a slower, but more consistent speed. d)Develop and evaluate various urban design, landscape architecture, and public art improvement alternatives to enhance residential amenity and aesthetics, including landscaped center medians, landscape planting strips, enhancement to tree canopy, and aesthetic improvements to street furniture and street li~hting. Task 3: Preliminary Concept Plans Prepare and evaluate four preliminary concept plans. Prepare educational outreach materials and conduct Community Forum #1. A creative approach to the allocation of space and treatment of transportation needs and residential amenity and urban design requirements will be necessary for success of the concept plans. Due consideration should be given to motor vehicle design speeds, number of travel lanes, treatment of pedestrian crossings, width and placement of cycling lanes, and lane widths. a)The concept plans will be general, diagrammatic plans of measures applied along segments of the corridor. They will be selected to represent the various right of way widths and other site conditions present. The concept plans will include design approaches that can be applied either separately or in combination. These approaches may address lane width, number and configuration of lanes, median islands, intersection and traffic signal modifications, ADA access improvements, roundabouts, pedestrian crossing improvements, a new bicycle/pedestrian undercrossing of Caltrain, street trees, bulb-outs, special paving treatment, and public art. Preliminary cost estimates shall be provided for each concept plan and all measures comprising each plan. b)Evaluate the pros and of the comprehensive package of measures comprising each concept plan using Performance Criteria developed in Task 1. Attention should be given to trade offs amongst such attributes as effectiveness, cost, and community acceptance. Special emphasis should be given to the issue of minimizing traffic shift onto nearby residential streets. c)Explore a variety of urban design treatments with different character and aesthetic qualities, and involve the community in developing a preferred overall urban design concept for the corridor. d)Develop presentation and educational outreach materials to .inform the public about relevant transportation and urban design principals applied in the concept plans. e) Plan and conduct Community Forum #2 to review the concept plans. Task 4: Design Alternatives From the concept plans develop two design alternatives and conduct Community Forum #3 to present and review both design alternatives. Task 5: Draft Final Schematic Plan Based on community and staff input prepare a draft preferred Final Schematic Plan for review of the Planning and Transportation Commission. Task 6: Final Schematic Design Plan and Final Report Based on Planning and Transportation Commission input, draft a final schematic design plan for City Council review. Based on Council review, modify the Final Schematic Design Plan and prepare the Final Report. Summar)’ of Deliverables: ¢" Agendas and Minutes for all meetings. ,/ Meetings with City staff as needed ,/CommuniO,, forums ,/Existing Conditions and Plan Criteria Technical Memorandum "Alternatives Development and Evaluation Technical Memorandum ¯ /Preliminat3, Concept Plans ,/Design Alternatives ¯ /Draft Final Schematic Plans ¢"Educational Outreach materials "/Project updates for posting on the City Website TO: ATTACHMENT C City of Polo Alto City Manager’s Report HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT DATE: SUBJECT: APRIL 9, 2001 CMR:188:01 CHARLESTON ROAD CORRIDOR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY STUDY This is an informational report and no Council action is required. BACKGROUND At the request of the Charleston Meadow Neighborhood Association and the Green Meadow Neighborhood Association, Transportation Division staff was directed by the City Manager to initiate a traffic management and safety study of the Charleston Road corridor. The study began in June 1999 with formation of a Project Advisory Group (PAG), comprising the following Palo Alto residents: 1.Deborah Ju 7. Myllicent Hamilton 2.Thomas Vician 8. ¯Shirley Eaton 3.Jean Olmsted 9.Shirley Nanevicz 4.Marion Hill 10.Richard Geiger 5.Tom Crystal 11.Roger Kohler 6.Louise Herring These neighborhood association representatives expressed concern about a number of traff~c issues on or impacting Charleston Road, including: []Speeding. []Traffic congestion on Charleston Road at Alma Street, E1 Camino Real, Middlefield Road and other corridor intersections. []Pedestrian safety and the lack of pedestrian crossings. []Cycling safety, particularly for children commuting to schools on or near Charleston Road. [] Motor vehicle safety. c~Cut-through traffic from Charleston Road onto adjacent neighborhood streets. CMR:188:01 Page 1 of 6 Following a consultant selection process, Wilbur Smith & Associates, a national transportation planning and engineering firm with offices in San Francisco, was selected to work with City staff and the PAG. The PAG, City staff, and the consukant worked collaboratively to address these issues and to develop recommendations to meet the following broad objectives: Enhance travel safety for all modes, with special emphasis on cyclists and pedestrians commuting to and from school. Reduce the impacts of traffic on residential neighborhoods. Enhance multimodal travel choices for the Charleston Road corridor. The Charleston Road Traffic Management and Safety Study Report of Findings (Attachment A), was reviewed and approved by the Planning and Transportation Commission on October 25,2001. DISCUSSION Existing Situation The Charleston Road Corridor study limits were E1 Camino Real to the west and Fabian Way to the east. Charleston Road is a four-lane undivided arterial roadway with posted speeds of 25 mph that serves South Palo Alto. In combination with Arastradero Road, Charleston Road serves as an east-west connector to three of the region’s major north-south roadways: Bayshore Freeway (US 101), Foothill Expressway, and 1-280. There is parking on the north side of the roadway with fulltime bike lanes. On the southside there is a daytfine only bike lane that converts to a parking lane at night (7 p.m-7 a.m.). The street cross-section is 60 feet wide. Fronting land uses include single family residential, several institutional uses (including Hoover Elementary School, the Unitarian Church, the Community Association for Rehabilitation, and the Stevenson House senior housing complex). J.L. Stanford Middle School, Hoover Elementary School, and Challenger School have driveway access onto Charleston Road. Average daily traffic (ADT) on Charleston Road ranges from approximately 13,500 just west of Fabian Way to over 14,000 just west of Middlefield and just west of Alma. Intersection levels of service (LOS) range from B (Charleston Road at Nelson Drive and Charleston at Wilkie Way) to D in the morning and E in the evening (Charleston at Alma). (LOS A represents average stopped delay per vehicle of 5 seconds or less and LOS E represents average stopped delay from 40 to 60 seconds per vehicle. LOS E is the Santa Clara County Congestion Management Program minimum standard for intersection operation. LOS D is the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan LOS threshold.) CM~:188:01 Page 2 of 6 Charleston Road 85th percentile speeds (the speed at which 85 percent of traffic is traveling at or below and 15 percent is traveling above) range from 34 mph just west of Fabian Way to 39 mph just west of Middlefield. The width of Charleston, in combination with relatively unimpeded vehicle flow on long stretches between intersections, probably induce these 85th percentile speeds ranging from 9 mph to 14 mph above the posted speed limit. Peak period bicycle volume counts on the Charleston Road corridor range from 119 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. between Nelson Drive and Carlson Circle (in the vicinity of both Hoover Elementary and JLS Middle School) to 33 just east of Middlefield Road. There is evidence of a significant amount of wrong-way riding and riding on sidewalks. During the morning peak period, for example, 80 of the 119 bicycles counted between Nelson Drive and Carlson Circle were either riding the wrong way on a bike lane or riding on the sidewalk. The study documented cut-through traffic between Alma Street and Charleston Road via Lindero Drive and Carlson Circle, via Ely Place and Mumford Place, and at other locations in neighborhoods flanking Charleston Road east of Alma Street. Anecdotal evidence was collected on cut-through traffic from Charleston Road to Louis Road. The study also documents 139 accidents on Charleston Road between and including the intersections of Fabian Way and E1 Camino Real. Over one-third of these (49) were rear- end collisions that tend to occur on roadways with relatively high vehicle speeds and without turn pockets to remove turning vehicles from through lanes. There were 17 documented vehicle collisions with cyclists or pedestrians. It should be noted that these data include only those accidents resulting in injury, thus exclude collisions involving property damage only or near misses. There are long stretches on Charleston Road without a pedestrian crossing, including about a 1,100-foot gap in crossing opportunity between Wilkie Way and Alma Street. Bicycle lanes on Charleston terminate on Alma Street. As indicated previously, even in the presence of bicycle lanes, a large number of cyclists use sidewalks instead. Relatively high vehicle speeds on Charleston are likely to deter some cyclists from using existing bicycle lanes. The study recommendations based on thesg findings were as follows: Traffic Management and Safety Plan: Phase I A. Policies Develop criteria to differentiate arterials and collectors that are school commute corridors from other arterials and collectors, as well as a framework for reducing motor vehicle traffic impacts on such corridors. These criteria should emphasize appropriate traffic speeds and volumes (both existing and projected based on regional CMR:188:01 Page 3 of 6 growth and land development occurring on or near the corridor) for a school commute corridor. 2.Once school commute criteria are established, consider the suitability of Charleston Road as a school commute corridor. o Establish a comprehensive, periodic data collection and evaluation program on school commute corridors, including information on vehicle speeds and volumes, accidents, and bicycle and pedestrian volumes. Data should be collected frequently enough for seasonal variationsin transportation behavior to be documented. The existing Fairview School Accident Reporting System should be considered for integration with these data sets. School and PTA involvement in supplementary data collection should be encouraged. Increase enforcement of traffic laws on Charleston/Arastradero and East Meadow corridors. Use of radar enforcement on weekdays when children are present is enforceable when a street is posted with the school area speed limit of 25 mph, as is the case for Charleston Road. B. Projects and Programs Evaluate the extent and impact of vehicle speeds and cut-through traffic on Louis Road from vehicles turning into Louis from Charleston Road, and develop appropriate mitigation measures for these impacts. o Develop and implement, in conjunction with the Palo Alto School District and the PTA, a school commute trip reduction program for the Charleston/Arastradero Road corridor and the East Meadow corridor, which parallels Charleston Road. The City’s Commute Coordinator would be involved with this effort. o Develop enhanced adult supervision of children commuting to school along the Charleston!Arastradero and East Meadow corridors through increased involvement of parent volunteers as well as City crossing guards. A particularly worthy idea for school-PTA consideration is the "walking school bus" approach, which teams adults and children in safe walking groups to and from school. Devote resources from the City’s new Traffic Safety Education campaign toward the Charleston!Arastradero and East Meadow corridors. Traffic Management and Safety Plan - Phase II Evaluate roadway design alternatives to provide enhanced pedestrian crossing and motor vehicle safety on Charleston Road between Nelson Drive and Carlson Circle. This work C.M~:188:01 Page 4 of 6 would be undertaken during Fiscal Year 2001-2002 and would take place in consultation with affected stakeholders, including residents, neighborhood associations, parent-teacher associations, schools, cyclists, and commuters. Staff would return to the Planning and Transportation Commission and Council with results and recommendations from this work. Implementation of Recommendations Due to workload and resource constraints, staff has decided to implement only a portion of the short-term recommendations contained in the Safety Study Report. In response to these findings and recommendations, staff will be implementing the following with respect to the Charleston Road Corridor: 1.Develop criteria to differentiate arterials and collectors that are school commute corridors from other arterials and collectors and to propose a framework for reducing motor vehicle traffic impacts on such corridors. 2.Once school commute criteria are established, staff will evaluate the suitability of Charleston Road as a school commute corridor. 3. Establish comprehensive, periodic data collection and evaluation on school commute corridors, including information on vehicle speeds and volumes, accidents, and bicycle and pedestrian volumes. 4. Evaluate the extent and hnpact of vehicle speeds and cut-through traffic on Louis Road from vehicles turning into Louis from Charleston Road and develop appropriate mitigation measures for these impacts. 5. Develop and implement, in conjunction with the Palo Alto School District and PTA, a school commute trip reduction plans for the Charleston Road and parallel East Meadow corridors. 6. Develop and implement, in conjunction with the Palo Ako School District and PTA, a plan for enhancing - through volunteer effort as well as paid personnel - the supervision of children commuting to school along the Embarcadero and East Meadow corridors. 7. Conduct traffic safety education outreach efforts focused on Charleston Road drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. 8. Evaluate roadway design alternatives to provide enhanced pedestrian crossing and motor vehicle safety on Charleston Road between Nelson Drive and Carlson Circle. This work will begin in the first half of fiscal year 2001-2002. Staff wili prepare recormnendations for review by the Planning and Transportation Commission and Council in the latter half of fiscal year 2001-2002. RESOURCE IMPACT Phase I activities are all achievable with current resources. Phase II work would require either re-prioritization of Transportation Division activities during fiscal year 2001-2002 or additional staff resources. CMR:188:01 Page 5 of 6 POLICY IMPLICATIONS The Transportation Element of the 1998-2010 Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan contains numerous policies related to traffic safety and traffic intrusion, including the following: Policy T-30: "Reduce the impacts of through-traffic on residential areas by designating certain streets as residential arterials." Policy T-39: "To the extent allowed by law, continue to make safety the first priority of citywide transportation planning. Prioritize pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile safety over vehicle level-of-service at intersections." Policy T-40: "Continue to prioritize the safety and comfort of school children in street modification projects that affect school travel routes." ATTACHMENTS: A: October 25, 2000 Staff Report to the Planning and Transportation Commission B: Charleston Road Corridor Traffic Management and Safety Study PREPARED BY: Joseph Kott, Chief Transportation Official Director of Planning and () Commu_n,,ity Environment CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: ~-- x ~_~ VEMILY HARRISON Assistant City Manager cc:Planning and Transportation Commission Charleston Road Advisory Committee City-School Traffic Safety Committee C*JIR: 188:01 Page 6 of 6 ATTACHMENT A TRANSPOR TA TION DIVISION STAFF REPORT TO: FROM: PLANNING & TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION DEPARTMENT:Planning AGENDA DATE: October 25, 2000 SUBJECT:CHARLESTON ROAD CORRIDOR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY STUDY RECOMMENDATION Staff recolrmaends that the Planning and Transportation Commission recommend that the City Council: 1.Adopt, in concept, the Charleston Road Traffic Management and Safety Plan Phase I and Phase II; and 2.Direct Staff to implement Phase I of the Charleston Road Traffic Management and Safety Plan. Should Phase II be approved in concept by Council, staff will prepare requests for funding a detailed conceptual plan and cost estimates for Charleston Road redesign, including roundabouts and lane reductions, as well as for neighborhood traffic calming plans called for in Phase II. These traffic-calming requests will be made as part of the City’s new Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program. Both the Charleston Road redesign and neighborhood traffic calming plans would be submitted to the Planning and Transportation Comnfission for review and to the Council for approval. BACKGROUND At the request of the Charleston Meadow Neighborhood Association and the Green Meadow Neighborhood Association, Transportation Division staff was authorized by the City Manager to initiate a traffic management and safety study of the Charleston Road H:\cmrs"~-TC\Charleston Study 1.doc Page 1 corridor. The study began in June 1999 with formation of a Project Advisory Group (PAG), comprising the following Palo Alto residents: 1.Deborah Ju 7.Myllicent Hamilton 2.Thomas Vician 8.Shirley Eaton 3.Jean Olmsted 9.Shirley Nanevicz 4.Marion Hill 10.Richard Geiger 5.Tom Crystal 11.Roger Kohler 6.Louise Herring These neighborhood association representatives expressed concern about a number of traffic issues on or impacting Charleston Road, including: []Speeding. []Traffic congestion at Alma, E1 Camino Real, Middlefield and intersections. ca Pedestrian safety and the paucity of pedestrian crossings. []Cycling safety. ca Motor vehicle safety. ca Cut-through traffic from Charleston onto adjacent neighborhood streets. other corridor Following a consultant selection process, Wilbur Smith & Associates, a national transportation planning and engineering ftrm with offices in San Francisco, was selected to work with City staff and the PAG. The PAG, City staff, and consultant worked collaboratively to address these issues and to develop recommendations to meet the following broad objectives: Enhance travel safety for all modes, with special emphasis on cyclists and pedestrians commuting to and from school. Reduce the impacts of traffic on residential neighborhoods. Enhance multimodal travel choices for the Charleston Road corridor. The work of staff, the PAG, and consultant is now complete. A Draft Report of Findings and Recommendations is appended as Attachment 1. The PAG-has endorsed the complete set of recommendations presented in detail in the Draft Report and summarized in a later section of this staff report. DISCUSSION The Charleston Road Corridor study lhnits, as identified on Figure 1, "*’ere E1 Camino Real to the west and Fabian Way to the east. Charleston Road is a four-lane undivided arteria! roadway with posted speeds of 25 mph that serves South Palo Alto. In H:\cmrs~,P-TC\Charleston Study 1 .doc Page 2 CHARLESTON ROAD CORRIDOR TRAFFIC STUDY Rd JCC, Gunn High School V~W1LBUR SMITH A$SOCIAIES Intersection Turning Movement Counts Bicycle Counts Average Daily Traffic Volume Counts r--’--n Speed Survey Fairmeadow Elementary School Challenger School Hoover Elementary School Figure 1 LOCATIONS OP DATA COLLECTION 343010\Loc of Data Colledion-7/5/2000 Expressway, and 1-280. There is parking on the northside of the roadway with fulltime bike lanes. On the southside there is a daytime only bike lane that converfs to a parking lane at night (7 p.m-7 a.m.). The street cross-section is 60 feet wide. Fronting land uses include single family residential, several institutional uses (including Hoover Elementary School, the Unitarian Church, the Coimnunity Association for Rehabilitation, and Stevenson House senior housing complex). J.L. Stanford Middle School, Hoover Elementary School, and Challenger School have driveway access onto Charleston Road. Average daily traffic (ADT) on Charleston Road ranges from approximately 13,500 just west of Fabian Way to over 14,000 just west of Middlefield and just west of Ahna. Intersection levels of service (LOS) range from B (Charleston at Nelson and Charleston at Wilkie Way) to D in the AM and E in the PM (Charleston at Alma). [It should be noted that LOS A represents average stopped delay per vehicle of 5 seconds or less and that LOS E represents average stopped delay from 40 up to 60 seconds per vehicle. LOS E is the Santa Clara County Congestion Management Program minimum standard for intersection operation. LOS D is the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan LOS threshold.] Charleston Road 85th percentile speeds (the speed at which 85 percent of traffic is traveling at or below and 15 percent is traveling above) range from 34 mph just west of Fabian Way to 39 mph just west of Middlefield. The wide cross-section of Charleston, in combination with relatively unimpeded vehicle flow on long stretches between intersections, probably induce these 85t~ percentile speeds ranging from 9 mph to 14 mph above the posted speed limit. Peak period bicycle volume counts on the Charleston Road corridor range from 119 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. between Nelson and Carlson (in the vicinity of both Hoover Elementary and JLS Middle School) to 33 just east of Middlefield. There is evidence of a significant amount of wrong-way riding and riding on sidewalks. During the morning peak period, for example, 80 of the 119 bicycles counted between Nelson and Carlson were either riding the wrong way on a bike lane or riding on the sidewalk. The study documented cut-through traffic between Alma and Charleston via Lindero and Carlson Circle, via Ely Place and Mumford Place, and at other locations in neighborhoods flanking Charleston Road east of Alma. Anecdotal evidence was collected on cut-through traffic from Charleston to Louis Road. The study also docmnents 139 accidents on Charleston Road between and including the intersections of Fabian Way and E1 Camino Real. Over one-third of these (49) were rear- end collisions that tend to occur on roadways with relatively high vehicle speeds and without turn pockets to remove turning vehicles from through lanes. There were 17 docmnented vehicle collisions with cyclists or pedestrians. It should be noted that these data include only those accidents resuking in injury, thus exclude collisions involving property damage only or near misses. H:\cmrskP-TC\Charleston Study 1 .doe Page 3 There are long stretches on Charleston Road without a pedestrian crossing, including about a 1,100-foot gap in crossing opportunity between Wilkie Way and Alma. Bicycle lanes on Charleston terminate on Alma. As indicated previously, even in the presence of bicycle lanes, a large number of cyclists use sidewalks instead. Relatively high vehicle speeds on Charleston are likely to deter some cyclists fxom using existing bicycle lanes. Recommendations of the Traffic Management Plan The Traffic Management and Safety Plan contains recormr~endations to address problematic trave! conditions on Charleston Road. The recormrtendations fall into several categories: policies, projects and programs, roadway design and operation, and residential traffic (ahrdng. The Plan is presented in two phases. The first phase can get underway immediately. The second phase will require additional time for development (including design and construction where applicable) and, in some cases, securing funds for capital investments. Taken together, the two phases comprise a comprehensive approach to Charleston Road transportation management, including engineering, enforcement, education, and travel demand management measures. The following elements comprise Phases I and II of the proposed Charleston Road Traffic Management and Safety Plan: Traffic Management and Safety Plan - Phase I A. Policies- Develop crkeria to differentiate arterials and collectors that are school cormnute corridors from other arterials and collectors, as well as a framework for reducing motor vehicle traffic impacts on such corridors. These criteria should emphasize appropriate traffic speeds and volmnes (both existing and projected based on regional growth and land development occurring on or near the corridor) for a school cormnute corridor. o Once school cormnute criteria are established, consider the suitability of Charleston Road as a School Conmmte Corridor. Establish a comprehensive, periodic data collection and evaluation program on School Co~r~nute corridors, including information on vehicle speeds and volmnes, accidents, and bicycle and pedestrian volumes. This should be undertaken in conjunction with development of an Annual Report on Transportation Conditions and Trends in Palo Ako, which Council has already mandated be developed by the Transportation Division. Data should be collected frequently enough for seasonal variations in transportation behavior to be documented. The existing Fairview School Accident H:\,cmrs’,t~.TC’~Charleston Stud), 1 .doc Page 4 Reporting System should be considered for integration with these data sets. School and PTA involvement in supplementary data collection should be encouraged. Encourage use of Page Mill and San Antonio/El Monte Road between Foothill Expressway and 1-280, rather than Arastradero Road, through use of directional siguage. [In Phase II, more active measures are proposed.] Increase enforcement of traffic taws on Charleston/A_rastradero and East Meadow corridors. Use of radar enforcement on weekdays when children are present is enforceable when a street is posted with the school area speed limit of 25 mph, as is the case for Charleston Road. B. Projects and Programs- Evaluate the extent and .impact of vehicle speeds and cut-t~ough traffic on Louis Road from vehicles turning into Louis from Charleston Road, and develop appropriate mitigation measures for these impacts. o Develop and implement, in conjunction with the Palo Alto School District and the PTA, a school commute trip reduction program for the Charleston/Arastradero Road corridor and the East Meadow corridor, which parallels Charleston Road. The City’s Commute Coordinator will be involved with this effort. Develop enhanced adult supervision of children commuting to school along the Charleston!Arastradero and East Meadow corridors through increased involvement of parent volunteers as well as City crossing guards. A particularly worthy idea for school-PTA consideration is the "walking school bus" approach, which teams adults and children in safe walking groups to and from school. Devote resources from the City’s new Traffic Safety Education campaign toward the Charleston/Arastradero and East Meadow corridors. Traffic Management and Safety Plan - Phase II A. Roadway Design and Operations - Restripe Charleston Road to have one through lane in each direction between, but not including, Middlefield and E1 Camino Real and between, but not including, Middlefield and Fabian Way. Provide left rams at the following intersections: Alma, Wilkie Way, Carlson Road, Nelson Road, Louis Road and Fabian Way. A level of service analysis showed that this would have no negative impacts on vehicular level of service at these six intersections (existing and future LOS are depicted in Table 1 H:\cmrs\P-TC’\Charleston Study 1.doc Page 5 of Attachment 1). Charleston Road at E1 Camino Real and at Middlefield Road would need to retain two approach lanes in order to maintain acceptable levels of service. This redesign would also have a traffic calming effect by changing the look of Charleston Road from a wide arterial!expressway feel to more of a neighborhood collector street in anticipation of it being designated a school corridor. Benefits of Recommendation II.A. 1: ~. No adverse effect on vehicular level of service; ~.Improved pedestrian safety due to center median (raised or striped) facilitating pedestrian crossings between signalized intersections; ~. Provides bike lane in between the through lane and right turn lane at Ahna Street; ~Provides exclusive left-turn lanes at Wilkie, Carlson, and Nelson; Left-turn phasing can either be protected or permitted. 1 Advantages of protected left-turn phasing: the pedestrian phase is a separate pha~ from the left turn phase, reducing or eliminating the possibility of let,-turning vehicles seeing a gap in opposing traftic and ~eeding up to make it through the gap, only to f’md a pedestrian in the crosswalk. Disadvantages of protected left-turn phasing are that the overall phase length is longer, causing more delay for the pedestrians waiting tbr the pedestrian W,%LK phase. H:X,cmrs\~-TC\Charteston Study 1.doc Page 6 Intersection Wilkie Way Alma Street Carlson Circle Nelson Drive Table 1 CHARLESTON ROAD INTERSECTION LEVEL OF SERVICE WITH LANE MODIFICATIONS Existing Lane Configuration 13.5 (B) 39.8 (D) 16.8 (C) 11.2(B) PM 14.4(B) 41.3 (E) 12.6(B) Modified Lane Configuration 9.1 (B) 31.4 (D) PM 7.7(B) 31.8 (D) 10.1(B) 4.6(A) 8.6(B) 6.9(B) xx.x (Y) = Delay in seconds (Level of Service) Source." Highway Capacity Manual, !994 Updated Version Description Of Lane Modifications To Charleston Road One through lane, one left turn lane One through, one left turn lane, one right turn lane plus bike lanes; change in phasing from split phase to protected left-turn phase One through lane, one left mm lane One through lane, one left turn lane Note: The intersection of Charleston/Louis Road is not signalized, and movements are restricted due to the median; it is not anticipated that the lane modifications would significantly impact the LOS at this intersection. Wilbur Smith Associates, February 15, 2000 If Recommendation II.A. 1 were implemented, the following improvements would also be possible to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and slow traffic down to the posted speed limit: Provide a raised median refuge at locations where pedestrian crossings are to be chatmeled such as west of Park Boulevard and at Sutherland Drive. Provide a raised median at signalized intersections at Nelson Drive and Carlson Circle. 4.Bulb-outs for pedestrians could be added at spot locations. 5.Separate right-turning traffic from bike lanes at Alma Street by providing a separate right-turn lane and placing the bike lane to the left of the right-turn lane. H:\crncs"~-TC\Charteston Study 1 .doc Page 7 Other measures affecting roadway operations include: o o Re-evaluate striping at Fabian/Charleston to encourage use of Fabian Way to access San Antonio. Increase signage to direct cars to Fabian Way. Conside) planting trees to improve the aesthetics of the street and slow traffic. These could be either in a median or in a widened planter strip. Evaluate the possibility of replacing signals at Wilkie, Carlson, and Nelson with roundabouts. If replaced, consider pedestrian signals if necessary, to provide an adequate gap in the traffic for pedestrians to safely and conveniently cross Charleston Road. 10. Restripe or otherwise rectify the problem caused by the mis-alignment of Park Blvd. at Charleston Road so that the northbound cars turning from Park Boulevard onto Charleston Road are not b!ocked by the queue of cars at Alma. Northbound cars currently b!ock the bike lane to budge into the stopped queue of traffic. Provide eight-foot wide bike lanes, which may reduce the incidents of sidewalk bike riding by children. 11. Provide bike lanes on Charleston Road east of Middlefield Road. 12.Convert part-time bike lane to be a fulltime bike lane on the northside of Charleston Road between Wright Place and the bike path to JLS Middle School. The bike lane is currently daytime only (7 a.m. to 7 p.m. bike lane). There would be no impacts to adjacent property owners since no homes front onto this side of Charleston Road. 13.Evaluate the effectiveness of the 4-way stop at East Charleston Road at Grove/Sutherland. B. Residential Traffic Calming - Issues: Cut-through traffic on Lindero!Wright/Carlson Circle and Greemneadow/Nelson to avoid congestion at Charleston Road and Alma. Speeding and cut-thxough traffic on other local streets, to avoid the eastbound backup at Alma. For example, Wilkie Way is used to access Whitclem Drive and Edlee Avenue. These two streets are wide and straight with rolled curbs and parallel parking. The parking is sparse, yielding a wide-open vista xvhich makes it very conducive to speeding. 1. Develop a traffic cahning plan for Lindero/Wright/Carlson Circle. 2. Develop a traffic calming plan for Ely!Muntford Place. H:’\cmrs~P-TC\Charleston Study 1 .doc Page 8 3. Develop a traffic calming plan for Green Meadow Way and Nelson Drive. 4. Develop a traffic calming plan for Louis Road. There are several traffic calming strategies that could help alleviate the problems of speeding and cut-through traffic. The specific strategies used should be chosen in conjunction with affected neighbors. The most promising traffic Caiming strategies are: ~Stripe shoulder or parking lane to narrow roadway; ,Retain lack of center line; ¯Install traffic circles at all intersections an&Zor speed humps or tables midblock; ~Consider one-lane choke points or rumble strips; ,If speeding is still a problem, install a peak hour barrier on a timer, that would close the street midb!ock only during a few hours a day, for example 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Phasing and Implementation The recommended projects vary in the timeframe in which they can be implemented and also in the entities that need to be involved. Table 2 presents the primary entity or entities that would need to be responsible for implementation of each of the recommendations, including the Planning Division, the Transportation Division, the City Council, the school district and the Police Department. The recommendations have also been assigned to three phases. Projects in Phase I can be implemented with existing resources within the next 12 months. Projects in Phase II require City Council action for additional budget allocation and could be hnplemented within one to three years. Projects in Phase III would also require City Council action for additional funds (capital hnprovement program, grants, interagency agreements, cost sharing) and would probably take several more years to implement. Existing city and state programs also dovetail with the recormnendations of this report. These are described below: The City of Palo Alto has begun a citywide Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program. The City is also currently working on the Downtown North Traffic Calming Study. Funding is available for $100,000 worth of traffic calming improvements for local and collector streets. The City has also begun a Residential Arterial Traffic Calming Program, the ftrst phase of which was an Embarcadero Road study. It may be possible to fur~er develop the H:\cmrs~-TC’,Charleston Study 1.doc Page 9 long-term solutions under the next phase of this study, if Charleston Road is studied under this program. The State of California has developed a grant program for Safe Routes to School, and al! of the improvements in this docmnent have benefits for school commuting, especially the recommendations for Charleston Road. Recommendation POLICIES School Corridor Designation Data Development and Sharing Encouragement of Page Mill/ San Antonio Road Land-Use Decisions Speed Limit Enforcement PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS Evaluate Louis Road School Commute TDM Plans Routes to School Supelwision Motorist Awareness ROADWAY DESIGN AND OPERATIONS Reconfigure Charleston Rd. Raised Pedestrian Refuges Bike Lanes Roundabouts and bulb-outs TRAFFIC CALMING Traffic Calm Residential Streets Table 2 Summary of Recommendations I Agencies I Phase City Council Transportation Division, PAUSD Transportation Division *PAPD = Palo Alto Police Department **PAUSD = Palo Alto Unified School District Planning Department Transportation Division, PAPD Transportation Division Transportation Division, PAPD, PAUSD, PTA Transportation Division, 1 1 1 Ongoing Ongoing 1 PAUSD*1 PAPD**! 1 Transportation Division 2 Transportation Division 2 Transportation Division 2 Transportation Division 2,3 Transportation Division,2,3 Affected Neighborhood ALTERNATIVES TO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION Alternatives to the proposed Charleston Road Traffic Management include the following: and Safety Plan Defer any action until completion of a planned residential arterial traffic calming study for the Charleston/Arastradero corridor. No funding or timetable, however, has been established for this study. H:\cmrs~,P-TC\Charleston Study 1.doc Page 10 2.Authorize and implement Phase I recommendations, evaluate results, then remm to both the Planning and Transportation Commission and Council with staff recommendations for further action, if any. o Recommend that City Council authorize and staff implement both phases of the Traffic Management and Safety Plan without a second round of Commission and Council hearings on a detailed Conceptual Plan for the re-configuration of Charleston Road. It is important to note that staff does not yet have a sufficiently detailed program for the re-configuration from which to present reliable cost estimates to Council. Additional detail on location, size, and other aspects of proposed improvements will also create a better information base for the public, Commissionl and Council to evaluate the benefits and impacts of the re-configuration. POLICY IMPLICATIONS The Transportation Element of the 1998-2010 Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan contains numerous goals, policies, and progrmns related to traffic safety, traffic calming, trip reduction programs, and encouragement of bicycling and walking as travel modes. Goal T-l: "Less Reliance on Single-Occupant Vehicles" Policy T-3: "Support the development and expansion of comprehensive, effective programs to reduce auto use at both the local and regional levels." Program T-8: "Create a long-term education program to change the travel habits of residents, visitors and workers by informing them about transportation alternatives, incentives and impacts. Work with the Palo Alto Unified School District and with private interests, such as the Chamber of Commerce, to develop and implement this program." Goal T-3: "Facilities, Services, and Programs that Encourage and Promote Walking and Bicycling" Policy T-14: "Improve pedestrian and bicycle access to and between local destinations, including public facilities, schools, parks, open space, employment districts, shopping centers, and multi-moda! transit stations." Policy T-40: "Continue to prioritize the safety and comfort of school children in street modification projects that affect school travel routes." Goal T-5: A Transportation System with Minimal Impacts on Residential Neighborhoods." H:\cmrs’,iP-TC\,Charleston Study !.doc Page 11 Policy T-30: "Reduce the impacts of through-traffic on residential areas by designating certain streets as residential arterials." Policy T-34: "Implement traffic calming measures to slow traffic on local and collector residential streets and prioritize these measures over congestion management. Include traffic circles and other traffic cahning devices among these measures." Program T-4.1: "The foll0wing roadways are designated as residential arterials. Treat these streets with landscaping, medians, and other visual ianprovements to distinguish them as residential streets, in order to reduce traffic speeds Charleston/Arastradero (between Miranda and Fabian Way)." Goal T-6: "A High Level of Safety for Motorists, Pedestrians and Bicyclists on Palo Alto Streets." Policy T-39: "To the extent allowed by law, continue to make safety the ftrst priority of citywide transportation planning. Prioritize pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile safety over vehicle level-of-service at intersections." Program T-47: ’1ftilize engineering, enforcement, and educational tools to hnprove traffic safety on City roadways." ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW An Environmental Assessment will be prepared prior to implementation of a traffic calming project ATTACHMENTS/EXHIBITS: 1. Charleston Road Corridor Traffic Management and Safety Study: Draft Report COURTESY COPIES: City Council Charleston Road Corridor Study Advisory Committee Prepared by: Joseph Kott, Chief Transportation Official Reviewed by:. G. Edward Gawf, Director of Planning and Community Enviromnent Division Head Approval: Jo’~e,~ Kott,t/Chief TransportationOfficial H:\crnrs’,,P-TC\Charleston Study l.doc Page 12