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Home My WebLink About0251.091May 2, 1991 HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL Palo Alto, California ~ NAME SIGNS AIPNG EL CAMINO REAL Members of the council: This is an informational report~ no Council action is required or recclDlD.ended. In conjunction with its consideration of an application by Fry's Electronics for an off-site sign, the Council, at its meeting on Karch 11, 1991, raised concerns about the inconsistency and inadequacy of large size street information signs along El Camino Real. Council di~ected stafr to take appropriate measures to see that such signing is improved~ Subsequently, staff raviewed all of the intersections along El camino Real for the presence and suitability of street name and street information signs, and developed a set of recoIlllIlended i~provements. These improve~ents reflect an effort to strike a reasonable balance between the need and benefits 0"( improved information street name signs, a concern about having too many signs, space limitations due to mEdian and sideWalk widths, conflicts with buildings and landscapin9~ and the need for every cross street to be identified in some ma~_er. Staff forwarded these recommendations to Cal trans in a letter dated March 22,1991 (AttaChment 1), and subsequently met with Caltrans sta.ff to review the recommendations in the field. Cal trans has verbally expressed its general agreement with the recommendations and indicated that it would proceed accordingly, subject to some sign placement modifications to meet Cal trans standards. Some of the signs .ill be installed as part of several signal upgrade proj ects that will occur during the coming months. The others will be installed as soon as Cal trans is able to order and receive the appropriate signs. The category IV small street nall,l.e signs will be relocated by City of Palo Alto staff during the coming months. CHR:251:91 l J Respectfully submitted, Au Aij~ ASHOI< 1<. AGGARWAL city Traf~1c Enqineer o KENNETH R. SCHREI BER Director or Planning and community Enviro~ent Attachments: 1. Letter to Cal trans dated March 22, 1991 OC: Pl&nninq Commission Architectural Review Board Kenneth Bern&r~ Chief, Traffic Operations Branch, Cal trans CMR:251:91 ., 5/2/91 Page 2 1<. Transportation Division P.o. Box 10250 94303-0362 March 22, 1991 City of Yalo )lIto ~ 0 lOX. ~02S0 :1>".0 "-llC, o.JJ'O~M'" 9";>03 Hr. Roland Au'Yeunq, Senior Engineer Traffic, Operations Branch Cal trans -District 4 P.O .. Box 7310 San Francisco,CA 94120 Dear Kr. Au' Yeunq; ATTACHMENT 1 250 Hamilton AvenuE Sixth Floor {4iS} 329-2575 The Palo Alto city council recently raised concerns about the inconsistency and inadequacy of large size street information signs (G7) along El Camino Real and directed staff to review the existing signing and take appropriate measures to see that it is imp~oved. While the specific topic that precipitated the council's discussion was the need for improved signing for Portage Avenue~ due to the presence of a major traffic-attracting consumer electronics store, Council's interest and. concern extends to all signing along El Camino Real in Palo Alto. As you know 1 such siqns exist along Ei Ca~ino Real in many other jurisdictions. Also 1 California Vehicle Code Section 21366 and Cal trans policy on street naEe 5iqns (G7-white on green) require that these signs be placed at all signalized intersections4 In view of the above, ~e have reviewed. the signing at all cross streets along E1 camino Real and developed a set of recommended improvements. OUr recommendations, as presented in httachment A, reflect an effort to strike an appropria~e balance between the need and benefits of improveo. information street name signs and a concern about having too many signs, as we11 as the practical physical limitations of space due to median and sidewalk ~idths and conflicts with buildinqs and landscaping. Since El Camino Real is a state highway, the City of Palo Alto is requesting that Cal trans proceed with the signing improvements as suggested in the attachment, or as mutually agreed upon through further discussion. We recognize that it may not be feasible to make all of the improvements at one time. Therefore, we have organized the list into four categories representing the priority with which we hope the work can be accomplished. • , o Hr. Roland Au'Yeunq March 21, 1'"'91 Page 2: o We would appreciate it if the Category I improvements at El Camino Real and portage/Hansen could be done immediately. Our Council has a specific interest in seeing that this is done exp~ditiously. category II includes eight locations. Of the eight locations, signinq appears to be adequate at two locations, while signing at four other locations could be done as part of the on-going traffic siqnal upqrade improvement projects. Please refer to Exhibit B for the type of signing we are suggesting due to different street names on either side of El Camino Real. For the two remaining locations (Calit'o!'llia Avenue and CaJ:bridge Avenue) signing should be improved as soon as possible. Category III signing changes should be pursued thereafter, except at Hatadero. We have received several complaints about the signing at this location and would appreciate it if the suggested changes for this location could be done as soon as possible. category rv improvements include non-signalil:ed locations where the smaller black on white street name siqns are appropriate. All such locations have street name !!;igns. At some locations, however. these siqns could he relocated so that they are more visible from El Camino Real. City of Palo Alto staff will do this ~ork during the coming weeks. Thank you for your consideration and assistance with tr.is matter. If you wish to discuss our recommended improvements, or feel that a joint field review would be beneficial, we Would welcome such an opportunity. Please feel free to call me at (415) 329-2575. Sincerely, ~ Ano-.-....,q Ashok K. Aggarwal City Traffic Engineer . c- , "" • __ J '-....... List of Cross Streets Along E1 Camino Real and Suqqest~d Street Name Signing Improvements Signalized Intersflc~i9D$; Council Designat~d Priority Portage Avenue at Hansen Way (for improvements see Exhibit A) CA'l'BGORY n ~ignalized Intersections: More Important Locations Alma street: Install G7 in the median or on the mast arm in both directions~ University Avenue: G7 signing exists. No recommendation. Embarcadero Road/Galvez Street: Install mast 8rm mounted G7 signs, as shown in Exhibit B, with appropriate arrows. Cambridge AVenue: Install ~ast arm mounted G1 signs. California Avenue: Install mast arm mounted G7 signs. Page Mill Road: G7 sigoing exists. No recommendation. Los Robles AvenuejEl Camino Way: Curre~tly the intersection has advance G7 signs for both streets in both directions, except that the El camino way sign prohibits turning right into El Camino Way. This sign will be remov~df as discussed with Georqe Chan, Operations, District 4. Install a G7 siqn for El camino Way in the northbound direction, and install G7 signs on mast arms with appr-opriate arrows as shown in Exhibit B. Arastcadcro Road/lftest Charleston P.oad: Advance Gl signing exists. Mast arm mounted G7 signs should be installed with appropriate arrows, as shown in Exhibit B. CATEGORY JIr Signalized Inter-sections at less important location_~ Stanford Shopping Center Driveway: Signs exist within the shopping center, but no G7 signs exist. No recommendation. Churchill Avenue: signs. Install advance or mast ann mounted G7 Park. Boulevard/Serra Street: Install advance or ma.st arm mounted G7 signs., 'With appropriate arrows, as shown in Exhibit B. 1 • .- i -; ." :l,.> \.: / o stant'ord Avenue: aiqns. :Install ~dvance or mast arm mounted G7 Jlatac!ero Avenue/Harqarita Avenue: Remove the advance G7 signs and G7 signs from the mast arms. Inst~ll G7 signs on the mast arms with appropriate arrows, as shown in Exhibit B. Please note the advance G7 signs are causing problems because there is also an unsignalized leg of Matadero Avenue immediately south of the intersection. CUrtn:er Avenue: siqns. Install i5dvance or mast arm mounted G7 Maybell AvenuejEl Camino Way: Install advance or mast arm mounted G7 signs, \lith appropriate arrows, 45 sho¥m in Exhibit B. Tamarack Court: Mast arm :mou.'>'lted G7 signing exists ~ No recommendation. CATBOORY XV Non-signalized Intersections Wells Avenue Bomer Avenue Encina Avenue Ta.~ , Country Shopping Center Driveway Park Avenue Leland Avenue OXford Avenue College Avenue Sherman Avenue Grant Aver..ue Sheridan Avenue 2 Olive Avenue Acacia Avenue Fernando Avenue Kendall Avenue Wilton Avenue Barron Aven~e Ventura A'·~enue Military Way Vista Avenue Cesano Court Monroe Drive. 3/22/91 • I ~ , I i " lJ II 1/ II ---'i -1; " " " ~ i - I , ' "~ _(!L Rf;L.~ATE _ _ 1:0 ® • P"~A6£ An' (6'7) ~ £«.. __ <" 4,..,1111",.1 LA,.,'EIitT @ 'A' ~ .. HI8IT Sf .. ", .'" 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