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Home My WebLink About0339.092I -" ~staH WY 'leIJMOl t _________ _ July 23, 1992 HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL palo Alto, California status Report on ROi3:_g.~~J,tJl'~ Me~ers of the Council: REPORT IN BRIEF This is an informational report, and ~o council action is req~ired. This is the first status report on Palo Alto's road bump program, for which the procedures and guidelines were approved by council in March 1991 (copy attached). According to the procedures, staff is to prepare an annual report to council trarlsmitting any road bump requests that meet all nine of the required eligibility criteria. If no requests are received that m~et all the criteria, staff is to prepare an informational status report to Council. Eight requests for road bumps have be~n receiv~d since March 1991. All requests met the five basic criteria, but all failed to meet the operational criterion of six speed-relate.d traffic accidents in the past three years. Because all requests failed this one. criterion, there 'Was no need for staff to d.eter:rr.inc conformance with the remainder of the criteria. None of the eight locations is, 'therefore, eligible for the installation of road bumps, and TlO review or action is required by Councll~ REOUES~~QR KOAP BUMPS Since March 1991, eight requests for read burnps .. ere received and evaluated using the approved application guidelines. The locations of the road bump requests ~re: • The Portal, Northampton, Embarcadero and Middlefield Newell route, • Ne~el1 between Embarcadero and California CHR:339:92 between , , f :'"' < • Lincoln bet .. een Channing and Middle!ield • Horeno bet~eel'l Middlefield and Louis • Ross between Oregon and Colorado • Greer between Channing and Edgewood • Lane 39 behind Forest ToW/erst and • Addison between Bryant and cowp~r In each case: (a) The request met the five basic criteria in the gl..1idelines ,local street; 2~ mph spe~d limit; sufficient strEet 1~n9th; not a truck~ transit I or emergency vehicle rotite; less than five percent grade). {b) The r-eq'..lest did not meet the operational cr-i t-er-icn 'Wl1ich requires that ther:e be. at least six speed-related traffic aocidents in the preceding three con~ec·lJti ve years. The actual ~umber of such accidents ranged from zero to t~o. For this reason, thl! requestor was inforned tha.t tho: read bump request could not be justified. eel Because the request did not meet the acciQsnt criterion, it was not analyzed further for conformance with the re~aining criteria (range of traff ie volume, actual 65th percentile: speed, and two-thirds neighborhood support). (d) As speCified in the procedures, in the case of e request that does not meet all the criter-ia, the Transportation Division notified the police Department that a speed-related complaint had been received, and requested that the Police provide speed enforcement on that street. In all but one case, after the requestor was notified of staff's oetermination, the requestor did net ask for ~ny further action. The exception was the request for road bumps on Addison, ~hich is part of a larger plan for neighborhood traffic and parking management submitted by Messrs. Bill McGlashan and Michael Kast. The re~ue$tors are interested in the implementation of a number of m~asures# including road bumps. This request will be the subj~ct of a separate staff report and initial review and discussion at the August 4, 1992 meeting of the Policy and Services committee. In addition to the eight cases, staff received seven requests for copies of the procedures and guidelines, but did not receive any follow-up requests tor road bump installation. CMR: 339: 92 L 7/23/92 Page 2 c c~~:+.~l~",;/ -;'" , I ~l " . o STATUS OF DRAFT ROA_IJ~J1MP GUIDELINES OF INSTIl'...r.,,"l_~ ___ .9_F TR~NSPORTATrON I;1!QlUtF~ About t'Wo yea!'s aqo~ the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITEJ prepared ~~aft guidelines for road bumps. Thes~ ~~idelines have yet to become a Rproposed recommended pLactice~ and are still beinq deb::! ted by the ITE Technical counci L If the guidel irtes bec~me a proposed recommended practice, they would be dist~ibuted for a period of about two years. for pub) ic '..lse and comments, before being considered for approval as an ITE "recommended practice". Palo Alto's road bump guidelines are in general conformance with the draft ITE guidelines. !f the ITE guidelines W'ere to become an approved rec:oiTl!r!ended practice: staff 'Would review the Midtown road bumps and the City's procedures and guidelines, and consider making any appropriate changes. staff's evaluation of the eight requests for road bumps indicate~ that, as expected, tha criterion for six speed-related accidents in three years may be difficult to meet. When council ~as con~iderinq whether or not to adopt the road bump program, staff empha~;~ed that road bumps should be used very sparingly through the application of strict eligibility criteria, because of the potential compounding of several negative impacts (slo'Wing of emergency response, traffic diversion, aesthetic concerns, demand on staff time, and capital and maintenance costs). Staff beli~ves that it is premature to consider changing the procedures and quidelines, until more re~~ests for road bumps have been evaluated. In approximately one year, staff will subm.i t anolher report to council on this subject. CKR:339:92 ,;~~.~~, . ~-. - 7/23/92 Page 3 , - Respectfully submitted, Ca~ jhff-( CARL STOFFEL Trrlsportation Engineer KENN'ETH R. SCHREIBER Director of Planning and COl1Ununity Environment. I~ , . FLEMING s i6tant city ger' ~aChment: R Bump Program letter with quidelines. cc: Palo Alto Bicycle Advisory Ccmmittee Bob Moss Denny Petros ian Dena Mosar procedures and All persons who have requested road bumps, and most persons who have requested copies of the Procedure~ and Guidelines: Nancy Jones Linda Wang Edward Hoetzel Mary Ann Warnloff Mr. and Mrs. William D. Pomeroy April R. Holman Mary Duke Gina Jett Lucilia DaSilva Jacqueline H. Peterson Edith Mlchalke Michael Kast CHR:339:92 7/23/92 Page 4 - ft speed bump BACKGROUN);> CITY 0.' PALO AI"TO ROAD BUMP PROGRAM road bump A road bump is arl artificially created, relati\o'eIy gentle ris{: in the pavement of a local residentia1 street. The above fig"ure compares. a road bump to a speed bump commonly fOllnd in parking lots. The purpose of road bltmps is to lower speeds on local residential streeiS. Several years ago, rDad humps were installed on ii te3! basis in the Midt0wn neigrlbGr:l;Jod of Palo Alto, and have 5u(';ceBfully reduced traffic speeds and vo]uiT:es on those streels (a cornman side effect of TOad bumps is the reduction of traffic volumes on the s~reets; ;.>"it}. the bumps). In March 1991, the City Caunell approved lhe use of road bumps as a tool for potential use in appropriate situations Road bumps may be installed only when it is desirec. to reduce speeds on local residential streets and when specific criteria C<I!1 be mel (please refer to tnt" attached Procedures and Guidelines). Road bu;;-,ps are certainly not the answer to all speeding problem.s , and they are not appropriate for all situdtian5. Rather, they 'dre anmher too] for mar-aging speeds on residential streets. They hc.ve a number of disadvantages, including delay 10 emergency vehicle.'i, potentia: dlver.s~Qn of traffic t:; other residential streets 1 increaseJ noise) general inconvenience to t~e d1'iving public, a;-Id an ~nattracti\'e appearance. Road bumps are still experimentCll in the sense that no State or na!iDIlal guidelines have been issued for their use Dr design. Thus, there is considerable \o'3riation in road blrmp installations among \o'arious dties. If State or national guidelines were issued, Palo A1to's guidelines might need to be modified to conform. Our guideiines might need to be modified anyway, in the ccurse of our 0""1] experience with road bumps. HOW I9 GET ROAD But{PS O:-i YOUR STEE11 If you li\.ie on i1 local reside/tria! streel ill Palo Afro, and you believe that there is a speedillc? problem on your street, you may wish 10 request cOllsideration of lite in:.taflation oj road bLImps to help redu.ce speeds 0'1 your street Before you make your reguest,. p1ease read the attached Procedures and Guidelines, especially the five "Basic Criteria" listed on page 2. These are - fj',e of the many criteria whkh your street must meet before the City cOl;id consider installing road 'humps, .and they are things you may already kn.ow about your st:eet hem ) under "Bast~ Criteria" requires th:::lt your street be a ioca! resldenti2.1 street. The attached figure shows which sireets in Palo Alto are r.o~ 10<:al r.es:dentia! streets (Le., alm::lst a~l other streets are local res:identiz.l streets). V./e ",dvise you to see and experie:lce the r...-fid:o",'J1 read bumps located on Cc-wper Street south of Oregon Express~z.y, and (m Marion and Colorado Ale:nue:s between Cov.-per and :r-.1iddIefield Road. You should be comfortable wi~h th~ look and feel of road bumps in front ::..f your ovvu heme. You shm:ld als.o have Some idea: of wneL'lJei or not your neighbors would be comfortable with road bumps, posslb!y in fron! of therr O'NIl homes, as tv.'o-t}:irds of.them would eventually have to sign a p(:tition suppor1ing the rcad bumps (procedures and Guideline.s, page 3). Your written request for road bumps should be sent to: Chief Transportation Official, Transportation Division, P.O. Box 10250, Palo Alto, CA 94303. The request should include your name, address, and daytime telephone number. Pkase Incbde a brief des.criplion of }'ourconcern about speeding, and the appm:.arnate limite; of the area on Y()LlT ~treet thatjOl': are concern~d about (e.g., "2400 block", or between "A~ and "B" sticers). You must live within or adjacent to the portion of the street wherE you are requesting road bumps. \Vitrlfn about one week, you wi!! be potitied in \l.Ti!ing that your request has been received. Tn about six weeks, you ·will be notified eitber (a) that your street docs not qualifY for road bumps (refer to Procedures and Guidelines, page 1, item 2); OJ (b) that Yol.lr street mee.ts. the mitral guideiines and that you are required to circula:e a neighbor~ood petition (refer to Procedures and Guidelines) page 2, irem 3). Ultimately. If your request meets .. an the necessazy criteria, public meetings wi1J be held, and the final decision would be made by tr:e City Council {refer to Procedures -and Guidelines, pages 1-2, items 5-SJ. QUESTIONS? If you need more information, please contact r.,..!r. ('...ar; Stoffel, Transportation Divisio.'1, at 329-2552. Additional copies of these Procedures and Guidelines are available, as well as ~!aff repof"1.S prOviding background information aDollt. the road b·.:tmp p;:ogra~. cs Ai tachments: L hProccdurcs and Guidelines for Application and Des.ign of Road Bumps in Palo Alto." 2. Figure showing Palo Alta Sireet !':etv.·ork. Road Bump Program April 16, 1991 L Page 2 .J "I i I ~ - ATTACHMENT 1 PROCEDURES AND GliIDEI.INES FOR APPLICATION ANC DESIGN OF ROAD BU'?';PS IN PAID ALTO ~ Administrative ~rocedures • 1. .'\ req'..lest for road b\:"...""Ups I::ust originate from a l:esident c,f the street on 'W'hich the bump is desired. That request !:',ay be forwarded through the neighborhood associaticn represe~ting that area. Alternatively, staff Z!ta.y suggest to a resident .. 'ho has filed a complaint relating to his or he!' street that road bumps may be an option for addressing the complaint (in ",rhich case the next step ·.IIouid be skipped). 2. After receipt. of a request, staff will detennine if the street meets the Basic Criteria listed in section E, and. it data is readily available, Operational criteria (I} and (3). 10, cursory determination ,",ill a1 so be made of ,"'hether any eJf the guidelines in Section C would preclude the installation -of bumps. If the street coes r,ot oeet these criteria, staff ..... ill so inform the requestor in writing, and advise the Police Department that a speed cOlltplaint has been received that F..ay need ~nfcrcement action. 3. If the street does roeet the criteria identified in A{2}, the re~~estor ~ill be required to sub~it a petition ,fcrtts provided by the City) 'Which establishes the extent of neighborhood support {two-thirds, as Explained in section B). 4. Aft€!' staff receives and verifies the petition, staff ", .. ill gather traffic data in order to determir,e if the street meets the operational Criteria listed in section E. If the street does not meet the operational Criteria, staff ...... ill so info::rr. the req'.Jestor in .,.rriting, and advise the Police Dep2.rtrrLent that a spe-ed complaint has been received that rn2;y ns:e,d enforcement action~ 5. If the street meets all the criteria listE:d in section B~ staff ~ill conduct a mDre thorough evaluation, including: a~ The logical length of the street segment ...... here bumps should be installed and the number and location c,f pctential roa:3 bumps on this segl':"~ent ",ill be determined. b. The €.xtent of the area 'Where traffic diversion might occur "Will be deter:mined~ 'l'he amount of traffic diversion from the eligible ''''primaryl'l) street to otter ("secondary") streets in this area will be estimated. Traffic speed and volume data on these secandar:r" st.reets "Will be collected. f , ;, ~' . . <:?~'~'. ;M>· - c. d. If necessary, mitigation measures for the secor.dar~t streets will be proposed. If road bumps a~e ~roposed as mitigation me,asures, the secondar::r" streets 5r.all !rleet as ~any of the eligibility criteria li3ted in Se~lion B as pos~ible~ A tleiqhborhood meeting for reside.nts of the prjmar-y and secondary streets ~ill be held~ e. A report for City Council will be prepared. It is anticipated that this report 'Would be referred to the: Policy and Procedures committee. E. J.fter Policy and Procedures Cotl;ll.ittee revieW', the request ... ·ill be forwarded to the,city Council for program, but not funding, approval. 7. If city Council approves the road bU!!Ip request, the proj ect will be considered for funding apPt'ova1 by inclusion in the Capital Improvement program (CIE) jnternal staff screening process which normally begins in Dece~er of each yea~. a. If approved during the screening process, the road bump project will be included. in the CIP ",hieh the city Manager recommends ,to the City Council ~ In May of each year. the recommended CIP is transmitted ~o the City Council for cor,sideration and approval, via public hearings before the. Finance and public Works committee. (Rate that a road bump project lnay r,eet all criteria and guidelines, but could still fail to receive funding approval in the CIP.} 9. Road bumps may be considered fer rerr,oval under a similar procedure. B. criteri~ for Determination of Elig.$,J2.lnli! Street Segmen~§n'_ A street segment (or street) is eligible -tor :roac bumps if ~_Jl of the follc,wing criteria are :met. 1. • Basic criteria • Neighborhood Support criterion • Operational Criteria The street is a local street as doafined b:r~ the Palo J..l to Comprehensive Plan, and is predominantly residen~ial. 2. The pri~a facie or posted spe~d limit is 25 mph or less, Guidelines March 21, l!il91 'L Page 2 • • 1 .~ 1 I I I • '.~. ·-'i>r;'*~' . -4 - J. There is nO~imum requirement for nua' -" r of bumps or length of street where road bumps are proposed/ provided that there can be at least 250 feet be~ween bumps or between a b~~p and a stop sign, sharp cu!:'ve I jog, cul-de-sac, or ot.}'1.er discor.tinuity ~hich reduces sp€ed to approximately 15 mph. 4. The street is not a designated truck or transit bus route or a primary or routine access route for emergency vehicles. 5. The longitudinal grade of the stree,t does not €:!:xceed five percent. Ngighhorhood __ $upport Criterio~ 1. Occupa:'lts of at least t .. o-thirds of all d.,,;e.l1i:r.gs ... ith addresses on the street Yhere bumps are requested to be ll")cated sign a petition requesting the bumps. ooerati6nal criteria 1. The average daily traffic (ADT) is between 50(" and 4000 veh~cles. 2. The average 85th percentile sp-eed along the segmer.t is 2. rnini~um of 32 mph. J. At least six reported speed-related traffic ac.-::idcnts have occurred in the immediat.ely preceding three consecutive years. C. Location of Road BUmns 1. The mini:rnun distance from c:n intersection to a road bump, where the street .ith the bump is a through street 'With no stop sign, shall range from 50 to 200 feet, depending on the type of intersecti'=.'.-L. 2. A road bump sh31l not be insta] led W'ithin a sharp horizontal curve (generally a cun,"e of less than 300 feet centerline: radius) or wit1·~in 100 feet of the beginning or end of such a Curve. 3. The first road bt.:.':.",p at either end of a series shall be placed such thai::. a 'Warning sign can be installe.d before the bump at a distance equal to at least the minimum safe stopping distance, based on the existing 85th percentile speed. 4. Any road bump shall be visible to oncoming least the minimum safe stopping distance, existing or expected 65th percentile speed. traffic based for &t on th.;; 5. A road bU:rllP shall not be placed over -rr.anholes J catch basins, or other utility access points. Cujdelines March 21, 1991 Pag€ 3 , ! r .--- i ,:~, l;rtiJ il ; I '.., i ,i 6. 7, 8, "'l -, A road bump sl'lrtl only be located 'Where it do~s not cause a :=;ubstantial <tdverse i:npact on established drainage patterns. A J:oad bump shall only be located ",-here a curb. pole, tre.;:. or other obstruction {E'_xis,;ing or ne'w') "'~llid block traffic fro~ driving around the e::1d of the b-ump. The following guid~lines should apply ..,·here feasible. a. Road bumps sho~ld be placed near streetlights4 b. Rca'::! bumps should not be located inmediately adjacent to orivf;.ways. c. ~oad bumps and related signir,g should be located on property lilles, and .... here shrubbery. fences or cth'E-:t" obstructions i:;terfere .. 1 th the direct vie~ .... of the bun:ps from residences. D. Desian __ of Road Bumps L A r-oad bu:np shall boe three inches high at (tolerance of -0, +0. 2S inch~s), and 12 feet direction of travel, as shown in E~~ibit B. its midpoint wide it'. the 2. The spacing between road b~mps or between a road bump and a stop sign, sharp curve, jog, CUl-de-sac, or other discontinuity which reduces speed to approximately 1.5 mph, shall range frcm 45G to 550 feet, except: Ca, if the eXisting 85th percentile speed is less than 35 ~ph, the spacing ~ay range from 350 to 550 feet; (b) if there are unusual circumstances, as determined by the Transportation Divisior., the spacing :may range from 250 to 550 feet. 3. Signing and striping shall be in accordance with Exhibits A ar-d c. Guidelines March 21, 1991 page 4 -.--l-... ·""~l ..... '"----·-~~·· .-.. ". i~~~'~~~t:- - " " (_ PRO"(~rv tiNE _______ ~ _ \.4 I ---'---." --------- CUAS,CUTTEn & SIDEWAf.~< J ______ W.17 1 !i'" ~ ~' I ~---~ - ------. ,--- EDGE OF PAVEMEW Ort GUTtf;R tIP ~~J "l .. I 4 y. {Jj': Srf'it£T,,, '"", r-WHITE PAVFMfNT MAHY.!NQ ,r-' 'j .,Jr!'!'E OO~E!MlPlASTICI S' -"--CgQ f.' -,= \....~-~ ~-~~ *4 .. " , l f,.--e -~r-- L 10-, ---III i ~--, -J<-.-~~ ~~--"1:,::1J J 1~+-, -_~,, __ ----------.l , !iff W;17 *O'VI:NItON. ~ .. t '(lit IIO .. ,.OOY "IGrlt enWUH 1l1J'!'1I':JII". CltM£"SIO". WIl,l.. Y"'!'IY ,.Oft ot'It'~"rH" WfflTH" • • + I • L:>o-A e I-J TWO·' U~~'C1I"" l' ~,-, iii' lUi' ITN' -... -~ 'i Of m.JMf' , l_" f..i,!lN 31'fBLJJ,I,/.¥LJ)£ TAlI. Iwen !u SCM.! RIEV :1/21/91 EXHIBIT A lCJLJ ~~ =-"" A'f 'ft\.1,6'W' i~~) ,,---yO';) ''I'~M.N"t »M....... t~ :...i -'1-----.----~RiI' -.. -< l '~~;T~ -f>A~f:~~:T ~MK1NG ITAI'E OR 1HEfMlI\A'>l1Cl lfC)"W'£ W~rt Sffill"'t (f'fPj(.tiU OR~TP EOC'.r or P/I}llMllVr On (itJt1[1~ UP ----, ------------_._- (':!J«f3,GUPTR ~ $!OCW~{t( ,t>n:oP~!'lr\' 1,.t\1f'. o 'l"A'''-I<!' "',ii",;;!.' ';,":' '~ \ i ,~-, ' " 0; , , • /'T_'''' --'~_'"'''''''''''.'''''"'''''''~_~_'''-'-'--~~ __ PIlOf>(~yY WJE PROPERTY L!~E ----- )'. r------_ .. --CONCRETE StOEWAI.K ( CUR8 A GUTTER ~>. TAPERJ r-A~HAcr CO~R~~~; fAP~1 ",=::,:=::.~::::'. l~. I~ I., 2/ i~ b--, .._______1 "-~J 1 t: _____ ._~ I , \ >~ \, ---TACI( COAT 0 1 t "---EXISTING ASPHALT CONCRE rE PAVEMf:NT geT/ON A-A ,,"Of TQ I';C"'~E .. l { i' !------~ " :6' TYp. -_. •. ____ ..; ,_ ~_---l-. __ • __ . ____ . ~_R" , l ' , , ; , l , ' • • ,.. ----l ~ I ' .' ... .., . ' , ' ~ ~ "'HALT CONCR'" _~~L_~ , I i""'~' __ . :-' FINAi: ,1'1 I' ,oR$; lin 1+== --. 1 , --..- I -----.~ --, " TAO: COAT ~ .• ::-. =-:r-:.. ' ,) (XISTING I\SP~~AI.I CONCI1ETE PAVFMEIIIT 100 __ _ ,,' EXHIBIT B ~E.C.T!9!L~=J1 .. 01 TO 5CAU ... I ";1?:¢ . r I I /. /~ / / '\, .(~. BUMP .. W37""'~, ///' .'\.. f' 6'LEHF.AS f( --------.,- , il , '"'' 11 I l 7' 1 ----~-------.---------~ --.----:;. -... -------,~ o';~""-""~;; '\. <Q~~:~> 9"OV. n LA; r1 r.--15lI1 .. , w;f:1 MP~J ·;~,JJl ~ I i , , ,. PIPE -l L 11 i I , HACK OF CURB & GUTlEfl - -I j l l' CU"',OUTTE"' SIDEWALK -'0 r'--"" I I CO!llCReH SIDEWALK '-,,-j! .------~-~ .. '··--d .______ ,i • ~.l_"'-------. -~T~.. _ ' •. i .... ! • i , ----1"1' __________ ; , i i } i . "A' CQNCf1£Tr: SIIJ£W"\J(, __ j ,I \ I ~ CONCRETE ----... ' J 1 I ' £', L' ,-I I_.~~ EXHIBIT C 17" ,-Ol"-ME-l ui , L "£\1 3,2,,91 TYPfCALWJlBf/IJIG __ S'.QN._W.STA.L_'--AI.I.Q1i '101 10 ~C"Lf ; I~~--I l' .:=Jr-....1. ~l-·--I ' I i I CONCRETE ----1 IJ I' 1 ,. , . ", I ,-, ,L_,...J I , ' ,,. ___ 1;>' I OIAM{it?A r Y P f CAL_'!IA,R!'f/VCl_SiGI'UN.STA LL A 7'.0" "'<)1 Til SCI\I.~ o ':';',~:.: .. / , , - : ATTACHMENT 2 PALO ALTO STPl.E.E..T NE.TWORK L COLLE.eTO",, A!>'TE~i"'L EXPfO-E:5SWAY • F?\E.~_WAY INT~?\C:I-\ANGE PL~NING AP\E.A BOUNbAt;J..y , .. :1. '~ 1 I , ~