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Home My WebLink About0554.093r (D. . . ',." ,.",..:.- October 21, 1993 HONORABLE CIT'i COUNCIL Palo Alto, California Lytton Avenu:e NeighborhoogJ_~affic study -!:i_tatus Report Members o~ the Council: This is an informational staff report regarding th~ status of the Lytton Avenue Neighborhood Traffic Study. No council action is required. To date, staff has completed the data collection l formed a working group of intarested area residents, and is in the process of developing alternative traffic control measures in coordination with the working group~ staff expects to return to council with a reco~endation in mid-January. BACkGROIJJID The Lytton Avenue Neighborhood Traffic Study was initiated in January 1993 to investigate and address appropriate steps, if any, to reduce the impact of traffic short cutting through the Palo Alto Avenue/Lytton Avenue neighborhood via the Pope/Chaucer bridge. Initially, staff worked closely with Mr. Darrell Benatar, a neighborhood resident, who brought this issue to Council's attention. At the outset of the study, the study area was identified as the "Lytton Neighborhood" I bounded by Palo Alto Ave~ue, Middlefield Roa~, University Avenue, and Chaucer Street (see Attachment 1). The study was divided into five major tasks: 1~ Identification of the concerns and issues; 2. Data collection, analysis and problem identification; J. Formation of a working group, development of alternative traffic control plans, and a neighborhood meeting; 4. Council acticnj and 5. Implementation and evaludtionj To date, staff has completed tasks 1 and 2~ and is wor-king on task 3 ~ CHR:554:93 .. COlO'LBTBD WaD ," . ~ Identification of Issues and Con~~ As in ~ast neighborhood studie~, th~ primary issues in this area. issues identified: ~hrough traffic and speeding are Listed below are three specific .1. Through traffic on Palo Alto Avenue/Lytton Avenue (via the popa/Chaucer bridge); 2. Through traffic on Guinda/Lyttcn {arising trom drivers trying to avoid the Middlefield/University intersection); and 3. speeding on Palo ~lto Avenue between Chaucer and Seneca, and on Lytton Avenue bet~een Seneca and Guinda. Data collection. Analysis, and problem Identification Traffic Volumes Twenty-four bour traffic volumes 'flerlO'. measured in Febt:uary and March of 1993, at l~ 1~c~tic~5 along tMe main access routes into and within the study area~ Four additional traffic counts were taken, one on Univarsi~y Avenue, one on chaucer Street south of Univarsit¥, and t~o on Hamilton Avenue, to help determine possible impacts of any potential rneasures~ The count locations and recorded traffic volumes are shown in Attachmen~ 2. The traffic volumes represent total, two-directional volumes at each location, for an averaqe 24-hour period. The streets on which the counts were taken fall into t~o functional classifications: collector streets (Guinda, Lytton from Guinda to Middlefield, and Chaucer) and local streets (Falo Alto Avenue, Hale street, seneca street, Fulton street, Everett Avenue, and Lytton from Guinda to Seneca) . The range of traffic volumes on c"llector streets -within this neighborhood varies between 2,300 vehicles/day to 4,500 vehiclesl day~ Traffic volumes on local streets ~ange from 130 vehicleS/day to 2,300 vehicles/day. A comparison, of these traffic volumes ~ith traffic volumes on several other local and collector streets in Palo Alto !Attachr.!ent J), ind tcates that the measured 24-hour traffic volumes for this area are not unusual compared to similar streets in other parts of Palo Alto. - Through Traffic A ~icense plate ltIatchiog survey was conducted in May 1993, to determine the extent of through traffic in the neighborhood. The survey was conducted during the morning and evening peak commute periods; 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 4~JO p.m. to 6:30 p.m. 'rhe extent of through traffic at each gateway during the evening and morning is shown in Table 1 and in Attachment 4. CMR:554:93 -~' .. '----,------- lC/21f93 page 2 I 1 o Table I: Through Traffic SUT'\-'ey Summary AM Peak (7:JO·9:JU am) PM P""k (4:30-6:30 pm) Gate (location) Total Through Percent Total Through Percent Trips Trips Through Trips Trips Through PopeJChaucer Bridge 690 412 60 745 486 66 University/Chaucer 375 296 80 I 413 314 76 UniversityiHaIe 30 15 50 25 16 62 University/Seneca 61 51 84 37 I 15 4j University/Guinda 394 274 70 330 261 79 University/Fulton 51 18 35 61 28 50 MiddlefieldILyttnn 730 436 60 643 473 74 Middlefield! Everett 81 53 65 96 53 55 Middlefield/Palo Alto ~---1L ~ ~ _~_tL-~ 2,445 1,577 64 2,405 1,668 69 These data indicate: 1. sixty-four percent of the traffic in the morning peak period and 69 percent of the traffic in the evening peak period is through traffic; and 2. While all of the streets in the neighborhood carry a SUbstantial amount of through traffic, Chaucer, Guinda, palo Alto Avenue and Lytton carry the most. Staff believes that a major contributing factor for through traffic from University Avenue to Guinda and Lytton, as veIl as other through traffic in the neighborhood, is traffic congestion on University at Middlefield. In cO!l1parison, the Evergreen Park neighborhood (studied in the 1980S) carried approximately 44 percent through traffic. CHR:554:93 10/21/93 Page J • o Speed Survey s Weekday speed sur-veys lJe::e conducted using Caltrans rt1e,thodology on two street segments, ~s shown belo~: Location Palo Alto Avenue between Chaucer an~ Hale Lytton Avenue: bet",'een Seneca and Guinda 85th P~.rcent i le 30 mph 29 mph The survey data indicate that the 85th percentile speeds are higher than the prima facie speed limit of 25 .l11ph. However, as shown below in a sample of previolls surveys, this is not uncommon in Palo Alto. The 85th percentile speeds on most Palo Alto streets are generally 5 to ~o mph above the posted speed limits. Barron Avenue east of Cass W~y LaDonna Avenue south of Faul Avenue Marion Avenue from Middlefield Road to Cowper Street Laguna Avenue north of Barron AVenue 85th Percent tl§: 33 mph 33 mph 32 mph II mph In addition., staff also checked the accidents reported to the police Department from January 1988 to December 1991. A total of 13 accidents was reported within this four year period. Palo Alto Avenue, approximately 150 feet ~est of Hale, had two accidents. No other location had more than one accident during this time period. While the speed survey data show that traffic in the ~eighborhood exceeds the posted limits, the accident history does not indicate that higher speeds have resulted in substantial problems. In summary, neighborhood neiqhborhoods, traffic. CMR:554:'3 while the traffic volumes and speeds in this are similar to or lower than other Palo Alto the neighborhood does carry a high amount of through 10/21/.3 Page 4 .. , ""... .. CIJRRBIIT WORK In August, staff solicited area residents to participate in developing and reviewing alternative traffic control measures for the neighborhood. A working group of nine residents from various streets was formed. Two working group meet ings have been held thus far, and staff has presented seven alternative plans for the group to evaluate. Staff expects to return to Council ~ith a recommen dation in ~id-January 1994. Throughout this process, staff has kept the Crescent Park Neighborhood Association informed about the progress of the Lytton Avenue Neighborhood Traffic study. Coples of thE> data and correspondence sent to the 'Working group have bepn sent to the Crescent Park Neighborhood Association president, Margaret Feuer. Staff is also providing relevant information to Menlo Park staff, who are working on the Willows Neighborhood Traffic Study. Respectfully submitted. t 4tY"~ ASHOK ". AGGARWAL City Traffic Engineer ~n\.~, BERNARD M. STROJNY A&sistant city Manager ~~tC ~kUL~ KENNETH R. SCHREIBER Director of Planning and community Environment AttachJDents: 1. 2. 3. Lytton neighborhood area map 4. Traffic count locations and volumes Exam~les of average two-way. daily. weekday traffic Map showing the extent of through traffic cc: Lytton Avenue Neighborhood Working Group Margaret Feuer, Crescent Park Neighborhood Assoc. President CMR:554:93 1Q/21/93 Page 5 I i ~ z " ','. '~' ...... ~ '.:.:.~.:.:.~.:.:.'.' · • • · c, ~I :iL__ I "-TE~-~--J~~ 'I I i 0 0 0 ZI 00: 1-0 I-m ~I (!) UJ Z Co co ~ co Q> ... « L .LN3WHOVJ.J.V . '. ~'!,' , . . L .: ~ ____ I~ r--~ I i , I I II I I L. . I : ----, I , ____ 1 . . , L ______ _ o '" o ~ w • e I;; L~ . }-I j-I~ /1 !! / z . / -. I 'I / /) ~ // -" ; I ,/ 1 __ 'V ~~ c en 0 (I) 0 E Z::I: ::J Ocr: "0 t-O > t-cn 0 ~::I: ;;::: -(!) III W ... t-Z Z iN3.WHOVllV ! , I , I; I ! , ~ .~. ~' , < • , • ~ · • • • · · "~'\ l 0 I ~ ./ \ ~ / '---~ • • , • Q '" o ~ .. '. - ~ . . , . !~! i,,-L ' '. ~/: !',_ .. / i __ , I: ['" [ • [; [1 / 1--/(~\I l>\ ~),-\\ ,/ --~. I / z • o ATTACHMENT 3 EXAMPLES OF TWO-WAY AVERAGE WEEKDAY DAILY TRAFFIC VOLUMES (ADTs) HEASU9-ED ON ~ESIDE/ITIAL LOCAL AIID COLLECTOR STREETS local Streets Addison w/ Emerson (1990) Barron wI Whitsell (1986) Bryant 51 Channing (1990) Edgewood el Rhodes (19&9) Bryant sl Oregon Exp (196.) Chauce, nl Hamilton (1988) Coll~. el El Camino (19B5) Colorado el Waverley (1989) Colorado el Cowper (1989) Cowper sl Colorado (1989) Donald 01 Arastradero (1985) Greer at Maddux (1987) La Donna nl San J"d. (1986) lincoln sl Hamilton (1988) Marion el Cowper (1989) Maybel' wI Thain Way (1986) Newell sl Seale (1985) Monro. at Monroe (1985) Ramona sl Channing (1990) Ross 51 Ames (1990) Talisman el Ross (J990) Wayerley at E. Meadow (1988) Waverley sl Or~on Exp (1989) WeDster el Marion (1989) Bryant sl Homer (1989) Lincoln wi Waverley (1990) Hawthorne wi M'field (1988) Everett wI M'field (1988l Cowper sl ar~on Exp (1989) IN PALO ALTO' 1565 1300 1390 330 1290 1200 1875 1010 2355 2240 470 1700 1445 1600 650 2010 2090 690 600 2290 410 485 1135 280 2040 920 1990 1900 2510 Collector Streets Amaranta s! Cereza (1986) 2090 Waverley 01 [mbare (1990) 4715 Waverloy 5/ Channing (1988) 3730 California w/ Vale (1986) 7190 California e/ M'field (1985) 3000 Channing wi Center (1988) 4875 Guinda nl Hamilton (1988) 2220 Coulombe nl Arast r (1986) 1620 Hamilton e/ K'fi.ld (1988) 3900 lorn. Verde e/ Ross (1990) 2810 LOuis 51 Colorado (1989) 4850 louis sl California (1985) 3320 Colorado eJ H'field (1989) 6525 L Robles wI ViI Vista (1989) 5585 Matadero wi El C~~ino (1986) 2300 Maybell w/ Amarant. (1986) 1905 Newell nl Embarcadero (1988) 7580 Newell el Hamilton (1988) 2600 <. Meadow el Alma (1969) 9310 E. Meadow el M'field (1989) 4890 Park Blvd el El Camino (1989) 870 Churchill e/El Camino (1989) 10175 Churchill wI Waverley (1989) 2250 N. Calif wi M'field (1989) 1775 N. Calif el H'field (1989) 3510 Laguna nl San Jude (1986) 1050 Stanford wI 8owdoin (1889) 8400 (19xx) = year of measurement; s!, n/, el, wi -south of, etc. Examples includ~ higflest and lowest existing measurements for each c:ategGry; however. otner streets not measured could have higher or lowp.r (ounts. Though this list does include most reSidential collector streets in Palo Alto, it oDes lli ;nc1ude 1OO5t local streets. AnTs have not been measured on mast loeal streets. Many local streets not shown on this' ist woul.d be expe<:ted to have ADTs of 1.ss than 500. CS 6/(/90 (Revised 11(,0/90) --, I i i c 0 0 Z:r: 00:: 1-0 !-CD ~:r: (!) W Z () --~ "-I- .c en :::l 0 '- .J::. l- . . :~ I I I I , 1_ 0; · · · = ~ " : • 0 ~ · , • ~ • · • , , • • • ; • • • • • • • • • • · • '0 , . I ~ • ~ · : · • ~ · • 0 • • ~ · > -; ] · · ~ , • 0 " · · · , • • • · • • · • • • • , • . • c " C J .. L I ~' 0 : ~i i < ~ j~ ~ I,/~i:' 1-1 ~I~ -,' 0]0 c-, ! i\~V ,------ ~ /,",,0 ' . . ,,, ~:~ " ::;;.:,/ l-I, ---' o , 1/~ v :1: ' [ • [-: f "'"" 1 .. .. r\ "'1 .... ,/ ! ':! .. L!t-- < i , ! I I i /c. , 'f -,_ -~~ l'lt1 ! · · • o • • I r-- I -~ J I / " /---:11,", '\ i /1 ~.~ I' \ ~\\ / z