traffic circulation program for longden elementary
Transcription
traffic circulation program for longden elementary
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM DATE: October 28, 2015 TO: Transportation and Public Safety Commission FROM: Michael D. Forbes, Community Development Director SUBJECT: TRAFFIC CIRCULATION PROGRAM FOR LONGDEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RECOMMENDATION: The Transportation and Public Safety Commission is requested to approve implementation of a pilot traffic circulation program to address issues during student pick-up and drop-off at Longden Elementary School. BACKGROUND: 1. In September 2015, representatives from the City, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), and the Temple City Unified School District (TCUSD) observed the vehicle and pedestrian circulation during student pick-up and drop-off times at Longden Elementary School. 2. In September 2015, staff requested that the City’s contract traffic engineer, Transtech, review the situation and make recommendations for improving traffic circulation around the school during pick-up and drop-off periods. 3. In October 2014, Transtech completed their review and prepared a memo presenting their findings and recommendations (Attachment “A”). ANALYSIS: Consistent with observations by the City, LASD, and TCUSD, Transtech found that the student pick-up and drop-off periods at Longden Elementary School are heavily congested due primarily to the following factors: A large percentage of students are driven to school rather than walking or biking; Many parents do not wait in the designated queues; Many parents double-park, blocking the travel lane; and Many parents opt to park and walk their child into the school. Transportation and Public Safety Commission October 28, 2015 Page 2 of 2 Based on their observations, Transtech is recommending that the City implement a pilot traffic circulation program that would include the following measures, as detailed further in the attached memo: Restrict certain turning movements around the school during certain hours; Install signage around the school; Restrict stopping and parking around the school during certain hours; and Designate a coned student drop-off/pick-up lane. Each of these measures is recommended as part of a pilot program to determine their effectiveness before making them permanent. The success of the pilot program will also depend heavily on enforcement and parent education. TCUSD staff reviewed the recommendations for the pilot program and stated that they were pleased with all of them. They had a few questions regarding implementation, which staff will address during the presentation to the Commission. CONCLUSION: Transtech is recommending a variety of measures as part of a pilot program to ease traffic congestion and increase vehicle and pedestrian safety around Longden Elementary School. If approved by the Commission and installed, these measures would be evaluated after several months to determine their effectiveness and determine if different or additional measures are warranted. ATTACHMENT: A. Transtech Memo dated October 14, 2015 - MEMO TO FROM DATE SUBJECT Bryan Cook, City Manager, City of Temple City Michael D. Forbes, Community Development Director, City of Temple City Transtech Engineers, Inc. October 14, 2015 PILOT TRAFFIC CIRCULATION PROGRAM FOR DROP-OFF/PICK-UP OF STUDENTS AT LONGDEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL INTRODUCTION On behalf of the City of Temple City, Transtech staff has completed a traffic review to evaluate and recommend a pilot traffic circulation program for drop-off and pick-up of students at Longden Elementary School. The vicinity map below shows existing conditions and location of the school. LEGEND Vicinity Map Longden Elementary School Drop-off/Pick-Up via Longden Ave for 1st-3rd Grades 7:30 AM TO 9:00 AM 2:00 AM TO 3:30 PM Drop-off/Pick-Up via Wendon St for 4th-6th Grades SCHOOL DAYS All-Way Stop Control at Garibaldi Ave and Oak Ave Other Stop Controls Primrose Ave on Longden Ave (north/south leg) Primrose Ave at Garibaldi Ave (north leg) Wendon St at Primrose (west leg) Traffic Signal Longden Ave and Oak Ave Longden Ave and Temple City Blvd Garibaldi Ave and Temple City Blvd The Temple City Unified School District and sheriff’s department have asked the City to consider additional signage and curb markings to direct parents during the drop-off/pick-up times. According to the online posted school drop-off/pick-up plan, students in 1st through 3rd grades CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 1 of 14 are directed to be picked up and dropped off at the curb cut out on Londgen Avenue, while students in 4th through 6th grades are directed to be picked up and dropped off via the parking lot off of Wendon Street. The traffic circulation during drop-off/pick-up times is heavily congested due to heavy dependence on vehicles, parents not wanting to wait in the drop-off/pick-up queues and opting to park and walk their child to the school site or double park to drop-off/pick-up students. EXISTING CONDITIONS Longden Avenue: Longden Avenue is approximately 35’ (feet) in width with one lane in each direction divided by a centerline, with parking allowed on both sides except during street sweeping days. There is a curb cut out on the school site for the EB travel direction for parents to pull into to drop-off/pick-up students. Per the school handout that was passed out to all parents and guardians responsible for taking their student to school, this drop-off/pick-up lane is designated for grades 1 through 3 only. In order to witness the circulation patterns around the school, a site visit was conducted during the AM drop-off period. During the field visit it was observed that school personnel were actively trying to direct parents to use the drop-off/pick-up lane to quickly move the flow of traffic. School staff were at the entrance of the lot to assist in getting the students out of the cars. However, parents were not utilizing the existing dropoff/pick-up lane but instead were parking along Londgen Avenue on both sides of the street and having the students walk to the campus or walking the students themselves. It was also observed that parents, trying to avoid the queue, were arriving from the east and parking on the north side of Longden Avenue and darting across traffic to walk their child to school. Entrance of Drop-Off/Pick-Up Curb Cut Out Lane On Longden Avenue Restricted NB Left Turn At The Primrose Avenue And Longden Avenue Intersection CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 2 of 14 During the field observation, it was also noted that a majority of the EB vehicles traveling on Longden Avenue were making an EB left at the Temple City Boulevard signal. Because there is no existing left turn pocket for those vehicles waiting at the signal, as well as heavy pedestrian traffic crossing Temple City Boulevard, vehicles were having a difficult time trying to turn left during the green cycle, many were only able to turn left after the light had turned red. Typically, vehicles turning on the red are not paying attention to crossing pedestrians, instead are trying to find a gap in traffic in order to turn, thereby reducing safety for crossing pedestrians. The delay in turning is also causing the EB queue on Londgen Avenue to extend past Primrose Avenue. The same scenario is happening for the WB left turn traffic as well. There is a crossing guard at the Temple City Boulevard signal. Primrose Avenue where it meets Longden Avenue, has existing restrictions for left turns during school days (7:30am-9:00am and 2:00pm-3:30pm) for WB and NB left turn movements. Longden Avenue Approaching Temple City Boulevard Signal (EB Direction On Longden Avenue) Longden Avenue And Temple City Boulevard Intersection Wendon Avenue: Wendon Avenue is approximately 30’ (feet) in width with no centerline and parking allowed on the south side only, the north side has no parking between 7:30am to 3:30pm during school days. The drop-off area on Wendon Street is in the school parking lot. Parents queue along Wendon Avenue to enter the parking lot and either drop-off or pick-up students from the curb lane. It was also observed that parents exiting the Weldon Street parking lot were making right and left turns. Vehicles waiting to make a left turn would delay all other exiting vehicles. Per the handout that was passed out to all parents and guardians responsible for taking their student to school, this drop-off/pick-up lane is designated for grades 4 through 6 only. It was CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 3 of 14 observed that parents are also parking and traveling the adjacent residential streets of Cloverly Avenue and Flaherty Street to avoid the queuing on Primrose Avenue. Entrance To Drop-Off/Pick-Up Lane In School Parking Lot On Wendon Avenue Exit To Drop-Off/Pick-Up Lane In School Parking Lot On Wendon Avenue Cloverly Avenue: Cloverly Avenue is approximately 30’ (feet) wide with single-family homes on each side. Each house has a driveway with on-site available parking. During the field visit, it was observed that vehicles are parking along Cloverly Avenue on both sides of the street and along the curve of the road, which blocks one travel lane, allowing room for only one vehicle at a time to pass through. There are no sidewalks at this location, parents and students are walking in the street to enter the campus through the Wendon Avenue parking lot. Curve from Wendon Avenue to Cloverly Avenue where parents are parking and blocking traffic flow. NB View of Cloverly Avenue toward Wendon Avenue parking lot. CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 4 of 14 Longden Elementary School: Longden Elementary School is part of the Temple City Unified School District and currently serves kindergarten through 6th grades. There is approximately 1,078 students attending the school. Bell Schedule: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays: Start Time: 8:00am (K) / 8:15am (1st-6th) End Time: 2:50pm (K) / 2:30pm (1st-3rd) / 2:45pm (4th-6th) Wednesdays Only: Start Time: 8:00am (K) / 8:15am (1st-6th) End Time: 11:25am (K) / 1:00pm (1st-6th) ANALYSIS Longden Elementary School was included in one of the focus areas in Temple City’s Traffic Calming Master Plan that was adopted in November 2012 as part of Focus Area D: Longden Elementary School. Focus Area D includes Longden Elementary School and the fronting roads surrounding the school, and is bounded by Longden Avenue to the north, Garibaldi Avenue to the south, Oak Avenue to the west, and Golden West Avenue to the east with Temple City Boulevard running through the middle of the Focus Area. Longden Elementary School is located in the center of this focus area. Most of the concerns raised by the community focused on traffic and pedestrian activity surrounding the school. Although the traffic calming plan does not address parking issues and school on-site circulation measures, traffic speed and on-street traffic patterns were addressed through the recommended traffic calming program. Some of the feedback received from the community at the time of the study regarding the school was the following: Would like to see speed humps installed on Longden to lower traffic speeds. Accident occurred with child crossing street between cars Parents using Garibaldi- heavy backup Pickup at parking lot entrance on Longden- congestion backs up to intersection Potential for flashing lights/more visible signs More visible signs for turn restrictions Additionally, residents in the area expressed their concern regarding parents dropping off kids on Longden Avenue to avoid school traffic at the entrance of Wendon Avenue. Even though onstreet parking is permitted on Longden Avenue, speeds along the segment near the school reach upwards of 37 mph based on 85th percentile speeds collected for this study. Community members CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 5 of 14 suggested that the City reduce the speed along the entire length of Longden to 25 mph to account for the heavy pedestrian activity. In close proximity of the school, students were observed jaywalking and darting between parked cars during school pick-up and drop-off periods. As a note, Longden Avenue is part of an addendum to the City-Wide Speed Survey conducted in 2010, with a new speed survey being conducted along with a review of the entire stretch of Longden Avenue. However, the prima facie speed for all street segments in front of a school “when children are present” is 25 mph per the California Vehicle Code (CVC) 22358.1 The traffic calming report also noted that left turn access from Longden Avenue onto Primrose Avenue resulted in traffic congestion and delays. The City has already addressed some of these concerns with “No Left” turns at Primrose Avenue and at Longden Avenue, as well as having the school split the drop-off locations for students by grade between Longden Avenue and Wendon Street within their campus parking lots. However, additional measures are needed. 85th PERCENTILE SPEEDS AND EXISTING AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC Average daily traffic (ADT) volumes were recorded for Londgen Avenue and Oak Avenue, and were included in the Traffic Calming Master Plan prepared by RBF. This data was collected in January 2012. Longden Avenue: ADT Volume: 6,418-7,141 Posted Speed: 25-35 mph 85th Percentile Speed: 37 mph Oak Avenue: ADT Volume: 3,502 Posted Speed: 25-30 mpH 85th Percentile Speed: 34 mph ACCIDENT DATA Accident data was obtained from the computerized accident records system maintained by the State of California Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). An accident review of the streets surrounding the school was conducted for the following segments between the years 2010-2015: 1. Longden Avenue: Oak Avenue to Temple City Boulevard: 14 recorded accidents between 2010-2015 per SWITRS CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 6 of 14 2015: 0 recorded accidents 2014: 6 recorded accidents 2013: NO recorded accidents 2012: 1 recorded accident 2011: 5 recorded accidents 2010: 2 recorded accidents 2. Primrose Avenue: Longden Avenue to Garibaldi: No recorded accidents between 20102015 per SWITRS 3. Wendon Street: Primrose Avenue to Cloverly Avenue: No recorded accidents between 2010-2015 per SWITRS 4. Cloverly Avenue: Wendon Avenue to Flaherty Street: No recorded accidents between 2010-2015 per SWITRS 5. Flaherty Street: Cloverly Avenue to Primrose Avenue: No recorded accidents between 2010-2015 per SWITRS CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 7 of 14 RECOMMENDATIONS Based on engineering judgment, field observations, concerns from the school district and sheriff’s department as well as information from the Temple City Traffic Calming Master Plan, a pilot traffic circulation program for drop-off and pick-up of students at Longden Elementary school is recommended. This includes signage, curb markings, and outreach to the parents. The recommendations below will help to alleviate congestion and guide parents to drop-off and pickup the students in an efficient manner while maintaining traffic flow through the residential streets, and improving safety for all pedestrians. It is recommended that these measures be implemented as a “pilot” program to see if these measures will help ease the traffic congestion and increase pedestrian and vehicular safety surrounding the school site. 1. Installation of “No Left Turn” signs for EB traffic on Longden Avenue prohibiting left turns onto Temple City Boulevard during school hours, as indicated (this is allowable per the California Vehicle Code (CVC) 22101: Regulation of Turns at Intersections). Advanced warning signage on cones in the center lane should also be installed informing drivers of the restriction: “No left turn (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) 7:45am-8:45pm and 2:15pm3:15pm, and Wednesdays 7:45am-8:45pm and 12:30pm-1:30pm” Benefits: Prohibiting EB left turns at the Temple City Boulevard signal from Longden Avenue during school AM and afternoon hours (drop-off/pick-up times) will help keep vehicles moving, reduce the EB back-up on Longden Avenue, and increase pedestrian safety at the intersection. Challenges: The no left turn restriction will require enforcement of the turning restrictions. The restrictions may impact some non-related school traffic. This measure may shift traffic to other adjacent streets. 2. Installation of pilot program signage at entrance of school circulation on Longden Avenue and Wendon Street indicating: “Approaching Pilot Program for Longden Elementary School / Traffic Calming” Before the pilot program is implemented, Longden Elementary School should do its part by sending out letters and posting on its website informing parents of the new circulation plan, especially in regards to parking and turning left at Temple City Boulevard. Last name cards for parents can be made to lay on their car dashboard that would help identify students to be picked up – this way school CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 8 of 14 personnel or spotters can easily identity a name and have the child ready at the curb before the parent enters the drop-off/pick-up zone. 3. Installation of “No Stopping” signs on both sides of Longden Avenue and Cloverly Avenue indicating: “No Stopping During School Days (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) 7:45am8:45pm and 2:15pm-3:15pm, and Wednesdays 7:45am-8:45pm and 12:30pm1:30pm” Benefits: The “no stopping” signs will prevent parents form parking or dropping off students along Londgen Avenue and Cloverly Avenue reducing/eliminating double parking, students darting between cars, and vehicles blocking through lanes. The short 1-hour period suggested so that area residents are not unduly impacted. Most school related traffic starts and ends 30 minutes prior to either side of the school bell. Challenges: This will require enforcement and cooperation between the City, school staff, school parents, and sheriffs to ensure a smooth transition to the new conditions for drop-off and pick-up. The City should determine whether warnings should be given the 1st week of the program. Vehicles coming to school from the east will have to re-route to enter the drop-off/pick-up lanes. The “no stopping” signs may cause more parking on either Oak Avenue or Primrose Avenue. 4. Installation of Right turn only signs should be installed out of the Wendon Street parking lot. Benefits: This will prevent backup in the parking lot. Challenges: This may require some parents to change their route. 5. Installation of a Coned off student drop-off/pick-up lane on the south side of Longden Avenue starting 40’ east of Oak Avenue and extending to the school curb cut out with a sign indicating: “Student Drop-off and Pick-Up / Please Move Forward / Do Not Leave Vehicle” Benefits: Provides for an orderly queuing lane and process by extending the dropoff/pick-up lane to the whole curb. CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 9 of 14 Implements an off-site queuing lane for vehicles to line up for drop-off and pick-up. This will speed up and improve safety of the loading and unloading processes without blocking thru traffic.1 Parents will not be allowed to exit their vehicles, so vehicles will steadily move forward until they reach the on-site drop-off/pick-up point. Will eliminate double parking and entering/exiting the curb. Challenges: Will require education of parents to be aware of not parking in the queue. Parents will need to arrive earlier to join the queue. Will require rerouting of patterns to school. 6. Installation of red curb around curve at Cloverly Avenue and Wendon Street. Red curb should extend from the existing red curb on Cloverly Avenue past the fire hydrant and around the curve to the red curb on Wendon Street. (California Vehicle Code (CVC) 22514: No person shall stop, park, or leave standing any vehicle within 15’ of a fire hydrant.) 1 Safe Routes to School Guide “Student Drop-off and Pick-up”, February 2007 http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org/pdf/SRTSGuide_Dropoff-Pickup.pdf CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 10 of 14 The following pages show: Diagram 1: CURB MARKING AND SIGNAGE RECOMMENDATIONS DIAGRAM Diagram 2: SCHOOL SITE CIRCULATION PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS DIAGRAM Table 1: ACCIDENT HISTORY ALONG LONGDEN AVENUE BETWEEN OAK AVENUE AND TEMPLE CITY BOULEVARD CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 11 of 14 Diagram 1: CURB MARKING AND SIGNAGE RECOMMENDATIONS DIAGRAM 3 3 3 3 5 5 5 3 3 3 2 1 5 5 2 3 3 3 3 1 5 1 1 3 2 4 6 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 1 No left turn signage for NB Left turn from Londgen Avenue onto Temple City Boulevard with advance notice signs on Longden Avenue of no left turn at signal 2 Pilot program portable signage at entrances of school circulation 3 No stopping signage with time restrictions on Londgen Avenue, Cloverly Avenue, and Wendon Street 4 Right turn only signage for vehicles exiting the drop-off /pick-up curb lane on Wendon Street. 5 Signage installation on the cones “Student Drop-Off And Pick-Up Please Move Forward Do Not Leave Vehicle” at the entrances of the drop-off/pick-up curb lane on Londgen Avenue and Wendon Street with an arrow. Placed on every 3rd cone. 1 2 4 6 5 3 6 STUDENT DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP PLEASE MOVE FORWARD DO NOT LEAVE VEHICLE Extend existing red curb on Cloverly Avenue past the fire hydrant and around the curve to the red curb on Wendon Street. CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 12 of 14 Diagram 2: SCHOOL SITE CIRCULATION PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS DIAGRAM Longden Ave Drop-Off/Pick-Up Queue Drop-Off/Pick-Up Queue Cloverly Ave Flaherty St Primrose Ave Oak Ave E Wendon St Temple City Blvd Primrose Ave Drop-Off/Pick-Up Queue Garibaldi Ave CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 13 of 14 Table 1: ACCIDENT HISTORY ALONG LONGDEN AVENUE BETWEEN OAK AVENUE AND TEMPLE CITY BOULEVARD Accident History Collision Type Day Or Dist. Dir. Time Night No Date Primary Road Secondary Road 1 3/4/2010 Longden Av Oak Av 292 2 10/28/2010 Temple City Bl Longden Av 3 1/12/2011 Oak Av 4 6/14/2011 Longden Av A - Head-On B - Sideswipe C - Rear End Severity D - Broadside E - Hit Object 1 - Fatal F - Overturned 2 - Inj (Severe) G - Ped/Bike 3 - Inj (Oth Vis) H - Other 4 - Inj (Comp Pn) Injured # PDO Factor E 14:37 Day A 2 1 0 9:30 Day D 3 4 Longden Av 0 15:45 Day D 4 2 WB Thru Veh Hit SB Thru Veh 12 - Traffic Signals And Signs NB Thru Veh Hit EB Thru Veh 12 - Traffic Signals And Signs Oak Av 353 E 18:34 Day A 1 3 EB Veh On Oppos Ln Hit WB Thru Veh And NB Parked Veh 5 12/1/2011 Temple City Bl Longden Av 0 15:21 Day B 4 2 6 12/20/2011 Longden Av 7 12/28/2011 Temple City Bl Oak Av Longden Av 159 0 E 10:15 Day 12:30 Day B D 8 9/28/2012 Temple City Bl Longden Av 0 14:54 Day D 4 1 9 1/22/2014 Temple City Bl 10 3/8/2014 Longden Av Longden Av Oak Av 0 0 11:15 Day 18:17 Night H A 4 2 Oak Av 157 Longden Av 0 11 8/16/2014 Longden Av 12 8/23/2014 Temple City Bl 13 10/19/2014 Longden Av 14 11/30/2014 Temple City Bl E 14:41 Day B 18:30 Day D Temple City Bl 195 W 20:26 Night Longden Av 0 17:54 Night 1 1 1 4 2 1 4 1 05 - Wrong Side Of Road EB Thru Veh Hit SB Thru Veh 09 - Automobile Right Of Way WB Thru Veh Hit WB Parked 08 - Improper Turning Veh WB Lt Turn Hit Eb Thru Veh 09 - Automobile Right Of Way SB Thru Veh Hit WB Thru Veh 1 H D WB Thru Veh Hit NB PED PCF Violation 11 - Pedestrian Violation 12 - Traffic Signals And Signs SB Thru Veh Hit EB Thru Veh 12 - Traffic Signals And Signs EB Lt Veh Hit WB Thru Veh 09 - Automobile Right Of Way WB Thru Veh Hit WB Parked Veh 08 - Improper Turning 00 - Unknown SB Thru Veh Hit EB Thru Veh EB Unsafe Turn Veh Hit EB Parked Veh 08 - Improper Turning NB Lt Veh Hit SB Thru Veh (X2) 09 - Automobile Right Of Way CITY OF TEMPLE CITY | Page 14 of 14