12-21-2004 - Traffic Committee Minutes - 12/09/04i
TO: Andrew G. Pasmant, City Manager
and City Council
FROM: Shannon A. Yauchzee, Director/City Engineer
Public Works Department
SUBJECT: TRAFFIC COMMITTEE MINUTES
City of West Covina
Memorandum -
AGENDA -
ITEM NO. C-4
DATE December 21, 2004
RECOMMENDATION:
Accept and file the attached minutes of the Traffic Committee meeting held on December 9,
2004.
repare by: guel Hernandez
Civil Engineering Associate
Attachment No. 1
I
Reviewed/Ap oved by: Shannon A. Yauchzee
- Director/City Engineer
ZAAGENDA - 2004\Traffic Committee Minutes —December 9, 2004.doc
ATTACHMENT NO.1
SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE TRAFFIC COMMITTEE
CITY OF WEST COVINA
Thursday 4:00 p.m.
December 9, 2004 City Hall, Room 314
Management Resource Center
STAFF PRESENT: Miguel Hernandez, Shannon A. Yauchzee,
Corporal Christopher Mohler, and Sergeant Frank Harden
OTHERS PRESENT: Albert Ochoa, West Covina Resident
Nora Ochoa, West Covina Resident
Anner Hernandez, West Covina Resident
Marisela Gonzalez, West Covina Resident
Rose Keefer, West Covina Resident
Wendy Vargas, West Covina Resident
1. REQUEST:
Cherrywood Street Residents
THAT THE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS BE REVIEWED ON GARVEY AVENUE
SOUTH AND CHERRYWOOD STREET BETWEEN LARK ELLEN AVENUE
AND AZUSA AVENUE.
FINDINGS:
In September 2001, the Traffic Committee reviewed the conditions on Garvey Avenue
South and Cherrywood Street and recommended installing several additional -traffic
control devices, such as enhanced line striping, pavement markings, Botts' dots, and
signage (see Attachment No. 1). The speed -limit on Garvey Avenue South was also
decreased from 40 mph to 35 mph at that time.
At the November 23, 2004 City of West Covina Town Hall meeting, residents abutting
Cherrywood Street and Garvey Avenue, South voiced their concerns regarding speeding
vehicles and requested the installation of a multi -way stop at the intersection of
Cherrywood Street and James Avenue. The City Council directed staff to review the
recent collisions to determine if any of the collisions were preventable or warrant any
further action and refer the issue to the Traffic Committee.
There were two reported collisions that occurred from January 1, 2004 through
November 30, 2004 which are not considered excessive. Both collisions involved
vehicles traveling eastbound at night on Garvey Avenue South approaching the' curve at
Cherrywood Street. These vehicles apparently off -tracked onto the opposing travel and
parking lanes while maneuvering through the curve and struck the parked vehicles. This
type of collision would not been corrected with the installation of multi -way stop at the
intersection with James Street. The type of collision susceptible to correction by the
multi -way stop installation, include right- and left -turn collisions as well as right-angle
collisions. Also, the street lighting along Garvey Avenue South and Cherrywood Street
has been review and found to be within the standards.
The installation of the multi -way stop at the intersection of Garvey Avenue South and
James Avenue was evaluated using the California Traffic Manual, which showed that
none of the warrants for a multi -way stop were met. On May 20, 2004, the State adopted
Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
(MUTCD) 2003 as amended by the MUTCD 2003 California Supplement. Using the
recently adopted warrants, the intersection was reevaluated utilizing the 2001 data and
found that none of the warrants for the multi -way stop are met (attached). The safe
stopping sight distance of vehicles traveling eastbound on Garvey Avenue South when
approaching James Avenue is partially restricted because of the horizontal alignment of
Garvey Avenue South. The actual sight distance at this intersection is 127 feet and the
I. REQUEST: (Continued)
required safe stopping sight distance based on wet pavement conditions for posted speed
limit of 35 mph is 250 feet. The recommended speed limit due to the curved horizontal
alignment for the eastbound vehicles from Garvey Avenue South to southbound
Cherrywood Street is 15 mph. Except for a few negligent drivers, most vehicles take this
curve at less than 20 mph, which corresponds to a safe stopping sight distance of 110 feet
and less than the actual safe stopping sight distance of 127 feet.
The resident's concern is the excessive speeds that some vehicles travel along Garvey
Avenue South and Cherrywood Street, especially at the 90-degree curves at speeds that
are unsafe that cause them to run off the pavement onto private property or into parked
cars. A solar power amber -flashing beacon could be installed to enhance the existing
curve warning sign to make the change in the horizontal alignment more apparent to the
driver and recognize the need to reduce their speed to negotiate the turn.
In accordance with State Standards, stop signs are not to be used for speed control and
are intended only for use at roadway intersections. The installation of a stop sign on
eastbound Garvey Avenue South at the beginning of the curve is not appropriate
according to State Standards. As an alternative, a multi -way stop may be installed at
Garvey Avenue South and James Street with the proper advanced warning signage even
thought it did not meet the multi -way stop warrants. The unwarranted stop could
increase rear -end collisions due to the limited safe stopping sight distance and may not
eliminate other types of collisions. Once the multi -way stop is installed, the speed limit
on north and southbound Cherrywood Street could be decreased to 25 mph.
TRAFFIC COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
THAT A MULTI -WAY STOP BE INSTALLED AT THE INTERSECTION OF
CHERRYWOOD STREET AND JAMES AVENUE WITH STOP AHEAD
ADVANCE WARNING SIGNS AS PRESCRIBED IN THE STATE STANDARDS.
THAT FLASHING BEACON BE INSTALLED ON EASTBOUND GARVEY
AVENUE SOUTH TO ENHANCE STOP AHEAD ADVANCE WARNING SIGN.
THAT EXISTING BOTTS' DOTS BE EXTENDED TO THE EDGE OF THE
GUTTER ON CHERRYWOOD STREET. .
2
i
CITY OF WEST COVINA
MULTI -WAY STOP WARRANT
Date of Traffic Count: December 1, 2004
Intersection of Cherrywood Street and James Avenue
- A. VOLUME WARRANT SATISFIED NOT SATISFIED X
1 300 or more vehicles per hour (average)
entering intersection from major street approaches
(total of both approaches) for any eight hours , and 247 < 300
2 200 or more combined vehicles and
pedestrians per hour (average) entering
intersection from minor street for the
same eight hours, with 29 < 200
3 An average delay to minor street vehicular
traffic of at least 30 seconds per vehicle
during the maximum hour
None
B. SEVENTY WARRANT SATISFIED
NOT SATISFIED X
When the 85-percentile approach speed of
the major street exceeds 40 mph, the
minimum vehicular volume warrant is
33-mph (85%)
70 percent of the above requirements.
N/A
C. COLLISION WARRANT SATISFIED
NOT SATISFIED X
Five or more collisions of types
susceptible of correction by multi -way
stops within a twelve-month period'.
D. INTERIM MEASURE WARRANT SATISFIED
Where traffic signals are warranted and
urgently needed
(11/01/03 to 10/31/04)
None
NOT SATISFIED X
N/A
` Collision susceptible to correction by the multi -way. stop installation, include right- and left -turn collisions as well
as right-angle collisions.
3
1
JAMES AVE. AND CHERRYWOOD ST.
SAFE STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE ANALYSIS
Proposed additional curve warning sign.
Li
1 �\
MPH
Safe Stopping Sight Distance
15
73 feet
20
110 feet
25
150 feet
30
195 feet
FT5_1
250 feet
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