HomeMy WebLinkAbout03. Update Traffic Calming
AGENDA MEMO
DATE:
March 9, 2010
TO:
Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Office of the City Manager
By: Brian A. Ragland, Director of Public Works
SUBJECT: TRAFFIC CALMING PROGRAM UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council receive and file this report.
DISCUSSION:
In response to numerous vehicle speeding and high traffic volume reports and
complaints from citizens in many of the City’s residential areas, the City Council directed
staff to develop a Traffic Calming Program (Program). To that end, staff developed a
program where citizens with traffic related complaints could fill out and submit to the
City Manager’s office a Traffic Calming Request Form (Form or Forms) describing the
location, days and times and description of the problem. The Forms were separated by
council district and then reviewed to ensure that they met the criteria of the Program.
The Program then called for each of the council members to meet with Public Works
Department traffic engineering staff to review the Forms pertaining to their district. Each
Council Member would then select a number of locations and direct staff to further
evaluate the given locations by conducting RADAR speed surveys and 24-hour traffic
volume counts. Once the data collection is completed, the results would be compared
to the City’s adopted Traffic Calming criteria and the appropriate course of action would
then be taken for each location.
Up to two locations will ultimately be selected by each Council Member for the
appropriate traffic calming treatment. Staff will evaluate each of the chosen final
locations for consideration of permanent traffic calming measures, which will include the
installation of two sets of solar-powered vehicle speed feedback signs (see attached) in
each of the council districts. Meanwhile, requests will be submitted to the Police
Department to work the final locations selected by each of the Council Members for
focused enforcement against speed violators and periodic deployment of the speed
awareness trailers.
CITY OF DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA
Mayor and Members of the City Council
Traffic Calming Program Update
March 9, 2010
Page 2
FINANCIAL IMPACT
:
The Fiscal Year 2009/2010 Capital Improvement Program budget includes $100,000 in
Gas Tax Funds for this project. However, the City has recently been notified that a
grant application submitted to Caltrans in October of 2009 has resulted in the award of a
$180,000 grant specifically for the procurement and installation of solar-powered vehicle
speed feedback signs at 10 locations throughout the City. It is anticipated that the funds
will become available in four to six months and the feedback signs can be installed and
operating within eight months.
Attachment:
Solar-powered Vehicle Speed Feedback Signs
S:\AgendaMemosCC2010\03-09-09\Traffic Calming Program Update.doc
SOLAR-POWERED VEHICLE SPEED FEEDBACK SIGN