HomeMy WebLinkAbout12. Stewart & Gray Speed Limits
AGENDA MEMO
DATE:
November 23, 2010
TO:
Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Office of the City Manager
By: John Oskoui, P.E., Director of Public Works
SUBJECTORDINANCE AMENDINGSPEED LIMITS FOR STEWART & GRAY
:
ROAD BETWEEN THE WEST CITY LIMIT AND FIRESTONE
BOULEVARD
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council introduce:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY
AMENDING SECTION 3186 OF THE DOWNEY MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING
TO SPEED LIMITS ON STEWART & GRAY ROAD
.
BACKGROUND:
The California Vehicle Code (CVC) requires Engineering and Traffic (E&T) surveys be
conducted periodically for roadway segments in order to post speed limits and allow
enforcement by RADAR. Roadway segments that require surveys are non-local streets
as defined in the federal-aid system maps administered by the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA).
There are three basic means by which speed limits are established. First, the CVC
identifies speed limits which apply as a maximum, in the event that no other condition is
met to establish the speed limit as less than the maximum. The current maximum limits
in California are 65 miles per hour (mph) on local routes and 70 mph on State highways.
Second, the CVC establishes specific prima facie speed limits for streets when certain
conditions are met (such as residential streets set at 25 mph). The prima facie speed
limits do not need speed studies or speed limit signs to be posted in order to be
enforced. For purposes of setting prima facie speed limits, all streets must be “local”
streets based on functional usage as defined by the FHWA and meet the CVC criterion
for the minimum number of residential dwellings per mile.
Third, in order to post a speed limit which varies from the maximum speed limit or a
prima facie speed limit and allow enforcement by RADAR, the speed must be
established based on an E&T survey. The purpose of the E&T survey is to determine a
speed limit which is both reasonable and safe. Stewart & Gray Road is a secondary
arterial road for its entire length within the City of Downey, which requires the
preparation of an E&T survey in order to establish RADAR-enforceable speed limits on
this street.
CITY OF DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA
Mayor and Members of the City Council
Ordinance Amending Speed Limits for Stewart & Gray Road
November 23, 2010
Page 2
DISCUSSION:
The E&T surveys for Stewart & Gray Road have recently been completed, and the
results were presented to the Public Works Committee on October 21, 2010. After a
brief discussion of the E&T survey results, the Public Works Committee voted
unanimously to recommend approval of the proposed speed limits to the City Council as
presented below. The existing posted speed limits are also provided in the table below
for comparison.
Stewart & Gray Road Proposed Speed Limits
LimitsSpeed(mph)
Remarks
FromToCurrent Proposed
West City Limit Old River School Rd. 3535No change
Old River School Rd. Rives Ave. 3535No change
Rives Ave. Paramount Blvd. 3535No change
Paramount Blvd. Downey Ave. 3535No change
Downey Ave. Brookshire Ave. 3535No change
Brookshire Ave. Lakewood Blvd. 3535No change
Lakewood Blvd. Bellflower Blvd. 3535No change
Bellflower Blvd. Woodruff Ave. 4035Decrease
Woodruff Ave. Firestone Blvd. 4035Decrease
It is proposed that the existing 35 mph speed limit remain unchanged for the portion of
Stewart & Gray Road between the West City Limit and Bellflower Boulevard. The
segments of Stewart & Gray Road between Bellflower Boulevard and Woodruff Avenue,
as well as between Woodruff Avenue and Firestone Boulevard will be reduced by 5 mph,
from 40 mph to 35 mph.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The proposed ordinance will require four new speed limit sign installations. The
estimated cost for implementing said changes is $500.00. Sufficient funds are available
in the Public Works Department Account 10-3145 (Traffic and Street Maintenance
Program).
Attachment:
Ordinance
S:\AgendaMemosCC2010\11-23-10\S & G spd lim - Intro Ord
ORDINANCE NO. 10-
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY AMENDING
SECTION 3186 OF THE DOWNEY MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO THE SPEED
LIMITS ON STEWART & GRAY ROAD.
WHEREAS
, the California Vehicle Code (CVC) requires Engineering and Traffic (E&T)
surveys to be conducted periodically for streets such as Stewart & Gray Road in order to post
speed limits and allow enforcement by RADAR; and
WHEREAS
, the City of Downey has recently completed E&T surveys for Stewart & Gray
Road, from the west City limit to Firestone Boulevard; and
WHEREAS
, the results of the recently completed E&T surveys justify maintaining a 35
mph speed limit along Stewart & Gray Road, between the west City limit and Bellflower
Boulevard, and reducing the speed limit from 40 mph to 35 mph along Stewart & Gray Road,
between Bellflower Boulevard and Firestone Boulevard.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY DOES
HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS
:
SECTION 1.
The City Council does hereby approve the Engineering and Traffic
surveys for Stewart & Gray Road, which were completed on October 11, 2010, and are
incorporated herein by this reference.
SECTION 2.
Subsection g) of Section 3186 of the Downey Municipal Code is hereby
amended to read as follows:
g)“Stewart & Gray Road. Between the westerly City limit and Firestone Boulevard, the
prima facie speed limit shall be thirty-five (35) miles per hour.”
SECTION 3.
The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and shall
cause the same to be published or posted as required by law. A certified original of same shall
also be forwarded to the City Traffic Engineer.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED
thisday of , 2010.
___________________________________
ANNE M. BAYER, Mayor
ATTEST:
KATHLEEN L. MIDSTOKKE, City Clerk
ORDINANCE NO. 10-
PAGE TWO
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss:
CITY OF DOWNEY )
I HEREBY CERTIFY
that the foregoing Ordinance No. 10- was introduced at
rd
a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Downey held on the 23 day of November,
2010, and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Downey held on the
day of , 2010, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Council Members:
NOES: Council Member:
ABSENT: Council Member:
ABSTAIN: Council Member:
I FURTHER CERTIFY
that a Summary of the foregoing Ordinance No. , was
published in the Downey Patriot, a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Downey, on
________________, 2010 (after introduction), and on ______________, 2010 (after adoption,
including the vote thereon). It was also posted in the regular posting places in the City of
Downey on the same dates.
__________________________________
KATHLEEN L. MIDSTOKKE, City Clerk