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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10. Speed Limit Bellflower Blvd & Studebaker Rd. AGENDA MEMO DATE: July 26, 2011 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 ON BELLFLOWER : BOULEVARD AND STUDEBAKER ROAD RECOMMENDATION That the City Council adopt: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY AMENDING SECTION 3186 OF THE DOWNEY MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO SPEED LIMITS ON BELLFLOWER BOULEVARD AND STUDEBAKER ROAD . BACKGROUND At its July 12, 2011 meeting, the City Council introduced an ordinance to amend section 3186 of the Downey Municipal Code (DMC) based upon recommendations from the Public Works Committee and pertinent information presented at the meeting. The amendment was proposed to reflect the speed limit set by the Engineering and Traffic survey results for Bellflower Boulevard and Studebaker Road (see attached Location Map), in accordance with the California Vehicle Code (CVC). The CVC requires Engineering and Traffic 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). Non- local streets are typically more than forty (40) feet wide and have more than one lane in one direction. The surveys assist in updating speed limits to reflect changing roadway and/or traffic conditions, as well as to make appropriate adjustments to complement speed enforcement. Bellflower Boulevard and Studebaker Road are classified as a principal arterial and a minor arterial road, respectively, and each require the preparation of an Engineering and Traffic survey in order to establish a RADAR- enforceable speed limit. DISCUSSION The results of the recently completed (in accordance with the current 2011 California Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices) Engineering and Traffic surveys for Bellflower Boulevard and Studebaker Road were presented to and approved by the CITY OF DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA Mayor and Members of the City Council Ordinance Amending Speed Limits On Bellflower Boulevard and Studebaker Road July 26, 2011 Page 2 Public Works Committee on June 16, 2011. The proposed ordinance will amend the DMC to update the speed limits for Bellflower Boulevard and Studebaker Road. The existing posted speed limits and the proposed speed limits are provided in the table below for comparison. Bellflower Boulevard and Studebaker Road Proposed Speed Limits Speed (mph) Limits StreetCurrentProposeRemarks Bellflower Boulevard*Foster RoadImperial Highway4035Decrease Bellflower BoulevardImperial HighwayStewart & Gray Road4040No Change Bellflower BoulevardStewart & Gray RoadLakewood Boulevard4040No Change Studebaker RoadCecilia StreetFlorence Avenue4040No Change * The speed limit is 25 mph adjacent to school when children are present. It is proposed that a 35 mph speed limit be established for the portion of Bellflower Boulevard between Foster Road and Imperial Highway, whereas the remaining segments under consideration, as well as the length of Studebaker Road, shall remain at 40 mph. FINANCIAL IMPACT The proposed ordinance will require the installation of one pair of new speed limit signs. The estimated cost for implementing said changes is $150. Sufficient funds are available in the Public Works Department Account 10-3145 (Traffic and Street Maintenance Program). Attachments: Ordinance Location Map S:\AgendaMemosCC2011\07-26-11\Bellflower Boulevard and Studebaker Speed Limits - Adopt Ordinance ORDINANCE NO. 11- 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 BELLFLOWER BOULEVARD AND STUDEBAKER ROAD. WHEREAS , the California Vehicle Code (CVC) requires Engineering and Traffic surveys to be conducted periodically for streets such as Bellflower Boulevard and Studebaker Road in order to post speed limits and allow enforcement by RADAR; and WHEREAS , the City of Downey has recently completed Engineering and Traffic surveys for the entire length of Bellflower Boulevard and Studebaker Road, respectively; and NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS : SECTION 1. The City Council does hereby approve the Engineering and Traffic surveys for Bellflower Boulevard and Studebaker Road, which were completed on June 3, 2011, and are incorporated herein by this reference. SECTION 2. Subsection c) and subsection j) of Section 3186 of the Downey Municipal Code are hereby amended to read as follows: c)“Studebaker Road. The prima facie speed limit shall be forty (40) miles per hour.” j)“Bellflower Boulevard. The prima facie speed limit between Foster Road and Imperial Highway shall be thirty-five (35) miles per hour; the prima facie speed limit between Imperial Highway and Lakewood Boulevard shall be forty (40) 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. th APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 26 day of July, 2011. ___________________________________ LUIS H. MARQUEZ, Mayor ATTEST: JOYCE E. DOYLE, INTERIM City Clerk ORDINANCE NO. 11- PAGE TWO STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss: CITY OF DOWNEY ) I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Ordinance No. 11- was introduced at th a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Downey held on the 12 day of July, 2011, th and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Downey held on the 26 day of July , 2011, 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 ________________, 2011 (after introduction), and on ______________, 2011 (after adoption, including the vote thereon). It was also posted in the regular posting places in the City of Downey on the same dates. __________________________________ JOYCE E. DOYLE, INTERIM City Clerk