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Staff Report PREPARED BY: Lisa Petersen Assistant Parks and Public Works Director/Town Engineer Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, Finance Director, and Parks and Public Works Director 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: 04/03/2018 ITEM NO: 03 DATE: MARCH 22, 2018 TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER SUBJECT: ACCEPT THE REPORT ON THE TEMPORARY INSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES FOR COLLEGE AVENUE BETWEEN JONES ROAD AND PAGEANT WAY RECOMMENDATION: Accept the report on the temporary installation of traffic calming devices for College Avenue between Jones Road and Pageant Way. BACKGROUND: Residents of College Avenue between Jones Road and Pageant Way submitted a petition in 2016 to be considered for a traffic calming project. Staff reviewed the petition, then collected speed and traffic count data to determine if this street qualified for the traffic calming program. According to the Town’s Traffic Calming Policy, the 85th percentile speeds of vehicles traveling through the neighborhood must exceed the posted speed limit by 5 miles per hour (MPH), or the average daily traffic volume must exceed 1,500 vehicles per day. Based on the data collected, College Avenue qualified for the traffic calming program because of vehicle speeds. This project request was placed on a waiting list while other traffic calming projects were being processed or completed. DISCUSSION: Staff conducted neighborhood meetings on May 18, July 20, and December 6, 2017. Residents, including residents of other segments of College Avenue, College Terrace, Jones PAGE 2 OF 4 SUBJECT: ACCEPT THE REPORT ON THE TEMPORARY INSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES FOR COLLEGE AVENUE BETWEEN JONES ROAD AND PAGEANT WAY MARCH 22, 2018 C:\Users\slombardo\Downloads\Accept_the_Report_on_Temp_Traffic_Calming_on_College_Avenue_V3.docx 3/29/2018 3:37 PM LP DISCUSSION (cont’d): Road, Reservoir Road, Prospect Avenue, Oak Grove Avenue and Euclid Avenue were mailed notices of the meetings. The Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department (LGMSPD) and Santa Clara County Fire Department (SCCFD) were present at each meeting to provide feedback on the impact of the traffic calming devices on the neighborhood’s streets and answer residents’ questions and concerns. At the first meeting, staff presented data on the traffic speeds and reviewed the Town’s Traffic Calming policy process. The attending neighborhood residents, including residents of College Terrace, Prospect Avenue, Oak Grove Avenue and Euclid Avenue, discussed their concerns regarding speeding, traffic enforcement, the behavior of bicyclists and pedestrians on College Avenue, and other traffic issues in the neighborhood. Traffic generated by Testarossa Winery, Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, and Summerhill construction was also cited as a problem. Residents discussed potential traffic calming options to slow speeding drivers, which included installing stop signs on College Avenue at College Terrace, speed humps, additional signing and striping, as well as installation of radar speed sign(s). At the second meeting, staff presented three potential traffic calming plans (TCPs) to address the speeding, which included speed humps, stops signs, and striping changes. A representative from SCCFD provided residents with information regarding speed humps and the potential for response time delay. Staff provided information on who is eligible to vote for the TCPs and surveyed eligible voting residents to see if there was a consensus on a TCP. The consensus among the residents from the voting area in attendance was to eliminate a three-speed hump option. However, the residents in attendance did not come to a consensus regarding the remaining two options (two speed humps or two speed humps with a three-way stop). Residents agreed to a third meeting to discuss the issue further. At the third meeting, a majority of eligible voting residents agreed to install two speed humps along College Avenue between Jones Road and Pageant Way to slow traffic. Additionally, a short double yellow centerline along the curve near 59 College Avenue will be installed to guide drivers through the curve. A neighborhood vote was conducted to confirm if residents favored this traffic calming proposal. Staff mailed out ballots on January 26, 2018 to 31 residents on College Avenue between Jones Road and Pageant Way, with a requested due date of February 15, 2018. Staff received 15 timely responses (14-1 in support) and 3 additional responses after the due date. PAGE 3 OF 4 SUBJECT: ACCEPT THE REPORT ON THE TEMPORARY INSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES FOR COLLEGE AVENUE BETWEEN JONES ROAD AND PAGEANT WAY MARCH 22, 2018 C:\Users\slombardo\Downloads\Accept_the_Report_on_Temp_Traffic_Calming_on_College_Avenue_V3.docx 3/29/2018 3:37 PM LP DISCUSSION (cont’d): The outcome of the vote met and exceeded the required super majority support rate required by the Town’s Traffic Calming Policy. The vote breakdown for this traffic calming proposal, including all 18 responses, was as follows: Approve of proposal - 89% Against proposal - 11% Upon Council acceptance of this report, staff will schedule installation of the temporary devices on College Avenue this summer, pending availability of paving contractors. Four to six months after installation, staff will conduct a traffic study on College Avenue between Jones Road and Pageant Way to determine the effectiveness of these devices. Additionally, to address residents’ concerns, staff will conduct before and after traffic counts on Prospect Avenue to assess the impact of the installation of the speed humps, if any. Staff will then contact the same residents to inform them of the new data collected, and ask for their vote to support or deny making these devices permanent. CONCLUSION: Staff recommends the Town Council accept the report on the temporary installation of traffic calming devices for College Avenue between Jones Road and Pageant Way. FISCAL IMPACT: The estimated cost of the installation is $25,000 with no additional funds necessary to make the installation permanent. Removal of the installation would cost an additional $5,000 , should that be deemed necessary in the future. Funding for this traffic calming project has been allocated through the adopted FY 2017/18-2021/22 Capital Improvement Program Budget and a Mid-Year addition of $30,000, as shown in the table below. Source Budget GFAR 38,286$ Traffic Calming Projects 38,286$ Total Project Budget 38,286$ Traffic Calming Projects Project 812-9910 PAGE 4 OF 4 SUBJECT: ACCEPT THE REPORT ON THE TEMPORARY INSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES FOR COLLEGE AVENUE BETWEEN JONES ROAD AND PAGEANT WAY MARCH 22, 2018 C:\Users\slombardo\Downloads\Accept_the_Report_on_Temp_Traffic_Calming_on_College_Avenue_V3.docx 3/29/2018 3:37 PM LP ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: This is a project as defined under CEQA, but is Categorically Exempt (Section 15301c). A Notice of Exemption will not be filed.