cut through trafficPREPARED BY: MATT MORLEY
Director of Parks and Public Works
Reviewed by: Assistant Town Manager Town Attorney Finance
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2016\06-07-16\Cut Through Traffic\Staff Report - Cut Through Traffic FINAL.docx6/2/2016 3:03 PM MM
MEETING DATE: 06/07/16
ITEM NO: 12
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
DATE: JUNE 2, 2016
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: APPROVE A PILOT CLOSURE OF A PORTION OF SOUTH SANTA CRUZ
AVENUE TO ADDRESS CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve a pilot closure of a portion of South Santa Cruz Avenue to address cut through traffic.
BACKGROUND:
Summer weather has brought the return of cut through traffic to the Town as residents in the greater Bay
Area seek to travel over Highway 17 to Santa Cruz. Staff continues to look for ways to lessen the
impact of this traffic. One option suggested frequently by community members is the closure of South
Santa Cruz Avenue. The idea behind this closure is to eliminate the opportunity for vehicles to bypass
Highway 17 through the downtown. The downtown and neighboring residential streets receive the
greatest impact from cut through traffic. As with many of the modifications to address cut through
traffic, tradeoffs exist.
DISCUSSION:
Staff has developed a plan for the closure of South Santa Cruz Avenue at Wood Road. This is the most
southerly part of South Santa Cruz Avenue abutting Caltrans right of way. In developing the plan, staff
explored various locations for a potential closure. Several items were taken into consideration that led
to the recommended location, including:
Avoiding Caltrans right of way: Caltrans has an involved process for closing an on-ramp which
includes significant studies. Actual closures occur infrequently.
Minimizing the impact on Town businesses: The proposed closure location allows for access to
local businesses including the Toll House, Ace Hardware, and others.
Providing for a turnaround: Staff anticipates the need to redirect some vehicles back to
Highway 9. The closure location needs to provide enough space to accommodate this.
PAGE 2
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: PILOT CLOSURE OF A PORTION OF SOUTH SANTA CRUZ AVENUE
JUNE 2, 2016
DISCUSSION (cont’d):
Accommodating traffic exiting the freeway from northbound Highway 17 at South Santa Cruz
Avenue: It is important that access to the downtown from Highway 17 is preserved for
residents and businesses.
The identified location at Wood Road accounts for these considerations. The diagram provided in
Attachment 1 demonstrates the preliminary plan. Through the use of traffic cones and barricades, a
traffic circle would be constructed to provide for a U-turn and to accommodate exiting freeway traffic
and traffic from Wood Road. This would remain in place on designated days from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Other locations that were considered included the portion of South Santa Cruz Avenue adjacent to Plaza
Park and locations along North Santa Cruz between Main Street and Highway 9. These were not
ultimately recommended as each allows for cut through routes within neighborhoods to avoid the
closure, affect businesses more significantly, and/ or provide challenges for traffic exiting Highway 17
northbound.
Keys to Success
This plan has been coordinated with the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department and with County
Fire to ensure consideration of public safety. County Fire has asked that the closure be staffed to allow
for moving of the cones or barricades in the case of emergency access needs. Town Parks and Public
Works staff or a Town contractor would be working at the closure site to respond to immediate needs in
the field.
This plan relies on informing drivers prior to their arriving at the closure location. Staff believes that
having vehicles reach the closure and then having them turn around will significantly compound the
traffic issue in the downtown. To achieve appropriate levels of notification, staff intends to deploy six
changeable message signs on Highway 9, North Santa Cruz Avenue, University Avenue, and Los Gatos
Boulevard. These signs will direct traffic to enter Highway 17 at Highway 9.
In addition to signage, staff will input a road closure into Waze to assist with pre-emption of that system.
This will serve to notice users of that system, directing those users to other routes.
Risks
The most significant risk to the pilot is if warnings do not adequately convince drivers of the closure.
This could lead to significantly compounded traffic in the downtown as drivers who reach Wood Road
are forced back through the area. Staff anticipates that early in the closure more drivers will be forced to
turn around and anticipate that other mobile applications will identify the closure for drivers later in the
morning, leading to a greater benefit in the afternoon. Should this pilot not function as intended, staff
can remove the cones and barricades fairly quickly and easily.
On weekends with especially heavy traffic, such as holiday weekends, staff does not anticipate that a
closure with cones and barricades will be sufficient. During these weekends more significant barriers
may be needed to redirect traffic.
PAGE 3
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: PILOT CLOSURE OF A PORTION OF SOUTH SANTA CRUZ AVENUE
JUNE 2, 2016
DISCUSSION (cont’d):
This pilot project does not address traffic on local streets from Lark Avenue to Highway 9 and on
Highway 9 towards the City of Saratoga. By eliminating South Santa Cruz Avenue as an entry point to
Highway 17, staff anticipates greater queuing north of Highway 9 and into Saratoga. This may shift the
greatest impact to those areas and create cut through traffic in other locations.
Staff has heard mixed input from downtown businesses in relation to traffic. Some businesses benefit
from the increased traffic while others feel the impact from locals not trying to reach them due to traffic
levels. It is important to retain the welcoming charm of downtown for the health of the businesses
there.
This pilot program is resource intensive. An important factor in continuing the effort includes the
degree of success balanced with the financial cost and resulting impacts that spread through other
locations. The estimated costs as provided in the fiscal impact section below reflect providing these
services through the use of a contractor. Planning and coordination will involve a significant amount of
staff time. Although staff time for a pilot can be absorbed in the operating budget, the hours spent on
this project pull from other efforts.
Timing
In order to deliver this pilot project, staff will need to contract with a traffic control company to provide
the setup, breakdown, and monitoring of the traffic control equipment. Funding for this project is
identified in next year’s capital budget and will be available starting July 1. Staff recommends
implementation for the weekend of July 16 and 17. Evaluation of the effectiveness and available
funding would determine if future closures are to occur. More regular closures would also require
Caltrans coordination and approval.
ALTERNATIVES
The Council could direct staff to conduct the closure at an alternative location along Santa Cruz Avenue.
Staff has not recommended other locations as the Wood Road location eliminates all cut through routes
and alternate closure locations leave cut through options open.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Council approve the proposed pilot to close access to the southbound ramp to
Highway 17 as described in this report. The Council is welcome to provide additional comments and
direction on the proposed closure. The pilot would provide useful information that could be considered
as the Town explores other strategies to address cut through traffic.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
PAGE 4
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: PILOT CLOSURE OF A PORTION OF SOUTH SANTA CRUZ AVENUE
JUNE 2, 2016
COORDINATION:
This report has been coordinated with the Police Department and County Fire.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding for this project is identified in the Fiscal Year 2016-17 Capital Improvement Budget. Costs are
estimated at $7,000 per day which includes personnel and equipment for eight hours each day.
Attachment:
1. Draft Closure of a Portion of South Santa Cruz Avenue