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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-10-24 e-packet@6:00Wednesday, October 24, 2018 6:00 PM City of South San Francisco P.O. Box 711 (City Hall, 400 Grand Avenue) South San Francisco, CA Municipal Services Building, Council Chambers 33 Arroyo Drive, South San Francisco, CA Special City Council Special Meeting Agenda October 24, 2018Special City Council Special Meeting Agenda NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Section 54956 of the Government Code of the State of California, the City Council of the City of South San Francisco will hold a Special Meeting on Wednesday, October 24, 2018, at 6:00 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, Municipal Services Building, 33 Arroyo Drive, South San Francisco, California. Purpose of the meeting: Call to Order. Call to Order. Agenda Review. Public Comments - comments are limited to items on the Special Meeting Agenda. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS Report regarding Library Board Interviews and Appointments. (Krista Martinelli, City Clerk). 1. Interview Applicants for Library Board: 6:05 p.m.: Alvin Zachariah 6:15 p.m.: Mary Giusti 6:25 p.m.: Liru Chin 6:35 p.m.: Steven Yee 1a. Discussion and consideration of appointment of applicants to the Library Board.1b. Presentation of the Citywide Neighborhood Traffic Management Policy and Procedures. (Richard Cho, Principal Engineer and DKS & Associates) 2. Adjournment. Page 2 City of South San Francisco Printed on 10/22/2018 City of South San Francisco Legislation Text P.O. Box 711 (City Hall, 400 Grand Avenue) South San Francisco, CA File #:18-945 Agenda Date:10/24/2018 Version:1 Item #: Report regarding Library Board Interviews and Appointments. (Krista Martinelli, City Clerk). RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council consider the attached citizen applications for appointment to the open seats on the Library Board.It is further recommended that upon completion of interviews,Council move to appoint two (2) individuals to respective seats on the Board. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION Pursuant to Resolution No.27-2009,the City Council holds biannual recruitments/meetings for the purpose of considering appointments to Boards and Commissions.In August 2018,due to expiration of terms and resignations,the City Clerk’s Office initiated recruitment for several Boards and Commissions.Due to low application turn-out for the majority of the positions,the recruitment has been extended for openings with the exception of the Library Board.The Library Board had a sufficient number of applications and a more pressing need for appointments in light of a vacancy and term expiration. Summary of Library Board openings: •Trustee Lambertson resigned for residency reasons. •Trustee Hansen’s term expired June 6, 2018 and she is not eligible to reapply due to term limits. Library Board Duties and Meeting times The Library Board meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 6:00 p.m.at the Main Library.Trustees are appointed to a three (3)year term with a limit of appointment to four (4)consecutive terms.The Library Board works in conjunction with the Library Director to develop a plan of service,evaluate and advise Council and staff on the need for services and programs and adopt policies as necessary for the administration of the Library. Applications Received The City Clerk’s Office has confirmed the applicants to the Library Board listed below are electors of the City of South San Francisco. •Alvin Zachariah •Mary Giusti •Liru Chin •Steven Yee • CONCLUSION After interviewing the applicants,Council should consider and determine respective appointments to the two City of South San Francisco Printed on 10/18/2018Page 1 of 2 powered by Legistar™ File #:18-945 Agenda Date:10/24/2018 Version:1 Item #: open seats on the Library Board. Attachments: 1.Application of Alvin Zachariah 2.Application of Mary Giusti 3.Application of Liru Chin 4.Application of Steven Yee City of South San Francisco Printed on 10/18/2018Page 2 of 2 powered by Legistar™ City of South San Francisco Legislation Text P.O. Box 711 (City Hall, 400 Grand Avenue) South San Francisco, CA File #:18-979 Agenda Date:10/24/2018 Version:1 Item #:1a. Interview Applicants for Library Board: 6:05 p.m.: Alvin Zachariah 6:15 p.m.: Mary Giusti 6:25 p.m.: Liru Chin 6:35 p.m.: Steven Yee City of South San Francisco Printed on 10/18/2018Page 1 of 1 powered by Legistar™ City of South San Francisco Legislation Text P.O. Box 711 (City Hall, 400 Grand Avenue) South San Francisco, CA File #:18-980 Agenda Date:10/24/2018 Version:1 Item #:1b. Discussion and consideration of appointment of applicants to the Library Board. City of South San Francisco Printed on 10/18/2018Page 1 of 1 powered by Legistar™ City of South San Francisco Legislation Text P.O. Box 711 (City Hall, 400 Grand Avenue) South San Francisco, CA File #:18-807 Agenda Date:10/24/2018 Version:1 Item #:2. Presentation of the Citywide Neighborhood Traffic Management Policy and Procedures.(Richard Cho, Principal Engineer and DKS & Associates) BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION In recent years,Department of Public Works staff fielded an increasing number of complaints and concerns from community members regarding neighborhood traffic.These concerns include excessive vehicular traffic and speeding on local and collector streets in residential areas.The City will soon install speed cushions in the Avalon-Brentwood neighborhood.This is a culmination of a three-year process that involved installation and removal of temporary traffic calming devices as part of a pilot project,preparation of a neighborhood traffic calming plan that included installation of signs and striping,installation and removal of a traffic circle,and extensive public outreach which included three community meetings. Over the past two years,the City received frequent requests for traffic calming from residents across the entire City.It became apparent to City staff that there was a need for a standard policy and process.The purpose of developing a standard policy and process was to bring consistency and fairness to addressing traffic calming requests,to set objective standards,and to provide guidance to the public and City staff on the procedures to follow. Policy Overview The proposed policy was developed using the following objectives:promote safe and convenient travel for pedestrians,bicyclists,and motorists;encourage speed limit compliance;reduce cut-through traffic in residential neighborhoods;balance neighborhood traffic calming with public safety with respect to emergency response times;and apply the correct traffic calming measures that appropriately address identified traffic problems.The proposed Neighborhood Traffic Management (NTM)program will apply only to a subset of City streets.These include local and two-lane collector streets with predominantly residential uses,local and two- lane collector streets fronting schools,community centers,religious institutions,or parks,and some selected minor arterial segments in residential areas. A toolkit of traffic calming measures was developed to address neighborhood traffic calming concerns.The toolkit is divided into two tiers.Tier 1 measures include signs,pavement markings,and roadway striping.Tier 2 measures include physical traffic calming devices such as speed cushions,curb extensions,traffic circles,and mini-roundabouts.Tier 1 measures may be implemented through a review and approval process within the Department of Public Works.Tier 2 measures,which are costlier and potentially more controversial,will require a neighborhood vote to implement. Neighborhood Traffic Management Process The proposed process for addressing neighborhood traffic calming requests and concerns are shown in the attached flowchart.To initiate the process (Step 1),a community member will fill out and submit a standard Traffic Advisory Committee (TAC)form.If the concern is NTM-related,the community member will be directed to gather at least ten signatures of support on a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Petition (Step 2).Upon receiving the successful petition,City staff will conduct an assessment and collect data (Step 3).To proceed to City of South San Francisco Printed on 10/18/2018Page 1 of 2 powered by Legistar™ File #:18-807 Agenda Date:10/24/2018 Version:1 Item #:2. the next step, the location in question must meet at least one of two criteria: ·Speeding: 85th percentile speed exceeds posted speed limit by at least 7 mph ·Cut-through traffic volumes: 1,000+ vehicles per day If the criteria are met,the City will prepare an NTM plan for the area in question (Step 4).This plan may include both Tier 1 and /or Tier 2 measures.Plans will be prepared looking holistically at the neighborhood rather than focusing on a single street to ensure that traffic problems are not simply shifted from one street to the next. The proposed NTM plan will be presented to community members via mailers and,optionally,a neighborhood meeting (Step 5).The City may revise the plan based on feedback received from the public outreach effort. Before implementing any Tier 2 measures,the City will ask for a vote from affected residences and property owners.An affirmative support of two-thirds of the responses received will be required before installing any Tier 2 measures (Step 6)such as speed cushions.If an affirmative support is not received,then only Tier 1 measures will be installed. Tier 1 measures will be funded from the City’s annual TAC budget on a first-come,first-serve basis.If traffic calming requests approved in a single year exceed the TAC fiscal year budget,then such requests will be placed in a queue for the following fiscal year.Tier 2 measures will require approval from the City Council as funding sources will need to be identified and appropriated.An optional step is follow-up data collection to determine whether the installed traffic calming devices are adequately addressing the problem or whether further consideration is needed for additional measures. CONCLUSION The Department of Public Works staff has worked with a traffic consultant, DKS and Associates, to develop a draft Neighborhood Traffic Management Policy and Procedures document that is the topic of this study session. Attachments: 1.Draft Neighborhood Traffic Management Policy 2.Traffic Calming Request Flow Chart 3.Presentation City of South San Francisco Printed on 10/18/2018Page 2 of 2 powered by Legistar™ CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO SEPTEMBER 2018 NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES (DRAFT) 3NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES (DRAFT) | SEPTEMBER 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1.1 Traffic Calming Objectives 1.2 NTM Eligibility 1.3 Traffic Calming Toolkit 1 6 7 7 11 NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROCESS Step 1. Process Initiation And Program Eligibility Assessment Step 2. Neighborhood Traffic Calming Petition Step 3. Initial Assessment Step 4. Prepare Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan Step 5. Public Outreach Step 6. Implementation Step 7. Follow Up Data Collection (Optional) 2 18 18 18 20 21 22 23 23 TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICE REMOVAL3 24 APPENDIX A. Traffic Calming Petition APPENDIX B. Sample BallotA A-1 A-2 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Street and Roadway Classifications FIgure 2. NTM Process F 8 10 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Traffic Calming Measures Toolkit – Tier 1 Measures Table 2. Traffic Calming Measures Toolkit – Tier 2 Measures T 12 14 Appendix A LIST OF ACRONYMS NTM – Neighborhood Traffic Management TAC – Transportation Advisory Committee NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES (DRAFT) | SEPTEMBER 2018 5 1.1 TRAFFIC CALMING OBJECTIVES The City of South San Francisco is implementing this NTM policy with the following objectives: • Promote safe and convenient travel for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists; • Encourage speed limit compliance; • Encourage through traffic to use major arterial routes rather than cutting through residential neighborhoods; • Work with the Police and Fire Departments to balance neighborhood traffic calming with public safety, specifically with respect to emergency response times; and • Apply the least restrictive, least expensive traffic calming measures that are appropriate to address identified traffic problems. 1.2 NTM ELIGIBILITY The NTM policy and program applies mainly to local and two-lane collector streets with predominantly residential uses. Local and collector streets that front schools, community centers, religious institutions, or parks would also be eligible for neighborhood traffic calming. A limited number of streets classified as minor arterials would also be eligible for the program. These selected minor arterial segments have predominantly residential, park, community center, or school uses, unsignalized intersections, and no more than one travel lane in each direction. Figure 1 shows the roadway classifications of streets within the City as identified in the City’s General Plan. Figure 2 highlights those street segments eligible for the NTM program. 76 INTRODUCTION This document presents neighborhood traffic calming policies for the City of South San Francisco. In recent years, City of South San Francisco officials have heard from community members across the city with concerns over excessive speeds and increasing volumes of traffic on residential streets. Much of the increased traffic is believed to come from “cut-through” traffic using neighborhood residential streets as an alternative to nearby congested arterials. Managing these traffic concerns requires a balance between neighborhood quality of life, legitimate use of public streets, and use of City resources. This Neighborhood Traffic Management (NTM) policy is intended to provide a transparent, fair, and consistent process for addressing neighborhood traffic concerns, as well as for identifying and implementing traffic calming projects in residential neighborhoods throughout the city. The NTM policy is intended to accommodate neighborhood input, and seeks to build consensus on traffic calming policies and plans. Finally, the NTM policy identifies objective criteria for NTM eligibility and the prioritization of projects. This NTM policy is intended to address only concerns regarding excessive speeds and traffic volumes in residential neighborhoods. All other traffic concerns, such as requests for parking restrictions, will continue to be addressed by making a request to the City’s Traffic Advisory Committee (TAC). 1 1 CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES (DRAFT) | SEPTEMBER 20188 9 Figure 1. General Plan Street and Roadway Classifications1.3 1.3 TRAFFIC CALMING TOOLKIT There are three main approaches to addressing excessive speeds and volumes on local residential streets: education, enforcement, and engineering. City staff will evaluate each traffic calming request to determine where education (outreach to community groups or institutions) is appropriate and where coordination with the Police Department would be beneficial. The “engineering” approach consists of physical improvements or devices designed to slow or deter motor vehicle traffic. These physical improvements range from relatively simple and inexpensive measures such as additional signage to more involved projects such as speed cushions or traffic circles. The measures in the traffic calming “toolkit” for South San Francisco have been broken down into two tiers: • Tier 1 includes relatively low-cost and less obtrusive measures such as signs, pavement markings, and roadway striping that could be implemented at the discretion of Department of Public Works staff. • Tier 2 includes more extensive measures such as speed cushions, curb extensions, traffic circles or mini-roundabouts that would require neighborhood input before implementation. The measures in each tier are presented in Table 1 and 2, respectively. Note that the traffic calming toolkit does not include the addition of stop signs to intersections. Stop signs are not appropriate tools for traffic calming and should be installed only where warrants specified in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices are met. Adding unwarranted stop signs can induce non-compliant behavior by motorists. CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES (DRAFT) | SEPTEMBER 201810 11 Figure 2. Eligible Neighborhood Traffic Management Streets CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES (DRAFT) | SEPTEMBER 201812 13 Table 1. Traffic Calming Measures Toolkit – Tier 1 Measures Category Traffic Calming Measures Description Examples Concern Addressed Advantages Disadvantages Cost Range Education and Enforcement Strategies Public outreach and education campaigns Public meetings, mailers, social media campaigns and other methods to encourage good driving behavior and awareness of vulnerable populations. Traffic speed • Relies on personal responsibility rather than law enforcement • Can improve neighborhood cohesion • Relatively low-cost • Limited audience (would not impact drivers from outside neighborhood) Varies but generally low Speed Radar Trailer Speed radar trailers remind drivers of their speed with respect to the posted speed limit and can be paired with police enforcement to increase compliance. Traffic speed • Trailers are mobile and can be quickly deployed when and where needed • Moderately effective when combined with enforcement • Inexpensive • Trailers are bulky and require at least one parking spot • Require active enforcement or drivers will learn to disregard • Effectiveness will dissipate over time after trailers are removed Minimal (the City currently owns two speed radar trailers). Signage Regulatory signage Speed limit signs, parking restrictions, vehicle type restrictions. Note: this measure is intended to remind motorists of existing regulations. Changes to speed limits must follow a prescribed regulatory process. Traffic speed • Reminds drivers of traffic laws such as speed limits, parking restrictions, or truck restrictions where signage is currently lacking • Inexpensive • No increase to street maintenance costs (applies to all signage measures) • Effectiveness can wane over time as drivers become used to additional signage Low (approximately $200 per sign) Regulatory Signage Turn restriction signs prohibit specific movements on neighborhood streets. Examples include left or right turn restrictions. Traffic volume • Cost-effective means of reducing cut- through traffic • Redirects traffic to main streets where higher traffic volumes are acceptable • Can be limited to certain times of the day (i.e. peak commute hours) • Possible traffic diversion to other neighborhood streets • Adds signage to the neighborhood • Can limit access to the neighborhood • Affects neighborhood residents as well as cut-through traffic • Requires enforcement Low (approximately $200 per sign) High-visibility signs Upgrades existing signage with higher visibility versions. This can be done using a fluorescent yellow-green background on applicable signs, as well as flashing lights either above or below, or integrated into the sign. Typically, these flashing lights are the same color as the background of the sign (flashing red on stop signs, flashing yellow on pedestrian crossing signs, etc.). Traffic speed • Increases visibility of an existing sign making it more prominent to the passing driver. The sign is less likely to “blend in” to the surroundings • Inexpensive • Can bring attention to a troubled area at night, where an existing sign might be poorly illuminated • May not address root concern • May increase driver distraction Medium (approximately $2,000 for solar powered sign) Speed feedback signs These signs are a more permanent version of the speed radar trailer described above. Like the trailer, they remind drivers of the speed limit by broadcasting the vehicle’s speed as it passes, compared to the limit. Flashing speed feedback signs flash a bright light when the speed limit is exceeded. Traffic speed • Public display of excess speed to drivers can be effective in reducing speeds, especially when combined with targeted enforcement efforts • Requires little space compared to speed feedback trailers • Can lose effectiveness over time as drivers become used to permanent speed feedback signs • Vulnerable to vandalism • Flashing signs may be inappropriate for residential streets due to light exposure impacts High ($8,000- $12,000 for solar- powered sign; $15,000-$20,000 for flashing sign) CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES (DRAFT) | SEPTEMBER 201814 15 Category Traffic Calming Measures Description Examples Concern Addressed Advantages Disadvantages Cost Range Roadway markings Speed legends Speed legends painted on the roadway can catch the eye of drivers who might miss the sign posted on the side of the road. Traffic speed • Reinforces the speed limit directly in front of the driver. • Easy to install and relatively inexpensive • Only moderately effective in reducing speeds (brings speed limit to drivers’ attention but does not force or motivate compliance) Low ($500 per location) Striping, lane definition or narrowing This treatment uses paint to widen parking or bike lanes, add buffers between traffic and parking or bike lanes, or widen a painted median. The purpose is to constrict the width of the travel lanes, reducing driver comfort and thus speeds. Paint can help narrow travel lanes while still allowing flexibility and mobility for trucks and parking traffic. Traffic speed • Can be installed quickly • Easy to remove compared to a hardscape improvement • Adding buffers to bike lanes and parking improves comfort for cyclists and parking drivers. • Increased regular maintenance • Increases resurfacing costs • Only moderately effective Low ($0.15 per linear foot) High visibility crosswalks High-visibility crosswalks incorporate a striped pattern that catches motorists’ attention. Yield lines consisting of rows of triangles may also be added in advance of crosswalks. It is City policy to discourage such crosswalks at mid-block locations (studies have shown that these devices can give pedestrians a false sense of security when placed mid-block). In addition, high visibility crosswalks are to be used only at locations with curb ramps. Traffic speed • Increased crosswalk visibility and motorist awareness • Indicates preferred crossing locations to pedestrians • Can create a false sense of security for pedestrians • Increased maintenance costs compared to regular crosswalks • Should be well lit Medium ($2,500 average cost each) Table 2. Traffic Calming Measures Toolkit – Tier 2 Measures Category Traffic Calming Measures Description Examples Concern Addressed Advantages Disadvantages Cost Range Vertical hardscape Speed humps or cushions Speed humps or speed cushions are asphalt mounds constructed on the roadway surface, typically are 3 inches high and 14 feet long. The distinguishing feature of speed cushions are cutouts designed to let vehicles with wide wheel bases pass through without traveling over the raised surface. However, not all emergency vehicles are able to take advantage of this feature. Traffic speed and volume • Effectively slows vehicles • Can result in decrease of traffic volumes • Slows emergency response times • Requires advance warning signs • Increases noise near speed cushion • Can result in traffic diversion to other neighborhood streets • May pose problem for bicyclists High (approximately $10,000-$15,000 each with required signage) Speed table/raised crosswalk A speed table or raised crosswalk is a speed hump with a flat section in the middle and ramps on the ends. These are sometimes constructed with brick or other textured materials on the flat section. Traffic speed and volume • Improves safety for both vehicles and pedestrians • Upgrades to pavement texture can have positive aesthetic value • Effective in reducing speeds • If used, textured materials can be expensive • Impact to drainage needs to be considered • Textured pavement can increase noise to adjacent residences High (approximately $10,000-$15,000 each with required signage) Need to replace photo to show more standard design in FINAL version CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES (DRAFT) | SEPTEMBER 201816 17 Category Traffic Calming Measures Description Examples Concern Addressed Advantages Disadvantages Cost Range Raised intersection A raised intersection is a flat, raised area covering an entire intersection with ramps on an all approaches. The plateau is generally about 4 inches high. Typically, raised intersections are finished with textured pavement. Traffic speed • Effectively reduces vehicle speeds • Enhances pedestrian safety • Can be aesthetically pleasing • Expensive to construct and maintain • Requires drainage modifications • Affects emergency vehicle response time • May require bollards around corners High ($35,000 to $80,000 per intersection) Horizontal hardscape Chicanes or lateral shift Chicanes are a series of curb extensions that alternate from one side of the street to the other, forming S-shaped curves. A lateral shift is the construction of curb extensions into the roadway that creates a horizontal deflection drivers must negotiate. Traffic speed • Effective in reducing vehicle speeds • Can accommodate landscaping and other amenities • Street sweeping may need to be done manually • Can impact parking and driveway access • May reduce the number of on-street parking spaces. • Increased maintenance • May create opportunities for head-on conflicts on narrow streets • Should not extend into designated bicycle lanes High ($10,000 to $100,000, depending on site conditions and design of project) Curb extension or intersection bulbout Extensions at midblock or intersection corners that narrow a street by extending the sidewalk or widening the planting strips. Traffic speed • Effective in reducing vehicle speeds • Reduces pedestrian crossing width and increases visibility of pedestrian. • Opportunity for landscaping. • Can impact parking and driveway access • Bicyclists and motor vehicles must share narrowed travel way • Requires landscape maintenance at intersections to preserve adequate sight distance • Expensive to install and remove High ($25,000- $50,000 or more, depending on design of project) Intersection Control Neighborhood Traffic Circle Neighborhood traffic circles use physical elements in the center of low volume intersections to control traffic speeds. Traffic circles be installed using simple markings or raised islands, but are best applied in conjunction with planting that beautify the street and the surrounding neighborhood. Careful attention should be paid to the available lane width and turning radius used with traffic circles. Traffic circles can be stop or yield controlled. Traffic speed; stop sign compliance • Increase safety at intersections. • Requires less space than larger roundabouts, existing intersections can be retrofitted more easily • Can enhance neighborhood aesthetics • May increase bicycle/automobile conflicts. • Can increase emergency vehicle response time. • Can restrict large vehicle access (should avoid bus routes) • Expensive to install High ($15,000 for a temporary traffic circle and $40,000-$50,000 for a permanent installation) Mini-roundabout Similar to a neighborhood traffic circle, a mini-roundabout uses a raised circular island to require vehicles to slow down to maneuver through the intersection. Mini roundabouts typically are yield controlled and use painted or raised splitter islands to angle traffic into the roundabout. Traffic speed • Effectively reduces vehicle speeds. • Reduced potential for collisions. • Increased access for side streets. • Landscaping opportunity • Minimal noise impacts • Can reduce delay and noise at stop- controlled intersections that do not meet signal warrants • Loss of parking. • Expensive • Possible decrease in emergency response times. • Potential increased conflicts between bicycles and automobiles • Potential increased maintenance • May require additional right-of-way High ($50,000 to $5,000,000) STEP STEP STEP Optional follow-up data collection TA C Request Form NTMP Eligible? Data Collection and Field Evaluation Meets trac calming criteria? Completed Trac Calming Petition Received? City/Consultant sta prepare Neighborhood Trac Management Plan Tier 1 measures from NTM Plan considered for installation Both Tier 1 and Tier 2 measures considered for installation Public outreach (Optional community meeting) Aected residents support? City sta informs of need for completed petition No: Area referred for targeted enforcement TAC considers at next scheduled meeting City sta responds with request for Trac Calming Petition Public Works Sta Review N N N N Y Y Y Y Figure 3. Neighborhood Traffic Management Process 1918 NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROCESS An overview of the neighborhood traffic management process is shown in Figure 3 and described in more detail below. STEP 1. PROCESS INITIATION AND PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY ASSESSMENT Community members with neighborhood traffic management concerns can initiate the process by filling out a Traffic Advisory Committee request form, accessible on the City’s website. City staff will evaluate whether the request is related to neighborhood traffic management (excess speeds and volumes). If so, City staff will inform the community member that a traffic calming petition is needed from the affected block for the City to initiate a traffic calming study. If the traffic concern is other than neighborhood traffic management, it will be considered by the Traffic Advisory Committee at its next scheduled meeting. STEP 2. NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC CALMING PETITION City staff will provide the concerned community member with a traffic calming petition form. The City will require at least ten signatures of support from residents of the affected block (both sides facing a street between intersections) to initiate the neighborhood traffic management process.1 Only one signature per household from community members currently residing at each street address is necessary. A signature of support on the traffic calming petition is not a commitment to a specific traffic calming measure being installed. Rather, the petitions are intended as an indication of community agreement that a problem exists and that the City should commit resources to addressing the situation. A copy of the traffic calming petition form may be found in the appendix to this report. 1 Exceptions may be made for very short blocks or those with institutional land uses such as parks or schools. 2 2120CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO STEP 3. INITIAL ASSESSMENT Once a completed traffic calming petition has been received, Department of Public Works staff will conduct an initial assessment of conditions. The assessment will include a field visit, collection of traffic speed and volume measurements and a review of collision history in the area. Upon completion of the assessment, City staff will inform the lead contact person from the traffic calming petition whether the location in question meets criteria for traffic calming. The relevant criteria are as follows: • For concerns regarding excess speeds, the criterion is that the 85th percentile speed of all vehicles in the affected location(s) exceeds the posted speed limit by 7 miles per hour (mph). For a street with a posted speed limit of 25 mph, for example, 15 percent of the vehicular traffic would be traveling at or above 32 mph. • For concerns regarding excess traffic volumes, including suspected “cut-through” traffic (traffic with neither an origin nor destination within the residential neighborhood bounded by major arterial streets), the criterion is a minimum of 1,000 vehicles per day. This is roughly comparable to the daily trip generation expected from 100 single family residences and is considered a reasonable amount of traffic for a residential street to carry. The 1,000 vehicle-per day criterion has also been used as the standard by several other Bay Area cities. At least one criterion must be satisfied for the City to proceed with developing a NTM plan for the affected area. Note that satisfaction of a criterion does not guarantee that a specific traffic calming measure will be implemented. If traffic calming is found to be warranted, the process will proceed to the next step. If not, the location will be referred to the Police Department for targeted enforcement. STEP 4. PREPARE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN At this stage of the process, community members are in agreement that there is a traffic issue and City staff have confirmed that the magnitude of the problem meets the criteria for traffic calming. The next step is for the City to prepare a neighborhood traffic calming plan addressing traffic calming needs for both the location(s) identified in the petition(s)2 and, if appropriate, the surrounding neighborhood. In identifying appropriate measures for traffic calming, staff/consultants will assess whether placing traffic calming devices on one street has the potential to shift traffic to alternative routes within the neighborhood. In this case, implementing traffic calming measures in just the location described in the traffic calming petition could simply shift the problem from one location to another. To avoid this outcome, neighborhood traffic management plans will assess neighborhoods as a whole. NTM plans may provide for traffic calming devices to be placed throughout a neighborhood but installation may occur in phases to see whether excess traffic diversion occurs after the initial placement of devices. Neighborhood traffic management plans will draw from the toolbox of measures listed in Tables 1 and 2. At a minimum, plans will include Tier 1 measures such as roadway markings and signage. Tier 2 measures such as speed cushions may also be included based on engineering judgement and the nature of the traffic issue (speeding, excessive cut-through traffic, or other). The factors considered in selecting Tier 2 measures include but are not limited to availability of public right-of-way, volume of pedestrian crossings, presence of bus or bicycle routes, and availability of funding. Of the Tier 2 measures, speed cushions or humps are the easiest and lowest cost devices to address speeding issues and will likely be the most frequently recommended traffic calming device. However, each location will be evaluated on its unique characteristics. Plans will be prepared in consultation with the Police and Fire Departments to avoid undue impacts on emergency response times. Traffic calming devices may be thought of as amenities that aid motorists in obeying traffic regulations already in place. Streets should already be meeting all applicable design standards prior to installation of traffic calming devices. If the City identifies a design deficiency during the preparation of an NTM plan, this issue will be addressed outside the NTM process. NTM plans will consist of the following: a definition of the study area or neighborhood, a summary of data collected and traffic conditions, a description of the proposed traffic calming measures, a map locating traffic calming devices throughout the neighborhood, and conceptual designs or diagrams as necessary. 2 If the City receives several petitions from the same neighborhood within a short period of time, these will be grouped together and addressed comprehensively as one project. CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES (DRAFT) | SEPTEMBER 201822 23 STEP 5. PUBLIC OUTREACH After a draft NTM plan is developed, the community will be informed of the proposed measures. Every address in the neighborhood covered by the plan will receive an informational flier summarizing the plan with links to the NTM plan document on the City’s website. Community members will be provided direct contact information to use in providing feedback. If the NTM plan is extensive, an optional community meeting will be held so that City staff and consultants can present the plan and receive feedback in person. Time and location for any public meetings will be provided by mail and through the City’s social media outlets. Based on feedback received through the public outreach process, the NTM plan may be modified to address community concerns. The revised NTM plan will be again circulated to the community. To ensure that most neighborhood residents are supportive of any Tier 2 measures (for example, speed cushions or traffic circles) in a NTM plan, a ballot will be mailed to all affected addresses.3 Affected addresses are defined as any property within 500 feet of a proposed Tier 2 traffic calming device or intersection modification. A sample ballot form is shown in Appendix B. Ballots may be returned by mail, dropped off at the Department of Public Works, or scanned and returned via email within two weeks. The City will require affirmative support from two thirds of the responses received before considering implementation of Tier 2 measures. If the two-thirds support is not received, the City will consider only Tier 1 measures (roadway markings and signage) for implementation. 3 A separate ballot will be mailed to each multifamily unit at the same street address. Nonresident property owners may also request and submit a ballot. STEP 6. IMPLEMENTATION Tier 1 measures can generally be installed relatively quickly, with City maintenance staff handling measures such as sign installation, for example. Approved and funded Tier 2 measures will be bid and constructed according to the City’s standard procurement process. Budget and Prioritization The City designates an annual budget for traffic-related projects administered by the Traffic Advisory Committee (TAC). In general, Tier 1 measures proposed in a Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan will be funded from the annual TAC budget. Tier 1 projects will be implemented in the order that the traffic calming petitions are received. If the Tier 1 project funding needs exceed the TAC budget in a given fiscal year, any new traffic calming projects identified after the budget is exceeded will be placed in a list to be implemented under the next fiscal year’s budget. Tier 2 projects proposed in an NTM plan will require approval from the City Council as funding source(s) must be identified and appropriated. In some cases, a pilot or temporary version of a Tier 2 measure will be installed and evaluated prior to a permanent installation. Such temporary or pilot installations can generally be funded from the TAC budget. STEP 7. FOLLOW UP DATA COLLECTION (OPTIONAL) In some cases, the City will collect traffic speed and volume data after installation of traffic calming devices to assess whether traffic calming objectives have been met. If traffic speed or volume still appears to be a problem, additional traffic calming measures may be considered. A revised NTM Plan would be presented to the community and affected residents polled before installation of any additional traffic calming measures. 24 TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICE REMOVAL By developing this NTM policy and procedure, the City anticipates that traffic calming devices installed as part of an NTM plan will have the support of the community and will function as intended. However, if at some point community members feel that the devices are not functioning well or otherwise wish them removed, the procedure would be similar to the NTM process for installation of traffic calming measures. A community member would first file a TAC request form and then a petition for traffic calming measure removal. Public outreach and polling of residents of the neighborhood would take place before removal of traffic calming devices. As with installation of traffic calming devices, removal would also require approval by two thirds of the responding residents. 3 SEPTEMBER 2018 CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO APPENDIX A TRAFFIC CALMING PETITION CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO SEPTEMBER 2018 APPENDIX B SAMPLE BALLOT STEP STEP 3 STEP 4 Optional follow-up data collection TAC Request Form NTMP Eligible? Data Collection and Field Evaluation Meets trac calming criteria? Completed Trac Calming Petition Received? City/Consultant sta prepare Neighborhood Trac Management Plan Tier 1 measures from NTM Plan considered for installation Both Tier 1 and Tier 2 measures considered for installation Public outreach (Optional community meeting) Aected residents support? City sta informs of need for completed petition No: Area referred for targeted enforcement TAC considers at next scheduled meeting City sta responds with request for Trac Calming Petition Public Works Sta Review N N N N Y Y Y Y STEP 2 STEP 5 STEP 6 STEP 7 Neighborhood Traffic Management Policy Draft circulated among City staff for review and comment Revised draft prepared in graphic format Next steps: Feedback from City Council Final management review Present to Council for adoption Policy Development Process Promote safe and convenient travel for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists Encourage speed limit compliance Reduce cut-through traffic in residential neighborhoods Balance neighborhood traffic calming with public safety, with respect to emergency response times Apply traffic calming measures that are appropriate to address identified traffic problems Policy Objectives Local and two-lane collector streets with predominantly residential uses Local and two-lane collector streets fronting schools, community centers, religious institutions, or parks Some selected minor arterial segments in residential areas NTM Program Eligibility Street Functional Classifications (from General Plan) NTM Eligible Facilities Tier 1 Measures Signs, pavement markings, roadway striping Implemented at discretion of Public Works Department Tier 2 Measures Speed cushions, curb extensions, traffic circles, mini- roundabouts Requires neighborhood vote to implement Traffic Calming Toolkit Tier 1 Measures Tier 2 Measures Insert Flowchart/Process Overview Refer to handout Step 1. Process Initiation & Program Eligibility Assessment Traffic Advisory Committee (TAC) request form Step 2. Neighborhood Traffic Calming Petition At least ten signatures from affected block NTM Process Step 3. Initial Assessment Field visit, data collection, review of collision history Minimum criteria Speed concerns: 85th percentile speed exceeds posted speed limit by 7 mph Cut-through traffic concerns: 1,000+ vehicles per day NTM Process Step 4. Prepare Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan Will draw from toolbox of Tier 1 and Tier 2 measures To include maps, conceptual diagrams, etc. NTM Process Step 5 Public Outreach Every address in neighborhood will receive informational flier Extensive proposals may need public meeting Plan may be revised based on feedback Ballots distributed to all addresses within 500 feet of proposed Tier 2 measures Tier 2 measures require support from at least 2/3 of responses received NTM Process Step 6. Implementation City staff can handle most Tier 1 measures such as sign installation; most funded through TAC budget First-come, first-served for projects approved every fiscal year Tier 2 measures may require approval from City Council depending on project cost amount* NTM Process Step 7 Follow-Up Data Collection (Optional) May lead to consideration of additional measures Traffic Calming Device Removal Initiated through petition process Requires a 2/3 vote from affected residences NTM Process Questions/Comments?