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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSafety Commission mins 1991/11/21 . . . :' MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE CHULA VISTA SAFETY COMMISSION Thursday, November 21,1991 7:05 p.m. Council Chambers Public Services Building CALL TO ORDER 1. Roll Call: Present: Chair Braden, Commissioners Thomas, Koester, Padilla, Pitts Excused Absences: Commissioners Chidester and Matacia Also Present: Harold Rosenberg, Traffic Engineer; Frank Rivera, Associate Traffic Engineer; Sgt. Tom Schaefer, Police Department; Shirley Buxton, Recording Secretary 2. ADDroval of Minutes MSC (Koester/Padilla) to approve the Safety Commission Minutes of October 10, 1991 as amended to correct the spelling of Agent Lederle and Agent True!. Approved 5-0-2 with Commissioners Chidester and Matacia absent. MEETING AGENDA 3. ReQuest for a Traffic SiQnal at East "H" Street and Bonita Vista Hiah School Drivewav Frank Rivera informed the Commission that staff received a request to signalize the intersection of the Bonita Vista High School Driveway and East nHn Street. Staff evaluated this intersection for a traffic signal, but it did not meet any warrants. If a traffic signal were installed at this location, motorists attempting a left turn into Bonita Vista High School would have to yield to oncoming traffic, unless the traffic signal provided left turn phasing. The location has no accident history and other than the busy 15-20 minute period in the morning, the rest of day the motorists can yield to oncoming traffic easily because there are adequate gaps in traffic. Staff is recommending that the request be denied. Staff has placed this location on the Traffic Signal Priority list which will be completed in December 1991. The January Safety Commission meeting should have the Traffic Signal Priority list for approval. Co-Chair Thomas asked staff for the definition of an intersection. Mr. Rivera said an intersection is where any two streets intersect. Mr. Rosenberg said the City Attorney has given the opinion that in some situations a driveway can be considered an intersection since it is entry into a roadway. Even though it is private property, there are many driveways that function as a street because of traffic volumes. MSC (Padilla/Thomas) to accept staff's report and deny a traffic signal at the intersection at East "H" Street and Bonita Vista High School Driveway. Approved 5-0-2 with Commissioners Chidester and Matacia absent. 4. ReQuest for an AII-Wav StOD at Oxford Street and First Avenue Traffic Engineering staff received a request from Pamela Wiser to have an all-way stop installed at First A venue and Oxford Street to help reduce vehicular speeds on Oxford Street between Third Avenue and Hilltop Drive. There are no traffic controls on Oxford Street between Third Avenue and Hilltop Drive. Castle Park Elementary School is located on Oxford between Hilltop Drive and First Avenue. The area between First and Third Avenues is generally residential and the posted speed limit on Oxford Street is 35 mph. An all-way stop evaluation was completed by staff, and the intersection did not meet the criteria necessary to justify an all-way stop. A review of the accident history shows that five accidents occurred at First Avenue and Oxford Street and were caused by vehicles which did not stop at the northbound or southbound stop sign on First Avenue. Safety Commission Minutes November 21,1991 Page 2 . Although staff is not recommending an all-way stop at this intersection, it recommends that the speed limit be lowered from 35 mph to 30 mph, as it is on Naples Street. Pamela Wiser. 85 Oxford Street. Chula Vista. CA 91911 Mrs. Wiser said that a stop sign is warranted because of the amount of children in the area and due to the fact that during 2-6 pm each day there are many speeding vehicles. She has witnessed accidents in the area and noted that vehicles pass each other on Oxford Street. There are children who are in danger of being injured and there have been animals killed in this block. Mrs. Wiser said she is in constant contact with the Chula Vista Police Department regarding the speeding and estimates vehicular speeds of 50-60 mph. Even if speeds are reduced, cars will still pass each other. Commissioner Koester asked Mrs. Wiser what time of the day infractions on Oxford Street were occurring. Mrs. Wiser said that most speeding occurs between 2-6 pm and 10 pm-2 am, and that there was not a lot of speeding in the morning hours. Chair Braden asked about the traffic volume on Oxford Street between 2-6 pm. Mrs. Wiser said that the volume is very high during this time and felt motorists use Oxford Street because there are no traffic controls from Third Avenue to Hilltop Drive. Commissioner Pitts asked staff where the new 30 mph sign would be posted. . Mr. Rivera said signs would be between Third Avenue and Hilltop Drive on both sides of the street. Commissioner Pitts said he traveled this area between 2-6 pm and confirmed that speeding is a problem. Commissioner Padilla asked Sgt. Schaefer if the area was surveyed for radar enforcement and if this was a problem speeding area for the police department. Sgt. Schaefer said there is radar enforcement in the area, and it is not a major area for the police department. However, if the speed is lowered, it will make enforcement easier. Mr. Rivera said the current signs on Oxford Street will be relocated to a more visible position. The posted signs were installed by the County of San Diego before this area was annexed to the City of Chula Vista. MSC (Thomas/Padilla) to accept staff's report and deny the request for stop signs on Oxford at the intersection with First Avenue and reduce the posted speed limit to 30 mph. Approved 5-0-2 with Commissioners Chidester and Matacia absent. OTHER BUSINESS STAFF REPORTS: 6. 1991-92 CIP Status ReDort Co-Chair Thomas asked staff for an update on the Shell Oil project. . Frank Rivera said that Bill Ullrich, Senior Civil Engineer, has been working with Shell Oil Company to prepare a contract for repairing the street. . . . - Safety Commission Minutes November 21,1991 Page 3 7. Chula Vista Police DeDartment Traffic Summarv for Auaust 1991 Distributed for Commissioners information. 8. SDeed Limit Article from Car & Driver Maaazine Distributed for Commissioners information. 9. Commissioner Comments Chair Braden informed the Commission that the December meeting would be canceled and a Dinner Workshop would be held instead on December 12, 1991. Commissioner Koester requested an update on the removal of parking on "L" Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. Mr. Rosenberg informed the Commission that the City Council did not approve staff's recommendation of parking removal, but directed staff to return with other alternatives. Some suggestions included a median down the center of the road with a fence or working with the school district to change the direction of the entrance and exit to the parking lot. Staff's recommendation is still to remove all parking. The property owners from the Casa Vianney Homeowners Association asked the City Council for parking on at least on one side of the street. Staff will be submitting a new report to the Council. Co-Chair Thomas asked staff about the striping on "E" Street. Frank Rivera said that this item was also continued by the City Council. Council wanted staff to look at the impact of the freeways and streets in the area. Staff is revising the report to Council which will include a traffic analysis. Co-Chair Thomas also asked staff to look at the striping on "E" Street. When Bonita Road was widened, the old striping was not removed properly and there are two sets of center stripes. Mr. Rivera said he will look at this area. Commissioner Padilla thanked Frank Rivera for his assistance with items on the agenda. Being a new Commissioner he had many questions, and Mr. Rivera answered all his questions. ADJOURNMENT MSC (Braden/Koester) to adjourn at 7:45 p.m. Approved 5-0-2 with Commissioners Chidester and Matacia absent. Respectfully Submitted, U-lA~&~ S irley Buxto , Recording Secretary SB:SAFETYJ112191.MIN 120991