HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - July 19, 2000 E-07,4 OF <O
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COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
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AGENDA TITLE: Traffic Safety Improvements on Turner Road at Loma Drive
MEETING DATE: July 19, 2000
PREPARED BY: Public Works Director
RECOMMENDED ACTION: That the City Council approve enhancing the traffic safety devices on
Turner Road at Loma Drive and appropriate Transportation Development
Act (TDA) Program funds for the improvements.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Public Works Department has recently received complaints
about pedestrian safety on Turner Road at Loma Drive near
Lodi Lake. There have been several near misses that have
heightened the community's concern for pedestrians crossing
Turner Road to access the Lodi Lake Park. Staff has prepared the following report that presents existing
conditions, alternative solutions, and staffs recommendations.
Existing Conditions:
The current volume on Turner Road is over 15,000 vehicles per day. The posted speed limit near
Loma Drive is 35 miles per hour. For the previous four -and -a -half years (1996 to mid June 2000), there
have been a total of twelve collisions at this intersection. The majority have been rear -end collisions
resulting from inattentiveness. Staff maintains a database of all the pedestrian collisions that have
occurred since 1987 and there have been no pedestrian collisions at this intersection. There was one
pedestrian collision east of this intersection in 1990 that involved a three-year-old emerging between
parked vehicles.
In 1991, City Council approved the installation of the bidirectional flashing beacon and pedestrian
improvements, including warning signs and an enhanced diagonally -hatched crosswalk. Although there
have been no pedestrian collisions since installing these warning enhancements, we receive frequent
complaints of near misses.
Alternative Solutions:
Staff has researched several pedestrian safety devices by contacting manufacturers and other agencies.
The following devices were reviewed:
• Crosswalk Warning System — High-intensity inpavement lights that are activated by a pushbutton
and/or microwave sensor at both curbs.
• Flashing Beacons and Lighted Warning System — Two flashing devices per travel direction and a
lighted pedestrian warning sign are activated by a pushbutton and audible system informing the
pedestrian that the warning device has been activated.
• Lighted Warning System — A lighted pedestrian warning sign is activated by a pushbutton or
microwave sensor system located at both curbs.
APPROVED:
H. Dixon Flynn -- ity Manager
CTURN ERLOMA 07/10/00
Traffic Safety Improvements on Turner Road at Loma Drive
July 19, 2000
Page 2
Recommendations:
After careful review of the pedestrian devices, staff recommends installing additional flashing beacons,
lighted pedestrian warning signs, and an activated pedestrian pushbutton/microwave sensor system as
shown on the attached exhibit. The proposed system would operate only when activated by pedestrians
thereby warning the driving public on a demand basis compared to the existing continual basis. Proper
signage will inform the drivers of their obligation to yield to pedestrians when the beacons and signs are
activated. To alert drivers, pedestrians would activate the two flashing beacons and two lighted warning
signs per direction by pushing a button or crossing a microwave sensor system. An educational sign will
be posted informing pedestrians how the system works and that they need to wait for vehicles to stop to
allow them to cross.
FUNDING: Funding from Transportation Development Act Program for the pedestrian safety
improvements will cost approximately $15,000.
Funding Available:
Vicky McAthie, inance Director
v-'�4(
Richard C. P ima, r.
Public Works Director
Prepared by Paula J. Fernandez, Associate Traffic Engineer
RCP/PJF/lm
Attachment
cc: Larry Hansen, Police Chief
Carlos Tobar, Transportation Manager
George Bradley, Street Superintendent
Jess Kerekes, Technical Systems Manager
Ron Williamson, Parks and Recreation Director
Paula Fernandez, Associate Traffic Engineer
Concerned Citizens
CTURNERLOMA
Turner Road at Loma Drive
Modifications to Flashinq Beacon
Existing Flashing Beacons
fa
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J
Sidewalk
Lodi Lake
Lake Entrance
New Illuminated Pedestrian Crossing
Signs and Additional Flashing Beacons
i
Existing Flashing Beacons
New Illuminated Pedestrian
Crossing Signs (both sides)
New Illuminated Pedestrian Crossing
Signs and Additional Flashing Beacons •
Westbound View on Turner
Sidewalk
Note: Flashing beacons to be converted to be activated by either a pedestrian pushbutton, similar to traffic signals, or
passive activation by microwave sensor device.
CITY COUNCIL
STEPHEN J. MANN, Mayor
ALAN S. NAKANISHI
Mayor Pro Tempore
SUSAN HITCHCOCK
KEITH LAND
PHILLIP A. PENNINO
Concerned Citizens --
CITY OF LODI
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
CITY HALL, 221 WEST PINE STREET
P.O. BOX 3006
LODI, CALIFORNIA 95241-1910
(209)333-6706
FAX (209) 333-6710
EMAIL pwdept@lodi.gov
http:\\www.lodi.gov
July 13, 2000
SUBJECT: Traffic Safety Improvements on Turner Road at Loma Drive
H. DIXON FLYNN
City Manager
SUSAN J. BLACKSTON
City Clerk
RANDALL A. HAYS
City Attorney
RICHARD C. PRIMA, JR.
Public Works Director
Enclosed is a copy of background information on an item on the City Council
agenda of Wednesday, July 19, 2000. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the
City Council Chamber, Carnegie Forum, 305 West Pine Street.
This item is on the consent calendar and is usually not discussed unless a
Council Member requests discussion. The public is given an opportunity to address
items on the consent calendar at the appropriate time.
If you wish to write to the City Council, please address your letter to City Council,
City of Lodi, P. O. Box 3006, Lodi, California, 95241-1910. Be sure to allow time for the
mail. Or, you may hand -deliver the letter to City Hall, 221 West Pine Street.
If you wish to address the Council at the Council Meeting, be sure to fill out a speaker's
card (available at the Carnegie Forum immediately prior to the start of the meeting) and
give it to the City Clerk. If you have any questions about communicating with the
Council, please contact Susan Blackston, City Clerk, at (209) 333-6702.
If you have any questions about the item itself, please call Paula Fernandez,
Associate Traffic Engineer, at (209) 333-6800, ext. 2667.
Richard C. Prima, Jr.
Public Works Director
RCP/lm
Enclosure
cc: City Clerk
NCTURNERLOMA
TRAFFIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
ON TURNER ROAD AT LOMA DRIVE
Bob Gorbet
708 N. Loma Dr.
Lodi, CA 95242
Jane Lea
1931 Holly Dr.
Lodi, CA 95242