HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - February 15, 2023 C-17CITY OF
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CALIFORNIA
AGENDA ITEM Cw
17
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
AGENDA TITLE: Direct Staff to Continue Monitoring Intersection of Stockton Street and Poplar Street
Until Conditions Warrant Consideration for 3 -Way Stop Controls
MEETING DATE: February 15, 2023
PREPARED BY: Public Works Director
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Authorize Staff to continue monitoring Intersection of Stockton Street and
Poplar Street until conditions warrant consideration for 3 -way stop
controls.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: In June, 2021, a councilmember requested a stop sign and crosswalk at
the intersection of Stockton Street and Poplar Street. This intersection
is a 3 -way configuration where the major street is Stockton Street and
the minor street is Poplar Street (Exhibit A).
The intention of the 3 -way stop request was to increase vehicle and pedestrian safety at this intersection
when services take place at the adjacent mosque and / or during times when Blakely Park is heavily utilized.
It is during these intermittent periods when parking on the west side of Stockton Street is necessary, and
pedestrians choose to cross Stockton Street.
The City follows the State -mandated requirements such as California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices (CA MUTCD) for traffic control devices installation and maintenance. The State multi -way stop
guidance mainly focuses on average hourly vehicle volume based on an 8 -hour period, the number of
correctable collisions at an intersection (such as right-angle collision within a 12 -month period), and other
considering factors based on engineering judgement such as sight distance concerns and near equal traffic
volume on intersecting roads when the main criteria are not met.
As a standard practice, these criteria are evaluated in preparation of the Intersection Study List (ISL) where
over 1,000 intersections are categorized and evaluated on an annual basis. The intersection categories
include uncontrolled, yield controlled, 2 -way or minor stop controlled, multi -way stop controlled and
signalized controlled. Every year, staff assesses and ranks the intersections based on collision rate.
Collision rate is calculated based on traffic volume and collision data within 3 -year period per the industry
standards. The intersections ranked high or with a substantial increase in collisions or traffic volume will be
further evaluated such as multi -way stop/signal warrant and sight distance concerns.
Since February 16, 2022, staff gathered collision and traffic count data to complete the multi -way stop
evaluation at Stockton Street and Poplar Street in response to this specific request. Between Year 2017 and
2021, there were a total of 7 collisions in the vicinity with 4 occurring at the intersection. All of these
collisions were not correctable by installing stop signs such as they were caused by either driving under the
influence (DUI) and/or unsafe lane change. Based on the State multi -way stop guidelines, this intersection
.ar
APPROVED:-
Stephen Schwabauer, City Manager
\\cvcfilv02\pubwks$\WP\COUNCIL\2023\CC Stockton_Poplar stop controls.docx 2/9/2023
Authorize Staff to Further Evaluate 3 -Way Stop Controls at Intersection of Stockton Street and Poplar Street
February 15, 2023
Page 2
did not meet the main criteria which are the traffic volume and collision data. In 2022, field visit verified that
there was no sight distance issue in 2022. In addition, the 2022 traffic volume indicated that the Poplar
Street volume was very low compared to Stockton Street, which is similar to the volume ratio at Lockeford
Street and School Street. The traffic on the minor street (Poplar Street) has to wait for gaps on the major
street (Stockton Street) when entering into the intersection. The 2022 ISL has 299 intersections in the 2 -way
or minor street stop controlled category and Stockton St/Poplar St intersection ranks 178, nowhere close to
meeting the criteria of the CA MUTCD. On January 23, 2023, staff evaluated the 2022 collision data and
found 2 uncorrectable collisions (DUI and failure to yield when entering into the roadway) occurred at this
intersection. Also, overgrown vegetation was found at the southeast corner of the intersection during the
January 23, 2023 field visit. Staff issued a letter to the home owner about trimming the overgrown vegetation
to improve the sight visibility at the Poplar Street/Stockton Street intersection and will follow-up to insure the
overgrown vegetation is trimmed.
In order for public agencies to minimize liability associated with traffic incidents, certain and specific criteria
must be followed prior to installing any traffic control devise. In this case, the traffic data collected does not
demonstrate that a 3 -way stop control nor crosswalk meet MUTCD criteria.
As noted above, Staff has recently spent a substantial amount of time conducting traffic studies and
analyzing traffic data associated with this intersection. Since conditions have not changed since March 1,
2022, it is unlikely that further study will yield a different result. For this reason, Staff recommends the
continued monitoring of this intersection but does not recommend additional study and analysis at this time
unless conditions change.
FISCAL IMPACT: Not applicable
FUNDING AVAILABLE: Not applicable
CL a -Q
Charles E. Swimley, Jr.
Public Works Director
• EXHIBIT A
STOCKTON STREET AND POPLAR STREET
INTERSECTION
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John Blakely Park