HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - September 20, 1995 (42)OF
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AGENDA TITLE: Lower Sacramento Road at Vine Street Traffic Design Phase
MEETING DATE: September 20, 1995
PREPARED BY: Public Works Director
RECOMMENDED ACTION: That the City Council appropriate $12,000 for the design (study)
phase of the traffic signal installation project at the intersection of
Lower Sacramento Road and Vine Street.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The intersection of Lower Sacramento Road and Vine Street has
been the source of many citizen complaints, both to City staff and
the Council. The complaints focus on the need for a traffic signal
to improve access from Vine Street. This is a reasonable
observation as this intersection meets the State's minimum criteria for installation of traffic signals.
Even with this minimum criteria, a clear need for establishing right-of-way with an expensive traffic
signal should be instituted. Given the volume and speed of traffic on Lower Sacramento Road, and the
role of both streets in the City's circulation system, a signal is appropriate.
However, the City has fourteen other intersections that also meet the minimum criteria. To provide
additional criteria for making the decision to install traffic signals, many years ago the City Council
adopted a priority system that assigned points to various factors, such as traffic volumes, accidents and
speed. This system established the signal priority "list". The list was last updated in 1991. Since then,
seven signals have either been installed or are in design. The 1991 list and status of the intersections
is shown in Exhibit A.
Staff planned to update the priority study during 1995/96. This update is a major engineering effort that
involves taking many traffic counts, analyzing accident data and preparation of a report. To aid in this
effort, we investigated the possibility of having an outside firm take the traffic counts. One advantage
of this approach would be that all the counts would be taken in a short time frame, thus avoiding
seasonal variations. The disadvantage is the out-of-pocket cost of approximately $8,000. Our decision
was to fit in the study along with our other work. This means that the study would not be completed
until late next year.
This delay is probably unacceptable to those who wish to see the signal installed, particularly since there
is no guarantee that this location would be selected for the next installation. The decision as to which
location on the list actually gets installed has also depended on various other factors such as availability
of certain types of funding (such as railroad protection at Turner Road/Mills Avenue) and plans of other
related projects. For example, the top two intersections on the list have been delayed for the
Lockeford Street widening project and sight distance improvements have been made as an interim
measure. Similarly, the Lower Sacramento Road/Vine Street signal has been on hold in order to
l
APPROVED: - Zi�
j THOMA A. PETERSON recycled paper
City Manager
CTRFOSGN.DOC 09/T AS
Lower Sacramento Road at Vine Street Traffic Design Phase
September 20, 1995
Page 2
coordinate the installation with the Lower Sacramento Road widening project. While preliminary
engineering on this project is due to start in 1995/96, it would still be a few years before the signal is
installed as part of the widening project.
We should also note that traffic volumes on Lower Sacramento Road have increased from
approximately 12,000 per day, as counted in 1991, to over 14,000 in 1994, a 17% increase. While this
does not have a major effect on the priority points, it certainly is perceived by motorists as a problem
and increases the accident potential.
Given all these factors, staff is comfortable with proceeding on the signal installation. There are various
design measures we can use to minimize the amount of signal improvements that would need to be
relocated or replaced with the widening project. We also recommend that the design be done by the
firm already under contract to design the Turner Road/Mills Avenue signal/railroad crossing protection
project. While staff could do this design, it will take away from our ability to work with the traffic and
street design issues accompanying the Central City Revitalization Project.
The overall signal project funding can come from the Street Fund, including up to 50% from the Street
Development Impact Mitigation Fee Fund. We will attempt to obtain a Measure K grant for the other
50%. Our recommendation for funding for this phase of the project is to use 100% impact fees and
adjust the final split at the next project phase. The recommended amount is $12,000 to cover the
outside engineering services and incidental staff time and expenses.
FUNDING: $12,000 Street Development Impact Fee Fund (Regi nal)
I
Jack . Ronsko
ubf Works Director
Prepared by Richard. Prima, Jr., City Engineer
JLR/RCP/Im
Attachment
cc: Accounting Manager
Associate Traffic Engineer
CTRFDSGN.DOC 09/13M
EXHIBIT A
Rank Intersection
Score
Status
1.
Lockeford/Stockton
485
On hold for Lockeford St.
widening
2.
Lockeford/Sacramento
460
On hold for Lockeford St.
widening
3.
Turner/Stockton
338
Installed
4.
Lower SacramentoNine
314
On hold for LSR widening
5.
Cherokee/Tokay
273
6.
Harney/Stockton
270
On hold for adjacent development;
Stockton, Harney widening
7.
Lodi/Mills
242
8.
Lower Sacramento/Woodhaven
239
Installed - special Federal funds
9.
Kettleman/Central
239
Installed
10.
Kettleman/Crescent
234
11.
Turner/Mills
233
In design - special railroad
protection funds
12.
Pine/Stockton
218
13.
Hamey/Ham
195
14.
Mills/Elm
190
15.
Turner/Edgewood
186
16.
Cherokee/Hale
182
Installed
17.
Ham/Century
172
18.
CherokeeNine
148
19.
Hutchins/Pine
141
20.
Cherokee/Elm
89
CTRFDSG2.DOC