MO 1996-022 to 1996-030 (1996-021 missing)

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Mike Oliver 2 June 8, 1996 12 feet), because state standards would require a minimum street width of at least 76 feet with 80 feet preferred. However, it has been noted that traffic volumes on E. 14th Street are under 20,000 vehicles daily with maximum directional volumes of only 800 vehicles per hour during afternoon peaks. A single lane (at least between signalized intersections) can easily carry twice this volume, and meetings in the summer of 1995 between staff and Caltrans resulted in the state's concurrence that a single, wide lane will suffice, as long as four lanes plus turn lanes are retained through all signals such as Broadmoor, Dutton and Hays. Once Caltrans had indicated they would approve this type of single lane design (which meets Caltrans standard lane and median widths), staff asked for City Council approval to proceed with concept design. Two community workshops were held in December, 1995 and February, 1996 at which time the public at these meetings asked that the City involve them in the development of a concept design through a study group process. The first Study Group meeting was held April 2nd, the second on April 16th, the third on May 7th and the fourth and final on May 21 st. At the May 7, 1996 meeting staff discussed the implications of not receiving the sought -for $875,000 in ISTEA funds to landscape the median. DISCUSSION The design recommended for testing removes only 6 parking spaces along the entire length of E. 14th Street, and those are alongside the Civic Center North Parking lot. The parking removal is necessary to facilitate the merging of two southbound lanes into one wide 18 foot lane. A drawing is attached showing the recommended design (Option B2) for testing only. The Study Group reviewed endless details of traffic volume shifts with various options of restricting left turns into and out of side streets. In the end the recommended design restricts left turns into side streets at Begier and Stoakes, and restricts left turns out of the following side streets: Begier, Lorraine, Cherrywood, Stoakes and Garcia. The design also recommends improvement of Dutton with left turn lanes (without removing parking) as well as provision of protected left turn signal phases for all movements to reduce the high numbers of left turn accidents at this location. Other alternatives to a median were examined at length and found to be not useful in achieving the objectives of reducing accidents and easing pedestrian crossings of E. 14th Street. Bike lanes are not recommended because they cannot be safely carried through the entire length of the street. Summary sheets showing volume, accident and parking changes are attached for both Option B 1 and B2 (B2 is the recommended design). The biggest concern of the Study Group members is whether traffic congestion will increase with the reduction to one lane in each direction. Staff, Caltrans and the contracted traffic engineers have all stated that the one lane design should easily accommodate present and future volumes. A second and strong concern is the acceptance of residents on the side streets where left turn access is curtailed. According to the traffic forecasts of traffic volume shifts between streets, there should be no perceptible change in traffic on any of the side streets, and left turn access in and out can be achieved by U-turns at the next block. The Study Group does not feel able to recommend any median design to the community at large without a test of potential congestion and living with changes in left turn access. The projected change in accidents is a 40% reduction (or 12 fewer accidents per year) which will provide many benefits to the driving, walking and bicycling public. A year -long test would validate the accident reduction claims of a median, and an initial test of a few weeks would validate traffic engineering claims that traffic operations would be as good or better - 14 gek: c:\backup\memo.367