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CITY OF SAN LEANDRO r APPROVED AND FORWARDED STAFF REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL DATE: November 7, 1996 Wan i n TO: Wandzia Grycz, Interim City Manager Interim ,'� an _ FROM: William K. Algire, Director Engineering and Transportation BY: Gordon Lum, Traffic Operations Engineer SUBJECT: Traffic Calming Pilot Project in Estudillo Estates RECOMN ENDATION Given the success and popularity of the humps, staff recommends three additional humps (about 500 feet apart) be installed on Joaquin, Juana, Dolores, and Maud Avenues as shown on Figure 5 of the attached report. "Before" and "after" traffic volume counts and speed surveys were conducted on of these streets. and also on Estudillo and Sybil Avenues. This data shows that there has not been a shift of traffic from one street to another, and that the humps have been successful in reducing the 85th percentile speeds (e.��., the speed at or below that 85 percent of the observed vehicles are traveling) by an average of 9 niph. 59% of the respondents to the opinion survey expressed a desire for more speed humps. ;tall does not recommend the installation of anv traffic circles or speed humps on Estudillo and Sybil. �,yhich means the existing hump on Sybil should be removed. The Fire Department concurs with this recommendation which will allow the arterials (i.e., Estudillo and Sybil) to continue to be used as primary emergency access routes. No devices should be placed on Estudillo and Sybil for the following reasons: 1) both streets serve as emergency access routes not only for the immediate neighborhood. but fora larger area. including Bay-O-Vista. 2) the Institute of Transportation Engineer ITE humps do not recommend them on streets with bus routes due to potential in ury to i standingnes for passengers speed damage to bus axles) or truck traffic, 3) humps or circles on higher volume streets can aause rear end accidents, 4) even a minor shift in traffic from Estudillo or Sybil would be significant to the residents on the non -arterial streets in the neighborhood, and 5) humps or circles may result i especially on Estudillo. n peak hour congestion, Staff shares the concern of many residents and recommends the removal of all existing traffic circles (on Joaquin, Juana, Dolores and Maud at Morgan Avenue). The traffic circles were determined not to be appropriate for speed reduction due to the geometrics of the intersections. While they did slow traffic about the same amount as the humps, traffic was able to pass by them at 20 to 25 mph, which could be dangerous for pedestrians walking parallel to the path of the diverted car negotiating the circle. The circles displace traffic 8 to 10 feet sideways so that some cars, especially those making left turns, come in direct conflict with pedestrians crossing at the circles. 21