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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/14/2004CITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION OCTOBER 14, 2004 CALL TO ORDER: Chair Pincher called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m. in the South Coast Air Quality Management/Government Center Hearing Board Room, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, California 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Vice Chairman Torng led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Present: Chair Pincher, Vice Chairman Torng and Commissioners Morris and Shah Commissioner Virginkar was excused. Also Present: David Liu, Director of Public Works; Fred Alamolhoda, Senior Engineer; Kimberly Molina, Assistant Engineer; Sharon Gomez, Senior Management Analyst and Debbie Gonzales, Administrative Assistant. I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A. Minutes of regular meeting of September 9, 2004. C/Morris moved, C/Shah seconded, to approve the September 9, 2004 minutes as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Morris, Shah, VC/Torng, Chair/Pincher NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Virginkar II. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None Offered. III. CONSENT CALENDAR: None IV. ITEMS FROM STAFF: A. Traffic Enforcement Update — Received and filed on the following items: 1. Citations: September 2004 2. Collisions: September 2004 3. Future Deployment of the Radar Trailer V. OLD BUSINESS: None OCTOBER 14, 2004 VI. NEW BUSINESS: PAGE 2 T&T COMMISSION A. Traffic Concerns on South Rock River Road. AE/Molina presented staff's report. Staff recommended that the Traffic and Transportation Commission receive public comments and concur with staff to not install a crosswalk at the intersection of S. Rock River Road and Clearview Crest Drive. Kathy Chavez, 300 South Rock River Road said that she previously spoke in favor of the stop sign installation. However, the stop signs are right in front of her house and she has no other place to park. She hoped that the Commission would concur with staff to not install the crosswalk because she felt the stop signs were adequate to provide crossing protection. C/Morris suggested that rather than taking action on this item at this time, the area should be monitored for a period of time beyond today since the stop sign was just installed and that the matter should also be discussed with Mrs. Savage, the Armstrong Elementary School Principal. AE/Molina indicated to C/Shah that she arrived at the intersection at about 2:00 p.m. and remained in the area until 3:00 p.m. when all of the students had left the area. C/Morris felt this was a school safety issue and that the matter could be handled with the stop sign only. He would like to revisit the issue at a later time. C/Shah concurred with C/Morris that the Commission should wait for input from the school. PWD/Liu said he would like. to include this matter in the overall Citywide Traffic Management Program. Based on the Commission's discussion, staff has clear direction to work with the school and the neighborhood residents to reach a consensus. B. Traffic Concerns at the Intersection of Golden Springs Drive and Banning Way. AE/Molina presented staff's report. Staff recommended that the Traffic and Transportation Commission concur with staff to not install "Keep Clear" pavement markings at the intersection of Golden Springs Drive and Banning Way at this time. Staff will continue to monitor the intersection for future mitigation as needed. OCTOBER 14, 2004 PAGE 3 T&T COMMISSION Valerie Bandy, 20709 Golden Springs Drive, Suite 109 explained that she asked for the pavement markings because it had become increasingly difficult for vehicles to make a left turn from Golden Springs Drive onto Banning Way due to traffic congestion. She felt the pavement markings would allow drivers ingress/egress to and from Banning Way without risk of accident. She found it difficult to believe that staff was unable to witness this congestion because she personally had difficulty accessing Banning Way. In addition, the office clients have expressed the same concerns about having to wait through two or three light changes in order to get into Banning Way and she understood that other offices in the complex would email the City with the same concerns. She pointed out that the area was particularly congested due to freeway construction. AE/Molina read two emails into the record, the first from Aaron Nam, TBPC, Inc., 20709 Golden Springs Drive, Suite 201 in support of the proposal and the second from David Tabata, DDS, 20709 Golden Springs Drive, (occupying a second floor suite) also in support of the proposal. VC/Torng said he visited the area several times and found it especially difficult to leave Banning Way to travel eastbound. He asked the cost for "Keep Clear" markings. He felt Golden Springs Drive was severely impacted by the construction and asked for staffs reconsideration. C/Shah said he too follows the roadway and was surprised that staff had not been able to witness the substantial amount of cross traffic in the area. Due to proposed freeway construction and the closing of Brea Canyon Road except for through traffic going to the Metrolink station traffic was likely to increase on this street. in the interest of safety and improved traffic flow he felt that the City should consider installing the pavement markings. C/Morris felt that some type of temporary effort should be pursued to facilitate traffic movement and assist businesses in the area. He also felt it was folly to have a bicycle lane wide enough for vehicles to fit. He recalled that there was an accident wherein a cyclist in the bike lane expecting to turn right into the driveway hit a vehicle because the driver of the vehicle most likely assumed he had the right of way. Perhaps the Parks and Recreation Commission could look into the matter. He encouraged staff to pursue a solution. Chair/Pincher agreed that the City should provide at least a temporary solution to this problem. PWD/Liu stated the real solution was to provide a permanent tool for enforcement and in this case, it would be a permanent "Keep Clear" or "Do Not Block Intersection" sign. He said that staff would discuss the matter with the Sheriffs Department and based on their input and input from the OCTOBER 14, 2004 PAGE 4 T&T COMMISSION businesses, install the pavement markings without further Commission action if warranted. The Commission concurred. C. Traffic Concerns on Longview Drive at Stardust Drive. SMA/Gomez presented staffs report. Staff recommended that the Traffic and Transportation Commission concur with staff to install multi -way stop signs on Longview Drive at Stardust Drive. There was no one present who wished to speak on this item. VC/Torng felt it did not make sense to install a speed hump between two stop signs and felt that the speed hump should be moved closer to the stop sign. SMA/Gomez responded that staff and the City's Traffic Engineer looked very closely at the situation. Six speed humps would be installed between 400 to 600 feet apart along the street. The traffic engineer felt that a speed hump would not be beneficial in the area of school bus stops and the four-way stop at Brookwood Drive. The traffic engineer did not agree that the stop sign at Stardust Drive and Longview Drive would work in conjunction with a speed hump due to the curves and physical characteristics of the street. C/Shah complimented SMA/Gomez on her report and concurred with the recommendation. C/Morris moved, C/Shah seconded, to concur with staff to install multi -way stop signs on Longview Drive at Stardust Drive. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: NOES: COMMISSIONERS: ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: VII. STATUS OF PREVIOUS ACTION ITEMS: Morris, Shah, Chair/Pincher None VC/Torng Virginkar None V111. ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS: it was short in duration, he enjoyed the joint meetingCwithrrCity Council He hoid thatalthougped he Commission would have an opportunity to meet with the consultant for a brainstorming session. He suggested the matter of the bike lane be discussed as part of the traffic study. VC/Torng felt more informational signage should be provided in light of the freeway construction. OCTOBER 14, 2004 PAGE 5 TBT COMMISSION Chair/Pincher concurred with VC/Torng. She felt she could not trust the Caltrans signs. For example, coming down Brea Canyon Road tonight she saw a sign that read "Right Lane Closed" and it was not closed. PWD/Liu pointed out that in their packets Commissioners were provided information about the Saturday, November 6, 2004 Traffic Commissioners' Workshop at CalPoly. Chair/Pincher encouraged Commissioners to attend. VC/Torng said he planned to attend. IX. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: A. SR57/60 SE/Alamolhoda updated the Commission on the SR57/60 construction progress. The Commissioners generally concurred that Caltrans could provide better signage including general signage indicating that for example, between 2004 and 2006 the SR57/60 interchange would be under construction and traffic delays may occur; alternate routes should be considered. Chair/Pincher pointed out that the Sunset Crossing on ramp at the $R 57 had large potholes and wondered if Caltrans would be resurfacing the area. AE/Alamolhoda said he would check with Caltrans and report back to the Commission. B. ACE Construction Project. SE/Alamolhoda reported that staff would be meeting with the ACE engineers the first week of November, 2004, to discuss Diamond Bar traffic in connection with the Brea Canyon Road Grade Separation Project. The Project proposed to close Brea Canyon Road between Washington Street and 200 feet north of the railroad track for about one and one-half years. Although ACE proposed to commence construction in March or April of 2005, the City would prefer to delay construction until Caltrans re -opened the Brea Canyon Road on-ramp. X. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE CITY EVENTS — as adgendized. XII. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: SMA/Gomez referred the Commissioners to a letter from C.W. Beck, Jr., 938 Pantera Drive addressing several concerns. SMA/Gomez said she spoke with Mr. Beck and acknowledged that the information contained in his letter would be taken OCTOBER 14, 2004 PAGE 6 T&T COMMISSION under consideration by staff with a full report to the Commission at their November, 2004 meeting. AE/Alamolhoda updated the Commission on the Citywide Traffic Study. Staff plans to meet with the consultant next Monday and would appreciate having C/Morris' list of concerns to forward to the consultant for his preliminary review. The consultant wants to hold one one-hour meeting per week for five total meetings in five districts with the first meeting to be held in November 2004, and the remainder concluding by December 17, 2004. The meeting dates and times will be announced via the City Newsletter. VC/Torng asked for a copy of the meeting information. He hoped there would be a good turnout because promotion was very important. C/Morris asked if the Commission could have a brainstorming session with the consultants prior to the commencement of the community meetings. PWD/Liu stated that if the Commission adjourned this meeting to November 9, 2004, the consultant could be invited to participate in that meeting following general meeting business. C/Shah felt the brainstorming session should be held after the public meetings ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to come before the Traffic and Transportation Commission, Chair/Pincher adjourned the meeting at 8:29 p.m. to Tuesday. November 9, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. Respectfully, _4�