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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/13/2004CITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MAY 13, 2004 CALL TO ORDER: Chair Pincher called the meeting to order at 7:09 p.m. in the South Coast Air Quality Management/Government Center Hearing Board Room, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, California 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Morris led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Present: Chairman, Vice Chairman Torng and Commissioners Morris, and Virginkar. Commissioner Shah was excused. Also Present: David Liu, Public Works Director, Fred Alamolhoda, Senior Engineer; Kimberly Molina, Assistant Engineer; Debbie Gonzales, Administrative Assistant and Sgt. Blasnek. I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A. Minutes of April 8, 2004. C/Virginkar moved, VC/Torng seconded to approve the April 8, 2004 minutes as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Virginkar, VC/Torng, Chair/Pincher NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: Morris ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Shah II. COMMISSION COMMENTS: Chair/Pincher asked that due to Commissioner Shah's absence, the discussion about whether to combine "Commission Comments" and "Items from Commissioners" into one be continued to the next meeting. III. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None Offered. IV. CONSENT CALENDAR: None V. ITEMS FROM STAFF A. Traffic Enforcement Update — Report by Sgt. Blasnek - Received and filed on the following items: 1. Citations: April 2004 2. Collisions: April 2004 May 13, 2004 PAGE 2 3. Future Deployment of the Radar Trailer VI. OLD BUSINESS: None VII. NEW BUSINESS: A. Traffic Concerns on Leyland Drive. T&T COMMISSION SE/Alamolhoda presented staff's report. Staff recommends that the Traffic and Transportation Commission concur with staff to install Multi -Way stop signs on Leyland Drive at Highcrest Drive and 50 feet of double centerline striping on both sides of the intersection. Chair/Pincher felt that because of the close proximity of the stop signs it was too short a distance to place additional stop signs at Armitos Place at Pantera Drive and Highcrest Drive and Leyland Drive. She wondered if this could be set aside until the Council had decided whether to install speed humps and other traffic calming measures for Leyland Drive. PWD/Liu referred the Commissioners to Page 2 of staff's report, cited statistics and confirmed staff's concerns about the speeding traffic on the long unobstructed stretch of Leyland Drive. Additionally, this street would be considered for speed humps and staff felt it would be prudent to continue with additional mitigation efforts such as deployment of the radar trailer, and proceed with installation of the 50' of double centerline striping. C/Morris agreed with PWD/Liu's assessment. He asked if there were side streets on the downhill side of Leyland Drive and PWD/Liu responded Newberry Way and Benfield Place, both of which have three-way stops. VC/Torng concurred with PWD/Liu's comments. C/Virginkar said that in traveling to Pantera Park he felt that Leyland Drive traffic had not slowed down. In this case and contrary to his usual opinion, if the multi -way stop sign were best for the area he would concur with staff's recommendation. PWD/Liu informed the Commission that staff received an email from Rene Canseco stating she concurred with staff's recommendation for a three-way stop at that intersection due to the high speed of the traffic and curvature of the roadway. C/Morris moved, VC/Torng seconded, to concur with staff's recommendation to install 50 feet of double centerline striping in both directions of Leyland Drive, postpone installation of multi -way stop signs at May 13, 2004 PAGE 3 T&T COMMISSION Leyland Drive at Highcrest Drive and request deployment of the radar trailer to the site. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: NOES: COMMISSIONERS: ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Morris, Virginkar, VC/Torng Chair/Pincher None Shah B. Traffic Concerns on Prospectors Road at North Rock River Drive. SE/Alamolhoda presented staff's report. Staff recommends that the Traffic and Transportation concur with staff's recommendation to install Multi -Way Stop Signs on Prospectors Road at North Rock River Drive. Chair/Pincher recognized a letter from Martha Reyes,137 N. Pintado Drive, who stated her opposition to the stop sign installation. Chair/Pincher also recognized an e-mail from Shelley Puente, 369 N. Rock River Drive, who stated her approval to the stop sign installation. C/Morris felt this street should be placed on the top of the City's priority list for consideration of a solution to change the complexion of the street rather than continuing with the "band-aid" approach. PWD/Liu explained that the proposed Neighborhood Traffic Management Program would proceed with a new eye to the City's traffic patterns, uniqueness of the topography and street design to deal with speeding and cut -through traffic through a combination of enforcement, education and engineering solutions. CNirginkar moved, VC/Torng seconded, to concur with staff's recommendation to install Multi -Way Stop Signs on Prospectors Road at North Rock River Drive. C/Morris was concerned that the traffic engineer would overlook this and other sites because stop signs had been installed. PWD/Liu assured C/Morris that stop signs could be replaced by traffic circles, for instance, as long as it proved to be the equivalent of or better than the measure in place. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Morris, Virginkar, VC/Torng Chair/Pincher NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Shah May 13, 2004 PAGE 4 T&T COMMISSION VIII. STATUS OF PREVIOUS ACTION ITEMS: None IX. ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS: CNirginkar thanked staff for providing parking stripes on Pathfinder Road. As a result, he believed both sides of the street were being more effectively utilized. VC/Torng received several complaints about Shadow Canyon Drive and hoped the left turn signal would be in place in the near future. C/Morris complimented the City on the seamless and clean signal installation process at High Knob Road and Golden Springs Drive, a vast improvement over the construction of the recent signalization at another location. SE/Alamolhoda stated that the draft study for Shadow Canyon Drive was recently completed and installation would be a matter of budget priority. X. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: A. Caltrans SR57/60 Interchange Improvements. SE/Alamolhoda provided the Commission with an update on the SR57/60 Caltrans HOV project. Westbound Grand Avenue on ramp would be opened next week. Staff received a report that Caltrans would commence installation of concrete barriers on Golden Springs Drive between Walnut Pools and Gateway Center Drive to build the foundation and column for the bridge connecting the SR57 to the SR60. The estimated construction time is three to six months or longer. Two lanes in both directions would remain open and the Sheriff's Department will monitor the area. After opening the ramp, the Westbound Brea Canyon Road on ramp would be closed to SR60 for 10 months. B. Great Bend Drive/Gold Rush Drive Speed Hump Neighborhood Meeting. PWD/Liu reported that 15 residents attended the meeting and everyone expressed their desire to continue with installation of speed humps. C. Residential Traffic Programs. Sgt. Blasnek reported that when he came to Diamond Bar in October, 2003 to oversee the enforcement in Diamond Bar he needed to stay current with what other cities were doing. He had not yet made an official presentation to CM/Lowry but provided some insight on measures that could quickly and easily be implemented to improve the traffic flow and speeding concerns in the City. He routinely posts emails pointing out problem areas and some of May 13, 2004 PAGE 5 T&T COMMISSION the more aggressive officers work the situation and follow up with radar trailer deployment. In talking with a Sergeant at the Fullerton Police Department he learned they implemented a program in which they take complaints from residents and assign the problem to a motor officer who is given full authority and responsibility for mitigating the matter. He planned to implement a similar program and assign an officer to work three schools as well. He also discovered that several agencies send out a speeding vehicle letter, very similar to what C/Morris suggested for the STOP program but targets everyone, not specific individuals or groups of individuals. His program would be a "no -cost to the city" program. Sgt. Blasnek stated that Diamond Bar has excellent engineering staff and excellent enforcement. Missing are education and attitude change. San Jose looked to calm traffic with a media blitz that included posting at bus stops, bumper stickers, neighborhood signage, etc. Diamond Bar is doing what it needs to do and the additional step would be education and an attitude change. He cited examples of education and attitude changes with respect to seat belts and recycling. PWD/Liu said he would provide a copy of Sgt. Blasnek's memorandum to the City's traffic consultant with the intent to eventually incorporate the items into the City's Neighborhood Traffic Management Program. Sgt. Blasnek responded to Chair/Pincher that it was his intention to apply this program throughout the school system. VC/Torng cautioned Sgt. Blasnek about "Children at Play" signs and other signs that could provide a safety hazard and liability for the City. Sgt. Blasnek was sure the CA/Jenkins would look at and comment on the material. C/Virginkar felt the Commission should highly recommend immediate implementation of the program. He was particularly concerned that not only the students partake of the educational program but the parents as well since they were the primary cause of traffic concerns in school areas. PWD/Liu pointed out that the minutes would record the Commissioner's concerns. In addition, Sgt. Blasnek would be meeting with the City Manager's Office and would convey the Commissioners' desires to implement the new program. C/Morris felt it would be time and money well spent to have an officer stand beside his motorcycle handing out educational materials to motorists at intersections for one hour one morning a week. Drivers would understand the City was serious about the program. He hoped staff understood there May 13, 2004 PAGE 6 T&T COMMISSION was unanimous concurrence for the program among the Commissioners. He also felt that STOP was a catchy acronym and should be used. Chair/Pincher liked the idea of the "beat" cop where he goes into the neighborhood and garners the respect of the residents. She thought it would be good for law enforcement also to be able to convey a positive atmosphere and promote change would be a win-win situation. She thanked Sgt. Blasnek for doing his homework on this subject. VC/Torng pointed out that this year's Read Together Diamond Bar project is Pay it Forward and he thought it would be a good slogan for the community that would tie the program to the library. He felt it would be a waste of time to have a deputy hand out material when the City had a number of volunteer groups who could perform that function. XI. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE CITY EVENTS — as adgendized. XII. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: A. Traffic Concerns on North Del Sol Lane. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Traffic and Transportation Commission, Chair Pincher adjourned the meeting at 8:24 p.m. Respectfully, David. Liu, Secretary