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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/13/2008CITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING NOVEMBER 13, 2008 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Mok called the meeting to order at 7:02 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 Pincher led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Commissioner Kevin House, Liana Pincher, Michael Shay, Vice Chair Jimmy Lin, Chair Kenneth Mok Also Present: David Liu, Public Works Director; Rick Yee, Senior Civil Engineer; Kimberly Molina, Associate Engineer; Christian Malpica-Perez, Associate Engineer, and Marcy Hilario, Senior Administrative Assistant. I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A. Minutes of the October 9, 2008 regular meeting. C/House moved, C/Shay seconded, to approve the October 9, 2008 minutes as corrected. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: House, Pincher, Shay, Chair/Mok NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: VC/Lin ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: None II. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None Offered. III. ITEMS FROM STAFF: A. Received and Filed Traffic Enforcement Updates for: 1. Citations: August, September & October 2008 2. Collisions: August, September & October 2008 3. Street Sweeping: August, September & October 2008 IV. OLD BUSINESS A. Sunset Crossing and Prospectors Road Traffic Calming Project. NOVEMBER 13, 2008 PAGE 2 T&T COMMISSION SE/Yee provided a history of the project, presented exhibits detailing final design concepts and recommended that the Traffic and Transportation review the final design, receive public comments and concur with staff to implement the proposed traffic calming improvements along Sunset Crossing Road and Prospectors Road. Staff plans to advertise for construction in late November and into December with construction commencing in early 2009. Once the devices are implemented, staff will continue to measure effectiveness during the immediate six-month period following construction and perform an evaluation to determine whether further adjustments may be needed. C/House asked if the grant funding allowed for landscape on the medians instead of the river rock. SE/Yee responded that there are two major funding sources — Proposition 1 B and the Hazards Elimination Safety (HES) Fund that allowed for landscaping and river rock. Chair/Mok asked if there would be irrigation on Sunset Crossing and SE/Yee stated that a full blown irrigation system would be installed. On Prospectors Road, because the improvements are so spread out, it was not economical to install an irrigation system so those areas will be irrigated via water trucks. C/Shay complimented staff on excellent two-way communication between residents and staff. VC/Lin said he felt the devices would reduce speed. At the intersection of Prospectors Road and Rock River Drive there is a bump out traffic for northbound traffic. However, nothing was done for southbound traffic and typically the curb would be pushed out on both sides to create a bottleneck effect. SE/Yee thanked VC/Lin for his comment and said staff would take it under advisement. One of the issues staff has attempted to be cautious about is adverse impacts to driveways. C/Pincher asked if this installation would be permanent and SE/Yee explained that staff would measure effectiveness. Staff and the City's consultant believe this should be an appropriate and effective approach. However, if there are minor tweaks or adjustments that need to be made based on monitoring those changes may be implemented. SE/Yee said that residents asked if this would be a test run. However, as the City's traffic engineers indicate, temporary measures conjure negative feelings. The idea of landscaping is a vertical element that cannot be compared in a temporary situation. Since this is a major cut through area and temporary measures could have created additional complexities for the City. PWD/Liu stated that the proposed traffic calming devices are proven devices. What staff has added is the aesthetic component to make certain these devices offer enhancements to the neighborhood. SE/Yee responded to C/House that the engineer's estimate was roughly $400,000. The budget currently consists of $220,000 of HES Federal Funding and $220,000 of Proposition 113 funding. $60,000 will come from the City's General Fund to meet the matching funds requirement. NOVEMBER 13, 2008 PAGE 3 T&T COMMISSION Frank Sartini, 509 Deep Hill Road, said he was completely surprised because he left the last meeting with the understanding that speed humps would not be part of the final design. He has no issues with the other measures although he felt anything that narrowed Prospectors Road to any great extent should be carefully thought out. Also, he has not seen a lot of input from the community. He wanted to know if there was time to submit a petition in opposition to the speed humps. Fiona Kwok, 233 N. Prospectors Road, said she was pleased to learn there would be landscaping with the river rock. She too was present during discussions about speed cushions and not speed humps. Fiona Kwok said she was in favor of the project. Contrary to the previous speaker she is aware that hundreds of her neighbors have been waiting for installation of speed cushions and calming devices primarily because of concern for the many children in the neighborhood. Larry Matsui, 426 N. Prospectors Road, believed the primary objective was to slow the speed of traffic on Prospectors. He asked if staff anticipated that the volume of traffic would also be reduced as a result of these efforts or if the volume would tend to remain the same with traffic backing up along Prospectors Road. He also understood that there were no measures proposed between Sunset Crossing Road and Palo Cedro Drive and wondered whether his assumptions were correct. PWD/Liu stated that staff tries to notify every resident within the neighborhood for all meetings and he believed staff had done a good job in their outreach. The goal was to reach out to as many residents as possible and to ultimately implement improvements that would benefit the neighborhoods, especially with respect to cut through and volumes of traffic. This proposal includes speed cushions. The combination of these traffic calming devices is an integral part of immediate results and staff is recommending that the Commission move forward to implement the three speed cushions along with the other items. At the end of this process, if it is deemed advisable, those three speed cushions can easily be removed. The proposed mitigation measures are directed at two identified neighborhood issues: 1) cut through traffic and 2) speeding traffic. SENee responded to Mr. Matsui that the exhibit includes improvements at intersections and T -intersections because drivers expect to be more cautious at intersections. Bulges are being located at intersections with some bulges on Sunset Crossing Road because it is a much wider street. C/Shay responded to Mr. Sartini that the residents were informed throughout this process and there is a big difference between communication and involvement. When the City sends out 1,300 or more mailers to residents within the neighborhood and 10-25 people show up to discuss the issues it is a challenge for staff and often it is a disappointment that residents are not more involved. PWD/Liu said that 1,200 mailings were sent out to notify residents of NOVEMBER 13, 2008 PAGE 4 T&T COMMISSION three or four meetings prior to the presentation to City Council. C/Shay said that it is well documented that the residents of this neighborhood have been notified time and time again. PWD/Liu said there had been a very good dialogue between residents and staff. Certainly, all . expectations will not be met in a manner that some residents perceive the needs. The objectives were to reduce the speed and the volume and, as stated in tonight's presentation, all public input was considered. The needs of the residents are made very clear through their comments and the proposed installations are the most beneficial for this neighborhood. For example, the sign -in sheet from March 1, 2007 shows that close to 40 residents signed in. SE/Yee responded to VC/Lin that the speed cushions are about 250 to 300 feet apart. C/House said that in the future he would like to have the comments from the residents available to him. SE/Yee said surveys were sent to 1,200 residents and 172 responses were returned. In order of ranking, speed cushions and landscaped medians for Sunset Crossing Road and speed cushions on Prospects Road ranked #1. Out of 172 responses for Prospectors Road, 87 wanted speed cushions for traffic calming. C/House said he was not in favor of speed humps on Fountain Springs when they were installed. However, the majority ruled and they were installed. Despite his feelings, speed cushions have proved favorable in every case of installation. Over time, there is not much of a raise in the asphalt and he encouraged the speakers to give it a try. SE/Yee added that part of the reason staff includes a six-month evaluation period is to consider the true effectiveness of the installation. A motion was made by C/Shay and seconded by C/Pincher to concurwith staff to implement the proposed traffic calming improvements along Sunset Crossing Road and Prospectors Road. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS NOES: COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS House, Pincher, Shay, VC/Lin Chair/Mok None None PWD/Liu advised that the actual number of returned surveys was 263 with 176 Prospectors Road residents voting for speed cushions and 147 Sunset Crossing residents voted for speed cushions. NOVEMBER 13, 2008 PAGE 5 T&T COMMISSION V. NEW BUSINESS A. Strange Creek Drive and Overlook Ridge Road Stop Sign Installation. AE/Malpica-Perez presented staff's report and recommended that the Traffic and Transportation Commission concur with staff's recommendation of the stop sign and regulatory signage installation at the referenced intersection. VC/Lin recommended a "slow down for curve" sign without indicating a speed limit. PWD/Liu said this matter was part of an overall educational process for motorists. What staff is proposing together with the stop sign at the intersecting leg is to have a couple of warning/advisory signs that would advise drivers that the speed limit should be about 15 mph. C/Pincher asked what the arrow on Overlook was just past the corner where the stop sign was proposed. AE/Malpica-Perez responded that it was a no parking legend. VC/Lin said that in his 35 years in the business, he never installed a sign with a 15mph advisory and he did not think any residential street was designed to be a 15mph speed. In some places advisories are important. He would rather that a curve sign with yellow background be installed and that the speed advisory be eliminated from that sign. There could be a smaller rectangular plate indicating 15mph on the bottom but he would rather not have the advisory sign at all. C/Shay said that the "Reduce Speed Ahead" sign on Golden Springs works well. If motorists are being asked to drop down to 15mph they could be subject to tickets and perhaps a compromise would be to install a "reduce speed ahead" sign. David Wong, 23834 Strange Creek Drive, said that motorists coming down from Strange Creek must reduce their speed to a near or complete stop to make a right or left turn and he did not understand why it was necessary to place a stop sign there. He would prefer that a stop sign be put on Overlook Ridge Road if only one sign is authorized. If the City has a budget he would prefer two stop signs — one on Strange Creek and one on Overlook. Visitors are the ones who speed and do not understand the neighborhood. Chair/Mok asked if there was a law or regulation that would prefer the City from installing a stop sign that close to a curve. PWD/Liu reiterated the state's warrant criteria for installation of stop signs and cited the vehicle code. Tonight's proposal for an advisory sign is to educate drivers that when approaching the street and before making a full left turn motorists must come to a full stop and look both directions before proceeding. NOVEMBER 13, 2008 PAGE 6 T&T COMMISSION PWD/Liu responded to VC/Lin that during the past five years no accidents were reported at this site. PWD/Liu responded to C/Pincher that the City's traffic engineer observed vehicles and observed the speed, line of sight, accident history for the past five years, etc. for the site. There was no physical collection of speed data because there is not a high volume of vehicles in this neighborhood. The proposed stop sign is reinforcing the vehicle code requirement for vehicles to come to a complete stop at a through street. SE/Yee responded to Chair/Mok that as a responsible agency the City considers any and every request it receives and evaluates the situation. Based on one letter staff worked with the City's traffic engineer to conduct sight observations and based on those observations he recommended that as noted in the memo that the sight distance could be approved. A motion was made by VC/Lin and seconded by C/Shay to concur with staff's recommendation for the stop sign and regulatory signage installation at Strange Creek Drive and Overlook Ridge Road and to replace the 15 mph advisory signage with a more compatible sign. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: House, Pincher, Shay, VC/Lin Chair/Mok NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: None VI. STATUS OF PREVIOUS ACTION ITEMS - None VII. ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS — C/House said the parkway area on Diamond Bar Boulevard between Sugarpine and Fountain Springs is still in need of further maintenance. At the corner of Diamond Bar Boulevard and Fountain Springs (southbound right turn onto Fountain Springs) there is a "blind" corner when vehicles are sitting at the shopping center driveway. C/Pincher stated that last week she saw that the pelicans had returned to Bird Rock. She said that a lot of cities have signage to remind folks that what they put into the street gutters eventually ends up in the ocean. PWD/Liu said there are signs in the City that are posted as a requirement under the Storm Water Quality permit. There is a stenciling program at each catch basin location throughout the City. AE/Molina stated that as some of the City's private commercial locations are being upgraded, they are required to put the stencils on the private property as well. NOVEMBER 13, 2008 PAGE 7 T&T COMMISSION VIII. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: A. Brea Canyon Grade Separation Project — SE/Yee was pleased to report that as of October 31St Brea Canyon Road opened to through and pedestrian traffic. B. Traffic Signal Interconnect Links — Phase I — SE/Yee reported that the project is about 95 percent completed and once the current Grand Avenue roadway improvement is completed, the project will be finished. C. Verizon's FIOS Project — SE/Yee said the fiber optic service installation to residences in Areas 5 and 6 is underway. C/House had issues with the overhead cable and SE/Yee asked to meet with C/House following the meeting to discuss the matter. D. Grand Avenue Street Improvements — Phase III — SE/Yee reported that the paving has been completed and there is still a small amount of irrigation work left to be completed along with the landscape plants. The project is slated for completion just prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. C/House wanted staff to make sure the pavement paint markings were removed. SE/Yee responded that as usual, once the project is completed there will be a punch list of items the contractor will have to address. E. Traffic Signal Modification Project (FY 2007-2008) — AE/Malpica-Perez stated that upgrades have been completed for the intersection of Brea Canyon Road and Diamond Bar Boulevard as well as Brea Canyon Road at Pathfinder Road. Battery backup and pedestrian push button systems were installed to meet ADA requirements. F. Industry's Grand Avenue Bridge Widening/Interchange Project — PWD/Liu reiterated that D.B. will not move forward to endorse any project alternatives until there is confirmation that the project fits into the "big fix" solution. G. Lemon Avenue On/Off Ramps Project — PWD/Liu reported that last week Caltrans informed the City that they are ready to approve the environmental document and move forward with the project without D.B.'s alternative plan. D.B. is continuing to work with Caltrans on the matter because of the cumulative impacts of these projects. H. SR57/60 Feasibility Study— PWD/Liu stated that the City concluded its review of the draft study and will meet next week with Metro and their consultant to review the comments. I. NFL Football Stadium — PWD/Liu reported that the City has a lot of concerns about Industry's proposal and continues to hope that Industry will be responsive to the City's concerns and issues. J. Diamond Bar Boulevard and Mountain Laurel Crosswalk — SE/Yee reported that because of the improvement to require crossing Diamond Bar Boulevard on the south side of the intersection the City is looking into the feasibility of removing the crosswalk on the north side. K. 2008-2009 CDBG Curb Ramp Project — AE/Molina stated that this year's program will focus on installation of approximately 30 curb ramps in the neighborhood surrounding Neil Armstrong Elementary school. On November 4, 2008 Council approved a Design and Construction Management Contract to NOVEMBER 13, 2008 PAGE 8 T&T COMMISSION Norris=Repke in the amount of $25,890. Staff expects the design to be completed in December with construction commencing January 2009 and full completion by March 2009. L. NTMP — Palomino Drive, Forest Canyon Neighborhoods — AE/Molina stated that at its November 4t' meeting, Council approved a contract with Premier Paving. The contract is for $74,549. The pre -construction meeting is scheduled for November 20th with construction to begin in the first two weeks of December. Notices will be sent to residences informing them that construction will begin and a second notice will be sent within 48 -hours of construction commencement. M. Residential -Area 5/Arterial — Zone 3 Slurry Seal Project — AE/Molina reported that 90 percent of the design has been completed and is being reviewed by staff. Staff expects to go to bid in February and attempt to start construction for the arterial before summer and the residential portion during the summer when school is not in session. N. Chino Hills Parkway Street Rehab Project — AE/Molina stated that staff heard from Caltrans that D.B. had submitted its request in April 2008 but since the fiscal year had changed, staff was requested to submit new fiscal year forms. Staff resubmitted its request using the new forms on November 6th and is awaiting a Caltrans response. VIII. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE CITY EVENTS: As listed in the Agenda. PWD/Liu 'reported that the Chino Hills City Hall address under Item C — AB 1234 Ethics Training, should read 14000 City Center Drive next to The Shoppes at Chino Hills. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Traffic and Transportation Commission, Chair/Mok wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and adjourned the meeting at 9:03 p.m. The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this g' day of2009. Respectfully, Da Id G. Cu, Secretary Attest: Chairman Kenneth Mok