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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/10/2013 - MINUTES - Regular MeetingCITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING OCTOBER 10, 2013 Chairman Mok called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Diamond Bar City Hall Windmill Community Room, 21810 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, California 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Carrera led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Commissioners Ted Carrera, Liana Pincher, Peter Pirritano, Chairman Kenneth Mok Absent: Vice Chairman Jen "Fred" Mahlke was excused. Also Present: David Liu, Public Works Director; Kimberly Young, Associate Engineer; Sterling Mosley, Assistant Engineer; Christian Malpica, Associate Engineer (Traffic), and Marcy Hilario, Administrative Coordinator. I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A. Minutes of the September 12, 2013 Regular Meeting C/Carrera moved, C/Pirritano seconded, to approve the Minutes of the September 12, 2013'meeting as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Carrera, Pincher, Pirritano, Chair/Mok NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: VC/Mahlke 11. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None Offered. Ill. ITEMS FROM STAFF: A. Receive and File Traffic Enforcement Updates for: r 1. Citations: July, August and September 2013 2. Collisions: July, August and September 2013 3. Street Sweeping: July, August and September 2013 OCTOBER 10, 2013 PAGE 2 T&T COMMISSION C/Carrera moved, C/Pirritano seconded, to receive and file the Traffic Enforcement Update reports for July, August and September 2013. - Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: IV. OLD BUSINESS: V. NEW BUSINESS: COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONERS: COMMISSIONERS: None Carrera, Pincher, Pirritano, Chair/Mok None VC/Mahlke A. Castle Rock Road/Crooked Creek Drive Neighborhood Traffic Management Program PWD/Liu gave a brief history of the program and assured residents that staff planned to move forward with the development of a traffic calming program to address the cut -through and speeding issues troubling the residents. The first phase is to focus on the current situation at the intersection of Castle Rock Road and Gold Run Drive where there is a lack of signage, striping and reflectors. It has been reported that drivers are maneuvering from lane to lane, failing to stop at stop signs, and have a basic disregard for other motorists and residents. The purpose of tonight's agenda item is to introduce the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program to residents so that they can come to understand the process which is a collaborative effort between staff and, residents. This meeting was also intended to give residents an opportunity to state their concerns. AE/Malpica provided the Power Point Presentation and staff's report. Staff recommends that the Traffic and Transportation receive public comments from residents along Crooked Creek Drive, Gold Run Drive, Ambushers Street, Flapjack Drive, Running Branch Road and Castle Rock Road. Lita Eastman, 20839 Gold Run Drive, shared that she has lived in Diamond Bar for 35 years and her house is the only one at the bottom of Gold Run Drive, built before the tract was developed with streets running uphill. Since that time, their block wall has been run into and knocked over twice. The utility pole and electrical box were "taken out" in one of those accidents. Also, their mail box has been damaged twice, all by uncontrolled vehicles coming down Gold Run Drive. There are three bus stops on Gold Run Drive; an elementary, a middle school and a high school pickup along both sides of the street between Crooked Creek Drive and Castle Rock Road. Ms. Eastman has observed that bus drivers not only put the paddle stop sign out and red lights on; they actually get out of the bus to walk children across the street because OCTOBER 10, 2013 PAGE 3 T&T COMMISSION half of the cars fail to stop. She has a five-year-old living in her home now that plays in the yard and will occasionally go out to pick up the mail. The traffic on Gold Run Drive reminds her of Gold Rush Drive and those residents were able to have speed humps installed on the hill, which deters vehicles from traveling at a higher rate of speed. She does not believe additional stop signs would help because drivers 'do not obey the stop signs that are there now. During the past two days, she videotaped traffic traveling on Crooked Creek Drive to turn onto Gold Run Drive to leave the tract and only about 1 out of 10-15 cars stopped. She has seen utility trucks, gardeners, and residents fail to stop or make a stop out into the intersection because they catch sight of someone coming down the hill. Ms. Eastman offered to provide the Commission and staff with photos and video. Nick. Prokop, 20909 Gold Run Drive, stated that contrary to his wishes, the City has approved Plan D (Site D Development) and was told that the traffic engineer said that Plan D would not cause any more traffic in Diamond Bar. He feels this is not true. When drivers get caught up in traffic going back into Orange County, he believes they will cut through the tract to avoid the SR - 57/60 split during construction. He contacted Public Works staff approximately six months to a year ago expressing his concerns. Public Works staff responded to Mr. Prokop's concerns by installing a "Watch Your Speed" sign two houses up from him. Another concern is that he can hardly back ' out of his driveway and he suggests also installing some striping on the roadway. He observes people go up and down the street 40 to 50 miles an hour. At night, he can hear cars racing up the hill because they think it is a racetrack. Mr. Prokop understands that the Sheriff's deputy can only stay at a location for so long. He anticipates that the Plan D (Site D Development) project will only cause more drivers to cut through that part of the neighborhood. Susan Scarbrough, 3540 Crooked Creek Drive, lives one house from the corner of Gold Run Drive and Crooked Creek Drive, next door to Mrs. Eastman. She concurred with all of the observations expressed by her neighbors, which she has personally observed during the past 10 years she has lived in her home. Mitigation measures to help stop vehicles from careening around the corners would be in order. Thomas Trujillo, 3537 Castle Rock Road, stated that he recently put up a camera to record how vehicles cut the corner. It seems to him that staff might have missed people cutting the corner at Castle Rock Road and Gold Run Drive during the traffic study and he suggested that speed humps might be the best deterrent. He has video posted on www.dbcam4.nip.or_q Mr. Trujillo stated that he spoke with (Mayor) Jack Tanaka about this issue on Tuesday at the meeting of the Planning Commission regarding Site D. We know there is going to be additional traffic and when construction starts on Site D, there will be more issues. These issues need to be addressed now instead of waiting for Site D. OCTOBER 10, 2013 PAGE 4 T&T COMMISSION Eleanor Boruah, 3748 Castle Rock Road, a 25 -year resident of Diamond Bar, signed the petition and thought it would include the south end of Castle Rock Road at Silver Bullet Drive, where she lives. Drivers speed through the area. She thinks speed humps would help slow down the traffic in her area and she believes the problem started when Grand Avenue was opened to Chino Hills traffic. Ms. Boruah stated that she and her husband cannot turn left at the signal at Silver Bullet Drive because traffic is so bad and she would have to wait a long time. She uses Cold Springs Lane to come down Ambushers Street to come through Crooked Creek Drive to get to Castle Rock Road to get home and avoid the signal. Gary Busteed, 20850 Gold Run Drive, said he appreciated the Commission allowing this dialogue and felt it was good to have an opportunity to talk about options for the area. A number of residents have waited for years. His aunt and uncle used to live in the house he now lives in. This has been a recurring problem for many years and he did not think there was anything residents could suggest for solutions to the problem. Part of the problem is that Diamond Bar has been going through a lot of changes and he has noticed younger people moving into neighborhoods. He felt it was really important to consider the options and looks forward to hearing what the City's engineer suggests as the safest options. C/Carrera stated that Phase I appeared to include the southerly portion of Castle Rock Road. PWD/Liu responded that C/Carrera was correct. This study will look at the entire length of Castle Rock Road to the very end of the cul-de-sac. Mike Perez, 3422 Castle Rock Road, thanked the Commissioners for their time and service. He shares his neighbor's frustration. He understands the need for data and study. He is concerned about Site D which he believes will change the dynamic of the traffic and the entire study area is already impacted. Coming south on Diamond Bar Boulevard, he would usually turn onto Brea Canyon Road south and turn left onto Copper Canyon Drive. However, after 5:00 p.m. he does not use that route. He chooses to.travel up and around. Mr. Perez feels that if he is doing that, he is certainly not the only one that has figured out that the back/long way is better. He is, concerned about the amount.of traffic' With all due respect to the law enforcement officer who is present tonight, he sees thesigns "we're watching you" which are totally ineffective. It is easy to -talk about studies and say it takes time. He does not doubt staff's sincerity or integrity but he believes the risks would increase with Site D. He asked the Commission and staff to proceed with all speed and implement measures as quickly as possible. Harlan Curtis has lived at 3528 Castle Rock Road since 1965 (corner of Castle Rock Road and Gold Run Drive). Trying to get out of his driveway to get to work every morning was sometimes impossible. Vehicles did not stop at the stop sign most of the time, which has been the problem all along. Gold Run Drive has been like a motor speedway with people driving around the corner OCTOBER 10, 2013 PAGE 5 T&T COMMISSION and going up and down the hill at high speeds. The situation is terrible both during the day and at night. He and Mr. Trujillo collected signatures for the petition and are probably most responsible for making this meeting happen. His concern was getting speed humps put in behind his house on Gold Run Drive and the next street because there is no stop sign coming down the hill to his corner. He would also like to see a speed hump on Castle Rock Road going north and south. C/Carrera asked during what period the data was collected. PWD/Liu responded that this survey was conducted over a four or five day weekday. period for 24 -hours back to back. C/Carrera sensed it was typical that higher. speeds are during commuting time and PWD/Liu responded that C/Carrera was correct. The peak hours show -the trend. C/Carrera asked if there were any NTMP's previously done in this area. PWD/Liu responded no and said that he was not aware of any contact -prior to submission of the petition in September 2012. There may have been calls or correspondence to City Hall about specific issues or conditions; however, in terms of the NTMP approach, this discussion did not take place prior to September 2012. C/Pincher asked if anything had been determined with respect to the slope of the downhill that would eliminate certain mitigation measures for speeding vehicles, which are usually driven by neighbors who live in the area. PWD/Liu responded that in terms of the slope conditions along Gold Run Drive, he does not have specific numbers. However, there are specific criteria and standards that must be met. Generally speaking, any grade over 5 percent becomes an issue. Based on past experience working on similar streets in the City, such as Gold Rush Drive, the mitigation measure installed was Bots Dots which are not speed humps or speed cushions. However, this does not eliminate the opportunity for speed cushions, as long as they are strategically placed and very steep areas are avoided. This is the reason the City has to be very certain that it conducts a complete engineering study. As a reminder, speed cushions are not the only tool in the tool box that can be used to try to discourage people from speeding. C/Pincher said she was not familiar with the neighborhood and said the reason for her question was that the area appears very hilly. She is also not familiar with what people are calling "the back way." A speaker responded from the audience using the map. PWD/Liu stated that based on the concerns voiced by the residents who are present this evening, staff will make a genuine effort to expedite the process. The facts are in evidence in terms of the speeding and cut -through traffic. The data that has been collected to date supports the issues of speeding and cut -through traffic. At the same time, when more than 300 notices have been sent out, more residents need to be involved so that they can be fully aware of this program and participate in a dialogue with staff members. Staff will follow up with everyone present this evening and we will strive to get more people involved. Staff will be sensitive to the residents' needs but more importantly, OCTOBER 10, 2013 PAGE 6 T&T COMMISSION staff intends to do this the correct way with a very thorough study and follow up will occur as quickly as possible. PWD/Liu said he wants to have another meeting with neighborhood residents, and at that meeting he will provide an initial set of recommendations specific to the issues stated this evening. This is a starting point; however, the City must conduct a thorough, study and bottom line is that whatever mitigation measures are ultimately installed, if they are not done correctly, or if t . hey have not been properly engineered and thoroughly considered, there will be liability issues. He was pleased to see the number of individuals who have, partici ' pated in tonight's meeting because staff had no idea how many folks including those outside of Castle Rock Road and Gold Run Drive might appear this evening. Chai'r/Mok asked if residents would be notified in the same manner as they were for this meeting. PWD/Liu responded absolutely, via mail. C/Carrera moved, C/Pirritano seconded, to receive and file public comments. Motion carried by the following. Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS NOES: COMMISSIONERS: ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: VI. STATUS OF PREVIOUS ACTION ITEMS: VII. ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS: VIII. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: Carrera, Pincher, Pirritano, Chair/Mok None VC/Mahlke None None A. CCTV Project. AE/Malpica reported that therewere issues with the work performed; therefore, the project will be completed within the next two weeks. B. Median Project at Grand Avenue and Summitridge Drive/Diamond Bar Boulevard at Silver Hawk. AE/Malpica stated that staff scheduled a pre -construction meeting.for October 24th with the contractor. If all goes well, the contractor will complete the work before the end of December. C. Traffic Signal Operation and Maintenance Master Plan. AE/Malpica reported that staff has provided final comments to the consultant. The consultant will respond to staff early next week with the final report. OCTOBER 10, 2013 PAGE 7 T&T COMMISSION If there are any further comments, the report will be going back to the consultant to be finalized by the week of October 21't. D. Diamond Bar Traffic Responsive Plan/System AE/Malpica indicated that staff, our consultant and the vendor were able to activate the traffic responsive system. On Monday, staff and the consultant noticed that the system kicked in twice in the morning. E. New Traffic Signage/Striping — MeadowgIen Road/Silver Rain Drive AE/Malpica shared that in response to residents' concerns, staff offered that the neighborhood could consider the NTMP; however, they declined the offer and requested educational signage only. Based on their decision, staff installed the signage last week. F. ACE Fairway Drive Grade Separation Project AE/Malpica reported that as of today, staff has not received any comments back from ACE. If comments are received, staff and the City's traffic consultant will review those comments and respond accordingly in anticipation of receiving the final report. The project is scheduled to begin by the end of 2014. G. Area 1 B/Zone 7 Roadway Maintenance Project. AENoung conveyed that the majority of the work has been completed; however, striping along Mountain Laurel Way, east of Diamond Bar Boulevard and Quail Summit Drive, was substandard. During the past several weeks, staff members have worked with the primary contractor and the striper sub- contractor to devise a remedy to repair the striping to bring it up to the quality standards Diamond Bar is used to seeing. The job specifications include the statement that "any deficient striping will need to replaced and repaired by a reslurry of the entire street from gutter to gutter." After looking at these two areas, it was determined that the portion along Mountain Laurel Way will need to be reslurried from gutter to gutter because there are too many types of deficiencies; however, the contractor asked for permission to attempt a third coat of striping, which they believe will repair most, if not all, of the deficiencies that exist along the stretch of Quail Summit Drive. Staff will make the final determination of whether the deficiencies have been satisfactorily repaired and if a slurry seal is still warranted according to the specifications after the third coat has been applied. Chaparral Middle School staff informed City staff they did not want another slurry seal because it would be an inconvenience to school traffic. Staff is hoping the third coat of restriping will remedy the issues and will not require a slurry seal. The restriping along Quail Summit Drive was originally scheduled for last Saturday, October 5th; however, due to unusually high winds, the work was rescheduled for Saturday, October 12th. The slurry seal along Mountain Laurel Way and potentially along Quail Summit Drive is OCTOBER 10, 2013 PAGE 8 T&T COMMISSION scheduled for the following Saturday, October 19th. Once the striping deficiencies are repaired, the project will be completed and the Notice of Completion will be taken to City Council shortly thereafter. Chair/Mok asked for a definition of "deficient or substandard striping." AE/Young explained that the stop legend stencil along Mountain Laurel Way was not properly lined between coats. There are also wavy lines that should be straight and some tracking as well as paint splatter. Along Quail Summit Drive, there was an equipment malfunction during the centerline striping at Diamond Bar Boulevard where the center black line of the double yellow line has splattered onto the yellow. Also, the first and second coat of the "skip" line did not properly line up. The subcontractor believes that with application of a third coat, it can be evened out to mitigate the deficiencies and remain within tolerances. C/Carrera asked if the contractor was contracted through the City or if it was a subcontractor of a primary contractor. AE/Young responded that the primary contract was awarded to Hardy and Harper and the striping contractor, BC Traffic Specialist, was the sub -contractor who did. -the striping. The contract is between the City and Hardy and Harper; therefore, ultimately, Hardy and Harper is responsible. H. Southern California Edison Infrastructure Upgrades. AE/Young stated that the majority of what is termed "civil" work has been completed. All of the trenching and all of the final paving has been completed in both the Mountain Laurel Way, west of Diamond Bar Boulevard, and Sunset Crossing Road neighborhoods. The next phase will be Edison pulling cable through the newly laid conduit. Staff expects the work to proceed through the next six weeks, once Edison can schedule its crews to complete the work. Final pavement restoration is required for the Sunset Crossing Road neighborhood, which will not be done until the cable has been pulled. The final pavement rehab (slurry seal and striping) will occur after the final cable is pulled. There is no final rehab for the Mountain Laurel Way neighborhood because it is part of the Area 2 Road Rehabilitation Project scheduled for next summer. The entire neighborhood, including the areas of the Edison work, will be done atthat time. Final striping will be completed around Chaparral Middle School and Maple Hill Elementary School when Sunset Crossing Road is restriped. Staff hopes the cable pull will be completed within the next six weeks and the slurry and striping shortly thereafter. IX. 'SCHEDULE OF FUTURE CITY EVENTS: As stated in the agenda. Chair/Mok highlighted Items I and L, stating his hope that everyone would exercise their right to vote on November 5th and participate in the Veterans' Day Holiday Celebration. OCTOBER 10, 2013 PAGE 9 T&T COMMISSION ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Traffic and Transportation Commission, Chair/Mok adjourned the meeting at 8:24 p.m. The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this day of AIOVr-p&�, 2013. 1 Respectfully, David G. Liu, Secretary Attest: A1101 ChWirman Kenneth Mok