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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/12/2013 - MINUTES - Regular MeetingCITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 W-191111fi• •-� 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: Vice Chair Mahlke led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Commissioners Ted Carrera, Liana Pincher, Peter Pirritano, Vice Chair Jen "Fred" Mahlke, Chairman Kenneth Mok Also Present: David Liu, Public Works Director; Sterling Mosley, Assistant Engineer; Christian Malpica, Associate Engineer (Traffic), * and Marcy Hilario, Administrative Coordinator. INTRODUCTION — Sterling Mosley, Assistant Engineer/Public Works Department PWD/Liu'iniroduced a staff member participating ng in the meeting. Assistant Engineer/Sterling Mosley has been with the Public Works Department since May, 2013; however, Mr. Mosley had assisted the department previous to his employment as a Contract Engineer. All welcomed Assistant Engineer/Mosley. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A. Minutes of the August 8, 2013 013 Requl.ar Meeting C/Carrera moved, C/Pirritano seconded, to approve the Minutes of the August 8, 2013 meeting as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS NOES: COMMISSIONERS: ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Carrera, Pincher, Pirritano, Chair/Mok None VC/Mahlke None SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 PAGE 2 T&T COMMISSION None Offered. A. Receive and File Traffic Enforcement Updates for: 1. Citations: June, July and August 2013 2. Collisions: June, July and August 2013 3. Street Sweeping: June, July and August 2013 VC/Mahlke stated she was surprised at how significantly lower the stats were. PWD/Liu responded that the street sweeping citation information is reflective of street construction activities thru-out the City, such as the slurry seal road maintenance project and major Edison infrastructure upgrades in the neighborhoods. During those instances, we coordinate with the CSO and ask that citations not be issued. . C/Carrera asked if street sweeping continues even if citations are not issued. PWD/Liu responded as long as the street sweeper can gain access, the sweeper will follow its regular course. Construction debris pickup is the responsibility of the contractor. C/Pincher stated that the gardeners that service the condominium complex in her neighborhood are very diligent and do an excellent job of cleaning up; therefore, there does not appear to be any conflicts between trash pickup and street sweeping. VC/MahIke moved, C/Pincher seconded, to receive and file the Traffic Enforcement Update reports for June, July and August 2013. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS NOES: COMMISSIONERS: ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: IV. OLD BUSINESS: Carrera, Pincher, Pirritano, VC/MahIke, Chair/Mok None None A. Power Point Presentation of Traffic Management Center (TMC) and Traffic Management System (TMS) Update PWD/Liu stated that the Traffic Management System has existed since 2008. The Traffic Management Center was built into the new City Hall in January 2012. SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 PAGE 3 T&T COMMISSION The purpose of the Traffic Management System is to provide remote communication between traffic signals.at major arterials and the City's Traffic Management System (TMS). This system is operated by managing the TMS, upgrading the system and managing the demand on the TMS. There are four major objectives that staff attempts to adhere to: 1) minimize the delays for residents entering the arterials; 2) maximize traffic flow for the arterials; 3) maximize safety for pedestrians and motorists that travel through the City and, 4) improve, response times to address signal malfunctions to reduce maintenance costs. The TMS allows staff to observe all of the signal operations in real time while addressing the issues proactively; the system allows staff to review signal operation history through the diagnostic tools built into the system; make. changes to the signal timings to accommodate traffic flow based on field conditions; and, when there are special events or. incidents, the system allows staff to stay ahead of the -curve. Housed in the Traffic Management Center is the central computer with monitors and traffic control software which is the brain that operates the entire system. In the field are the traffic signal controllers, firmware and cameras which are all tied back to the TMC through underground infrastructure/interconnect. All of the components of the system are interconnected and function as a unit. The system uses closed circuit TV cameras (CCTV cameras) which have the capability to pan, tilt, and zoom on a 360 degree basis. These are the traffic "eyes" of the system. The system also uses video detection cameras which are fixed location cameras used for detection purposes only. There are 16 locations throughout the City- which include critical intersections that have large traffic volumes or have close proximity to schools. PWD/Liu explained that 15 years ago when the system was first contemplated, copper wire was used. In the last few years,- fiber optics offers have greatly improved capacity and service. The interconnect system lies under major arterials throughout the City. The cabinets contain TV monitors under which sits the controller, two tiers of detection centers, the battery backup system and switches and relays. Battery backup systems are*, at a total of 19 locations at this time and more are planned. There are 72 signalized intersections in the City, not all of which will have battery backup systems. Chair/Mok asked if the entire cabinet has to be replaced in order to retrofit additional intersections with battery backup. systems. AE/Malpica, explained that the cabinets that do not have battery backup systems have their own power unit and space to allow for replacement with a battery backup unit. Chair/Mok asked if they were proprietary backup systems. PWD/Liu responded he did not believe they were which is why they can all fit. SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 PAGE 4 T&T COMMISSION The TMC also contains a video board with eight video displays/monitors which were built when City Hall moved to its present location. The purpose is to facilitate the viewing of the system map, the images coming from the CCTV cameras or any of the computer programs available. Daily operations of the TMC include reviewing the system logs to verify the signal operations in order to respond to timing complaints and operational issues. Staff wants to be responsive and feols it is best to do so by making sure that all data is reviewed on a regular basis and that the mitigation makes sense. Staff is also able to observe traffic flow through CCTV and the video detection cameras. Some of the most recent improvements and accomplishments include an almost seamless move from AQIVID to the newly constructed TMC at City Hall and the City's ability to connect to the county -wide information exchange network (IEN), a critical component. By being part of the IEN, the City is able to exchange/share data with participating agencies to enable county -wide responses to major events. To date, only about 14 or 15 cities are on the system and the county hopes to see more cities participate. From the beginning, staff has worked with the County and the City has taken a very proactive approach with respect to how it sees itself within the regional picture. A few weeks ago,.the City received word from MTA that we would receive a little over $1.4 million in Fiscal Year 2016-17 of the $1.8 million required to develop and implement an adaptive traffic control system. This is significant because no other cities the size of Diamond Bar have this technology. Diamond Bar is unique because it' deals with regional freeway traffic. An Adaptive Traffic Control System is simply designed to work on auto pilot and respond instantaneously to changing conditions. As a result, many more sensors will be required to be placed in the pavements. This system does not require specific timing plans. it is a "smart" system that monitors everything second by. second. Diamond Bar has a Traffic Responsive System that will be implemented by the end of the month which will, through pre -determined timing plans, provide a view of the City's three corridors, Grand Avenue, Golden Springs Drive and Diamond Bar Boulevard. Those three corridors will be divided into five sections so that within any given section, three specific timing plans will be developed. For example, when a major incident occurs in the afternoon that closes the freeway and soil ' Is traffic into Diamond Bar, there will be a surge of traffic going north on Diamond Bar Boulevard. The system will have established certain thresholds and when those thresholds are met, signalized intersections along Diamond Bar Boulevard between Brea Canyon Road and Grand Avenue will have its timing adjusted that favors northbound traffic which will be given preferential treatment to get through the City. Residential neighborhoods will suffer during the surge; however, it will provide a means to more quickly move traffic out of the City and restore residential traffic flow. SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 PAGE 5 T&T COMMISSION In developing the Traffic Responsive System, Diamond Bar Boulevard will be broken up into two sections; Golden Springs Drive will be broken up into two sections and Grand Avenue, will have only one Traffic Responsive System section to balance the traffic volumes. In September, the Traffic Responsive Plan will be implemented. When it comes to an Adaptive Traffic Control System, this system is instantaneous and requires only one timing cycle with each timing change for the Traffic Responsive Plan and once the thresholds have been met, it will take two or three timing cycles before the timing plans are implemented. Some of the ongoing/current improvements to the Traffic Management System include installation of 16 CCTV's, equipping 19 intersections with Battery Backup Systems. During this current fiscal year, 15 more locations will be added. As part of the CIP for this year, traffic signal upgrades will be implemented such as upgrading the wiring, cable, conduits, etc. As a result of the Traffic Signal Operation and Maintenance Plan, upgrades will be looked at very comprehensively so that staff can determine deficiencies and how to maintain all of the necessary parts of the system. This will ensure the City's Traffic Management System continues to provide the City continued assistance and carry on the lifecycle of the City's assets. Recently, staff was approached by the L.A. County Public Works Department about working with CHP and the L.A. County's Sheriff's Department to develop an incident management protocol between cities and the county. There will be several years of upgrades that will take place. It will take about three years to replace all of the copper communication lines for a cost of about $1 million. In summary, the DBTMS enhances the mobility and improves efficiency by coordinating management of traffic operations and maintenance efforts. Public safety is a top priority for the City for which this tool has been implemented. Staff hopes to demonstrate that we take a very proactive approach to managing and maintaining the City's traffic. We are timely with our responses to complaints and incidents and implement ongoing efforts to minimize delays in the City's congestion. We understand that this is a very serious undertaking that will continue to preserve a good quality of life for the community. Regional traffic continues to be a major challenge for Diamond Bar which requires substantial resources and partnering with all stakeholders. C/Carrera asked if all copper and fiber communication lines were city -owned and he wondered if there was any advantage over leasing communication lines. PWD/Liu replied that a lease option was considered; however, the City felt that the existing conduits owned by other companies do not present the best interests of the City. Their priorities are different and their work is very focused. The City decided it wanted to have 100 percent control over the system and its destiny. SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 PAGE 6 T&T COMMISSION C/Carrera asked how long the Adaptive Traffic Control System would take to implement once the funding is received. AE/Malpica responded about six to nine months including field work. RECESS: Chair/Mok recessed the meeting to the Traffic Management Center at 7:57 p.m. RECONVENE: Chair/Mok reconvened the meeting at 8:02 p.m. in the Traffic Management Center (TMC) AE/Malpica presented information regarding the TMC monitors including CCTV and detection cameras. There are a total of eight (8) monitopsbn the video wall. He explained that two (2) monitors illustrate an information exchange network (IEN) with L.A. County. Data can be viewed and exchanged; however, there is no ability to interact or control the County's traffic signals. A monitor continuously displays the Sigalert application to monitor freeway traffic and possible impacts to City streets with traffic overflow. AE/Malpica gave a demonstration of the camera mobility at an intersection and showed the various angles that can be viewed. There is also the ability to view intersections graphically to address any issues that require programming attention. This enhances the efficiency in adjusting timing and detection. He explained that timing plans of traffic signals throughout the City are set according to the time of day. One of the monitors displays the signal mode at any given time of day. Another feature of the TMC is the ability to generate reports with a detailed history of timing, failures, and a split logger. The split logger can run reports for specific dates and time. Chair/Mok asked if the system records data. AE/Malpica responded that the system does not record and there is no plan to implement that feature. While no video images will be stored, reports will be kept for three (3) years to address any relevant inquiries. PWD/Liu shared that with certain traffic signal malfunctions, both he and AE/Malpica receive email messaging alerts on their mobile phones. Furthermore, he and AE/Malpica have the ability to access the TMC remotely to apply adjustments, if required. The Commissioners were very impressed with the TMC and commended staff for their diligent efforts. RECESS: Chair/Mok recessed the TMC tour at 8:21 p.m. back to the Regular Meeting. RECONVENE: Chair/Mok reconvened the Regular Meeting at 8:25 p.m. SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 PAGE 7 T&T COMMISSION C/Carrera moved, C/Pirritano seconded, to Receive and File the Traffic Management Center and Traffic Management System Update. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: NOES: COMMISSIONERS: ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: V. NEW BUSINESS: None Carrera, Pincher, Pirritano, VC/Mahlke, Chair/Mok None None VI. STATUS OF PREVIOUS ACTION ITEMS: None VII. ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS: C/Carrera said he was thoroughly impressed with the TMS and the Center. He did not understand why other cities and entities would not want to participate because it seems that a problem in one city can affect other cities if they are not part of the network. Chair/Mok asked about the eastbound SR -60 exit at Brea Canyon Road that exits onto Golden Springs Drive. One day last week, he experienced an unusually long delay exiting onto Golden Springs Drive. He noticed that the signal stayed red for a long time. AE/Malpica responded that the issue of the signal not performing as it should be was brought to staff's attention. Once staff was informed about the problem, the traffic signal contractor was contacted and they replaced the software to alleviate the problem. C/Pirritano shared that he was at Lavender Drive and Grand Avenue and experienced a delay at the signal which seemed to be stuck on red for Lavender Drive traffic and remained green for Grand Avenue both north and south. He eventually decided to make a right turn and then a u -turn to go back down Grand Avenue. AE/Malpica responded that it might be a detection issue. Last month, one of the existing detection cameras had to be replaced due to a similar issue. AE/Malpica said he would look into what happened at about 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning during the time C/Pirritano experienced the problem. Chair/Mok asked if the cameras were cleaned on a regular basis. PWD/Liu affirmatively responded. That could contribute to the problem as well. AE/Malpica added that the contract calls for annual cleaning; however, if he notices that the cameras are dirty, he will ask the technician to jean them. Spider webs can also interfere; therefore, staff tries to clean the cameras on an as -needed basis. SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 FA 10.1 C I CCTV Project PAGE 8 T&T COMMISSION AE/Malpica reported that the consultant was able to make progress this week by boosting the channels and increasing the bandwidth from five bits to 15 bits for images from the CCTV cameras along Diamond Bar Boulevard, south of Grand Avenue. One of our consultants is currently looking at the cameras on the north side of the City experiencing lower bandwidth issues as well, which may have something to do with some unplanned power issues. Median Project at Grand Avenue and Summitridge Drive/Diamond Bar Boulevard at Silver Hawk Drive AE/Malpica stated that bids were opened on August 26th for both median projects. The scope of work is to retrofit the existing medians by realignment to improve the line of sight for both directions. Six bids were received with a low bid submitted by Tyner Paving Company for both projects. The low bid for Grand Avenue and Summitridge Drive was $28,285.20 (engineer's estimate $43,000.00) and a low bid for Diamond Bar Boulevard at Silver Hawk Drive was $35,659.55 (engineer's estimate $36,200.00). Staff received good feedback information when the contractor's references and license were checked; therefore, the recommendation will be taken to City Council next Tuesday to award the contract. Traffic Signal Operation and Maintenance Master Plan AE/Malpica reported that staff reviewed the latest report and provided comments to the consultant. The plan is scheduled to be completed by the end of September with implementation of recommendations shortly thereafter. Diamond Bar Traffic Responsive Plan/System AE/Malpica indicated that the purpose of this system is to address some of the surge traffic detouring through City streets in the event of any incidents/accidents or freeway shutdowns. Staff and consultants conducted a test last week and were able to witness the system in action. The consultant is working to fine-tune the system at this time in order to retest the system in sections next week. E. ACE Fairway Grade Separation Project AE/Malpica stated that staff submitted the peer review of the project back to ACE. The consultant's review asks ACE to look into traffic impacts and recommended mitigation measures that are foreseen within the City's jurisdiction. Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of 2014. SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 PAGE 9 T&T COMMISSION a Area 1 B/Zone 7 Roadway Maintenance Project Assistant Engineer/Mosley reported that manhole adjustments are approaching conclusion with the contractor continuing on the last neighborhood south of Grand Avenue in the Quail Summit Drive area. The contractor will continue with striping next week to complete legends, bike lanes, pavement markers and a second coat of striping. G. Southern California Edison Infrastructure Upgrades Assistant Engineer/Mosley stated that International Line Builders (ILB), Edison's contractor, continues construction of upgrades in the neighborhoods surrounding Diamond Point Elementary School along Bower Cascade Place, Minnequa Drive and Del Sol Lane. ILB has completed trenching work in the public right-of-way and is now entering the restoration project phase. This work is scheduled to be completed in late September. Once all of the work is completed in all neighborhoods including Mountain Laurel Way and Sunset Crossing Road neighborhoods, the contractor will be responsible for restriping all legends and crosswalks. Chair/Mok asked if (item F) the Golden Springs Drive area was on -schedule. Assistant Engineer/Mosley.responded that the pavement restoration has been completed along Golders Springs. Drive and currently the second coat of striping is being completed. VC/Mahlke asked about the application of striping. Assistant Engineer/Mosley explained that it takes seven (7) days for the first coat to dry and fully cure before the contractor can come back to apply the second coat of paint. C/Pincher asked if the City plans to move forward with tree removal on Morning Canyon Road where the trees are lifting the road. She shared that it appears the "speed bumps" have been i removed. PWD/Liu responded that a temporary fix including removal of the bumps in the road was just completed. The project is budgeted in this year's CIP; however, with any given project, the plans and specifications have to be developed, which will take time. Staff feels it would be best to work on that project next summer versus the balance of the next few months, primarily due to school traffic and traffic in general. In addition, staff will need to communicate the intent and scope of work with residents because the project involves removal of a number of trees. Assistant Engineer/Mosley reiterated this is a temporary fix; however, he is currently working on an RFP for design services and construction management services for that project which involves a long-term fix. SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 PAGE 10 T&T COMMISSION IX. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE CITY EVENTS: As stated in the agenda. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Traffic and Transportation Commission, Chair/Mok adjourned the meeting at 8:50 p.m. ' -rd The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this /0 — ._ day of (b-o&,L 2013. Respectfully, Davi Liu, Secretary Attest: MAI irman Kenneth Mok