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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/12/2015 Minutes - Regular MeetingCITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING NOVEMBER 12, 2015 CALL TO ORDER: Vice -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 Mok led the Pledge of Allegiance. PWD/Liu stated that Chair/Carrera recently tendered his resignation from the Traffic and Transportation Commission dated October 27, 2015 to the City -Council because he is moving out of Diamond Bar. His work with the Commission is appreciated and he will be missed. VC/Mok welcomed C/Lyons and C/Tanak.a and Wanda Tanaka as well as students from Diamond Bar High School's Civics class. ROLL CALL: Commissioners Ed Pechy, -Manisha Sulakhe, Vice Chair Ken Mok Absent: Commissioner Surendra Mehta was excused. Also Present: David Liu, Public Works Director; Christian Malpica, Associate Engineer (Traffic); John Beshay, Associate Engineer; Sterling Mosley, Assistant Engineer, and Stella Marquez, Administrative Coordinator. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A. Minutes of the October 8, 2015 Regular Meeting. C/Pechy moved, C/Sulakhe seconded, to approve the Minutes of the October 8, 2015 regular meeting as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Pechy, Sulakhe VC/Mok, NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Mehta NOVEMBER 12, 2015 PAGE 2. T&T COMMISSION PUBLIC COMMENTS: C/Tanaka thanked the Commissioners for their service to the community and staff over the years and thanked VC/Mok for faithfully serving as his appointee to the Commission for the past 10 years. 111. ITEMS FROM STAFF: A. Receive and File Traffic Enforcement Updates for: 1. Citations:, August, -September and October 2015 2. Collisions:- August, September and October 2015. 3. Street Sweeping: August, September and October 2015 C/Pechy moved, C/Sulakhe seconded, to receive and file the Traffic Enforcement Update reports for August, September and October 2015. Motion carried by thefollowing Roll Call vote:, AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Pechy, Sulakhe, VC/Mok, NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT:. COMMISSIONERS: Mehta IV. OLD BUSINESS: None V. NEW BUSINESS: None VI. STATUS OF PREVIOUS ACTION ITEMS: AE/Malpica updated the Commission on the status of the Castle Rock/Gold Run Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTM P) using a Power Point, presentation which included a map showing locations of data collection. The data collected indicated that the speed cushion installation improved and decreased traffic speed along Castle Rock Road and Gold Run Drive. However, it appeared that the data collected for Gold Run Drive was faulty so staff requested additional data which was collected in September 2015 from Friday to Monday and staff concluded that there was an overall improvement on Gold Run Drive of 7 percent which was, a direct result of installing the traffic calming devices. AE/Malpica recommended that the Traffic and Transportation Commission receive and file the updated report. VC/Mok asked where the 7. percent improvement figure is shown and. AE/Malpica referred VC/Mok to Exhibit F, Page 2, day 3 number for 2850 Gold Run Drive which. shows the overall decrease for a high of 7 percent and a low of 2 percent. C/Pechy asked if staff had received any feedback from residents. AE/Malpica responded that staff received only one call since March 2015. The caller thanked staff for installation of the speed cushions. C/Pechy moved, C/Sulakhe seconded, to receive and file the Castle Rock/Gold Run NTMP report. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: NOVEMBER 12, 2015 PAGE 3 T&T COMMISSION AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Pechy, Sulakhe, VC/Mok, NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Mehta VII. ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS: C/Sulakhe said she received a call from the Evergreen School principal which she forwarded to PWD/Liu. PWD/Liu stated that Iasi week staff met with school district representatives which included the Assistant Superintendent. The school or the school district will need to follow up with an engineering study regarding the circulation/parking issues. Past studies have been done and it is up to the school district to study the findings and come up with a comprehensive recommendation. VC/Mok said that on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. he was standing in his kitchen listening to KNX News and PWD/Liu was being interviewed about the SR57/60 Confluence Project and start of construction. He asked PWD/Liu to comment. PWD/Liu stated that prior to the groundbreaking * ceremony KNX Radio wanted to speak with someone from the City and he was'asked to provide the information to the radio station. The groundbreaking ceremony was very successful With several City Council Members and dignitaries in attendance. Even though the project is moving forward with Phase 1, funding remains to be a challenge, about $205 million is still needed to complete the project. With all of the publicity and attention this project is getting along with making sure this project is a transportation priority both nationally and regionally, it puts the 57/60 Confluence Project in a very competitive position to pursue further funding opportunities. VC/Mok said that over the weekend he visited the Grand Avenue Beautification construction sites and noticed that traffic was running very smoothly and folks seemed to be in a positive mood about having the traffic lanes cut down. Workers were on the job from Friday night to early Monday morning and the project went very smoothly. C/Pechy said he made similar observations about the Grand Avenue Beautification project. It was very well organized and executed. A. Traffic Signal Infrastructure Upgrades Project— AE/Malpica reported that this project is in the final PS&E review. The project will be advertised this month with construction tentatively set to commence early next year and be completed within the current fiscal year. B. Comprehensive Groundwater Drainage Study — AE/Malpica reiterated that improvements will take place at Golden Springs Drive, west of Platina Drive and Brea Canyon Road. Funding is in place and staff will move forward with the design. NOVEMBER 12, 2015 PAGE 4 T&T COMMISSION C. Diamond Bar Boulevard Circulation between Sunset Crossing Road and Golden Springs Drive — No U -Turn request at Palomino Drive - AE/Malpica stated that staff made timing adjustments to make sure that northbound traffic arrives at about the same time as the Caltrans left turn signal engages. Staff has been monitoring the intersection for the past two weeks and the photograph taken today shows the results. Before resorting to removing the meter, Caltrans will look into how the meter is timed which will most likely eliminate some of the right turn queueing over capacity. C/Pechy was happy that staff made adjustments on the timing and was thankful for the improvement because he has received a lot of comments from people who were getting very frustrated about trying to get through the intersection. VC/Mok said that the photo was taken at 5:00 p.m. and asked C/Pechy if 5:00 p.m. was when he observed the situation. C/Pechy said that anytime between 4:00 and 5:30 he could see that the right hand lane was very congested with traffic trying to get onto the onramp. AE/Malpica said there are days when one might observe some congestion; however, staff managed to move the congestion in a "platoon" manner so that when cars approach the intersection they can move across the intersection quickly prior to the left -turn signal engaging without coming into conflict with the left turns in.the opposite direction. The City runs three different timing plans; the a.m. plan that kicks in at 5:30 to 9:00 a.m., the second plan from 9:00 am to 3:30 p.m. and the PM plan 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Staff focused on the PM plan to offset the timing to avoid conflict between through and left -turn traffic. D. Morning Canyon Roadway Rehabilitation Project — AE/Mosley stated that staff is reviewing the 95 percent status for the PS&E package. Since the package was received earlier this week the Community Services and Public Works staffs have been reviewing plans and specs. In addition, the plans were forwarded to the City's arborist for comment on how to preserve existing trees throughout the scope of the project. Staff anticipates a turnaround time of about two weeks. Plans and hydrology calculations were submitted to LA County for review of volumetric flow. Staff anticipates the amendment to the permit to be a six-week turnaround. E. Area 3 Road Maintenance Project — AE/Mosley reported that this project has been completed except for slurry seal repair in the staging area which should be completed in the next week or so with notice of completion going to the City Council at its first meeting in December. F. Gas Company Upgrades on Golden Springs Drive — AE/Mosley indicated that the gas company will return to restore the asphalt paving in the project limits from Lavender to Grand Avenue. NOVEMBER 12, 2015 PAGE 5 T&T COMMISSION G. Willow Heights Construction Update — AE/Beshay stated that Lennar plans to install three new signal light poles at Diamond Bar Boulevard/Brea Canyon Road on December 18. Lennar is currently grading the corner for the LA County Flood Control Channel which will be completed within the next two weeks. All American Asphalt, the contractor will complete the curb and gutter at the corner by December 4. H. Reagan/Peterson Park Parking Lot Construction — AE/Beshay reported that final paving and striping has been completed at the Reagan Park parking lot. All of the curb and gutter as well as, concrete and grading have been completed for the first phase at the Peterson Park parking lot. The wetland unit has been installed and connected to the existing catch basin for the second phase and the contractor is removing and pouring new sidewalk and curb and gutter. Within the next two weeks the contractor will be removing existing asphalt subgrade and grading the new base for phase 2. Project completion is anticipated by the end of November 2015. C/Pechy asked if the project had experienced problems which has impeded progress and AE/Beshay responded that there were a few problems such as unforeseen conditions and utility lines that were not marked for which there were no plans, the subgrade had large rocks which needed to be removed and. took longer than anticipated; and, a couple of change orders to install new storm drain lines to connect from the new wetland unit to the new catch basin. These conditions delayed the project but should be finished by the end of the month. I. Grand Avenue Beautification Project — AE/Beshay showed videos of the Phase I installation of decorative crosswalks at Grand Avenue and Longview Drive and Grand Avenue and Diamond Bar Boulevard which was completed last weekend. Phase 2 will commence Friday at 4:00 p.m. at Longview Drive and 7:00 p.m. at Diamond Bar Boulevard. Decorative traffic signal poles have been installed and rewired at both intersections; the monument sign has been installed, and landscape is nearing completion. Phase 2 should be completed this weekend with all lanes open Monday morning. Finishing touches and punch list items will be addressed following completion of Phase 2 which may require temporary lane closure with little traffic impacts. J. Lemon Avenue Interchange Project — AE/Beshay explained that the right-of- way certification has been issued allowing the project to move forward. Staff and consultants are working with Caltrans to submit requests for authorization (E-76) which is expected by February for this federally funded project which will allow for advertising of the project shortly thereafter with bid opening in late May or early June 2016. K. SR -57/60 Confluence Project — PWD/Liu discussed the November 10 groundbreaking ceremony. The westbound onramp is scheduled to begin construction in January 2016. Phase 2 westbound off ramp is in the final NOVEMBER 12, 2015 PAGE 6 T&T COMMISSION design phase with projected construction start date of summer or early fall of 2016. VIII. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE CITY EVENTS: As listed in the agenda. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Traffic and Transportation Commission, Vice -Chair Mok adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m. The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this 14th day of January, 2016. Respectfully Submitted, Davi G. LK, Secretary Attest: Vice" -Chairman Ken Mok