HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2.E 03/05/2012 Agenda/ Ite v' #2 .E
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7858 .
DATE:. March 5, 2012
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the"City Council through City Manager
FROM: Dan St. John, Director of Public Works and Utilities
SUBJECT: Resolution Supporting a City of Petaluma Request to the California Department
of Transportation;for Roadway Safety.Improvements on Lakeville Highway at
Pine View Way..
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended the City Council adopt the attached resolution supporting a,City of Petaluma
request;to the California Department of Transportation for roadway safety improvements on
Lakeville Highway at Pine View Way.
BACKGROUND
Between May 2010 and July 2010, three major injury collisionsoccurred on Lakeville Highway
between Pine View Way and Brown's Lane. In November of 2010, the Public Works and Police
Departments sent a letter to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), notifying
the district director of these collisions and requested that a"Traffic Safety Study" be performed
on Lakeville Highway in the area of Pine View Way and Brown's Lane. As noted in the
November 1, 2010 letter (Attachment 3), one of the three collisions was a result of a driver
performing an illegal u-turn maneuver on Lakeville,Highway near Brown's Lane, in which a
California Highway Patrol motor officer was seriously,injured. In response to the City's request,
Caltrans installed a "No-U-Turn" in the eastbound direction of Lakeville Highway but did not
commit to installing any other safety improvement measures or performing a comprehensive
safety'study. The second collision involved a tractor-trailer truck rear ending.a passenger vehicle
attempting to turn left from Lakeville Highway onto Brown's Lane. The third collision occurred.
when a driver turning from Pine View Way was broadsidedbya vehicle on Lakeville Highway.
Additionally, there is a history of fatal collisions=ih this area, one of which is marked by a bronze
memorial.
DISCUSSION
On December 1, 2011, yet another major injury collision occurred at the intersection of Lakeville
Highway and Pine View Way. Based on this latest collision, Public Works and Police
Department personneVhave analyzed the primary collision factor and prepared the attached
updated letter dated March 5, 2012 (Attachment 2) and the roadway safety improvement concept
Agenda Review: a
City Attorney Finance Director City Man
.'—.
(Attachment 4). The letter_documents the collision history in the area and recommends roadway
safetyimprovements to Caltrans. Staff fis requesting„that the City Council adopt,a resolution
supporting the request to Caltrans for roadway safety`iniprevehients.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS
The Police Department spends staff time and'resources,when'responding to vehicle collisions. A
reduction in vehicle collisions translates to less time and costs responding to collisions and more
time for other public safety operations..
ATTACHMENTS
1. Draft Resolution
2. Draft March 5, 2012 letter
3. Novemberl,2010 letter
4. Plan illustrating roadway safety improvement concept
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Attachment 1
DRAFTRESOLUTION NO.. NCS
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A CITY OF PETALUMA REQUEST TO THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR ROADWAY SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS ON LAKEVILLE HIGHWAY AT PINE VIEW WAY.
WHEREAS, on November 1,2010,the City of Petaluma submitted a letter to the
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) notifying the district director of vehicular
collisions on Lakeville Highway between Pine View Way and Brown's Lane; and
WHEREAS, the November 1,2010 letter requested Caltrans perform a "Traffic Safety
Study" to review collision factors and determine appropriate roadway safety mitigation
measures; and
WHEREAS, the requested "Traffic Safety Study" has not been prepared by Caltrans;
and
WHEREAS, an additional major injury accident occurred in said location on December
1, 2011.
NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of
Petaluma hereby:
1. Approves sending the letter requesting traffic safety improvements to Caltrans, as shown
in Attachment 2 to the staff report accompanying this resolution.
2. Directs the City Manager to submit said letter to Caltrans, District 4 after signature by the
Mayor.
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Attachment 2
March,5, 2012
Bijan Sartipi, District Director
Caltrans District 4
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P.O. Box 23660
Oakland, CA 94623-0660
Subject: Safety Issues on Lakeville Highway in theCity Of Petaluma
Dear Mr. Sartipi,
On November 1, 2010, the City of Petaluma Public Works Difector and Chief of Police sent a
letter to your office(copy attached), requesting that Caltrans conduct a "Traffic Safety
Assessment." This assessment wastoinvestigate possible causes for major injury collisions on
Lakeville Highway, at Pine View Way, in the vicinity of Kaiser Hospital. Additionally, the letter
requested that Caltrans implement-roadway safety,enhancements in an attempt to reduce future
injury collisions: In the November 2010 letter, the Citydescribed-three major injury accidents
which occurred in this location, within-a short span of three months, from-May to July 2010.
There is also a history of fatal collisions at this location,one of which is marked byaroadside
memorial bronze plate.
On December 1, 2011, another major injury collision occurred at the same location, in which a
westbound driver was hit broadside•bya eastbound driver who was trying to avoid colliding with
a third driver making a left turn out of Pine View Way. These recurring injury collisions in this
vicinity deserve special attention and:safety improvements. The City believes the number of
collisions, and the severity of them, can be minimized by installing safety enhancements at this
intersection.
Attached is a sketch prepared by the City's Traffic Engineering Division, suggesting roadway
safety improvement concepts. The proposed improvements recommend converting the eastbound
curb lane into a` right turn only"'lane. Additionally, the City proposes to reduce the existing two
eastbound lanes through the intersection;to only one eastbound lane,to avoid the merging of
through lanes after the intersection;;By reducing two eastbound lanes to one, the northbound
driver from Kaiser Hospital making a left tum will have to.cross Only one lane of traffic; thereby,
reducing-the-time required to complete a left turn. Furthermore, a "refuge lane" is proposed for
these left turning vehicles to merge safely whenever there isaa.gap in westbound traffic. These
improvements,can.be'accomplished by installing raised median islands and "pork chop" islands
as shown in the accompanying sketch. Another suggestion'would be to install a traffic signal at
this location which will definitely improve the overall safety of this intersection.
Although nobody can guarantee that traffic collisions will'be eliminated completely, it is the
City's opinion that these injury collisions will be reduced by installing safety improvements in
this location.
The safety of driving public is a prime'consideration for Caltrans as it is for the City of Petaluma.
Together, we can find a solution to the existing situation to improve overall safety.
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Thank you in advance for your immediate consideration of this matter. The City is requesting
that Caltrans representatives review the attached sketch, evaluate the City's concerns and
suggestions, develop any additional safety,enhancement concepts and contact City staff to
formulate a plan to implement improvement nieasrires.
All correspondence and meetings should be coordinated through the City Engineer's Office, at
(707) 778-4311, if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
David Glass,
Mayor, City of Petaluma
cc: Dan St. John,.Director of Public Works and Utilities
Curt Bates, City Engineer
Gian Aggarwal, Traffic Engineer
Dan Fish, Chief of Police.
Ken Savano, Sergeant, Traffic Division
Phillipe Van, Senior Transportation Engineer, Caltrans District 4, 111 Grand Avenue,
Oakland; CA 94612
Don Rivers, North Bay Manager, Caltrans District 4, 611 Payran Street, Petaluma,
CA 94952-5910
Captain Greg Tracey,.California Highway Patrol, 6100 Labath Avenue, Rohnert Park, CA
94928
Sergeant Robert Mota, California Highway Patrol, Santa Rosa Area, 6100 Labath Avenue,
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
S:VIraffc Division Folder\Caltfans\Lakeville Highway Caltrans Mayor Signed Letter Febryary 2012,doe
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Attachment 3
a t nit CITY OF PETALUMA
Yost OFFICE Box 61
PETALUMA,CA 94953:0061
•
'Pamela Tarliatt
`few- November 1,2010. •
Teresa Banttt
David Class
Mike Harris
Mike'Healy
Da'a Rabb;u Bijan Sartipi,District Director
Tiffany Renfe Caltrans District4
Co:noimembers
P.O.Box 23660:
Oakland,CA'94623 40660
SUBJECT:SAFTY ISSUESONWAKEVILLE HIGHWAY;IN THE CITY OF PETALUMA
Dear Mr._Sa rtipi,
Lakeville.Highway.(SR116) from Route:US101to the eastern city limits of Petaluma is
• within the.City lof Petaluma's jurisdiction,for traffic enforcement: Traffic,engineering
responsibilities within this`segment are the jurisdiction of the,California'Department of
Transportation•(Caltrans). Lakeville:'Highway is a'four lane road from Route`US101 to
Pine View Way at which point the right lane merges,and becomes one lane eastbound.
Public Workr
Aannni r a+;o;, During the period of May through.July 2010,there have been-three serious major injury
II Lnglssn Serer collisions:on this segment of Lakeville,Highway within Petaluma City limits.
Petaluma,CA 94952
Phone(im)7,8-4/74 In May 2010, a,California Highway, Patrol (CHP) Motor Officer was responding to an
re:(79))776-3602 emergency call traveling.,eastbound on Lakeville Highway. An elderly driver heading to
E Alad public coos ca
rovalu e. us Kaiser Medical Center on'Pine View Way missed the turn to the facility and went east
towards'.Browns Lanel•When the CHP Officer tried to overtake her from the left side,she
Airport did not see him and made.a u-turrrand;the Officerhit her vehicle on the driver side:On
601 Sky Haack Dive impact, the Officer was ejected from mhis motorcycle and landed in a ditch. The Officer
P mluma,CA 94954 _ .
Phone(707)778-4404 was airlifted to a nearby hospital with very,serious injuries.!Fortunately the CHP;Officer
For(70Z)778-44(15. survived the accident
ainiuenancee Operations In the month of June-2010,;a.driver attempting to,make a left turn at Browns Labe was
540 yo e ia,, rear ended by a tractor and trailer.
Corporation
pe sr%2,
hone 707 CA 94952
/'NOne(ro7)778,:309, In the of July 2010' yet another collision occurred on-this section of•Lakeville
FO;0707)778Z:1437 v
IHighwaywhena driver:made a left turn out of Pine.View Way to go west and was hit
Parks&laarlsaape ;broadside,by an eastbound vehicle.
Mabtrenance
540 tfoppC St Eni Petaluma police officers investigating the collisions.reported that a significant number of •
t
f la m2 /322
to (707.728 728 1321' motorists;,.with destination of the Kaiser Medical Facility,have missed the turn off
Fax O7)778-4535 because only one sign currently exists.Southeast of the facility.
Transit
555.-I/c-Garell Bird.
Peuiiwra.CA 91954
Phone(707)778.4421
Far(707)7763799
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When.drivers realize they've missed the turn,they've,used'a variety of methods to-turnaround and go
back to the facility.
These injury collisions and reported related traffic goingito and--icdming.from the medical facility suggest
serious traffic safety concerns on 'this section of Lakeville Highway The City of Petaluma is
recommending that Caltrans-conduct-a 'Traffic Safety'Study"ito.iinvestigate the possible causes and
devise safety rneasures such as signalization and channelization'.to reduce/eliminate traffic collisions..
Additionally;we hereby,request that Caltrans grant'permission.to,thelCityof Petaluma,to install a:special
sign tiled "KAISER,HOSPITAL''with aright arrow/White an,Green background).similar to G8-22 (CA)to
be located on the south side of Lakeville Highway prior to iKaiser Hospital facing eastbound traffic,as
well as"NO,U TURN"(blackfon white background)signs facing eastbound traffic between Pine.View Way
and Browns Lane on;Lakeville Highway, This will provide advance information to the patients,staff and
vendors heading to Kaiser Hospital and may help eliminate the possibility of missing this facility or
requiring a u-turn.
Thank you.for your immediate consideration of ounrequests. Please contact the City's Traffic.Engineer,
Gian Agga rwalat,(707)776=3792-.if you have any questions.
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Si cerely,
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/c S/y//JSS.
971ncent Marengo J fff
Director of Public Works
Dan'Fish
Chief.of'Police
Cc:
Phillipe Van,Senior Transportation Engineer,Caltrans District 4,111!Grand Avenue;Oakland,0A'94612.
Don Rivers,North Bay Region Manager,Caltrans District 4,611 Payran Street Petaluma,CA 94952-5910
Captain Greg Tracey California'Highway Patrol,6100 Labath'Avenue,Rohnert-Park,CA.94928
Sergeant Robert Mota CaliforiiialHighvray.Patrol,Santa Rosa Area,6100 Labath Avenue,Rohner(Park,CA.94928
S:\TraKc D'nision reider\Caitrans\Safety issues on LTkevlle(2)-doc
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