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CC - Adoption of a Resolution to Enhance School Zone Safety by Establishing 15 Miles Per Hour Speed Limits on Certain Streets Adjacent to Public Schools, in Accordance with California Vehicle Code Section 22358.4 and Section 7B.15 of the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
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Meeting Date: February 3, 2020
Contact Person/Dept: Gabe Garcia/Public Works Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-5633
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (01/28/20); (E-Mail) Superintendent Leslie Lockhart (01/24/20)
Department Approval: Charles D. Herbertson, PW Director/City Engineer (01/23/20)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a Resolution to enhance school zone safety by establishing 15 miles per hour speed limits on certain streets adjacent to public schools, in accordance with California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 22358.4 and Section 7B.15 of the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
In October 2007 Assembly Bill 321 (AB321), was signed into law, and became effective in 2008. AB321 allows local jurisdictions to reduce speed limits on certain streets located within residential districts.
A Traffic and Engineering Survey is required, and if the evaluation finds that the existing 25 mph school zone speed limit exceeds what is reasonable or safe, local jurisdictions may, by resolution, reduce the speed limit to 15 or 20 mph in the area within 500 feet from the school boundary, as well as extend the school zone limits to 1,000 feet from the school boundary (versus just 500 feet from the school boundary without AB321). AB321 affects only street segments in residential districts, which have only two lanes of traffic and a maximum posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour.
AB321 amended Section 22358.4 of the CVC, which establishes the process and requirements for implementation of the speed reduction as follows:
From the boundary of the school to 500 feet from or passing a school building or grounds in a residential district:
1. Local agencies can evaluate, upon the basis of an engineering and traffic survey pursuant to Section 627 of the Vehicle Code, if the prima facie speed limit of 25 mph is reasonable and safe;
2. By resolution, the local agency may resolve that a speed limit of 15 or 20 mph is appropriate as justified by the engineering and traffic survey;
3. Appropriate traffic signs must be posted giving notice of the speed limit adopted by resolution; and
4. The traffic signs must indicate the speed limit and that they are in effect when children are present on their way to or from school.
From the school’s 500-foot boundary to 1000 feet or passing a school building or grounds in a residential district:
1. Local agencies can evaluate, upon the basis of an engineering and traffic survey pursuant to Section 627 of the Vehicle Code, if the prima facie speed limit of 30 mph is reasonable and safe;
2. By resolution, the local agency may resolve that a speed limit of 25 mph is appropriate as justified by the engineering and traffic survey;
3. Appropriate traffic signs must be posted giving notice of the speed limit adopted by resolution; and
4. The traffic signs must indicate the speed limit and that they are in effect when children are present on their way to or from school.
The following public school sites and their adjacent qualifying streets were evaluated:
• Culver City High School
• Culver City Middle School
• Culver Park High School
• El Marino Language School
• El Rincon Elementary School
• Farragut Elementary School
• La Ballona Elementary School
• Linwood E. Howe Elementary School
After a thorough evaluation, the street segments listed in the proposed Resolution (Attachment 1) were selected for speed zone reduction to 15 miles per hour within the first 500 feet of the above listed schools.
The speed reduction on the selected street segments represents a 10 mph reduction from the prima facie speed limit of 25 mph. The traffic signs required by the AB321, the California Vehicle Code, and the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices have already been installed. The adoption of the attached resolution will facilitate enforcement by the Police Department.
Additionally, some 25 mph signs were installed on local streets on the segments between 500 feet and 1000 feet from the school boundaries. Because these signs represent the prima facie speed limit contained in the California Vehicle Code, the City Council does not need to take any action regarding the newly added 25 mph speed limit signs.
AB321 applies to public, charter, and private schools. However, staff has prioritized public school neighborhoods due to the greater number of students and therefore, greater volume of traffic affected on the selected streets as compared to in private school areas. In future fiscal budgets and as staffing resources allow, staff could submit budget requests to perform the necessary studies around private schools and produce engineering plans reflecting qualifying streets under AB321 and their recommended speed reduction subject to Council approval.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Under the supervision of Public Works staff, an on-call traffic engineering consulting firm assisted with traffic data collection, engineering and traffic surveys, and prepared engineering plans reflecting the speed reductions discussed in this report at a cost of $21,150. The regular operating budget of the Public Works Department was adequate to fund this effort, and no additional funds are currently requested.
It should also be noted that approximately 71 new signs and 66 new posts were installed by Public Works Maintenance Operations staff. The estimated cost for materials is approximately $20,473 and labor soft costs are estimated at approximately $3,871 for an estimated total cost of $24,344. This expenditure was funded from the Public Works allocated operating budget. The Maintenance Operations Division will continue to maintain the signs also using their operating budget.
There is no further fiscal impact in the City Council’s adoption of the proposed Resolution.
ATTACHMENT
1. 2020-02-03_ATT - Proposed Resolution
MOTION
That the City Council:
Adopt a Resolution to enhance school zone safety by establishing 15 miles per hour speed limit on certain streets adjacent to public schools, in accordance with California Assembly Bill 321, Section 22358.4 of the California Vehicle Code, and Section 7B.15 of the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.