Westminster City Council
SUBJECT
Title
Adoption of the Updated Engineering and Traffic Survey for 17 Street Segments and Introduction of an Ordinance Amending the Westminster Municipal Code Concerning Speed Limits within the City.
End
publichearing
End
From: Traffic Commission Chairman Jimmy Pham
Requested by: Administration
Prepared by: Bill Pham, Senior Traffic Engineer
____________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommendation
A. Adopt the Updated Engineering and Traffic Survey for 17 Street Segments; and
B. Introduce an Ordinance entitled, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WESTMINSTER, CALIFORNIA, TO AMEND SECTION 10.64.010, TITLE 20 (VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC) OF THE WESTMINSTER MUNICIPAL CODE CONCERNING SPEED LIMITS WITHIN THE CITY,” read by title only and waive further reading.
end
BACKGROUND
Staff presented this item at the Traffic Commission meeting on April 30, 2024. Staff explained that any time the characteristic of a roadway changes, affected by significant construction for example, a re-evaluation of the non-statutory speed limits is required for police officers to be able to use radar enforcement. The current legislation is intended to protect the public from “revenue speed traps” and requires agencies to set realistic and safe speed limits. Through the adoption of this study, the Police Department will be able to enforce posted speed limits using radar equipment.
Based on recent construction projects, the following 17 roadway segments were affected:
1. Bolsa Avenue between Edwards Street and Goldenwest Street
2. Bolsa Avenue between Goldenwest Street and Hoover Street
3. Bolsa Chica Road between Garden Grove Boulevard and Westminster Boulevard
4. Edwards Street between Garden Grove Boulevard and Trask Avenue
5. Edwards Street between Westminster Boulevard and Royal Oak Drive
6. Garden Grove Boulevard between Bolsa Chica Road and Melanie Lane
7. Garden Grove Boulevard between Melanie Lane and Edwards Street
8. Garden Grove Boulevard between Edwards Street and Goldenwest Street
9. Goldenwest Street between Hazard Avenue and Bolsa Avenue
10. Goldenwest Street between Bolsa Avenue and McFadden Avenue
11. Magnolia Street between Edinger Avenue and Heil Avenue
12. Newland Street between Edinger Avenue and Heil Avenue
13. Springdale Street between Iroquois Road and Westminster Boulevard
14. Trask Avenue between Edwards Street and Goldenwest Street
15. Trask Avenue between Goldenwest Street and Hoover Street
16. Westminster Boulevard between Rancho Road and Springdale Street
17. Westminster Boulevard between Springdale Street and Edwards Street
The City recently completed the Garden Grove Boulevard Complete Street Project, which created a two-way protected bikeway along the north side of Garden Grove Boulevard between I-405 NB Off-Ramp/SR22 EB On/Off-Ramps and Edwards Street. The project also implemented buffered bike lanes on Edwards Street between Garden Grove Boulevard and Trask Avenue and Trask Avenue between Edwards Street and Hoover Street. This project included travel lane reductions necessary to implement the bicycle facilities and a two-way left-turn lane.
Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has completed the I-405 Freeway Improvement Project. The project included the demolition and reconstruction of 11 bridges within the City of Westminster right-of-way.
Based on the significant roadway changes resulting from both the Garden Grove Boulevard Complete Street and I-405 Freeway Improvement Projects, a re-evaluation of the non-statutory speed limits is required. These roadways were last surveyed in September 2020, before both projects were constructed.
The City hired AGA Engineers, Inc. (AGA) to conduct speed surveys at the subject roadway segments to determine the existing vehicular travel speeds by using a calibrated radar gun. Spot speed surveys were taken in conformance with State law for conducting engineering and traffic surveys for the purpose of establishing prima facie speed limits. The data was collected per the latest edition of the California Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD).
A minimum of 100 observations were recorded (50 per direction) on arterial and collector streets during weekday off-peak hours. The data was compiled and then processed to calculate useful statistical information such as the 85th percentile speed, 10 miles-per-hour pace speed, percent of vehicles within the 10 miles-per-hour pace, median speed, and other related data for analysis.
AGA staff also performed field observations to determine the new roadway characteristics, conditions, adjacent land uses, pedestrian and bicycle activity, and identify roadway characteristics that are not readily apparent to drivers.
Speed limits should normally be established near the 85th percentile speed, which statistically represents one standard deviation above the average speed and establishes the upper limit of what is considered reasonable and prudent. Speed limits cannot be set arbitrarily low, as this would create violators of the majority of drivers and would not command the respect of the public. However, engineering judgment and other factors, such as street surveillance and accident rates, may indicate the need for further reduction in establishing reasonable and effective speed limits.
The following standards have been implemented in the California MUTCD and used in the subject study:
• The speed limit shall be established at the nearest increment of the 85th percentile.
• If the 5-miles-per-hour reduction is applied, the Engineering and Traffic Survey shall document in writing the conditions and justification for the reduced speed limit and be approved by a registered Civil or Traffic Engineer.
• Authorizes a local authority to further reduce the speed limit beyond the 5-miles-per-hour reduction after June 30, 2024, if certain conditions are met.
AGA conducted the speed surveys in December 2023 for the 17 roadway segments, and the recommended speed limits are as follows:
|
Street |
No. |
Segment |
Existing Posted Speed Limit -MPH |
85th Percentile - MPH (2023 Survey) |
Recomm. Speed Limit - MPH |
Comments |
|
Bolsa Avenue |
1 |
Edwards / Goldenwest |
40 |
40 |
40 |
No Change |
|
|
2 |
Goldenwest / Hoover |
45 |
38 |
40 |
Decrease |
|
Bolsa Chica Road |
3 |
Garden Grove / Westminster |
50 |
54 |
50 |
No Change |
|
Edwards Street |
4 |
Garden Grove / Trask |
35 |
42 |
35 |
No Change |
|
|
5 |
Westminster / Royal Oak |
40 |
38 |
40 |
No Change |
|
Garden Grove Boulevard |
6 |
Bolsa Chica /Melanie |
45 |
44 |
40 |
Decrease |
|
|
7 |
Melanie / Edwards |
45 |
50 |
40 |
Decrease |
|
|
8 |
Edwards / Goldenwest |
45 |
49 |
40 |
Decrease |
|
Goldenwest |
9 |
Hazard / Bolsa |
40 |
44 |
40 |
No Change |
|
Street |
10 |
Bolsa / McFadden |
45 |
42 |
40 |
Decrease |
|
Magnolia Street |
11 |
Edinger / Heil |
45 |
45 |
45 |
No Change |
|
Newland Street |
12 |
Edinger / Heil |
40 |
48 |
40 |
No Change |
|
Springdale Street |
13 |
Iroquois / Westminster |
35 |
45 |
35 |
No Change |
|
Trask Avenue |
14 |
Edwards / Goldenwest |
35 |
40 |
35 |
No Change |
|
|
15 |
Goldenwest / Hoover |
35 |
38 |
35 |
No Change |
|
Westminster |
16 |
Rancho / Springdale |
45 |
41 |
40 |
Decrease |
|
Boulevard |
17 |
Springdale / Edwards |
40 |
33 |
35 |
Decrease |
Prior to the final recommendation of speed limits in the City, the Traffic Engineering Division and Police Department Traffic Bureau met to discuss the analysis findings and other relevant special knowledge of the roadway segments.
Overall results of this study disclose that, with the recommended findings, speed limits on the subject streets are established at proper levels, and that the courts should uphold citations issued through radar enforcement.
Commissioner K. Nguyen moved to approve staff’s recommendation to approve the updated Engineering and Traffic Surveys for 17 street segments; seconded by Vice Chairman Summers.
The motion was carried by a 4-0 vote with Commissioner A. Nguyen absent.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed as to form.
CONCLUSION
Based on the significant roadway changes resulting from both the Garden Grove Boulevard Complete Street and I-405 Freeway Improvement Projects, a re-evaluation of the non-statutory speed limits is required. The lack of an adequate study effectively precludes police officers from using radar enforcement.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed Ordinance
2. Speed Limit Map - Highlighting the 17 Segments
3. Updated Engineering Traffic and Survey
4. Traffic Commission Report dated April 30, 2024
REVIEWED BY
Erin Backs, Finance Director
Christian Bettenhausen, City Attorney
Christine Cordon, City Manager