Westminster City Council
SUBJECT
Title
Adoption of Updated Engineering and Traffic Survey for Four 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 Khanh Nguyen
Requested by: Administration
Prepared by: Bill Pham, Senior Traffic Engineer; Veronica Johnson, Management Analyst
____________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommendation
A. Adopt the Updated Engineering and Traffic Survey for Four 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 10.64.020 OF TITLE 10 (VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC) OF THE WESTMINSTER MUNICIPAL CODE CONCERNING SPEED LIMITS WITHIN THE CITY,” read by title only and waive further reading.
end
BACKGROUND
When a public road is significantly changed, such as due to construction, the City must re-evaluate speed limits so police officers can use radar to enforce speeds. State law is designed to prevent unfair “speed traps” and to ensure speed limits are reasonable and safe. Approving this survey allows the Police Department to enforce speed limits using radar.
The City recently completed the Mendez Freedom Trail Project along Hoover Street. The project added a protected two-way bike lane on the west side of the street between Garden Grove Boulevard and Bolsa Avenue. To make room for the bike lane, the number of travel lanes was reduced from four lanes to two lanes, and a center left-turn lane was added (Attachment 1). Due to these changes, all four sections of Hoover Street between Garden Grove Boulevard and Bolsa Avenue were affected:
1. Hoover Street between Garden Grove Boulevard and Trask Avenue.
2. Hoover Street between Trask Avenue and Westminster Boulevard.
3. Hoover Street between Westminster Boulevard and Hazard Avenue.
4. Hoover Street between Hazard Avenue and Bolsa Avenue.
These roadways were last surveyed in September 2020, before the project was 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 calibrated radar equipment, similar to what the police department uses. Spot speed surveys were taken in conformance with State law for conducting engineering and traffic surveys for the purpose of establishing 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) along the subject roadway during weekday off-peak hours. AGA staff also performed field observations to review 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, the natural speed 85% of the drivers are traveling. Speed limits cannot be set subjectively 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.
• Authorizes a local authority to further reduce the speed limit beyond the 5-miles-per-hour reduction on roadway segments designated as “safety corridors” or “land or facilities that generate high concentrations of bicyclists and pedestrians.”
• 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.
• The total reduction from the 85th percentile speed shall not exceed 12.4 mph.
AGA conducted the speed surveys in March 2026, and based on the study, the recommended speed limit for all four segments of Hoover Street is 35 mph, reduced from the current 40 mph, which was posted for the four segments before the project.
|
Street |
No. |
Segment |
Existing Posted Speed Limit -MPH |
85th Percentile - MPH (2026 Survey) |
Recomm. Speed Limit - MPH |
Comments |
|
Hoover Street |
1 |
Garden Grove to Trask |
40 |
40 |
35 |
Decrease |
|
|
2 |
Trask to Westminster |
40 |
36 |
35 |
Decrease |
|
|
3 |
Westminster to Hazard |
40 |
37 |
35 |
Decrease |
|
|
4 |
Hazard to Bolsa |
40 |
40 |
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 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.
Staff presented this item at the Traffic Commission meeting on March 31, 2026. The Commission voted 5-0 to approve the updated Engineering and Traffic Surveys for all four street segments.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed as to form.
CONCLUSION
Based on the significant roadway changes resulting from the Mendez Freedom Trail Project, a re-evaluation of the speed limits was required. The lack of an adequate study effectively prevents police officers from using radar enforcement. An engineering and traffic survey was conducted and resulted in speed reductions along Hoover Street.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Before and After Construction Photos
2. Proposed Ordinance
3. Redlined Municipal Code Section 10.64.20
4. Speed Limit Map - Highlighting the four segments
5. Updated Engineering Traffic and Survey
6. Traffic Commission Report dated March 31, 2026
REVIEWED BY
Erin Backs, Finance Director
City Attorney’s Office
Christine Cordon, City Manager