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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - TSP - 2000.10.12The City of Burlingame CITY HALL - 501 PRIMROSE ROAD CALIFORNIA 94010-3997 TRAFFIC, SAFETY AND PARKING COMMISSION Meeting Minutes - Approved Thursday, October 12, 2000 Commissioners Present:Tim Auran, Acting Chair Lisa De Angelis Jim Evans Jim McIver Commissioners Absent:Maureen Laks-Harber David Mayer Aldo Simonetti Staff Present:Frank Erbacher, Assistant Director of Public Works, Public Works Department Philip Ho, Traffic Engineer, Public Works Department Jane Gomery, Associate Engineer, Public Works Department Bob Ransom, Traffic Sergeant, Police Department Ken Musso, Assistant Chief, Fire Department Doris Mortensen, Administrative Secretary, Public Works Department Staff Absent:None. Visitors:Joe Blanke, 23 Dwight Road, Burlingame Lynn Feeney, 15 Dwight Road, Burlingame Gary Stephens, 29 Dwight Road, Burlingame Janet Zimmer, 1120 Palm Drive, Burlingame E. C. Zimmer, 1120 Palm Drive, Burlingame Whitney Murphy, 1121 Palm Drive, Burlingame Denis Murphy, 1121 Palm Drive, Burlingame Michael Barber, 1316 Palm Drive, Burlingame Helen Stevens, 1128 Palm Drive, Burlingame Robert Ruth, 1128 Palm Drive, Burlingame Dan Bergan, 1477 Floribunda #105, Burlingame Amy Chavez, 2340 Hale Drive, Burlingame Ross Bruce, Broadway BID Representative Minutes for 10-12-00 Meeting.wpd Page 1 TRAFFIC, SAFETY AND PARKING COMMISSION Meeting Minutes - Unapproved Thursday, October 12, 2000 1.CALL TO ORDER. 7:00 p.m. by Frank Erbacher, Asst. Director of Public Works. Mr. Erbacher explained that until a fourth Commissioner arrives, there is no quorum and proceeded to lead the meeting for informational purposes only. At 7:45 p.m., a fourth Commissioner arrived providing a quorum. Commissioner Auran was selected as Acting Chair at that time. 2.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG. Led by Ross Bruce. 3. ROLL CALL. 4 of 7 Commissioners present. 4.CURRENT BUSINESS. 4.1 ACTION ITEMS. 4.1.1 Minutes of September 14, 2000, were submitted and approved. Comm. De Angelis abstained due to her absence from that meeting. 4.2 DISCUSSION ITEMS. 4.2.1 Request for two STOP signs at Palm Drive/Crossway Road and a Speed Bump on Palm Drive at Edgehill Road From the floor Ms. Zimmer spoke of the speeding problem on Palm between Paloma and California Drive and that now there are more families with children in the neighborhood. She suggested a Stop sign and crosswalk at the intersection where five streets converge. The worse times of the day are during commute hours and when the high school lets out, as well as on weekends. Mr. Barber, a School Board member, stated he wants to stop speeders who race through the neighborhood and expects that a Stop sign would at least slow them down. Assistant Fire Chief Musso addressed the issue of speed bumps: Fire trucks which weigh about 70,000 lbs. must crawl very slowly when passing over a speed bump to prevent vehicle damage. Because of bumpy streets already encountered in the city, the Fire Department has had to replace their vehicles’ springs. He also stated that installing a speed bump on Palm Drive will set a precedence for other locations. Mr. Erbacher advised that speed bumps are not standard traffic control devices. Mr. Ho provided speed sampling data from 118 vehicles collected during the morning and afternoon school peak hours. The average speed is 26 mph and the critical speed is 31 mph. Ms. Whitney suggested speed samplings should also be taken at 7:30-9:30 am, 3:00-3:30 pm, and 4:30-6:30 pm, as well as weekend nights for better representation of what they experience. Also, she had called the Police who did respond and saw three occurrences of enforcement. Minutes for 10-12-00 Meeting.wpd Page 2 TRAFFIC, SAFETY AND PARKING COMMISSION Meeting Minutes - Unapproved Thursday, October 12, 2000 A roundabout or traffic circle was suggested; but Mr. Erbacher advised that this is not always a good idea in small intersections. They also may direct over-speed vehicles into a yard or structure, not just slow them down. Comm. Evans stated he would like to view this site before making a recommendation. This will be an Action Item at the next meeting. Petitioners were advised that they will receive a notice inviting them to attend the next meeting. 4.2.2 Request for traffic control on Dwight Road Petitioner Joe Blanke introduced the idea of changing this street’s environment from a fast, wide street to one with a calming effect to reduce speeding. Because this residential street is wider than average, cars are driven faster, especially since those southbound attempt to “make the green light” at Peninsula Avenue. Twenty-two trees have been planted on this block to add to the calming effect. Mr. Blanke recommends installing mid-block bulb-outs on this block forcing drivers to slow down to accommodate the man-made “S” curves. Bulb-outs at the Peninsula Avenue entrance to this block could also be placed where there is an existing red curb so one parking space would not be eliminated. This would make the entrance feel smaller, thus slowing vehicles. The petitioner and neighbors offered to design, build, landscape and maintain the bulb-outs. For trial purposes, cement blocks could be used since they are easy to remove and/or relocate. Speeding cars jeopardize the safety of more than 22 small children who reside on this block. Police have responded to requests for enforcement, but drivers tend to go slow when police are present. Bulb-out installation is a progressive traffic idea which would set off Burlingame as being distinctive. Gary Stephens of Dwight Road suggested installing a “No Right Turn on Red” sign on Dwight at Peninsula. Mr. Erbacher advised that this street is 36 feet wide, wider than the average residential street in Burlingame. Assistant Chief Musso stated the Fire Department would have to check the feasibility of getting the ladder truck through a bulbed-out mid-block diverter. One resident stated her husband’s parked truck was hit three months ago by a PG&E truck, and there had been another incident when an oversized truck sped down Dwight which tore out overhead cable lines per an October 12th letter to the City. Mr. Ho advised he had gathered speed samples from 200+ vehicles averaging 26 mph with a critical speed of 30 mph (the highest being 35 mph). No trucks over 8 tons are allowed on this street. Comm. Auran stated the Commission will review the site and the proposal, and this will be an Action Item next month. 4.2.3 Request for 6-foot height limit sign at 1846 Rollins Road Mr. Erbacher advised that this will be continued to next month at the petitioner’s request. 4.2.4 Loading Zone on Broadway and its cross streets Ross Bruce stated he represents the Broadway Business Improvement District (BID) and Minutes for 10-12-00 Meeting.wpd Page 3 TRAFFIC, SAFETY AND PARKING COMMISSION Meeting Minutes - Unapproved Thursday, October 12, 2000 related that they would like to see Laguna Avenue become a one-way street to save parking spaces on the west side of the street while providing a loading zone on the east. Mr. Erbacher advised that making this provision would require further studies since it would affect other streets, businesses and residents on and off of Laguna. Ms. Gomery gave a presentation on the next phase of the Broadway Streetscape Project from 1190 to 1454 Broadway. A consultant was hired to complete the design of Broadway with a tentative schedule to construct the north side in summer 2001 and the south side in 2002. The proposed design for the next two and a half blocks relocates/removes some loading zones on Broadway. The loading zones are revised with the proposed plan in order to accommodate new intersection bulb-outs which act as a pedestrian safety zone and include landscaping, seating, and special paving. It was noted that many businesses have loading available at the rear of their stores, and some businesses have their own parking lots for deliveries off Broadway. In addition Mr. Ho provided usage data from his loading zone survey showing that the loading zones in front of Absolute Cellular Services (1405 Broadway) and Village Host (1201 Broadway) were underutilized. Included in the proposed plan is a reduced parking stall angle on Broadway to increase the width of the driving aisles and improve traffic flow. This change and the intersection improvements will reduce the overall number of parking stalls on Broadway. To mitigate the loss of parking stalls the new Laguna parking lot is being built. A survey conducted to review the use of the parking lots in the Broadway area found that many existing lots behind the retail businesses are underutilized and will provide additional stalls during the peak noon hour. Ms. Gomery advised that Council will be reviewing this project at their November 6th meeting and asked for the Commission’s concurrence of the plan with the removal and relocation of the loading zones. It was moved and seconded (Comms. Evans/McIver) to concur and defer this plan to Council with the Commission’s approval. Unanimously approved by the Commission. 4.2.5 Millbrae BART Station - Potential Impacts on City streets Mr. Ho advised that there is nothing new to report and that he is waiting to receive notes from Comm. Mayer on his contacts. Comm. Auran stated that the Chamber of Commerce was provided a great presentation last month on BART, and City staff’s involvement with studies which help to identify or alleviate potential problems was recognized. 5.ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF NEW ITEMS. 5.1 Request to investigate traffic safety on Adeline Drive (Hoover Avenue to Vancouver Avenue) Minutes for 10-12-00 Meeting.wpd Page 4 TRAFFIC, SAFETY AND PARKING COMMISSION Meeting Minutes - Unapproved Thursday, October 12, 2000 Mr. Erbacher advised that this will be a Discussion Item next month and that meeting notices will be sent out. 6. FROM THE FLOOR.None. 7.INFORMATION ITEMS. 7.1 Mr. Erbacher advised that next month’s meeting scheduled for Thursday, November 9, is followed by the Veteran’s Day holiday and suggested moving the meeting to Wednesday, November 8, to encourage petitioner attendance. Commissioners present agreed to the new meeting date for November. 7.2 From TSPC 7.2.1 Reports of citizen complaints or requests from TSPC. None. 7.2.2 Comments and communication from TSPC to staff. 7.2.2.1 Comm. De Angelis asked Sgt. Ransom to see if a tar pot parked on Rollins Road next to the North Park tennis courts should be towed. It appears to be abandoned since it’s been there for two months and its tires are rotting. Sgt. Ransom agreed to check it out. 7.2.3 Expected absences of Commissioners at the next meeting. None. 7.3 Traffic Engineer’s Report 7.3.1 Mr. Ho provided an update on the Broadway Signal Interconnect and U.S.101/Rollins Road Signals Projects. Two contracts will be reviewed by Council at their October 16th meeting for construction work and for consultant services. Construction is tentatively scheduled to start in late October and will include traffic signals at Cadillac Way and Rollins Road and coordinate them with Broadway signals. 7.3.2 Mr. Erbacher advised that RCN is coming into Burlingame and there will be traffic interruptions in the areas RCN is required to install underground. 7.3.3 Mr. Ho advised that the Burlingame Avenue Parking Study will be completed for the next meeting. 7.4 Staff Action Log Minutes for 10-12-00 Meeting.wpd Page 5 TRAFFIC, SAFETY AND PARKING COMMISSION Meeting Minutes - Unapproved Thursday, October 12, 2000 7.4.1 Mr. Ho advised that the log has been updated and is included in this Agenda packet. 8.INACTIVE ITEMS. None. 9.AGENDIZE FOR THE NEXT MEETING. 9.1 Mr. Ho advised of November’s Agenda Items as follows: 4.2.1 - Action Item 4.2.2 - Action Item 4.2.3 - Discussion Item 4.2.4 - Completed 4.2.5 - Discussion Item (Continued) 5.1 - Discussion Item 10. ADJOURNMENT. 9:15 p.m. Minutes for 10-12-00 Meeting.wpd Page 6