Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, October 02, 2018
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 18-140 APPROVING THE INSTALLATION OF A STOP SIGN ON BRENNER DRIVE AT DUNBROOKE AVENUE (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
A request was received from residents to install a stop sign on Brenner Drive at its intersection with Dunbrooke Avenue (Exhibit No. 1). This is a “T” intersection that currently has no stop signs. The primary reason for the stop sign request is to improve safety for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians by requiring motorists on Brenner Drive to stop before entering the intersection, which would make this intersection consistent with the other “T” intersections in the neighborhood. After analyzing the intersection and observing the traffic patterns, pedestrian patterns, and visibility at this location, staff and the Public Works Commission recommend that the City Council approve the attached resolution to authorize the installation of a stop sign on Brenner Drive at Dunbrooke Avenue (Exhibit No. 2).
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 18-140, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE INSTALLATION OF A STOP SIGN ON WESTBOUND BRENNER DRIVE AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH DUNBROOKE AVENUE”
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III. ALTERNATIVES
1. DENY the request to install a stop sign on Brenner Drive at Dunbrooke Avenue.
2. TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
The intersection of Brenner Drive at Dunbrooke Avenue is a “T” intersection that is not currently equipped with traffic control (stop signs or yield signs). These streets are both two-lane local residential streets that are located in the neighborhood east of Avalon Boulevard and south of University Drive.
As the intersection does not have stop signs on any of the approaches to the intersection, the right-of-way rules that are stated in Section 21800 of the California Vehicle Code are applicable to motorists passing through the intersection. Subsection (b)(1) of this Vehicle Code section states, “When two vehicles enter an intersection from different highways at the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on his or her immediate right, except that the driver of any vehicle on a terminating highway shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle on the intersecting continuing highway.” This means that drivers approaching Dunbrooke Avenue on westbound Brenner Drive, which is a terminating highway because it does not continue beyond the intersection, must yield to all vehicles on Dunbrooke Avenue (northbound and/or southbound).
While the right-of-way rule from the Vehicle Code is generally acceptable at the intersection of two local residential streets, particularly at “T” intersections, it has reportedly created safety issues at this intersection because the other “T” intersections in the neighborhood have stop signs on the side street. The “T” intersections with stop signs on the side streets are Haigler Drive at Brenner Drive, Brenner Drive at Caney Avenue, Reinhart Avenue at Elsmere Drive, and Wadley Avenue at Elsmere Drive.
In addition to the consistency issue, there are some minor visibility constraints at this intersection when vehicles are parked near the intersection. Other than parked vehicles, visibility is generally good because there are no substantial blockages associated with the houses, vegetation, or walls. It has been reported and observed, however, that some motorists fail to yield while approaching the intersection on westbound Brenner Drive, which results in potential safety conflicts that could be alleviated by installing a stop sign. This would require motorists on Brenner Drive to stop before turning onto Dunbrooke Avenue. Currently, drivers are not required to stop while approaching the intersection.
The guidelines in the “California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices” (MUTCD, 2014 edition) state that stop signs should be used if engineering judgment indicates that one or more conditions exist. Among the conditions that are listed in the manual that would be appropriate for a stop sign installation at this location are:
A. Intersection of a less important road with a main road where application of the normal right-of-way rule would not be expected to provide reasonable compliance with the law, and
B. Street entering a through highway or street.
Observations at the intersection of Brenner Drive at Dunbrooke Avenue and reports from representatives of the neighborhood indicate that both of these scenarios are applicable. Criterion A is applicable because many drivers on Brenner Drive turn onto Dunbrooke Avenue with only minimal slowing and thereby create conflicts with vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians on Dunbrooke Avenue. While Dunbrooke is not technically classified as a main road, it is used as a connector route between the neighborhood and the signalized intersection of Avalon Boulevard and Elsmere Drive. Criterion B is applicable because Dunbrooke Avenue is a through street that provides access to Avalon Boulevard via Elsmere Drive.
As the right-of-way rule from the Vehicle Code does not provide reasonable compliance with the law and as visibility constraints at this location periodically create potential safety risks for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, it is recommended that a stop sign be installed on westbound Brenner Drive at its intersection with Dunbrooke Avenue. Included in the installation are a stop bar (limit line) and a STOP legend that would be painted on the pavement.
The MUTCD also has guidelines for the installation of multi-way stop signs (three-way or four-way stop signs), including such criteria as traffic volumes, pedestrian volumes, and accident statistics. The conditions at this intersection do not warrant the installation of three-way stop signs.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
The cost of installing a stop sign and painting the STOP legend and stop bar is approximately $500.00. Funds are available in the adopted FY 2018/19 Public Works Sign Maintenance budget in Account No. 01-80-840-083-8028.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Aerial Photo. (pg. 4)
2. Resolution No. 18-140 (pgs. 5-6)
Prepared by: Richard Garland, Traffic Engineer