Title
Community Development Services, Department of Transportation, recommending the Board adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 213-2018 sanctioning a new speed restriction on Silva Valley Parkway, White Rock Road and Hollow Oak Drive.
FUNDING: Road Fund.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Community Development Services, Department of Transportation (Transportation) conducted a Speed Zone Survey to comply with California Vehicle Code, Section 40802, which requires an Engineering and Traffic Survey to be completed every five (5) years where enforcement involves the use of radar or other electronic devices that measure the speed of moving objects for two (2) speed zones on Silva Valley Parkway (No. 2347), and two (2) speed zones on White Rock Road (No.34). In addition, Transportation conducted an Engineering and Traffic Survey in response to the County accepting Hollow Oak Drive (No. 2811) into the County maintained mileage system.
The speed for Silva Valley Parkway was set at fifty-five (55) miles per hour (MPH) from Mile Post 0.00 to Mile Post 0.43 and forty-five (45) MPH from Mile Post 0.43 to Mile Post 4.08 with Resolution 039-2009. Since that time, there have been appreciable changes to the roadway between Valley View Parkway (Mile Post 1.58) and the southern driveway for the Oak Meadow School (Mile Post 0.43). The appreciable changes were the Silva Valley Parkway/US Highway 50 interchange alignment along with new alignments for Old White Rock Road, Carson Crossing, and Tong Road. Silva Valley Parkway limits now start (Mile Post 0.00) at the US Highway 50 Eastbound off ramp, going in a northern direction towards Green Valley Road. To accurately provide recommendations, Transportation conducted three (3) speed surveys on Silva Valley Parkway in March of 2018. Based on the results, the increase in traffic volume, the improvements to the roadway and the requirements of the California Vehicle Code for the establishment of radar enforced speed zones, the lowest speed that can be recommended for Silva Valley Parkway from Mile Post 0.00 to Mile Post 0.43 is forty-five (45) MPH which would create an effective and safe transition speed zone between White Rock Road (50 MPH) and Silva Valley Parkway (45 MPH) within the new US Highway 50 and Silva Valley Parkway Interchange On/Off signalized area.
The speed for White Rock Road was set at forty-five (45) MPH from Mile Post 1.13 to Mile Post 1.58 and fifty-five (55) MPH from Mile Post 1.59 to Mile Post 2.22 with Resolution 055-2005 and Resolution 025-2006. Since that time, there has been one relatively appreciable change to the study area where White Rock Road joins the new Silva Valley Parkway/US Highway 50 Interchange. Recommendations are based on two (2) radar speed surveys conducted by Transportation in March of 2018. Based on the evidence presented in the survey, it is concluded that the existing forty-five (45) MPH speed limit on White Rock Road from Mile Post 1.13 to Mile Post 1.58 is in conformance with the provisions of the California Vehicle Code and should be retained. However, the findings support a further reduction of five (5) MPH to fifty (50) MPH from Mile Post 1.59 to Mile Post 2.22 due to pedestrian and bicycle movements without sidewalks or bikepaths.
The speed survey for Hollow Oak Drive includes the entire 1.21 mile length of roadway from Bass Lake Road to Whiskey Drift Drive. There is not currently any commercial development along Hollow Oak Drive and Hollow Oak Drive currently does not meet the criteria as a residential or a business district. Two (2) radar speed surveys were conducted by Transportation and found that based on the eighty-fifth (85th) percentile speeds recorded in February of 2018, a forty-five (45) MPH speed zone was justified. However, due to the curvilinear roadway alignment, bicycle and pedestrian activity, the moderate to steep roadway gradients, the roadway vertical curves and a higher than average accident rate a further reduction of five (5) MPH to forty (40) MPH was justified between Mile Post 0.00 and Mile Post 1.03. The portion of Hollow Oak Drive from Mile Post 1.03 to 1.21 is more residential in nature, does support a speed zone of thirty (30) MPH.
The following recommendations were approved by the West Slope Traffic Advisory Committee at a meeting held on July 18, 2018:
DELETE:
“(fs) Silva Valley Parkway (No. 2347) fifty-five (55) miles per hour from White Rock Road (No. 34) to a point 800 feet (800’) south of the southern driveway to the Oak Meadow Elementary School at Milepost 0.43.”
“(ft) Silva Valley Parkway (No. 2347) forty-five (45) miles per hour from a point 800 feet (800’) south of the southern driveway to the Oak Meadow Elementary School at Milepost 0.43 to its intersection with Green Valley Road (No. 2).”
“(ep) White Rock Road (No. 34) forty-five (45) miles per hour from Latrobe Road (No. 18) east to Valley View Parkway.”
“(fc) White Rock Road (No. 34) fifty-five (55) miles per hour from Valley View Parkway to Silva Valley Parkway (No. 2347).”
ADD:
“(fs-ft) Silva Valley Parkway (No. 2347) forty-five (45) miles per hour from a point at the US Hwy 50 eastbound on/off ramps (MP 0.00), northerly to its intersection with Green Valley Road (No. 2) (MP 4.08).”
“(ep-fc) White Rock Road (No. 34) forty-five (45) miles per hour from Latrobe Road (No. 18) east to Valley View Parkway and White Rock Road (No. 34) fifty-five (50) miles per hour from Valley View Parkway to Silva Valley Parkway (No. 2347).”
“(gi) Hollow Oak Drive (No. 2811) forty (40) miles per hour from Bass Lake Road (No. 4) to a point 300 feet west of Samuel Way (No. 2813) and Hollow Oak Drive (No. 2811) thirty (30) miles per hour from a point 300 feet west of Samuel Way (No. 2813) to Whiskey Drift Drive (No. 2815).”
ALTERNATIVES
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Traffic Advisory Committee, County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Installation of speed limit signs on Silva Valley Road, White Rock Road and Hollow Oak Drive is estimated at $3600. Funding to complete the work is included in the FY 2018-19 Proposed Budget.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk will obtain the Chair's signature on one (1) original of the Resolution.
2) The Clerk will forward one (1) copy of the Resolution to Transportation, Maintenance and Operations Division, attention Ashley Johnson.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure, Public Safety
CONTACT
Rafael Martinez, Director
Community Development Services, Department of Transportation