Title
Community Development Agency, Transportation Division, recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 185-2015 sanctioning new and revised speed restrictions on County roads on the Western Slope for select sections of roadway, as identified below, in the El Dorado Hills area.
FUNDING: Road Fund. (No Federal Funds)
Body
DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Community Development Agency, Transportation Division (Transportation) recommending the Board approve and authorize the chair to sign Resolution sanctioning the revision to speed restrictions for the following:
ADD:
“(gf) Blackstone Parkway (No. 2797) forty (40) miles per hour from Valley View Parkway (private road) to Cornerstone Drive (No. 2799)”
AMEND:
“(fm) White Rock Road (No. 34) fifty (50) fifty-five (55) miles per hour from the Sacramento County Line to Latrobe Road (No. 18)”
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
A study of the speed limit on Blackstone Parkway was initiated in response to a petition from residents and members of the Parking and Safety Committee of the Blackstone Home Owners association. Blackstone Parkway is classified as a Local Road, which serves as a "collector" street for the subdivision but does not qualify as either a "Residence District" or a "Business District." The existing 85th percentile speeds recorded in the 2015 study are 45 and 46 miles per hour, which would justify a speed zone of 45 miles per hour, but the presence of bicyclists and a high number of pedestrians in the area indicates the need for a further reduction to 40 miles per hour.
The speed for White Rock Road was set at 50 miles per hour with Resolution 034-2011. Since that time, many improvements have been made to the roadway including the delineation of bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides of the road. The average accident rate has been lowered from 1.60 Accidents per Million Vehicles from 2007 through 2009, down to 0.88 Accidents per Million Vehicle Miles from 2012 through 2014. Additionally, speed surveys indicate that the existing 85th percentile speeds recorded show an average speed of 56 miles per hour. Based on the results of the speed surveys, the decrease in accidents, 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 White Rock Road from the County line to Latrobe Road is 55 miles per hour.
ALTERNATIVES
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Traffic Advisory Committee and County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Chief Administrative Office recommends the Board move staff's recommendation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Installation of speed limit signs on Blackstone Parkway is estimated at $1500. Replacement of speed limit signs on White Rock Road is estimated at $1000. Funding to complete the work is included in the Fiscal Year 2015/16 Transportation Division Road Fund Budget.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk will obtain the Chair's signature on the Resolution.
2) The Clerk will forward one copy of the Resolution to Transportation.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure, Public Safety
CONTACT
Don Spear, Deputy Director - Maintenance and Operations
Transportation Division
Community Development Agency