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Home My WebLink AboutNB 1 H.B. RESO 6432 11-16-92NEW BUSINESS N0. 1 AGElN 11-16-92 l Inter -Com DATE: NOVEMBER 16, 1992 TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/ENGINEERING DIVISION SUBJECT: SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH'S RESOLUTION NO. 6432 REGARDING LOCAL CONTROL FOR SETTING SPEED LIMITS RECOMMENDATION: Pleasure of the Council. BACKGROUND: At the request of the City Council, at their meeting of November 21 1992, the Public Works Engineering staff has reviewed a request dated October 8, 1992, from the City of Huntington Beach urging the City of Tustin to support Huntington Beach City Council Resolution No. 6432. The subject resolution requests the California League of Cities to sponsor legislation that would provide for more local control for setting speed limits along major arterial highways in which a City desires to use radar to enforce the established speed limits. A copy of the request is attached for your information. DISCUSSION: The Engineering staff contacted Mr. Jim Otterson, Traff is Engineer for the City of Huntington Beach, to gain further information on this subject. Mr. Otterson explained that the City of Huntington Beach is in the process of updating the Engineering and Traffic Surveys for certain streets within Huntington Beach. It was determined, by Mr. Otterson from the survey, that on a particular street a speed limit of 50 MPH should be posted. When this was presented to the Huntington Beach City Council, there was a very unfavorable public reaction including some unfavorable press coverage. The City Council then directed Mr. Otterson to post the street for 45 MPH. Mr. Otterson explained to the Council that they were in vio-lation of State Law by doing this and he was then directed to initiate a resolution to modify the State Vehicle Code. Mr. Otterson explained that it is the intent of the resolution to provide the Huntington Beach City Council the latitude to adopt something other than the 85 percentile speed, identified in the Engineering and Traffic Surveys, as the posted speed limit. Based upon our review of this issue, it has been determined that the City of Tustin does not have similar problems as the ones recently experienced in Huntington Beach. According to our review of current legislation, the California Vehicle Code and the Huntington Beach Resolution 6432 November 16, 1992 Page 2 Caltrans Traffic Manual allow for speed limit reduction below the prevailing traffic speeds. Based upon the Engineering Division's interpretation of State Law, lower speed limits than identified by the 85 percentile in an Engineering and Traffic Survey can be set if local conditions justify such a reduction. Furthermore, we feel that there is more than adequate flexibility in the current legislation to establish speed limits lower than the 85 percentile and we routinely practice these when we determine speed limits within the City of Tustin. CONCLUSION: It is our suggestion that the City of Tustin not support, by formal Council action, the subject resolution at this time. However, if the Council desires to pursue support of the Huntington Beach resolution, adoption of the attached City of Tustin resolution will provide formal support of the Huntington Beach resolution. Robert S. Ledendecker Director of Public Works/ City Engineer RSL: DA: CITYHB 1 Attachments -dia -.0e, -n., 0.0&00' DougAs R. Anderson Transportation Engineer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 RESOLUTION NO. 92-140 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA SUPPORTING THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 6432 REGARDING LOCAL CONTROL FOR SETTING SPEED LIMITS WHEREAS, the City of Tustin recognizes that all local governments within the State of California are charged with insuring that the health, safety and welfare of its residents is maintained; and WHEREAS, the City of Tustin recognizes that current legislation may not adequately address community concerns of local jurisdictions in -setting local speed limits and the use of radar to enforce those posted speed limits; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE, DECLARE AND ORDERS AS FOLLOWS: Support of the Huntington Beach, California, City Council Resolution No. 6432 urging the California League of Cities to sponsor legislation to modify state law concerning the setting of local speed limits to reflect more emphasis on community concerns. PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Tustin on the 16th day of November 1992. ATTEST: Mary E. Wynn, City Clerk Leslie Anne Pontious, Mayor October 8, 1992 MAYOR Jim Silva C 1ty of HxUatirigt0la Bea�Gl1 MAYOR PRO TEMPOU Grace Winchcll P. O. BOX 190 2000 MAIN STREET CALIFORNIA 9264E COUNCIL)\'IEMBERS Pew Green Jack: Kelly Don MacAllister - Linda Moulton -Patterson Earle Robitaille Mr. Charles E. Puckett City of Tustin 15222 Del Amo Avenue Tustin, CA 92680 Dear Mr. Puckett: The _H,.:ntinQton Leach Cit_, (rot,:n.il urges vem- city tojoin ^ther Caffo .,io cities in supporting enclosed resolution. This resolution points out problems with the State Vehicle Code regarding the setting of local speed limits and the use of radar to enforce those posted speed limits. Under the resolution, the City of Huntington Beach is requesting that the California League of Cities sponsor legislation that would modify the State Vehicle Code to provide greater latitude to local .governments in determining the speed limits along local arterial streets and highways, while allowing for the use of radar to enforce the speed limits. According to our City Traffic Engineer, state law, as currently written, encourages higher -- speeds along local arterial streets and does not adequately take into consideration the young children that use these streets to ride their bicycles to and from local schools. The streets in our city that service our school age children, are heavily traveled routes that are also used by bicyclists (with and without surfboards), skateboarders, rollerbladers, and joggers who are going to the beach. In order for City Councils throughout California to insure the health, safety, an.-" welfare of citizens within their local government jurisdiction, it is imperative that the s=ate lave provide them with the tools to carryout their responsibilit\,. The City Council of i-iuntington Beach is iooi:ing forward to ou7- support o tile:- : eQueS: to have legislation introduced that will provide local Governments with more :a:tude in setting and -,enforcing soeed limits or local arterial streets and highways. Th2:_ �,o fo- vour consideratior... Sincerely, i . Jim Silva, Mayor City of Huntington Beach JS: RB:pa j 5263a xc: City Council Members Rich Barnard, Deputy City Administrator 0R�AS c� TELEPHONE (714) 536-5553 R -SOLUT10N 6432 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH REQUESTING THE CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF CITIES TO SPONSOR LEGISLATION THAT WOULD PROVIDE FOR MORE LOCAL CONTROL FOR SETTING SPEED LIMITS ALONG ARTERIAL HIGHWAYS IN WHICH A CITY DESIRES TO USE RADAR TO ENFORCE THE ESTABLISHED SPEED LIMITS WHEREAS, all local governments within the State of California are charged with insuring that the health, safety and welfare of its residents is maintained, and The City of Huntington Beach has experienced a reduction in the number of school sites, resulting in students riding bicycles, and walking longer distances to and from elementary, middle and high schools during peak and off peak hours, and being required to cross arterial highways at both controlled and non -controlled intersections, and The City Council of the City of Huntington Beach sets speed limits along arterial highways within its jurisdictional boundaries in accordance with state laws and procledures, and The City Council of the City of Huntington Beach has found the State Vehicle Code and traffic and engineering survey procedures referred to i the ve,c_c od` do not address co.:nuni `y concerns, and The C ry Council has been _nf_o_me6 hy the City a�~- �n_ -nee_ that post- Ing of speed .1-r,._ is o_ 50 and 5-E- miles tee._ ho ---r aionQ certain major, and secondary arterial 111chways is In keeping with the state laws regardless of the number of school age children and recreation bicyclists that use and cross these streets to gain access to and from schools and high use recreation sites, and - 1 - 9/29/92:556:jn --•-- The state law only addresses schools that are immediatelyadjacent to arterials but fails to address schools less than that ar 1000 feet from an arteriale highway, and The City is desirous to enforce city speed limits .using radar and has found that in order to accomplish this that unreasonable, and possibly unsafe, speed under state law. ed limits are encouraged NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the City Council of the City Of Huntington Beach call upon the California League of cities to sponsor legislation to modify the state law to reflect ,• community concerns so that the City of Huntington Beach and other cities within the State of California can insure the safety of all its residents, especially school age children. OPTED by the City Council of the Huntington Of at a regular me City of day o f meeting the thereof, held on _5±b_ 1992 - , 8 .\r p _ c TC r OPS. ---� WED APPRM7rT): v CiL �' Aamir.isLrator - 2 - �2°/�-2 35v . jn Res. No. 6432 STATE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF ORANGE � ss: CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH ) I, CONNIE BROCKWAY, the duly elected, qualified City Clerk of the City of Huntington Beach, and ex -officio Clerk • of the City Council of said City, do hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach is seven; that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted b the affirmative y formative vote of at least a majority of all the members of said Cit Council cel at a regular meeting thereof held on the of --�� day n'-�-n�r , 7 9_12_, by the, following vote: AYES: Councilmembers: Rohitaille Winchell, Silva, Green, MacAllist&-f, Kelly NO`S: Councilmembers: is one i i meTii+ er- r ;.� Ly L i ert: cne e>: -o; ; C� o i er;; - 0 i the L i tJ' Counc i i 0-17 the C; �J G Huntington BeECh, California