HomeMy WebLinkAboutOB 4 PEDESTRIAN XWALKS 11-7-88 OLD BUSINESS
//- . 7-88
Inter Com
DATE: 1, 1988
TO:
WILLIAM HUSTON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/ENGINEERING DIVISION
SUBJECT: PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS ON ARTERIAL HIGHWAYS
RECOMMENDATION:
Pleasure of the City Council.
BACKGROUND:
At the October 3, 1988 City Council meeting, a citizen raised a concern
over the safety of school children crossing arterial roadways of Yorba
Street and Prospect Avenue at designated crosswalks. It was' suggested
by this citizen that the City utilize "safety zones" similar to what the
State of Arizona employs at school crossings. This item was referred to
Staff for further review.
DISCUSSION: ..
- The safety zones utilized by the State of Arizona are located 100- feet
in advance'of each crosswalk with signs reading "School Zone, 15 MPH"
and "No Passing". These signs are usually a portable type sign and are
put into position by the crossing guard assigned at that particular
location.
The City's Consultant Traffic Engineer has reviewed the Arizona safety
zone program and does not recommend the use of such signs/zones for the
City of Tustin or for any other city in California. The reason for this
recommendation is that such devices do not conform to School safety
standards already developed by the State of California. The placement
of these non-standard controls would not be supportable under current
California guidelines and most likely would create more problems than
they would solve, particularly since most California drivers would
probably ignore them.
The State of California guidelines provide for the installation of
flashing yellow beacons at school crosswalks when the following
conditions/warrants are met:
1. The uncontrolled school crossing is on the "suggested" route to
school;.and
2. At least 40 school pedestrians use the crossing during each of any
two hours (not necessarily consecutive) of a normal school day; and
The crossing is at least 600 feet from the nearest alternate.
crossing controlled by traffic signals, stop signs, or crossing
guards;.and
4. The vehicular Volume through the crossing exceeds 200 vehicles per
hour in urban areas, or 140 vehicles per hour in rural areas during
the same hours the students are going to and from school for any.'
purpose; and
PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS ON ARTERIAL HIGHWAYS
NOVEMBER 1, 1988
PAGE 2.
-5. The critical approach speed (85 percentile) exceeds 35 MPH or the
approach visibility is less than the stopping distance.
A copy of the standard drawings for the flashing beacons is attached for
the City Council's information. As indicated, there are two types of
these flashing beacons, the post-mounted type and mast arm overhead
type.
Staff has not completed a warrant study for either location on Yorba
Street (at Amaganset Way), or Prospect Avenue (at Beneta Way). If City
Council is interested in installing a flashing beacon at either or both
locations, the warrant studies and cost estimates can be completed for
the first meeting in December 1988.
Director of Public Works/City Engineer
BL:mv
Traffic Manual
SCHOOL AREA PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
Figure 10-6 .:;.
TYPICAL INSTALLATIONS FOR
,.
FLASHING YELLOW BEACONS AND OVERHEAD SCHOOL SIGNS
10-21
3-1987
J$C~OL!
~ (wes)
,k'SR4 ~ (R2)
POST MOUNTING
Flashing
. SW24 . SW25
(W63) (W66)
(w65)
Optional sign assemblies, for use where appropriate.
(Omit W65 when outside the school zone).
MAST ARM MOUNTING
(*) Sign assemblies may be fabricated as a single unit (see Section 1 0-03.8).