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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNB 4 MEDIAN MOD. 10-04-82AGENDA DATE: SEPTEMBER 29, 1982 NEW BUSINESS NO. 4 10-4-82 Inter-Corn TO: WILLIAM HUSTON, CITY MANAGER FROM: BOB LEDENDECKER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/CITY ENGINEER SU8J£CT: NEWPORT AVENUE MEDIAN ISLAND MODIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: That the Tustin City Council, at their meeting of October 4, 1982, direct staff to proceed with implementation of Alternate No. 2 at the intersection of Newport Ave. and First St. and further direct staff to include Alternate No. I at the intersection of Newport Ave. and Mitchell Ave. for inclusion and implementation into the 1983-84 Capital Improvement Budget. BACKGROUND: At a recent meeting, the City Council requested staff to review the left turn pocket for northbound Newport Avenue at First Street with respect to enlargement of the pocket. In reviewing this left turn pocket at First St., staff has also reviewed the southbound left turn pocket on Newport Avenue at Mitchell Ave. which also experiences vehicles extending out of the pocket and into the number one southbound lane of Newport Ave. Prior to when the median islands were initially installed, meetings were held with all of the affected businesses along Newport Ave. with respect to access to and from various parcels which ultimately governed the length of the majority of left turn pockets and more particularly the two in question. The median island configuration that exists today is the one that was approved by both the majority of the adjacent property owners and the City Council. DISCUSSION: New~o~t Ave. at First St. There are four alternatives to help reduce the problem of vehicles extending outside of the left turn pocket and into the number one lane as follows: Alternate #1 - Protected Left Turn Phase This alternate would provide a protected separate left turn phase. This change can be accomplished with minor wiring modifications. This modification has a potential for increasing the present problem, depending upon the amount of green time allotted to the left turn phase with respect to total green time for through movements on Newport Avenue. The estimated cost for this change is $800.00. Alternate ~2 - Permissive Left Turn Movement Change the existing leading protected left turn movement to a lagging protected left turn movement. All equipment necessary is on-site and this change will require only a minor cabinet wiring change. Cost for this change is estimated at $200.00 per controller. NEWPORT AVENUE MEDIAN ISLAND MODIFICATION SEPTEMBER 29, 1982 ~AGE TWO Alternate #2 - (Continued) This alternative may not totally solve the problem of vehicles extending into the number one lane from the left turn pocket,, but it will clear the pocket at the end of each cycle. It is recommended that all intersections along Newport Ave. between and inclusive, of Irvine Blvd. and E1Camino Real/Laguna Rd. be changed to this operation for continuity, if this option is selected. Alternate #3 - Lengthen the Existing Left Turn Pocket ~his alternate would require the modification of the island consisting of relocatilon/replacing the landscaped area (tree and dichondra) of the island southerly, Cost of this change is estimated at $9,500.00. No modification of the traffic signal would be required. The major disadvantage of ingress and egress to and Newport Ave, southerly of driveway of Larwin Square this alternate would be the deletion of left turn from the medical buildings on the easterly side of First St, and to and from the most northerly (between Bank of America and Burger King). This alternative would solve the problem of vehicles extending out of the left turn pocket into the number one lane of northbound Newport Ave. Alternate #4 - Utilization of Double Left Turn Lanes This alternative would add a second left turn only lane for northbound Newport Avenue, This option would shift the through traffic on Newport Ave. easterly and would require the removal of on-street parking on the easterly side of Newport Ave, for a distance of 300 feet southerly and northerly of First St. This parking removal would affect the area between Holt Ave. on the north and the Centre Pharmacy on the south. It appears that all of these businesses on the east side of Newport Ave. have sufficient on-site parking. The estimated cost for this alternative is $1,800,00 for modification of loop detection, restriping and signing. Mitchell Avenue There are two alternatives to help reduce the problem of vehicles extending outside of the left turn pocket and into the number one lane as indicated below. The double }eft turn lane cannot be used at this intersection because of the narrow width of Mitchell Avenue. Alternate #1 - Left Turn Phasing This alternative will require major signal equipment modification due to the old equipment presently installed at the intersection. The total estimated cost for this equipment is $24,000.00. It is suggested that this alternative might be considered as a Capital Improvement Project in 1983-84. NEWPORT AVENUE MEDIAN ISLAND MODIFICATION SEPTEMBER 29, 1982 PAGE THREE Alternate #2 - Lengthen the Existing Left Turn Pocket This alternative would require the modification of the island consisting of relocation/replacing the landscaped area (tree and dichondra) of the island northerly. Cost of this change is estin~lted at $9,500.00. No modification of signal equipment would be required; however, with the older existing signal equipment, the left turn pockets may not be cleared with each cycle. The major disadvantage of this alternate would be the deletion of left turn ingress and egress to and from both remaining driveways of the dairy and the southerly drive of the gas station on the westerly side of Newport Ave., and to the northerly driveway of Taco Bell and the southerly driveway of the sandwich and donut shops on the easterly side of Newport Ave. northerly of Mitchell Ave. This alternative would solve the problem of vehicles extending out of the left turn pocket into the number one lane of southbound Newport Ave. BOB LEDENDECKER DIR£CTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/ CITY ENGINEER db