Item No. 11
Town of Atherton
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT – REGULAR AGENDA
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
GEORGE RODERICKS, CITY MANAGER
FROM: GABRIELA RUIZ, ASSOCIATE ENGINEER
VIA: ROBERT OVADIA, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
DATE: JUNE 17, 2026
SUBJECT: MIDDLEFIELD ROAD TRAFFIC STUDY (WATKINS AVENUE
AND FAIR OAKS LANE)
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council review the results of the Middlefield Road Traffic Signal/High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) Beacon/Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) Warrant Study at Watkins Avenue and Fair Oaks Lane/Palmer Lane, provide feedback and direction to staff regarding next steps.
BACKGROUND
The FY 2025/26 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget included the evaluation of traffic control devices at both the Middlefield Road/Watkins Avenue and Middlefield Road/Fair Oaks Lane intersections. The City Council approved a professional services agreement with TJKM Transportation Consultants to conduct the evaluation at the City Council Meeting on January 21, 2026.
Middlefield Road at Watkins Avenue and Fair Oaks Lane intersections are currently stop controlled on the side street approaches to Middlefield Road. High traffic demand at both intersections lead to vehicular and pedestrian mobility concerns and long queues on the approaches to Middlefield Road, as left-turning vehicles at both intersections, and through movements at Fair Oaks Lane/Palmer Lane, struggle to find adequate gaps, particularly during peak hours.
To address these issues, signal warrant analysis and evaluation of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) and High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) at the Middlefield Road intersections with Watkins Avenue and Fair Oaks Lane was completed to determine appropriate improvements to improve mobility and safety at the intersections.
Middlefield Road Traffic Study
(Watkins Avenue and Fair Oaks Lane)
JUNE 17, 2026
The preliminary results of the warrant study were presented to the Transportation, Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Committee at their meeting on May 26, 2026.
ANALYSIS
TJKM collected pedestrian, bicycle, and traffic counts, and vehicular speeds, evaluated the intersections of Middlefield Road at Watkins Avenue and at Fair Oaks Lane, and conducted a warrant analysis for traffic signals, rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) and pedestrian hybrid beacons (HAWK) at each location to enhance pedestrian safety and improve mobility of all modes (vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian).
The following summarizes the peak hour volumes and counts along Middlefield Road at Watkins Avenue and at Fair Oaks Lane:
At Watkins Avenue:
Vehicular:
Middlefield Eastbound – 8,939 (Daily); 748 (AM Peak); 662 (PM Peak) Middlefield Westbound – 9,334 (Daily); 542 (AM Peak); 802 (PM Peak) Middlefield Total – 18,273 (Daily); 1,290 (AM Peak); 1,464 (PM Peak) Watkins Avenue – 2,056 (Daily); 161 (AM Peak); 174 (PM Peak) Pedestrian: 3 (AM Peak); 3 (PM Peak)
At Fair Oaks Lane:
Vehicular:
Middlefield Eastbound – 5,632 (Daily); 601 (AM Peak); 415 (PM Peak) Middlefield Westbound – 7,158 (Daily); 441 (AM Peak); 635 (PM Peak) Middlefield Total – 12,790 (Daily); 1,042 (AM Peak); 1,050 (PM Peak) Fair Oaks Lane – 2,239 (Daily); 173 (AM Peak); 261 (PM Peak) Palmer Avenue – 437 (Daily); 121 (AM Peak); 18 (PM Peak) Pedestrian: 12 (AM Peak); 5 (PM Peak)
Warrant analyses are conducted in conformance with the California Manual of Uniform Traffic Devices (MUTCD) to evaluate whether thresholds are met for the installation of control devices such as traffic signals, HAWK signals, and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) based on vehicular and pedestrian volumes, traffic accident history and other related factors.
A brief summary of Traffic Signal Warrants are as follows:
Warrant 1 – 8-hour vehicle volume – any one of the following would satisfy this warrant:
A. The Minimum Vehicular Volume, Condition A, is intended for application at locations where a large volume of intersecting traffic is the principal reason to consider installing a traffic control signal. This is compared hourly and 8 hours must be satisfied. (one-lane each Middlefield Road Traffic Study
(Watkins Avenue and Fair Oaks Lane)
JUNE 17, 2026
way [urban] main roadway/approach roadway = 500 / 150). This is compared at both 100% and at 80% of the threshold.
B. The Interruption of Continuous Traffic, Condition B, is intended for application at locations where Condition A is not satisfied and where the traffic volume on a major street is so heavy that traffic on a minor intersecting street suffers excessive delay or conflict in entering or crossing the major street. This is compared hourly and 8 hours must be satisfied. (one-lane each way [urban] main roadway/approach roadway = 750 / 75). This is compared at both 100% and at 80% of the threshold.
C. The combination of Conditions A and B is intended for application at locations where Condition A is not satisfied and Condition B is not satisfied and should be applied only after an adequate trial of other alternatives that could cause less delay and inconvenience to traffic has failed to solve the traffic problems.
Warrant 2 – 4-hour vehicle volume – The Four-Hour Vehicular Volume signal warrant conditions are intended to be applied where the volume of intersecting traffic is the principal reason to consider installing a traffic control signal. Hourly vehicle volumes are plotted against a curve measuring the hourly vehicular volume of the major street (total of both approaches) and the corresponding vehicles per hour on the more critical minor-street approach (one direction only) and 4 hours need to plot above the curve.
Warrant 3 – Peak Hour – The Peak Hour signal warrant is intended for use at a location where traffic conditions are such that for a minimum of 1 hour of an average day, the minor-street traffic suffers undue delay when entering or crossing the major street.
Warrant 4 – Pedestrian Volume – is intended for application where the traffic volume on a major street is so heavy that pedestrians experience excessive delay in crossing the major street.
Warrant 5 – School Crossing - is intended for application where the fact that schoolchildren cross the major street is the principal reason to consider installing a traffic control signal.
Warrant 6 – Coordinated Signal System - Progressive movement in a coordinated signal system sometimes necessitates installing traffic control signals at intersections where they would not otherwise be needed in order to maintain proper platooning of vehicles.
Warrant 7 – Crash Experience - The Crash Experience signal warrant conditions are intended for application where the severity and frequency of crashes are the principal reasons to consider installing a traffic control signal.
Warrant 8 – Roadway Network - Installing a traffic control signal at some intersections might be justified to encourage concentration and organization of traffic flow on a roadway network.
Warrant 9 – Intersection near Grade Crossing - The Intersection Near a Grade Crossing signal warrant is intended for use at a location where none of the conditions described in the other eight traffic signal warrants are met, but the proximity of a grade crossing on an approach controlled by a STOP or YIELD sign at a highway-highway intersection is the principal reason to consider Middlefield Road Traffic Study
(Watkins Avenue and Fair Oaks Lane)
JUNE 17, 2026
installing a traffic control signal. This warrant was not evaluated as the intersections are not near a rail crossing.
Table 1 summarizes the evaluation for the Middlefield Road and Watkins Avenue intersection, summarizes the Traffic Signal Warrants for the intersection and indicates that Warrants 1, 2, and 3 are satisfied based on vehicular volumes, and that warrants related to pedestrian volumes and accident history are not met:
Similarly, as shown in Table 2, Traffic Signal Warrants 1, 2, and 3 are satisfied for the Middlefield Road and Fair Oaks Lane/Palmer Lane intersection.
Middlefield Road Traffic Study
(Watkins Avenue and Fair Oaks Lane)
JUNE 17, 2026
Due to low pedestrian crossing volumes, the criteria for both the High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) and the Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon (RRFB) are not met at either location. The study recommends installation of new traffic signals at Middlefield Road and Watkins Avenue as well as at Middlefield Road and Fair Oaks Lane/Palmer Lane.
The next steps in the evaluation would include a signal timing analysis as a pre-cursor to design to understand how the signal would be operated to improve mobility and safety at the intersection and along the corridor.
The Committee recommended moving forward with the next step in the evaluation process and suggested that the evaluation include current as well as out-year volume projections and that the analysis show current operations, the impacts of installing the Watkins Signal, followed by the signal at Fair Oaks Lane/Palmer Avenue.
Staff is seeking feedback on the analysis and recommendation from the Committee as well as direction regarding next steps.
FISCAL IMPACT
Sufficient funds are available in the Capital Improvements Program Budget. Funds for Evaluation of traffic control devices and other improvements at both Middlefield Road/Fair Oaks Lane and Middlefield/Watkins Avenue is included in the Traffic Safety Improvement Program budget in the amount of $100,000.
GOAL ALIGNMENT
This Report and its contents are in alignment with the following Council Policy Goals:
Middlefield Road Traffic Study
(Watkins Avenue and Fair Oaks Lane)
JUNE 17, 2026
• Goal B - Improve Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness • Goal E - Maintain and Improve Public Infrastructure
POLICY FOCUS
The Policy Focus for this item is whether the Town should continue the traffic study to determine design and timing issues for possible signal installation.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notification was achieved by posting the agenda, with this agenda item being listed, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting in print and electronically. Information about the project is also disseminated via the Town’s electronic News Flash and Atherton Online. There are approximately 1,200 subscribers to the Town’s electronic News Flash publications. Subscribers include residents as well as stakeholders –to include, but be not limited to, media outlets, school districts, Menlo Park Fire Protection District, service provides (water, power, and sewer), and regional elected officials.
COMMISSION/COMMITTEE FEEDBACK/REFERRAL
Transportation Committee (meets every other month)
ATTACHMENTS
1. Middlefield Road Traffic Study - Technical Memorandum dated June 8, 2026