Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: TRAFFIC SIGNALIZATION PROJECT
Date: February 10, 2026
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute the necessary agreements with DC Electric and allocation of the necessary funds for the detailed traffic signal improvements and emergency backup.
Background
The City of Cotati currently owns and operates 8 traffic signals, as follows:
• Redwood Drive at Helman Lane
• Old Redwood Highway at Commerce
• Old Redwood Highway at Highway 116
• Old Redwood Highway at East Cotati Avenue/West Sierra • Old Redwood Highway at Myrtle/Valparaiso
• East Cotati Avenue at Adrian
• East Cotati Avenue at Lancaster
• East Cotati Avenue at Santero/SMART tracks
The signals on Highway 116 at the US 101 overcrossing and at Redwood Drive are owned, operated and maintained by Caltrans. The City pays for the maintenance of these signals proportional to the number of legs on the intersection that are City-owned streets.
As was experienced during the fires in the North Bay and subsequent Public Safety Power Shutdowns (PSPS), when power is lost signals without backup power will go dark. While drivers are supposed to treat dark intersections as four-way stops, it often results in confusion with drivers not stopping and a much higher likelihood of intersection collisions. To improve visibility, the City has added reflective tape around the signal heads so they are more apparent in low light conditions, but the goal has been to work towards full backup power options on all of our traffic signals.
Analysis/Discussion
The City has been gradually working through all of our intersections to make sure they have backup power as well as a generator connection. The City has also transitioned all of the signal lights and safety lights to low power LEDs. To improve fire response, the City also added infrared signal pre-emption to all of our signals (including the Caltrans signals). For any first responder with infrared beacons, this allows for signal preemption and turns the signals green for the responding vehicle to expedite the response.
Additionally, the City has been working to interconnect all of the signals to allow for better coordination and improved traffic flow. The first part of this work was completed with the traffic signalization project several years ago. Lastly, the City has been upgrading pedestrian push buttons at signals to allow for audible signals for eyesight impaired pedestrians when using crosswalks.
The City uses DC Electric as our signalization contractor. They are the lead for regular inspections, repairs and adjustments of the City owned traffic signals. To complete the last battery backups, signal interconnects and pedestrian push button upgrades, City staff requested a quote, which is attached.
Financial Considerations
Given the current economic uncertainty and the pending cost of the road and pathway projects that will be out to bid shortly, staff are requesting approval to move forward on the emergency readiness projects only at this time. The two projects are the remaining battery backup systems ($37,500) and a new traffic signal controller to replace the antiquated controller at Old Redwood Highway at Myrtle ($25,500), for a total requested expenditure not to exceed $65,000 (with a $2,000 continency).
Once the pavement project bids have been received, if there is sufficient funding, staff would request approval at that time for the remaining projects in the attached proposal. Note that the traffic signal communication network installation proposal is connected to the potential digital marquee.
Funding for this work would come from the following budget areas:
• Old Redwood Highway at Myrtle Controller is budgeted within the Streets general fund account 101-19-80187-000000 for $30,000. The remaining $5,000 will be moved to be used for the battery backup project and contingency.
• The battery backup part of this project will be funded with the City-Wide Traffic Safety Improvements Project. These projects have an annual budget of $50,000 and this project will use $35,000 of these funds leaving $15,000 in funds to be used for the pathway into the street crosswalk at pocket park.
To better account for the Old Redwood Highway/Myrtle signal controller part of this project, staff are proposing to move the budget from the Streets Department within the general fund to the Capital Projects Fund and reclass the additional funds to the battery backup project. No new funding is required, and there is no impact on the overall budget fund balance.
Environmental Issues
This action is found to qualify for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption under CEQA Section 15301 in that the project consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of the existing or former use.