Item No.
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
BY: MATTHEW BAUMGARDNER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/CITY
ENGINEER
DATE: AUGUST 8, 2023
SUBJECT: PROPOSED SPEED LIMIT CHANGES AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS
CITYWIDE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council will consider the introduction of an ordinance amending Section 3199.10 of the Downey Municipal Code, relating to the speed limits at various locations Citywide.
Due to their pending expiration, the City recently updated the Engineering and Traffic surveys for 64 street segments throughout the City. This updated study is to support the posted speed limits and to allow enforcement through RADAR techniques at said locations as required per the California Vehicle Code. The completion of the surveys resulted in recommended changes to the posted speed limits for 10 of the 64 street segments. Per the California Vehicle Code and Downey Municipal Code, the City is required to adopt an ordinance in order to change posted speed limits.
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council:
Introduce Ordinance No. 23-1509, a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Downey approving an Engineering and Traffic Survey and amending Section 3199.10 of the Downey Municipal Code to adopt prima facie speed limits for certain streets pursuant to the survey and the California Vehicle Code.
BACKGROUND
The California Vehicle Code (CVC) requires Engineering and Traffic (E&T) surveys be conducted periodically for roadway segments in order to post speed limits and allow enforcement by RADAR. Roadway segments that require surveys are non -local streets as defined in the federal-aid system maps administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Dunrobin Avenue, Fairford Avenue, Fifth Street, Third Street, Tweedy Lane, and Rives Avenue are designated as “collector” streets and Foster Road is designated as a “minor arterial” street on said map.
APPROVED BY
CITY MANAGER
AUGUST 8, 2023
PAGE 2
PROPOSED SPEED LIMIT CHANGES AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS CITYWIDE There are three basic means by which speed limits are established. First, the CVC identifies speed limits which apply as a maximum in the event that no other condition is met to establish the speed limit as less than the maximum. The current maximum limits in California are 65 miles per hour (mph) for multi-lane roadways and 55 mph for two-lane roadways on local routes and 70 mph on State highways.
Second, the CVC establishes specific prima facie speed limits for streets when certain conditions are met (such as residential streets set at 25 mph). The prima facie speed limits do not need speed studies or speed limit signs to be posted in order to be enforced.
For the purposes of setting prima facie speed limits, all streets must be “local” st reets based on functional usage as defined by the FHWA and meet the CVC criterion for the minimum number of residential dwellings per mile.
Third, in order to post a speed limit, which varies from the maximum speed limit or a prima facie speed limit and allow enforcement by RADAR, the speed must be established based on an E&T survey. The purpose of the E&T survey is to determine a speed limit which is both reasonable and safe for the prevailing conditions of the given street segment.
Dunrobin Avenue between Imperial Highway and Foster Road, Fairford Avenue between Florence Avenue and Cecilia Street, Fifth Street between Paramount Boulevard and Brookshire Avenue, Third Street between Old River School Road and Paramount Boulevard, Tweedy Lane between Galla tin Road and Suva Street, and Rives Avenue between Firestone Boulevard and Stewart & Gray Road are two -lane collector streets and Foster Road between Woodruff Avenue and the east City limit is a four -lane minor arterial and thus require the preparation of E&T surveys in order to establish RADAR- enforceable speed limits.
The E&T surveys established in 2016 for 64 street segments within the City will expire in 2023. Therefore, it is necessary to update the E&T surveys for these locations in order to continue speed enforcement through RADAR techniques.
ANALYSIS
In February 2023, staff utilized the services of Willdan Engineering, one of the City’s traffic engineering consultants, to conduct the E&T surveys for the 64 street segments in accordance with the current 2014 California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CAMUTCD), which must be followed to document changing roadway/traffic conditions in order to make appropriate adjustments to complement speed enforcement. Based on the results of the E&T surveys, changes are recommended in the posted speed limits for 10 of the 64 street segments involving 7 streets, as summarized in the below table, which reflects the current as well as the proposed speed limits on the 7 streets where the changes are recommended, including Dunrobin Avenue, Fairford Avenue, Fifth Street, Third Street, Tweedy Lane, Foster Road and Rives Avenue as follows:
AUGUST 8, 2023
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PROPOSED SPEED LIMIT CHANGES AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS CITYWIDE
Street Limits Speed (mph) Remarks From To Current Proposed Dunrobin Ave. Imperial Hwy. I-105 Fwy. O.C. 25 30 increase Dunrobin Ave. I-105 Fwy. O.C. Foster Rd. 25 30 increase Fairford Ave. Florence Ave. Cecilia St. 25 30 increase
Fifth St. Paramount Blvd. Downey Ave. 25 30 increase
Fifth St. Downey Ave. Brookshire Ave. 25 30 increase
Third St. Rives Ave. Paramount
Blvd. 25 30 increase
Third St. ORSR Rives Ave. 25 30 increase
Tweedy Ln. Gallatin Rd. Suva St. 25 30 increase
Foster Rd. Woodruff Ave. ECL 35 30 decrease
Rives Ave. Firestone Blvd. Stewart & Gray
Rd. 35 30 decrease
The proposed changes are to increase the speed limits in both directions of Dunrobin Avenue between Imperial Highway and Foster Road, Fairford Avenue between Florence Avenue and Cecilia Street, Fifth Street between Paramount Boulevard and Brookshire Avenue, Third Street between Old River School Road and Paramount Boulevard , and Tweedy Lane between Gallatin Road and Suva Street from 25 to 30 mph . Additionally, there is two proposed decreases in the speed limits in both directions of Foster Road between Woodruff Avenue and the east City limit and in both directions of Rives Avenue between Firestone Boulevard and Stewart & Gray Road from 35 to 30 mph. The Police Department concurs with the proposed speed limits. The subject limits of the aforementioned streets and proposed changes in posted speed limits are shown on Attachment A.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Quality of Life, Safety & Infrastructure
BOARD/COMMISSION/SUBCOMMITTEE ACTION:
This item was presented to the Public Works Committee on July 20, 2023. The Committee concurred with staff’s recommendation to forward an ordinance (Attachment B) to the City Council for introduction, followed by adoption, amending Section 3199.10 of the Downey Municipal Code to implement the speed limit changes, as proposed, on the seven aforementioned streets.
FISCAL IMPACT
AUGUST 8, 2023
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PROPOSED SPEED LIMIT CHANGES AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS CITYWIDE Approval of the recommended action will result in an expenditure of $2,600 from the Traffic and Street Maintenance Program in Account No. 10 -3145 as previously approved in the FY 2023-24 operating budget for the sign replacements required for the proposed speed limit changes. There is a sufficient fund balance for the recommended sign replacements
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Location Map
Attachment B: Ordinance
ATTACHMENT A
ATTACHMENT B
ORDINANCE NO. 23-
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY APPROVING AN ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC SURVEY AND AMENDING SECTION 3199.10 OF
THE DOWNEY MUNICIPAL CODE TO ADOPT PRIMA FACIE SPEED LIMITS FOR
CERTAIN STREETS PURSUANT TO THE SURVEY AND THE CALIFORNIA
VEHICLE CODE
WHEREAS, the California Vehicle Code sections 22357 and 22358 require Engineering and Traffic surveys to be conducted periodically for streets such as Dunrobin Avenue, Fairford Avenue, Fifth Street, Third Street, Tweedy Lane, Rives Avenue and Foster Road in order to post speed limits and allow enforcement by RADAR; and
WHEREAS, the City of Downey has recently completed Engineering and Traffic surveys along the limits of Dunrobin Avenue between Imperial Highway and Foster Road, Fairford Avenue between Florence Avenue and Cecilia Street, Fifth Street between Paramount Boulevard and Brookshire Avenue, Third Street between Old River School Road and Paramount Boulevard, Tweedy Lane between Gallatin Road and Suva Street, Rives Avenue between Firestone Boulevard and Stewart & Gray Road and Foster Road between Woodruff Avenue and the easterly city limit;
WHEREAS, the surveys produced results indicating higher speed limits are justified in both directions on Dunrobin Avenue between Imperial Highway and Foster Road, Fairford Avenue between Florence Avenue and Cecilia Street, Fifth Street between Paramount Boulevard and Brookshire Avenue, Third Street between Old River School Road and Paramount Boulevard and Tweedy Lane between Gallatin Road and Suva Street and lower speed limits are justified in both directions of Foster Road between Woodruff Avenue and the easterly City limit and Rives Avenue between Firestone Boulevard and Stewart & Gray Road; and
WHEREAS, staff recommends the proposed changes to the speed limits on Dunrobin Avenue between Imperial Highway and Foster Road, Fairford Avenue between Florence Avenue and Cecilia Street, Fifth Street between Paramount Boulevard and Brookshire Avenue, Third Street between Old River School Road and Paramount Boulevard, Tweedy Lane between Gallatin Road and Suva Street, Rives Avenue between Firestone Boulevard and Stewart & Gray Road and Foster Road between Woodruff Avenue and the easterly city limit; and
WHEREAS, the results of the Engineering and Traffic surveys and proposed speed limit changes were presented to the Public Works Committee on July 20, 2023 and the Committee concurred with staff’s recommendation.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council does hereby approve the Engineering and Traffic surveys for Dunrobin Avenue between Imperial Highway and Foster Road, Fairford Avenue between Florence Avenue and Cecilia Street, Fifth Street between Paramount Boulevard and Brookshire Avenue, Third Street between Old River School Road and Paramount Boulevard, Tweedy Lane between Gallatin Road and Suva Street, Rives Avenue between Firestone Boulevard and Stewart & Gray Road and Foster Road between Woodruff Avenue and the easterly city limit.
ORDINANCE NO.
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SECTION 2. The paragraphs identified as “Dunrobin Avenue”, “Fifth Street”, “Third Street”, “Tweedy Lane”, “Foster Road” and “Rives Avenue” contained in subsection (c) of Section 3199.10 of the Downey Municipal Code are hereby amended to read as follows:
“Dunrobin Avenue. Between Imperial Highway and Foster Road, the prima facie speed limit shall be thirty (30) miles per hour.”
* * *
“Fifth Street. Between Paramount Boulevard and Lakewood Boulevard, the prima facie speed limit shall be thirty (30) miles per hour;
* * *
“Third Street. Between Old River School Road and Paramount Boulevard, the prima facie speed limit shall be thirty (30) miles per hour; between Paramount Boulevard and Civic Center Drive, the prima facie speed limit shall be twenty-five (25) miles per hour.
* * *
“Tweedy Lane. Between Gallatin Road and Florence Avenue, the prima facie speed limit shall be thirty (30) miles per hour.”
* * *
“Foster Road. On that portion within the City of Downey between Lakewood Boulevard and Woodruff Avenue, the prima facie speed limit shall be thirty-five (35) miles per hour; between Woodruff Avenue and the easterly City limit, the prima facie speed limit shall be thirty (30) miles per hour.
* * *
“Rives Avenue. Between Florence Avenue and Firestone Boulevard and Imperial Highway, the prima facie speed limit shall be thirty (30) miles per hour.”
SECTION 3. Subsection (c) of Section 3199.10 of the Downey Municipal Code is further amended by adding a new paragraph to read as follows:
“Fairford Avenue. Between Florence Avenue and the southerly City limit, the prima facie speed limit shall be thrity (30) miles per hour.”
SECTION 4. If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance.
The City Council declares that it would have adopted this Ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, phrases, or portions be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
ORDINANCE NO.
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SECTION 5. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause the same to be published or posted as required by law. A certified original of the same shall also be forwarded to the Director of Public Works.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this day of , 2023.
___________________________________
CLAUDIA M. FROMETA
Mayor
ATTEST:
MARIA ALICIA DUARTE, CMC
City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss:
CITY OF DOWNEY )
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Ordinance No. 23- was introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Downey held on the ____ day of August 2023 and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Downey held on the ____ day of August 2023, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Council Members:
NOES: Council Member:
ABSENT: Council Member:
ABSTAIN: Council Member:
I FURTHER CERTIFY that a Summary of the foregoing Ordinance No. , was published in the Downey Patriot, a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Downey, on ________________, 2023 (after introduction), and on ______________, 2023 (after adoption, including the vote thereon). It was also posted in the regular posting places in the City of Downey on the same dates.
__________________________________
MARIA ALICIA DUARTE, CMC
City Clerk