Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: MARCH 15, 2022
TO: CITY COUNCIL
SUBMITTED BY: JEFFREY W. COLLIER, ACTING CITY MANAGER
PREPARED BY: MEG McWADE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
DAVID ROSEMAN, CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER
SUBJECT: OLIVE AVENUE (NICOLAS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL) TRAFFIC SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS
SUMMARY
Consideration of Transportation and Circulation Commission (TCC) recommendations to implement various traffic safety improvements on Olive Avenue, adjacent to Nicolas Junior High School.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the following resolutions:
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-XXX – A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING “NO PARKING STUDENT LOADING / UNLOADING” ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF OLIVE AVENUE WEST OF CITRUS AVENUE RESOLUTION NO. 2022-XXX – A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING “NO PARKING STUDENT LOADING / UNLOADING” ON THE NORTH SIDE OF OLIVE AVENUE EAST OF CITRUS AVENUE RESOLUTION NO. 2022-XXX – A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE INSTALLATION OF ALL-WAY STOP CONTROL AT THE INTERSECTION OF OLIVE AVENUE AND CITRUS AVENUE
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statements:
Infrastructure and City Assets
Public Safety.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Fiscal Year 2021-22 Adopted Operating Budget includes adequate appropriation for minor costs associated with the installation and maintenance of signs and markings, including those recommended in this report. The Olive Avenue Reconstruction Project includes costs associated with the installation of the three-way stop at Olive Avenue and Citrus Avenue and its accompanying pavement markings.
DISCUSSION
Staff received a request from the Fullerton School District to conduct a study to determine the need for an Adult Crossing Guard assigned at the “T” intersection of Olive Avenue and Citrus Avenue. The intersection is immediately adjacent to Nicolas Junior High School and has two marked school crosswalks. One of those school crosswalks is across the stem of the “T” where a stop sign controls vehicle traffic. The other school crosswalk is located on the western leg of the intersection with uncontrolled vehicle traffic.
The City regularly receives requests for assignment of adult crossing guards. The City evaluates such requests based on the suggested policy for assignment outlined in the California Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CAMUTCD). The CAMUTCD outlines a series of evaluation criteria to consider based on the number of elementary school-aged pedestrians observed crossing the street, the type of traffic control provided and the amount of conflicting vehicular traffic.
According to CAMUTCD Chapter 7D, the City should consider assignment of an Adult Crossing Guard at specified hours when students walk to or from school at street crossings when:
Special situations make it necessary to assist elementary school pedestrians in crossing the street.
B. The school crossing location will change but prevailing conditions require school crossing supervision until the construction of the change and it is not reasonable to install another form of traffic control or technique for this period.
Furthermore, the CAMUTCD establishes the following evaluation criteria at uncontrolled crossings:
Adult Crossing Guards normally are assigned where official supervision of school pedestrians is desirable while they cross a public highway and at least 40 school pedestrians for each of any two hours (not necessarily consecutive) daily use the crossing while going to or from school.
AND
No alternative controlled crossing exists within 600 feet.
AND
Where the vehicular traffic volume exceeds 350 during each of any two hours (not necessarily consecutive) in which 40 or more school pedestrians cross daily while going to or from school.
The uncontrolled crosswalk at the Olive Avenue and Citrus Avenue intersection serves a Junior High School. The CAMUTCD does not consider the students crossing at the intersection elementary school aged. Therefore, none of the criteria noted above applied nor were satisfied.
Although the intersection does not meet Adult Crossing Guard criteria, Olive Avenue adjacent to the school campus has no controlled crossings for a distance of more than a quarter of a mile. Furthermore, staff observed 127 students crossing Olive Avenue at the Olive Avenue and Citrus Avenue intersection and 44 students crossing Citrus Avenue in the hour before school began. Traffic volume traversing the intersection was less than 350 vehicles during that same hour.
Staff spent significant time observing traffic flow, driver behavior and pedestrian activity along Olive Avenue, specifically at the Citrus Avenue intersection. Observations revealed that parents double park in both directions to load and unload students due to insufficient convenient curb space adjacent to the campus. This significantly impacts traffic flow along Olive Avenue. Students dropped off on the north side of the street tend to cross mid-block in front of oncoming or stopped motorists. Most motorists make eastbound to northbound left-turns across the two marked crosswalks at the Citrus intersection in order to exit the school zone. This left-turn movement is problematic due to the volume of students crossing in the two crosswalks. Many motorists seem confused or uncertain if they should wait for students to cross or accelerate to clear the intersection.
Based on the observations, City Traffic Engineer recommends installation of an all-way stop at the intersection of Olive Avenue and Citrus Avenue and various adjustments to parking regulations to significantly improve traffic operations, efficiency and safety for parents, students and residents. The installation of a new all-way stop adjacent to the school will provide a convenient controlled student crossing, reduce motorist confusion and clearly assign right-of-way at the intersection. A modification of parking regulations to provide a longer curbside student loading and unloading area close to the school entrance by relocating long-term parking to east of the Citrus Avenue intersection should significantly reduce double parking, keep traffic moving and reduce mid-block student crossings. Staff has attached details of these proposed changes to this report.
The City informed the School District of its findings with respect to this matter. School District representatives attended the Transportation and Circulation Commission meeting in support of those findings and subsequent recommendations. One parent attended the meeting and spoke in support of assigning an Adult Crossing Guard. The Commission voted to deny the request for an Adult Crossing Guard and concur with the recommended traffic and parking control changes. Staff has attached the TCC staff report to this report for reference.
Should City Council concur with the City Traffic Engineer’s recommendations, staff will coordinate installation of the traffic and parking improvements with the School District and Nicolas Junior High School staff to complete the installation with a minimum of disruption to school activities and to provide school staff sufficient time to notify parents and students of the changes in traffic and parking controls. TCC also recommended that the City Traffic Engineer, in coordination with the School District, monitor traffic and parking operations along Olive Avenue for a period of 90 days after implementation of the improvements to assess the effectiveness of the changes and determine if additional adjustments are needed.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Resolution No. 2022-XXX (No Parking Student Loading/Unloading) Attachment 2 - Resolution No. 2022-XXX (No Parking Student Loading/Unloading) Attachment 3 - Resolution No. 2022-XXX (All-Way Stop)
Attachment 4 - TCC Staff Report
Olive Avenue Traffic Safety Enhancements
March 15, 2022 - Page PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 3