Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: NOVEMBER 1, 2022
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: MEG McWADE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
PREPARED BY: DAVID ROSEMAN, CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER
SUBJECT: CROSSWALK REMOVAL AT CHAPMAN AVENUE AND HART PLACE
SUMMARY
Consideration of a Transportation and Circulation Commission (TCC) recommendation, not supported by the Active Transportation Committee, to eliminate the marked crosswalk at Chapman Avenue and Hart Place as part of the overall Chapman Avenue Traffic Safety Review.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize removal of marked crosswalk at Chapman Avenue and Hart Place.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
The neighborhood requested this removal.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statement:
Infrastructure and City Assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
This action has no fiscal impact as the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Adopted Budget includes costs associated with removing existing painted markings and existing signage.
DISCUSSION
The Traffic Engineering Division conducted a traffic safety review for the Chapman Avenue corridor between Raymond Avenue and State College Boulevard in response to recent safety concerns expressed by the public.
The review recommended removing the marked unsignalized crosswalk at the intersection of Chapman Avenue and Hart Place. This crosswalk is the only uncontrolled crosswalk on Chapman Avenue between the CA-57 freeway and Harbor Boulevard. A signalized crossing 475 feet to the west at Victoria Drive can provide pedestrians with the full protection of crossing the street under signalized control. Observations revealed that few pedestrians use the existing crosswalk. The crossing activity falls well below the level warranting a crosswalk at the location.
The City Traffic Engineer recommended, and the Commission concurred, removal of the crosswalk due to the low pedestrian usage, the high speed of traffic on Chapman Avenue, the lack of a pedestrian crossing attractor on either side of the street and the signalized intersection within 500 feet.
California Vehicle Code Section 21950.5 requires the City to provide public notice for 30 days prior to removal of a marked crosswalk and to allow the public to comment on the matter. Staff posted notices at the marked crosswalk slated for removal on September 1, 2022 and the Transportation and Circulation Commission held a public hearing on October 3, 2022.
The Commission received a signed petition from residents of Hart Place south of Chapman Avenue in support of removing the crosswalk at the public hearing. Nine residents signed the petition in favor of removal of the crosswalk and a full closure of pedestrian access to southbound Hart Place from Chapman Avenue. One resident and members of the Active Transportation Committee (ATC) attended the TCC Public Hearing and expressed opposition to the removal because the City’s 2012 Bicycle Master Plan lists the site as a potential future bikeway connection and requested ATC consider the item. The City Traffic Engineer presented the staff and TCC recommendation for crosswalk removal to ATC on October 19, 2022 to obtain feedback. ATC did not support the recommendation for crosswalk removal.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Proposed Crosswalk Removal
Attachment 2 – TCC Staff Report (without exhibits)
Attachment 3 - ATC Staff Report
cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
Crosswalk Removal at Chapman Avenue and Hart Place
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