City Council – February 7, 2023
Traffic Safety Initiatives Update
1 1
Roles & Responsibility
Public Works Department - Traffic Engineering Division
Maintain a reliable and coordinated traffic signal system citywide (154 traffic signals) Review, revise, and upgrade traffic circulation and progression, parking utilization, bicycle mobility, and pedestrian safety measures based on changes in citywide needs and standards as necessary Seek transportation grant funding opportunities whenever available Liaison to Transportation & Circulation Commission
Review traffic impacts from private development and support development of conditions of approval Manage traffic related CIP projects, including RTTSP program with OCTA Coordinate with Fullerton School District, Police Department, and residents. 2 Staffing
Traffic Engineering Division
City Staff: Jeffrey Chinchilla, Associate Engineer – Traffic Engineering Aide III
Consultant: LLG Engineers, including our City Traffic Engineer, Dave Roseman. 3 4
Red Clearance Interval (the “all red”)
Optional, can be zero or calculated based on the “width of the intersection” New City Practice = 1 second min, 2 seconds max
Provides more time for vehicles to clear an intersection prior to the opposing movement getting a green light.
Flash Don’t Walk (Flashing Upright Hand) is intended to allow pedestrians already in the intersection to reach the far end of the traveled way, but not allow any new pedestrians to enter the crosswalk.
Current CIP project will install over 500 countdown pedestrian indicators.
New City Practice = provide additional time for pedestrians to cross the street safely 5 Pedestrian Change Interval (Flashing Don’t Walk)
Minimum green times for bicyclists are a guideline, not a mandatory standard.
Bicycle timing is recommended for intersection approaches that are being upgraded with high-sensitivity loops or video detection zones intended to pick up bicycles.
Bicycle detection is required for new installations or modifications to limit line detectors (California Vehicle Code 21450.5). There is no requirement to provide bicycle detection for existing signals until being modified.
Intersection approaches that are placed on permanent recall, i.e. receive a green light by default, do NOT need bicycle detection. 6 Minimum Bike Green Interval
Min green
Yellow
Red
LRSP & HSIP
Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP)
Complete in 2022
Analyzed citywide systemic collisions
Required to apply for HSIP implementation grants
Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)
Federal & State funded grants focused on mitigating high collision areas 2 projects in construction (500 Countdown Ped Heads; 16 RRFB’s) Application pending for 6 signal modifications and 1.5 miles of street lighting on Orangethorpe Avenue 7 Safe Streets & Roads for All (SS4A)
8 Federal Grant
New grant funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Supports planning, infrastructure, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users, including pedestrians; bicyclists; public transportation, personal conveyance, and micro-mobility users; motorists; and commercial vehicle operators Submitted application for a “Comprehensive Action Plan” in late-2022 If awarded, the Plan will allow us to be eligible for implementation grants in future cycles
Focus on Schools
9 Safety Assessments
Traffic controls
Striping upgrades
Parking restrictions
Crossing Guard Studies
District/school support
Warrant study
Recommendations to TCC
SCAG GoHuman Partnership
10 Fullerton was the first City in Orange County to sign a Safety Pledge with Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG).
Staff met with SCAG representatives and the Fullerton School District (FSD) to collaborate on a tailored traffic safety social media campaign. The campaign will be designed to address some common issues with traffic safety surrounding Fullerton schools. Staff will continue to coordinate with FSD, SCAG, and local partners to improve safety around our schools.
Street & Intersection Safety Lighting
11 Illuminating Engineering Society standards compliance Increase output and color of signalized intersection lighting.
Condition development to upgrade existing lighting and/or install additional intersection lighting
Complete Streets & Multi-Modal Equity
12 Safe routes between all modes of transportation requires human-centered thinking.
Acknowledging the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and automobile drivers of all ages and abilities.
There is no standard template for Complete Streets, as they respond to environmental characteristics, community needs, and type of mobility device.
Police Department – Traffic Division
13 Roles & Responsibility
Police Department – Traffic Division
Long partnership with Traffic Engineering
Focused enforcement of the California Vehicle Code and the Fullerton Municipal Code regarding traffic safety Enforcement of parking laws throughout the city.
Staffing
3 Motorcycle Officers
2 Parking Control Officers
2 Collision Investigators
1 Part time Commercial Enforcement Officer
14 Motorcycle Officers
15 In August 2022, the Fullerton Police Department Traffic Bureau redeployed the Motorcycle Officer Unit.
Three officers were assigned
Focusing on enforcement and investigating traffic collisions Enforcement focus has been moving violations such as
speeding, red light violations, and yield violations.
Parking Enforcement
16 Parking Control Officers are responsible for enforcing parking laws and towing abandoned and illegally parked vehicles In January 2023, the Police Department filled a Parking Control Officer vacancy and is now at authorized staffing at two Department is still in contract with SP Plus to provide parking enforcement services of time zones in the
Downtown Business District, street sweeping, and the
early morning parking ordinance
OTS Grant Funding
17 Police Department continues to partner with the California Office of Traffic Safety Grant awards to fund focused enforcement on top violations that cause traffic collisions, alcohol and drug-impaired driving, and DUI checkpoints.
Questions?
18 Additional Reference Slides
19 A signal phase controls a vehicle movement and possibly an associated pedestrian movement. Below are some key intervals and how to calculate them.
Fixed intervals do not change (usually) from cycle to cycle. These include:
yellow change,
red clearance,
walk,
pedestrian change (flashing don’t walk), and
minimum green intervals.
Variable intervals vary due to detectors. These include, along with associated parameters:
Passage time, also known as gap or vehicle interval
Maximum green
20 Traffic Signal Timing Parameters
Flash Don’t Walk (Flashing Upright Hand) is intended to allow pedestrians already in the intersection to reach the far end of the traveled way, but not allow any new pedestrians to enter the crosswalk.
Pedestrian change time begins at the end of Walk and ends before a conflicting phase. Typically it’s set for a walk speed of 3.5 fps.
FWD = (traveled way/ 3.5 fps)-Y-Rclear
21 Pedestrian Change Interval (Flashing Don’t Walk)
Also known as “Flashing Don’t Walk
FWD = (traveled way/ 3.5 fps)-Y-Rclear
Previous City Practice = curb face to end of conflicting movement FWD (NB) = (87ft / 3.5 fps)- 4.4 -1.5= 19 seconds
New City Practice = curb face to curb face
FWD (NB) = (101ft / 3.5 fps)- 4.4 -1.5= 23 seconds
22 Pedestrian Change Interval (Flashing Don’t Walk)
87’
101’
Focus on Schools
23 Process
Parent, principal, or teacher request a crossing guard at a specific location.
The District performs a preliminary review of the crossing.
If they believe a crossing guard may be needed, they request a warrant study be performed by the Traffic Engineering Division.
The results of the study are presented to the Transportation & Circulation Commission (TCC) for consideration.
Pending TCC’s disposition, the approval of the guard may go before Council for final approval/denial.
NOTE: Crossing guards are typically not warranted where there are low pedestrian and/or vehicle volumes. Staff provides recommendation in-line with the warrant guidelines and professional engineering judgement.