BAYVIEW HEIGHTS TRAFFIC CALMING
& PUBLIC SAFETY DISCUSSION
City Council Study Session
October 14th, 2025
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• At October 2024 District 3 Townhall Meeting, several residents requested speed cushions and/or street closure in Bayview Heights − speed cushions on Orchid St, Spruce Ave, & Bayview Ave − street closure of Spruce Avenue at Zenith Avenue
• Residents advised speed & traffic volume data do not support speed cushions or street closure per City Council Traffic Management Policy L-26 • Residents requested to proceed with petition process and City Council Policy Waiver
• Residents informed Spruce Avenue closure not supported by Traffic Engineering and presents concerns for emergency services
BAYVIEW HEIGHTS TRAFFIC CALMING &
PUBLIC SAFETY
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BAYVIEW HEIGHTS STUDY AREA
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With the area annexation, the City inherited the Santa Ana Height Specific Plan (MC 20.90.190) traffic improvements
Specific Plan Identifies Eight Circulation Improvement Features ✓ Improvement 1 - traffic signal at Irvine Avenue and Orchard Drive (Completed) ✓ Improvement 2 - traffic signal at Mesa Drive and Santa Ana Avenue (Completed) ✓ Improvement 3 - cul-de-sac at Cypress Street south of south Bristol Street (Completed) ✓ Improvement 4 - monitor traffic volume in the Bayview Tract (Satisfied) ✓ Improvement 5 - realigning of intersection at Mesa Drive and Acacia Street (Completed) ✓ Improvement 6 - cul-de-sac on Orchard Drive, east of Santa Ana Avenue (Completed) ✓ Improvement 7 - realignment of Birch Street south of Bristol Street (Completed) ✓ Improvement 8 - additional ROW and pavement width on various streets (Completed)
BAYVIEW HEIGHTS TRAFFIC
IMPROVEMENTS & CALMING HISTORY
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Level 1: Education & Enforcement Tools
• Tools include enforcement, signing, minor striping, speed trailer, and outreach Level 2: Speed Cushion
• Street segment should be minimum 800-FT in length
• Traffic volume should between 500 and 4000 vehicles per day • 32 MPH or more (85 percentile speed) on a posted 25 MPH street Level 3: Street Closure (Level 3 Traffic Calming)
• Intention to remove excessive cut-through traffic volume • Street segment should be a minimum 800-FT in length
• Traffic volume on street greater than 4000 vehicles per day • Meets Level 1 and 2 criteria.
Note - 70% plus of all properties within study area must support any Level 2 or 3 traffic calming measure(s) to implement
CITY COUNCIL
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY (L-26)
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TRAFFIC DATA
• Text
6 Legend:
Feb 2021 - Mar 2021 - May 2023
ADT Counts: XXX - XXX - XXX 85th% Speeds (mph): XX - XX - XX SS2-6
PETITION RESPONSE – SPEED CUSHIONS
(SUBSECTION STUDY AREA)
7 SUBSECTION AREA
# OF PROPERTIES 164
# OF RESPONSES 147 (91%)
YES TO SPEED CUSHIONS 90 (55%)
NO SPEED CUSHIONS, NO
RESPONSE 74 (45%)
SPEED CUSHIONS TRAFFIC CALMING
CRITERIA RESULT
800 FT Street Segment Yes
85TH percentile speed met No
Volume (ADT) 500 to 4000 Only Orchid St.
70% or greater support No
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY NOT MET
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CURRENT BAYVIEW HEIGHTS
NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATION
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PETITION RESPONSE – SPRUCE CLOSURE
(ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD)
9 NEIGHBORHOOD (ALL)
# OF PROPERTIES 315
# OF RESPONSES 260 (84%)
YES TO SPRUCE
CLOSURE 187 (59%)
NO SPRUCE CLOSURE,
NO RESPONSE 128 (41%)
SPRUCE CLOSURE TRAFFIC CALMING
CRITERIA
85TH percentile speed met No
Volume (ADT) > 4000 No
70% or greater support No
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POLICY NOT MET
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LEVEL 1 – Option One
EDGELINES
10 Install 4” Edgeline
Example of
Edgelines
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LEVEL 1 – Option Two
SPEED LIMIT PAVEMENT MARKINGS
11 Example of
Markings
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LEVEL 2 – Option One
INSTALL SPEED CUSHIONS
COUNCIL POLICY WAIVER REQUIRED
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LEVEL 3 – Option One
CLOSE OFF SPRUCE TO THROUGH TRAFFIC
WITH CUL-DE-SAC
COUNCIL POLICY WAIVER REQUIRED
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LEVEL 3 – Option Two
CLOSE OFF SPRUCE TO THROUGH TRAFFIC
WITH HAMMER HEAD TURNAROUND
COUNCIL POLICY WAIVER REQUIRED
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TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
COUNCIL POLICY SUMMARY
17 • Traffic data collection does not meet City Council Traffic Management Policy (L-26) for Level 2 or 3 for either speed cushions or street closure • Petition results did not reach the 70% threshold support needed.
SPRUCE CLOSURE POLICY CRITERIA RESULT
85TH percentile speed met (32+) X
Volume (ADT) > 4000 X
70% or greater support X
Traffic Calming Policy Not Satisfied
SPEED CUSHION POLICY CRITERIA RESULT
800-FT Street Segment
85TH percentile speed met (32+) X
Volume (ADT) 500 to 4000 Only Orchid St.
70% or greater support X
Traffic Calming Policy Not Satisfied
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PUBLIC SAFETY REVIEW
16 Resident also raised concerns about increased neighborhood crime Police Department Review
• Crime and Public Safely Data
• City Flock Camera Program
• Street Closure would possibly delay response time
Fire Department Review
• Street Closure would delay possible future east bound medical delivery
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NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT OPTION FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY:
RAISED CENTER MEDIAN AT SPRUCE/ZENITH
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NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT OPTION FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY:
RAISED TRAFFIC CIRCLE AT SPRUCE/ZENITH
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In Summary
19 • Staff is supportive of additional Level 1 traffic calming elements such as Edge Striping and additional Speed Legends if desired by the community.
• Staff does not recommend adding speed cushions as we do not believe they will decrease overall traffic speeds, but will add inconvenience, noise and more signage into the neighborhood. • Staff does not recommend closing off Spruce Avenue access as it will impede overall tract circulation, cause circulation and property impacts to adjacent commercial properties, and potentially have negative effects on public safety response.
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Comments / Questions
Your Public Works Department
Protecting and Providing Quality
Public Improvements and Services
NEWPORTBEACHCA.GOV/PUBLICWORKS
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