Update on the Price Canyon Road /
Hinds Avenue /Price Street Corridor
Agenda Item 12.A
By Rosemarie Gaglione P.E., Director of Public Works
Meeting Date: April 15, 2025
Background
•On March 4, 2025 the Council directed staff to return for a discussion on:
•Potential options for the intersection of Price Canyon Road and Bello Street
•A holistic look at the traffic patterns and roadway geometry that make this a challenging project
•A second look at the “peanut” roundabout, as a similar roundabout at the intersection of Union Road at Golden Hill Road in Paso Robles has been working quite well
Union Road at Golden Hill Road
Intersection Control Alternatives
Intersection Control Alternatives
Size Comparison – Two Roundabouts
115 feet
80 feet
Paso Robles – Union Rd at
Golden Hill Rd – All
vehicles accommodated,
with off-tracking of
tractor trailers in portions
of the central island
Fully-traversable central
island. Large vehicles
cross over to make left
turns. Large vehicle U-
Turns not possible.20’ Radius
Roundabout or Traffic Signal?
•As we looked deeper at our two alternatives, flaws in both emerged.
•Roundabouts require adequate space to function properly •Currently not enough space to design in the necessary deflection curves for a roundabout
•Any roundabout will need to accommodate truck traffic
•With a roundabout or signal control, coordination (an interconnect) with Price Street and Hinds Avenue would be required.
What is the Problem to be Solved?
•The intersection of Price Canyon Road and Bello Street is heavily congested during the PM peak hour
•The Level of Service (LOS) is currently a LOS D and will decline to an LOS F at buildout.
•Vehicles on Bello Street experience lengthy delay
•Traffic on Price Canyon Road backs up for a significant distance
Requirements for the Solution
During the PM peak hour, improve traffic flow so that vehicles waiting to turn from Bello Street onto Price Canyon Road do not experience significant delays, while not increasing (hopefully reducing) the eastbound queue on Price Canyon Road.
Challenges
•Price Canyon Road
•Functions as a highway
•Vertical and horizontal curves
•Route of Regional Significance, carrying commuters from San Luis Obispo and unincorporated Edna Valley to SB 101
•Congestion on HWY 101 encourages drivers to take HWY 227 to Price Canyon Road to the SB 101.
Regional Traffic
Challenges
•Intersection Geometry
•Intersection is skewed at acute angles
•Elevation differences complicate design
•Topography can impede sight distance and complicate design •Acute angles can make it more of an effort to turn one’s head to see oncoming traffic
•Truck Traffic
•Price Canyon Road is a 65’ truck route. Tractor trailers, fire engines and PG&E trucks regularly navigate this corridor
Challenges
•Price Street at Hinds Avenue
•Traffic backs up from Hinds Avenue eastward past Bello Street •Vehicles could not turn onto Price Canyon Road if other vehicles were blocking the intersection
•Solution cannot increase queuing lengths east of Bello Street •SB 101 offramp on Hinds Avenue just east of Price Street •Downstream is Price Street and Stimson Avenue which has the highest number of collisions in the City of Pismo Beach
Collision Statistics
Source: SLOCOG Regional Road Safety Action Plan, 2025 Draft
Regional Traffic
Taking a Step Back to Recalibrate
•An opportunity to design a solution to multiple problems:
•Price Canyon Road at Bello Street, and the Price Street and Hinds/Stimson/Ocean View Avenue intersections could function as a system.
•Improve traffic flow and reduce collisions at:
•Price Canyon Road and Bello Street
•Price Street and Hinds Avenue
•Price Street at Stimson and Ocean View Avenues
•Improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety
•Potentially create a gateway to Pismo Beach at 101
Staff Recommendation
•That Council direct staff to develop a Request for Proposals to retain a consultant to perform a holistic evaluation of this regional route and all of its impacts and potential
opportunities for improvement
•Staff and Consultant would return to Council with options for additional study
•Continue to work with SLOCOG to emphasize the importance of this Regional Route to the County of San Luis Obispo, its impact on the City of Pismo Beach and the need to invest in the solution
QUESTIONS?