PISMO BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item #12.A
Meeting Date: April 15, 2025
TITLE:
Update on the Price Canyon Road / Hinds Avenue / Price Street Corridor Serving Regional Traffic including the Bello Street and Price Canyon Road Intersection RECOMMENDATION:
Receive an update and provide direction on the Price Canyon Road/Hinds Avenue/Price Street corridor including the Bello Street at Price Canyon Road intersection.
DISCUSSION:
Price Canyon Road and State Route 227 provide an alternate north/south route to US 101 between the cities of San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach, and the unincorporated areas of the County of San Luis Obispo. Price Canyon Road is a critical regional link between Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo that provides access to agriculture, the airport, oil production, manufacturing, and residential areas between the two cities. The route is also heavily used by regional commuting traffic from south San Luis Obispo County and northern Santa Barbara County to San Luis Obispo. The route between Price Canyon Road and US 101 travels City streets and includes local streets and intersections including the following:
Price Canyon Road / Bello Street
Hinds Avenue / Price Street
Price Street / Stimson Avenue
Price Street / Ocean View Avenue / US 101 SB On-Ramp / US 101 NB Off-Ramp Overview of Corridor Intersections
Price Canyon Road at Bello Street
The amount of through traffic on Price Canyon Road can make it difficult for vehicles on Bello Street to either cross or turn left onto Price Canyon Road. The City’s most recent traffic study, conducted in 2022, states that over 1,000 vehicles per hour utilize this intersection during peak travel times. Cross traffic has increased since the recent completion of the Bello Street Bridge, which reconnected the eastern end of Bello Street to Frady Lane. The 10-year Capital Improvement Plan and Fiscal Year 2022 budget included a project to signalize the intersection of Bello Street and Price Canyon Road.
On August 2, 2022 the City Council approved a contract with Quincy Engineering, now Consor North America, Inc., for professional engineering services for the design of the Bello Street and Price Canyon Road Signalization project. On June 6, 2023, the City Council received a Technical Memorandum prepared by Consor which evaluated traffic signal warrants, three traffic control alternatives, and planning-level cost estimates. The three alternatives for traffic control included a traffic signal, a “peanut”-shaped
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roundabout, and dual mini-roundabouts. The City Council directed staff to proceed with design of the traffic signal alternative.
During the design of the signal, the issue of queue lengths on Price Canyon Road westbound approaching the intersection became of concern. Subsequently, on March 4, 2025, the City Council directed staff return with options for traffic control alternatives.
Price Street at Hinds Avenue
The intersection of Price Street and Hinds Avenue is signalized, and with the regional traffic the heaviest movements through the intersection are westbound Hinds Avenue to southbound Price Street, and northbound Price Street to eastbound Hinds Avenue, which becomes Price Canyon Road at Bello Street.
The operation of the traffic signal results in queue lengths extending beyond Bello Street during the afternoon peak hours. Any improvement to the Bello Street/Price Canyon Road intersection will need to account for this backup, unless the queue lengths were reduced.
For example, the signalization project included scope to coordinate the two intersections’ signals.
A roundabout would be expected to improve operational efficiency at this intersection, increasing throughput and reducing queue lengths, however, it might require acquisition of additional right-of-way.
Price Street at Ocean View Avenue
The intersection of Price Street and Ocean Avenue is unsignalized, with side-street stop control from Ocean View Avenue. Left turns are allowed from the northbound offramp to westbound Ocean View Avenue. The sidewalk at the southwest corner of the intersection connects to the Caltrans multi-use path extending along the side of US 101 over Pismo Creek and the railroad and which connects to Five Cities Drive.
This intersection likely has sufficient existing right-of-way for a roundabout, which would provide benefits including a prominent and formal location of “clam island” as a gateway entry feature into the city, safety due to speed reduction and elimination of left-turn movements, operational level of service, and multi-modal accommodation including potential future connectivity with the Juan Bautista de Anza trail network.
Conclusion and Recommendation
The Price Canyon Road / Hinds Avenue / Price Street to Southbound US 101 is a route of regional significance, with sizeable impacts to the city of Pismo Beach. In order to facilitate identification of the appropriate traffic control measures at the intersections outlined above, staff recommends a holistic analysis of the corridor and feasibility analysis of key intersections. The corridor analysis would include Price Canyon Road and Hinds Avenue from the city limits to Price Street, and on Price Street from Hinds Avenue to the Ocean View Avenue / US 101 Southbound On-Ramp / US 101 Northbound Off-Ramp intersection. Staff recommends continuing efforts to seek outside funding for design and construction including through the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG).
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FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with receiving this presentation. Depending upon Council’s direction, staff will release a request for proposals (RFP) and return to authorize a consultant contract.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
Prepared by: Nate Stong, PE, Senior Engineer
Submitted by: Rosemarie R. Gaglione, PE, Director of Public Works City Manager Approval:
12.A-3Council Agenda 4-15-2025