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Placentia City Council
AGENDA REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
CITY ADMINISTRATOR
DEPUTY CITY ADMINISTRATOR / PUBLIC SERVICES & INFRASTRUCTURE APRIL 16, 2024
SUBJECT: 2023 CITYWIDE ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC SPEED SURVEY FISCAL
IMPACT: There is no direct fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
SUMMARY:
Placentia Municipal Code 13.28.010 designates the prima facie speed limit of speed zones based upon the 2013 Engineering and Traffic Survey (E&TS). The State of California Vehicle Code (CVC) requires that an Engineering and Traffic Survey (speed survey) be conducted at least every ten years, and the survey's result be followed in establishing or adjusting the posted speed limit on streets where radar would be used as an enforcement tool by ordinance. Staff retained the traffic consultant Lin Consulting, Inc., to conduct the 2023 Engineering and Traffic Survey.
Based upon the findings of the survey, and the professional engineering judgement of the City's Transportation Manager/Traffic Engineer, the current posted speed limits are recommended to remain unchanged throughout the City.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council approve and file the 2023 Engineering and Traffic Survey.
STRATEGIC PLAN STATEMENT:
There is no specific strategic planning goal or objective associated with this agenda item.
DISCUSSION:
Placentia Municipal Code 13.28.010 designates the prima facie speed limit of speed zones based upon the 2013 Engineering and Traffic Survey (E&TS). The State of California Vehicle Code (CVC) requires that an Engineering and Traffic Survey (speed survey) be conducted at least every ten years, and the survey's result be followed in establishing or adjusting the posted speed limit on streets where radar would be used as an enforcement tool by ordinance. Speed limits are normally set near the 85th percentile speed that statistically represents one standard deviation above the average speed and establishes the upper limit of what is considered reasonable and prudent. Essentially, if 85% of the vehicles traveling along a given street segment are moving at 40 miles per hour, then the prima facia speed limit becomes 40 miles per hour (MPH). As with most traffic laws, speed limits need to depend on the voluntary compliance of most motorists.
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City Council Agenda
April 16, 2024
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Speed limits cannot be set arbitrarily low, as this would create a situation where most drivers would violate the law.
California Speed Trap Law (CVC Section 40802) requires that speed limits be justified by an Engineering and Traffic survey conducted within five years prior to the date of the alleged violation.
The survey is used for enforcement of the speed limit involving the use of radar or any other electronic device that measures the speed of moving objects. The speed survey consists of measuring the speed of traffic flow along designated corridors. It is clearly stated in the CVC Section 627 that the intent of the speed measurement is to determine the actual speed of unimpeded traffic. The speed of traffic should not be altered by concentrated law enforcement or other means, just prior to or while taking the speed measurements. Therefore, Staff should not and cannot use police speed trailers or any other traffic calming devices, such as speed feedback signs, in the vicinity of speed survey points and try to alter the speed survey results. If it appears the survey was altered, the speeding citations issued by police will not stand in court, and the posted speed limit will not be enforceable.
Staff retained the traffic consultant Lin Consulting, Inc., to conduct the 2023 Engineering and Traffic Survey. Speed surveys were collected in October and November 2023 for 73 different speed zones throughout the City. Speed limits can be rounded up or down to the nearest 5 MPH.
For instance, if the prima facia speed limit on a given street segment is 37 MPH the traffic engineer may round up the speed limit to 40 MPH or round down to 35 MPH based upon their professional judgement. For the basis of this report, speed limits were rounded down to maintain slower traffic speeds throughout the community rather than increasing speed limits. As such, based upon the findings of the survey, the current posted speed limits are adequate, and no changes to existing speed limits are recommended. On March 18, 2024, the Streetscape and Transportation Advisory Commission reviewed the traffic survey report and concurred with Staff's findings that the speed limits should remain unchanged for the next ten years. Accordingly, the Commission recommended that the City Council approve the 2023 Engineering and Traffic Survey and maintain the City's current speed limits.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
Prepared by:
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Kyra ttao
Transportation Manager
Reviewed and approved:
Luis Estevez
Deputy City Administrator
City Council Agenda
April 16, 2024
Reviewed and approved:
Damien R. Arrula
City Administrator
Attachment:
2023 Engineering and Traffic Survey Report