Administrative
Report
L.2., File # 22-5144 Meeting Date: 5/30/2023
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: TED SEMAAN, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
TITLE
PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AND APPROVE ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC SURVEYS AND INTRODUCE BY TITLE ONLY ORDINANCE NO. 3256-23, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 3-7.503 SUBSECTIONS (A) THROUGH (E), INCLUSIVE, RELATING TO SPEED ZONES ESTABLISHING 20 MPH ON SOUTH CATALINA AVENUE BETWEEN PALOS VERDES BOULEVARD AND AVENUE I; 25 MPH ON BERYL STREET BETWEEN HARBOR DRIVE AND
PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY AND TORRANCE BOULEVARD BETWEEN THE PIER AND SOUTH PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY; 30 MPH ON HERONDO STREET BETWEEN NORTH HARBOR DRIVE AND NORTH PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY; AND 35 MPH ON INGLEWOOD AVENUE BETWEEN GRANT AVENUE AND ARTESIA BLVD. FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES:
a. Open the Public Hearing;
b. Take Testimony;
c. Close the Public Hearing;
d. Approve the Engineering and Traffic Surveys for the 36 Street Segments Identified in the Report; and,
e. Introduce by Title Only:
ORDINANCE NO. 3256-23, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 3-7.503
SUBSECTIONS (A) THROUGH (E), INCLUSIVE, RELATING TO SPEED ZONES ESTABLISHING 20 MPH ON SOUTH CATALINA AVENUE BETWEEN PALOS VERDES BOULEVARD AND AVENUE I; 25 MPH ON BERYL STREET BETWEEN HARBOR DRIVE AND PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY AND TORRANCE BOULEVARD BETWEEN THE PIER AND SOUTH PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY; 30
MPH ON HERONDO STREET BETWEEN NORTH HARBOR DRIVE AND NORTH PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY; AND 35 MPH ON INGLEWOOD AVENUE BETWEEN GRANT AVENUE AND ARTESIA BLVD
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Public Works Department has completed Engineering and Traffic (E&T) Surveys, also known as speed limit studies, for 36 street segments in the City in order to maintain enforceability of speed limits with the use of electronic devices such as Lidar along those street segments. The previous E&T Surveys for these street segments expired in recent months. Approval of the recommended speed limits by the City Council will initiate a new five-year period of speed limit enforcement in
L.2., File # 22-5144 Meeting Date: 5/30/2023
speed limits by the City Council will initiate a new five-year period of speed limit enforcement in compliance with the requirements of the California Vehicle Code (CVC). The list of streets studied, along with the data collected and the analysis performed, is included in the attached AGA Engineering, Inc. 2022 Citywide E&T Survey Report (2022 Report).
CVC Section 22352 established a prima facie speed limit of 25 miles per hour (mph) for roadways in business and residential districts and 15 mph for alleys. Section 22357 of the CVC also allows local authorities to establish prima facie speed limits for most roadways greater than 25 mph, and less than or equal to 65 mph, when based on a properly completed E&T Survey. There is also a new provision in the CVC allowing speed limits as low as 15 mph in certain districts. The City’s current code includes an ordinance (RBMC §3-7.503) establishing prima facie speed limits for a number of streets, including those included in the 2022 Report.
The 2022 Report was prepared in accordance with the methodology promulgated in State regulations concerning the increasing, maintaining or decreasing of speed limits. The speed limit study concluded that most of the streets studied need no adjustment to the currently posted speed limits.
However, the analysis for five of the street segments indicated that the speed limit could be lowered.
As a result of the findings in the 2022 Report, staff is recommending a reduction of the speed limit by 5 mph on the following five street segments:
· Herondo Street between Harbor Drive and PCH (eastbound only) - to 30 mph · Beryl Street between Harbor Drive and PCH - to 25 mph · Inglewood Avenue between Grant Avenue and Artesia Blvd. - to 35 mph · Catalina Avenue between Palos Verdes Blvd. and Avenue I - to 20 mph · Torrance Circle between the Pier and PCH - to 25 mph
The 2022 Report and recommendations were brought to the Public Works and Sustainability Commission for review and input on March 27, 2023. The Commission unanimously supported the recommendation to reduce speed limits on the five street segments described above. Minutes from that meeting are attached.
BACKGROUND
Speed limits within the City are posted and enforced to promote safe travel for motorists and other users of the roadway. The City has, in accordance with State law, established speed limits on a number of street segments, where the statutory speed limit of 25 mph may not best serve the public.
The setting of speed limits can be controversial and requires a rational and defensible determination to maintain public confidence. 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. As with most laws, speed limits need to depend on the voluntary compliance of the greater majority of motorists. Speed limits cannot be set arbitrarily low, as this would create violators of the majority of drivers and would not command the respect of the public. This is the reason why State law, as specified in the CVC and the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD), does not allow speed limits to be set in an arbitrary manner.
In order for these speed limits to be legally enforceable, the decision of the City Council to set the various speed limits must be substantiated by appropriate engineering analysis, specifically an E&T Survey. Once approved by the City Council, speed limit information is sent to the Superior Court to serve as a basis for enforcement. The E&T Survey procedures and standards for setting speed limits
L.2., File # 22-5144 Meeting Date: 5/30/2023
serve as a basis for enforcement. The E&T Survey procedures and standards for setting speed limits is contained in the CA MUTCD. Recently passed State legislation (AB 43) has modified the E&T Survey methodology, which has impacted some of the recommendations presented in this report.
The E&T Survey has a “shelf life” of 5 years, at which time the City may extend its efficacy for up to five years by written notice to the Superior Court, upon review of an appropriately licensed engineer and assuming no major changes in roadway geometry. AB 43 allows the extension of the period that a speed limit justified by an E&T survey conducted more than 7 years ago to remain valid, for purposes of speed enforcement, if evaluated by a registered engineer, as specified, to 14 years.
Of the City’s many street segments with speed limits identified in the City’s municipal code, the E&T survey reviewed thirty-six of the segments that recently reached or soon will reach their 10-year expiration date. In order to maintain enforcement, staff engaged a Traffic Engineering consultant, AGA Engineers (AGA), to perform an E&T Survey for these thirty-six segments and to provide recommendations for future speed limits on these segments. AGA presented their draft report to staff for comments in October 2022, and finalized it in late 2022. Staff brought the item to the Public Works & Sustainability Commission on March 27, 2023, in advance of the presentation to City Council. The Commission voted to unanimously support the staff recommendations and refer it to the City Council.
Spot speed surveys were taken at 36 locations on the City’s network in conformance with the State law for conducting engineering and traffic surveys for the purpose of establishing prima facie speed limits. The data was collected per CA MUTCD, November 7, 2014 edition. Sections of the CA MUTCD detailing regulations for conducting the required “Engineering and Traffic Survey” are presented in Appendix B of the 2022 Report. The study involved three major categories of data collection and analysis: (1) geometric and characteristic street surveillance; (2) spot speed survey; and (3) accident rate analysis.
Typically, speed limits are established based on the nearest five mile per hour increment rounded from the 85th percentile speed as determined by the speed survey. Engineering judgment may be applied to consider community traffic safety needs, collision history, roadway characteristics, adjacent land uses and pedestrian and bicycle activity to allow for deviation from this metric. The E&T Survey must document these findings. When opting to reduce the speed limit below the 85th percentile metric, the CA MUTCD allows two options, detailed in the 2022 Report. In addition to these options, AB 43 authorizes local authorities to retain the current speed limit, pending a review by a licensed engineer, when the 85th percentile metric would otherwise require an increase.
Of the 36 street segments reviewed, the speed survey resulted in an 85th percentile speed that requires no change to the existing posted speed limit on 30 segments. Maintenance of the current speed limit in these cases is justified by either the 85th percentile metric (including use of available statutory options allowed by the CA MUTCD), the 85th percentile metric supplemented by documented engineering judgment, or use of the new authorization provided by AB 43. One segment with no effective change is a segment that has not had an E&T Survey before, but the results of the survey recommend the same speed as the statutory speed limit under which it currently operates. Of the five remaining segments, the 2022 Report recommends a decrease by 5 mph based on a lower 85th percentile metric in four cases, and on the use of the 85th percentile plus documented engineering judgement in one case. These results are detailed in Table 2 of the 2022 Report and summarized as follows.
L.2., File # 22-5144 Meeting Date: 5/30/2023
Recommendation # of Segments Basis
Maintain current limit 18 85th Percentile Metric
Maintain current limit 7 85th Percentile Metric plus Eng. Judgement Maintain current limit 5 85th Percentile Metric, AB 43
Maintain current limit 1 New survey matches statutory speed limit Decrease Limit 4 Lower 85th Percentile Metric
Decrease Limit 1 85th Percentile Metric plus Eng. Judgement Council action to receive and file the 2022 Report is needed to support enforcement of the 30 segments for which no speed limit change is recommended. To lower the speed limits on the five segments recommended, Council must adopt an ordinance revising Section 3-7.503 of RBMC, subsections A through E.
Staff is recommending that the City Council approve the 2022 Report and introduce for first reading the proposed ordinance that will reduce the speed limit by 5mph on the five street segments listed below:
· Herondo Street between Harbor Drive and PCH (eastbound only) - to 30mph · Beryl Street between Harbor Drive and PCH - to 25mph
· Inglewood Avenue between Grant Avenue and Artesia Blvd. - to 35mph · Catalina Avenue between Palos Verdes Blvd. and Avenue I - to 20mph · Torrance Circle between the Pier and PCH - to 25mph
COORDINATION
Coordination of the E&T Survey and preparation of the report occurred within the Public Works Department.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the Ordinance will require the replacement of a limited number of street signs and pavement markings. Funding for the cost of these replacements is available in the annual maintenance and operations budget of the Public Works Department.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
· Ord - Proposed Ordinance 3256-23, Amending Redondo Beach Municipal Code Section 3-
7.503, subsections A through E
· 2022 Report - 2022 Redondo Beach Citywide Engineering and Traffic Survey Report · Minutes - Public Works and Sustainability Commission of March 27, 2023