Date: September 25, 2023
To: Public Works and Sustainability Commission
From: Department of Public Works
Subject: ALL WAY STOP CONTROLS ON RINDGE LANE AT BELMONT LANE
AND SPEYER LANE
TITLE:
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING PROCEEDING WITH TWO ALL
WAY STOP INSTALLATIONS AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF RINDGE LANE/BELMONT LANE AND RINDGE LANE/SPEYER LANE.
SUMMARY:
In response to a resident request staff is bringing forward a recommendation for all-way stop (“AWS”) controls at the intersection of Rindge Lane and Belmont Lane, and the intersection of Rindge Lane and Speyer Lane. In accordance with the City Council’s policy for AWS requests, staff initiated a survey of residences within 150 feet of each intersection and received insufficient resident support to carry either of the items forward on those grounds.
However, the City’s Transportation Engineer performed a site analysis at both locations and believes a relevant obstruction to sight lines exists at the intersection of Rindge Lane and Belmont Lane, and that the operation of the intersection could be improved with the installation of all way stop controls. Therefore, staff recommends the installation of an AWS at Rindge Lane and Belmont Lane and is seeking the input of the public and the Public Works and Sustainability Commission before bringing the matter to City Council.
BACKGROUND:
Rindge Lane runs north-south, is classified as a local street, and has a 25-mph residential prima facie speed limit. It is approximately 28 feet wide with one travel lane in each direction that is separated by a double yellow centerline. Parking is prohibited on both sides of the street. Rindge Lane is not stop controlled at either of the subject intersections. Adjacent stop controls along Rindge Lane exist approximately 340 feet (one block) to the north of the Belmont Lane intersection at Pullman Lane and approximately 220 feet to the south of Speyer Lane at Ripley Avenue.
Belmont Lane runs east-west, is classified as a local street, and has a 25-mph residential prima facie speed limit. It is approximately 28 feet wide with one travel lane in each direction that is separated by a dashed yellow centerline. Parallel parking is allowed on the south side of the street. Belmont Lane is stop controlled at the subject intersection. There are allway stop controls approximately 640 feet (one block) to the east and west of the subject intersection at Slauson Lane and Blossom Lane, respectively.
Administrative Report
Speyer Lane runs east-west, is classified as a local street, and has a 25-mph residential prima facie speed limit. It is approximately 28 feet wide with one travel lane in each direction that is separated by a dashed yellow centerline. Parallel parking is allowed on the south side of the street. Speyer Lane is stop controlled at the subject intersection (Rindge Lane).
There are stop controls along Speyer Lane approximately 320 feet to the east at its terminus with Ripley Avenue, as well as 640 feet (one block) to the west at Blossom Lane.
Fronting development in the vicinity of the intersection is predominantly single family and small multifamily residential. There are sidewalk, curb and gutter improvements on all legs.
Fulton Playground is approximately 230 feet south of Speyer Lane at the corner of Rindge Lane and Ripley Avenue.
The California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD) provides guidance for the installation of all-way stop controls. It suggests that all-way stop controls should be considered when:
• Criteria A - Where traffic control signals are justified, the multi-way stop is an interim measure that can be installed quickly to control traffic while arrangements are being made for the installation of the traffic control signal. • Criteria B – When there are five or more reported crashes in a 12-month period that are susceptible to correction by a multi-way stop installation. Such crashes include right-turn and left-turn collisions as well as right-angle collisions. • Criteria C - Where the vehicular volume entering the intersection from the major street approaches (total of both approaches) averages at least 300 vehicles per hour for any 8 hours of an average day; and combined vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle volume entering the intersection from the minor street approaches (total of both approaches) averages at least 200 units per hour for the same 8 hours, with an average delay to minor-street vehicular traffic of at least 30 seconds per vehicle during the highest hour. When the 85th-percentile approach speed of the majorstreet traffic exceeds 40 mph, the minimum vehicular volume warrants may be reduced to 70 percent of the above values.
• Criteria D - Where no single criterion is satisfied, but where Criteria B and C are all satisfied to 80 percent of the minimum values.
The CA MUTCD also provides other criteria that may be considered, including:
• The need to control left-turn conflicts;
• The need to control vehicle/pedestrian conflicts near locations that generate high pedestrian volumes;
• Locations where a road user, after stopping, cannot see conflicting traffic and is not able to negotiate the intersection unless conflicting cross traffic is also required to stop; and,
• An intersection of two residential neighborhood collector (through) streets of similar design and operating characteristics where all-way stop control would improve traffic operational characteristics of the intersection.
DISCUSSION:
Staff received an AWS request for both subject locations in August 2023. The request is due to speeding and safety concerns along Rindge Lane. As mentioned, there are stop controls at most intersections (typically 330 feet apart) along Rindge Lane between Ripley Avenue and Artesia Boulevard. The absence of stop controls at these two intersections leaves an approximately 900 foot stretch of Rindge, that is without stop control.
Staff forwarded by USPS mail a survey to 29 residences within 150 feet of the respective intersections per the City’s AWS request policy approved by City Council, 12 for the Belmont intersection and 17 for the Speyer intersection. The letter included a QR code for each intersection to more easily allow respondents to complete the survey electronically. The responses were due by September 18, 2023.
Through this date the City has received seven (7) responses for the Belmont intersection, all in support. Of the seven responses, four were received via use of the QR code. Because there were no negative responses, the response rate and the support rate were both 7 of 12, or about 58%. This is below the threshold to advance the AWS request on the merits of resident support alone. A table summarizing responses is included in the attachments.
For the Speyer intersection, the City had received seven (7) responses, five (5) of which were in support and two (2) of which were in opposition. Of the seven responses, five were received via use of the QR code. One (1) of the responses in opposition came via an inperson meeting with the City’s Transportation Engineer. Concerns included increased vehicular noise associated with accelerating/decelerating at stop signs and increased intersection queues that could block upstream driveway access. The response rate for this intersection was 41%, with a support rate of 29%. This is below the threshold to advance the AWS request on the merits of resident support alone. A table summarizing responses is included in the attachments.
The City’s Transportation Engineer visited both intersections in September 2023 and noticed visibility challenges for drivers traveling eastbound on Belmont at Rindge that could be addressed by the introduction of AWS controls at that intersection. Staff did not observe visibility challenges at the intersection of Rindge and Speyer. Staff also collected and analyzed reported traffic collision data at both intersections from SWITRS. A review of the available SWITRS crash data at both intersections during the five-year period revealed one potentially correctable collision between 1/1/2018 and 12/31/2022 at the Belmont intersection. Staff did not find potentially correctable collisions between 1/1/2018 and 12/31/2022 at the Speyer intersection. Despite the low crash history at both intersections, the City’s Transportation Engineer is recommending addition of AWS controls at the intersection of Rindge Lane and Belmont Lane only, based on the reduced visibility at the intersection.
Staff recommendation for AWS control is based on the CA MUTCD “other criteria” listed above, specifically related to reduced visibility for conflicting traffic due to the prevailing slopes along Rindge Lane.
Staff do not recommend the installation of AWS controls at the intersection of Rindge Lane and Speyer Lane based on City and CA MUTCD criteria. In addition, its close proximity to the intersection at Ripley could create an otherwise avoidable frustration for drivers required to stop twice within 200 feet.
During the process of evaluating AWS controls at both intersections, staff received general comments and suggestions regarding safety and speeding along Rindge Lane that may warrant a larger picture analysis. While Rindge Lane is the same typical width as other streets in the area, parking is prohibited on both sides of the street. Most other local residential streets of the same width provide parking on one side of the street, which narrows travel lanes. Narrower travel lanes tend to slow speeds. Besides stop controls, traffic calming measures to improve safety and decrease speeds could also be considered along the Rindge Lane corridor, such as edge line lane striping, that would visibly narrow the traveled way. In addition, Rindge Lane is proposed to be a Bike Friendly Street in the adopted South Bay Bicycle Master Plan.
ALTERNATIVES AVAILABLE:
1. Recommend staff advance consideration of AWS control only at Rindge Lane/Belmont Lane to the City Council.
2. Do not support the recommendation from staff.
3. Other actions as determined by the Public Works and Sustainability Commission.
COORDINATION:
Coordination of the resident survey and the safety evaluation and this report took place within the Public Works Department.
Prepared by:
Ryan Liu, Transportation Engineer
Submitted by:
Ted Semaan, Public Works Director
ATTACHMENTS:
1. All Way Stop Survey Responses
2. Notice to Residents