Mobility & Infrastructure
Committee Memorandum
TO: MOBILITY & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE DATE: MARCH 9, 2023 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARD: 2
SUBJECT: ABERNATHY DRIVE AT PERTHSHIRE PLACE – TEMPORARY CUL-DE-SAC PILOT PROJECT ISSUE:
Consideration of implementation of a temporary cul-de-sac six-month pilot project at the westerly end of Abernathy Drive at its intersection with Perthshire Place.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Mobility & Infrastructure Committee recommend that the City Council approve the temporary cul-de-sac six-month pilot project at the westerly end of Abernathy Drive at its intersection with Perthshire Place.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
On January 4, 2023, the Transportation Board reviewed this matter; seven of nine members were present. The Board voted unanimously to recommend the proposed temporary cul-de-sac six-month pilot project at the westerly end of Abernathy Drive at its intersection with Perthshire Place.
BACKGROUND:
Perthshire Place residents have engaged the Public Works Department, Riverside Police Department, and the Ward 2 City Council Office regarding ongoing concerns with traffic, parking, noise, trash and debris, and after-hours park use generated by Sycamore Highlands Park patrons as well as patrons participating in illegal and illicit activities within their neighborhood. Residents previously worked with the Public Works Department to implement a Preferential Parking Zone (PPZ) on Perthshire Place between Abernathy Drive and Speyside Road to maintain availability of on-street parking for residents and their guests. Despite the existing PPZ, Perthshire Place residents continue to raise concerns regarding park patron impacts to their neighborhood including continual documented violations of the posted PPZ restriction, increased traffic volumes and speeds, elevated and late hour noise, disposal of trash and debris, and frequent illegal and illicit activities within their neighborhood.
Sycamore Highlands Park is not equipped with a parking lot, requiring patrons to park on-street. Various curb paint and posted parking and/or stopping restrictions exist within the area to alleviate impacts to the nearby residential neighborhoods and deter after-hours park use. Despite enforcement efforts by both Parking Services and the Police Department, the citation history shows that violations and negative impacts continue to occur.
DISCUSSION:
Due to ongoing resident concerns regarding the adjacent park-related impacts to their neighborhood, the Public Works Department agreed to consider a six-month temporary cul-de-sac pilot project at the westerly end of Abernathy Drive at its intersection with Perthshire Place if supported by residents. The Public Works Department subsequently received a petition of support from all of the 11 residents on Perthshire Place requesting implementation of a temporary cul-de-sac pilot project at the westerly end of Abernathy Drive at its intersection with Perthshire Place.
The residents have additionally requested the elimination of pedestrian access at the sidewalk connection at the intersection of Perthshire Place and Abernathy Drive to further deter illegal parking along Perthshire Place and walking to and from the park; however, following review by staff, the Public Works Department cannot recommend implementation of the requested pedestrian restrictions which create potential accessibility concerns and may force pedestrians to walk on private property and damage landscaping to reach the park.
On January 11, 2023, staff met with residents on-site to discuss the project in detail. The project would close the street to vehicles by placing water filled barricades and warning signage. Coordination with the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department will be required.
The Public Works Department supports developing creative alternatives to mitigate traffic and parking impacts. However, it is important to note that the temporary cul-de-sac pilot project will also result in potential negative impacts to the community and park patrons, including the loss of approximately six to seven on-street parking spaces within the project, the shifting of residential traffic entering/exiting Perthshire Place to nearby streets, potential use of alternate routes by residents within the connecting neighborhoods, and aesthetic effects which may be undesirable by area residents.
The Public Works Department consulted with the City’s Fire Department, Solid Waste Division, and Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department regarding the potential pilot project.
The Fire Department expressed concern regarding maneuverability and their ability to access the Sycamore Highlands Park, which serves as an entry point to the adjacent Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park. The Public Works Department will consider all design alternatives to maximize available turning radius within the existing footprint of the intersection if the temporary pilot project is approved for implementation.
The Solid Waste Division indicated that the temporary improvements would impede the required turning radius for solid waste vehicles (a minimum of 34-feet for the inside wheel and 50-feet for the outside wheel per manufacturer standards). The Solid Waste Division also noted that vehicles parked along the street during park hours would impede the turning radius for their trucks. Consequently, Solid Waste vehicle ease of access would be impacted, potentially requiring modifying current routes, increasing travel time for completion of routes, and requiring trucks to make multi-point turns or back-up to exit. The Solid Waste Division noted that impacts to street sweeping services are anticipated; as a result of the temporary pilot project improvements hand crew street sweeping maintenance would be required on a quarterly basis.
The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department advised that they have no objections to the potential six-month pilot project.
The Public Works Department performed an analysis of parking citations issued along Perthshire Place and at or near the intersection of Perthshire Place and Abernathy Drive for a one-year period from November 29, 2021 through November 29, 2022. The citation data showed the following:
Parking Violation / Citation Type
# of Parking Citations Issued
1.52.140(c) / Zone Permit Required (PPZ)
371
1.52.030(a) / Street Sweeping
11 1.52.030(b,c,d,e) / Stop/Stand/Park Prohibited
67 1.52.075(a) / Alley Parking
1 222502(a) 18” From Curb
1 Total Parking Citations Issued 11-29-21 to 11-29-22
451
Citations issued for Preferential Parking Zone (PPZ) violations were issued exclusively on Perthshire Place where a No Parking Any Time PPZ is in place; citation numbers for the 12-month period indicate high PPZ violation levels. Street sweeping violations were minimal, and stopping, standing and parking prohibited violations, which would include violations of red curb and posted parking restrictions on Abernathy Drive, were minor.
Further assessment of citations issued during the same one-year period within the neighborhood showed the following:
Parking Citation Specifics
# of Parking Citations Issued
Citations Issued During Typical Business Hours (7:30AM-5:00PM) Weekdays 96 Citations Issued After Typical Business Hours (5:00PM-7:00AM) Weekdays and Weekends 355
Citations Issued by Parking Services Division Staff
46 Citations Issued by Riverside Police Department
405
Data shows that parking citations issued within the neighborhood after typical business hours are over 3½ times greater than those issued during typical business hours, pointing to a need for alternative measures to deter violations while Parking Services staff are not present.
To allow for evaluation of impacts should the temporary six-month cul-de-sac pilot project be implemented, the Public Works Department would conduct before and after traffic studies and receive public comments. If the pilot project is successful, a permanent solution would take potentially several years to construct and would require funding along with potential right-of-way dedications.
An alternative option available to residents to reduce or eliminate traffic, parking, trash and debris, and illegal and illicit activity within their neighborhood generated by Sycamore Highlands Park would involve the street vacation process whereby residents would work with the City’s Planning Department to vacate and privatize their street. If this option is pursued, residents would be responsible for applicable street vacation fees as well as any future maintenance and repairs once the street is officially private.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to Strategic Priority 2 – Community Well-Being and Goal 2.4 - Support programs and innovations that enhance community safety, encourage neighborhood engagement, and build public trust.
This item aligns with the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – This temporary pilot project will support community involvement in seeking alternative potential resolutions to ongoing neighborhood traffic and parking issues generated by Sycamore Highlands Park patrons while still allowing patrons to continue to easily access and enjoy the park site.
Equity – The proposed temporary six-month cul-de-sac pilot project improvements would balance the needs of the immediately impacted residential neighborhoods and park patrons.
Fiscal Responsibility – City Streets Division crews would utilize materials including water filled barricades currently in stock at the City Corporation Yard and fabricate and install necessary signage to implement the temporary six-month cul-de-sac pilot project to minimize project costs. The temporary improvements are fiscally responsible to allow for further assessment of effectiveness and overall impacts prior to considering more costly permanent improvements.
Innovation – This project supports innovative measures to mitigate traffic and parking impacts and preserve neighborhood safety and quality of life in highly impacted areas. The temporary pilot project permits staff and the community to evaluate impacts, if any, and make an informed decision to remove improvements or to make the improvements permanent.
Sustainability & Resiliency – The proposed temporary improvements are easily installed and maintained by City Streets Division crews throughout the proposed 6-month pilot project period.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The estimated fiscal impact is $3,375 related to sign fabrication costs. Water filled barricade materials to be utilized to implement the temporary cul-de-sac pilot project are currently in stock at the City’s Corporation Yard and costs of deployment by City crews would be minimal. The cost of sign fabrication and installation is estimated to be $3,375. Funding is budgeted and available in the General Fund, Streets Maintenance Division, Signing Supplies account number 4110100-424143, to cover this cost. Costs related to hand crew quarterly street sweeping maintenance of the area are anticipated to be minor due to the short term 6-month duration of the pilot project.
Prepared by: Gilbert Hernandez, Public Works Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Interim Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer/City Treasurer
Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Site Map
Aerial Map
Pilot Project Exhibit
Transportation Board Meeting Minutes 1.4.2023
Presentation
Abernathy Drive at Perthshire Place – Temporary Cul-de-sac Pilot Project ● Page 2