CITY OF
RIVERSIDE City Council Memorandum
City of Arts & Innovation
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TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: SEPTEMBER 19, 2023 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARD: 4
SUBJECT: ESTABLISHMENT OF AXLE RESTRICTION ON TRAUTWEIN ROAD -
ORDINANCE
ISSUE:
Establishment of an axle restriction prohibiting commercial vehicles exceeding three axles and prohibiting commercial vehicles cutting through Trautwein Road from Alessandro Boulevard to Van Buren Boulevard.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council introduce and subsequently adopt the attached Ordinance amending Section 10.56.050 of the Riverside Municipal Code (RMC) to establish an axle restriction prohibiting use of commercial vehicles exceeding three axles on Trautwein Road from Alessandro Boulevard to Van Buren Boulevard.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
On July 13, 2023, the Mobility and Infrastructure Committee reviewed this matter, with Chair Conder and Member Perry present, and Vice Chair Hemenway absent. The Committee members present voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve the establishment of the proposed axle restriction on Trautwein Road from Alessandro Boulevard to Van Buren Boulevard.
BACKGROUND:
The Public Works Department may establish weight limit or axle restrictions to prohibit use of select streets by larger commercial vehicles. Weight limit restrictions are often utilized to reduce commercial truck traffic on certain local, residential, or collector roadways by directing truck traffic onto larger collector or arterial roadways and assist in preserving the pavement and promoting safe use of streets which may have distinctive roadway conditions, are residential in nature, or experience cut-through truck traffic. Axle restrictions are utilized to restrict larger commercial trucks which exceed 3 axles from cutting through arterial roadways as an alternative to traveling on local area freeways or to bypass congestion on local freeways. Such restrictions Establishment of Axle Restriction on Trautwein Road - Ordinance • Page 2 do not prevent use for the purpose of delivering or picking up of materials/merchandise or the performance of services in connection with a property within the specific block.
Historic classification counts were conducted on Trautwein Road between Alessandro Boulevard and Van Buren Boulevard each year between 2018 and 2020. Periodic reassessment of truck traffic volumes on Trautwein Road have been supported due to area resident concerns and to evaluate reported increases in commercial truck traffic along the roadway.
DISCUSSION:
A classification count conducted in May 2022 on Trautwein Road between Alessandro Boulevard and Van Buren Boulevard reflected elevated truck activity along the corridor with a combined truck traffic volume of 6.2 percent of total traffic volumes. The May 2022 classification count data showed the percentage of truck traffic on Trautwein Road was over double the maximum 3 percent truck traffic threshold utilized by the City to determine if excessive truck traffic is cutting through a particular arterial roadway. Count data for northbound truck traffic on Trautwein Road showed substantially higher truck use levels at 9.1 percent (over triple the 3 percent threshold) versus the southbound direction which showed 3.2 percent, though both directions as well as combined data exceeded the standard 3 percent threshold. Use of the 3 percent threshold to assess disproportionate commercial truck traffic volumes is consistent with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guidelines. Truck restrictions help to better preserve roadway pavement conditions by reducing measured high volumes of heavy vehicles.
The proposed axle restriction will impede larger commercial trucks with more than 3 axles from cutting through Trautwein Road and aid in restoring commercial truck traffic volumes along the roadway to expected levels of 3 percent or less. The proposed axle restriction would also serve to reduce safety and noise concerns generated by large truck use and help to preserve the condition of the roadway by preventing excessive asphalt damage.
Implementation of the proposed axle restriction would aid in regulating heavy truck traffic on Trautwein Road by keeping larger trucks on local area freeways thereby promoting safer operations and reducing impacts to residential neighborhoods which sit adjacent to or back up to Trautwein Road. Trucks which exceed 3 axles directly enroute to business locations in the vicinity and/or engaged in pick-up and/or delivery activities within this area would be compliant with the regulations and not considered in violation of the posted axle restrictions and vehicles with 3 axles or less would not be impacted.
In response to the truck driver reports, Public Works Department staff notified Garmin Navigation in 2022 that their navigation systems did not reflect City of Riverside's current weight limit and axle restriction information and provided Garmin a link to the City's website which includes Chapter 10.56 of the RMC. Garmin staff replied advising that they performed a sampling of 15 of the City's weight limit and/or axle restrictions for comparative purposes and that in all cases their data set reflected the appropriate City of Riverside restrictions.
If the proposed ordinance is adopted, changeable message signs will be deployed for two weeks to provide advanced notice of the truck axle restrictions to truck drivers prior to initial police enforcement.
Establishment of Axle Restriction on Trautwein Road - Ordinance • Page 3 STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This proposal follows Strategic Priority 6 - Infrastructure, Mobility & Connectivity and Goal
6.2 - Maintain, protect and improve assets and infrastructure within the City's built environment to ensure and enhance reliability, resiliency, sustainability, and facilitate connectivity." This item aligns with each of the Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
1. Community Trust - Establishment of axle restrictions develop Community Trust through the assessment of commercial truck activity on public roadways to ensure that commercial truck volume levels do not exceed standards. Excessive truck activity may be the result of cut-through truck traffic associated with elevated traffic volumes, noise, and damage to roadway pavement.
2. Equity - The establishment of axle restrictions on roadways improves the quality of life within neighboring communities by reducing noise, cut-through traffic, and by improving safety.
3. Fiscal Responsibility - Axle restrictions are a cost-effective measure to mitigate cut- through commercial truck traffic and notify commercial truck drivers of the prohibited use by trucks exceeding three axles.
4. Innovation - This proposed axle restriction represents a continuation of innovative uses of successful axle restrictions implemented in the past.
5. Sustainability & Resiliency - Axle restrictions help to restore commercial truck traffic to at or below standard levels while allowing for commercial truck activity related to local business and pick-up and delivery of goods and services and enable police enforcement to address trucks in violation. Adopted and posted restrictions help to deter cut-through activity enhancing safety, reducing noise, and helping to preserve roadway pavement condition.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total estimated fiscal impact of this section is $6,250 for the cost of sign fabrication and installation. Funding is budgeted and available in the General Fund, PW-Streets Maintenance, Signing Supplies account number 4110100-424143.
Prepared by: Gilbert Hernandez, Public Works Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Establishment of Axle Restriction on Trautwein Road - Ordinance • Page 4 Concurs with:
shuak pander
Chuck Conder, Chair
Mobility and Infrastructure Committee
Attachments:
1. Ordinance
2. Site Map
3. Truck Analysis
4. Mobility & Infrastructure Committee Meeting Minutes - July 13, 2022
5. Presentation