City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: August 27, 2024
Agenda Item: 10.B
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Anuj Gupta, Director of Transportation, Department of Transportation Subject: Introduction and first reading of an ordinance amending Santa Monica Municipal Code section 3.12.490 to establish speed limits for certain City streets pursuant to the California Vehicle Code
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) and a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
2. Introduce for first reading an ordinance amending Santa Monica Municipal Code (“SMMC”) section 3.12.490 to establish speed limits for certain City streets pursuant to the California Vehicle Code (“CVC”).
Executive Summary
The City of Santa Monica has a responsibility to conduct an Engineering and Traffic Survey (“Survey”) to validate the speed limits established in Santa Monica Municipal Code (SMMC) section 3.12.490 every 5, 7, or 14 years to ensure the speed limits remain valid. The Traffic Engineering unit in the Mobility Division of the Department of Transportation (DOT) is the work unit responsible for performing the work associated with validating and updating speed limits for the City.
By adopting the recommended ordinance, the City Council will be acting under the authority granted to the City by California Vehicle Code (CVC) section 22358, which authorizes local authorities to modify local speed limits based on the results of the Survey. If adopted, this ordinance would set speed limits for surveyed street segments 2 of 8
within the City, based upon the Survey conducted for the City by Fehr & Peers. The Survey was conducted from January 27 through July 29, 2024. If this ordinance is adopted, SMMC section 3.12.490 would be modified to change existing local speed limits for certain roadway segments included in the Survey.
This proposed ordinance updates and strengthens SMMC section 3.12.490 by: a) providing a reduction of the speed limit along approximately 31 miles of street segments, b) authorizing an increase of the speed limit along one street segment (approximately 0.3 miles), c) authorizing the posting of speed limits on street segments without existing posted speed limits, and d) authorizing speed reductions on additional street segments where the City has not previously surveyed.
The proposed speed limit changes support the City’s Vision Zero goal of eliminating fatal and severe injury crashes for all roadway users within the context of the CVC as recently updated by AB 43. Council adopted Vision Zero with the adoption of the Pedestrian Action Plan in February 2016. One of the pillars of the national Safe System Approach is safer speeds, and the application of reasonable and safe speed limits allows for effective enforcement of speed limits throughout the City.
Background
The CVC establishes how a local authority sets speed limits that differ from the statutory speed of 25 miles per hour in a business or residence district or 65 miles per hour on other roadways. CVC section 22357 and section 22358 provide that if the local authority determines, based on a Survey, that a speed higher or lower than the statutory speed limit would facilitate the orderly movement of vehicular traffic and would be reasonable and safe, the local authority may determine and declare a speed limit by ordinance. The Survey includes measurement of vehicular speeds along roadway segments to determine the speed of a majority of drivers, which is the most effective attribute in establishing speed limits.
Assembly Bill 43, approved in 2021, established new practices for how cities can set and enforce speed limits. AB 43 changes the way speed limits are set by establishing 3 of 8
new rounding practices and by accounting for more roadway and land use contextual factors.
The speed limits established by ordinance are in effect only after signs are in place to give notice of the speed limit.
SMMC section 3.12.490 currently sets speed limits for certain City streets based on a Survey completed in 2014. Section 2B.13 of the California Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CAMUTCD) requires that a new Survey be conducted every 5, 7, or 14 years in compliance with CVC section 40802 to reevaluate non-statutory speed limits on segments of roadways that have undergone significant changes since the last review.
As such, DOT commissioned a registered engineer from Fehr & Peers to complete the Survey earlier this year and it was conducted from January 27 through July 29, 2024.
The Survey justifies the Council to set reasonable and safe speed limits to facilitate the orderly movement of traffic.
The proposed revisions to SMMC section 3.12.490, which are set forth in Attachment A, adopt speed limit recommendations included in the Survey. The proposed revisions:
a) reduce existing limits on some street segments, b) authorize speed limit reductions on additional street segments where the City has not previously reduced speed limits and c) increase the speed limit on one segment.
Past Council Actions
Past Council actions include the adoption of speed limits in accordance with the Survey conducted in 2014. A subsequent amendment of the speed limits on several corridors listed in SMMC section 3.12.490 was implemented in 2016.
Meeting Date Description
6/10/2014 Ordinance 2459 establishing speed limits for certain streets pursuant to the CVC and amending SMMC section 3.12.490
2/9/2016 Ordinance 2510 establishing speed limits for certain streets pursuant to the CVC and amending SMMC section 3.12.490. 4 of 8
Discussion
This proposed ordinance modifies SMMC 3.12.490 to incorporate the recommended speed limits in the Survey, which includes a reduction of the speed limit along some of the surveyed segments. DOT recommends establishing these limits in compliance with the CVC, as recently amended by AB 43. DOT has consulted with the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) and has taken SMPD’s recommendations into consideration.
The following speed limit reductions are supported by the Survey and would be established by this ordinance, grouped by speed limit and listed alphabetically:
Proposed to be reduced to 35 MPH
1. Olympic Boulevard between 11th Street and Centinela Avenue – from 40 to 35 MPH Proposed to be reduced to 30 MPH
2. Lincoln Boulevard between I-10 Freeway and Pico Boulevard – from 35 to 30 MPH
3. Ocean Park Boulevard between 23rd Street and Centinela Avenue – from 35 to 30 MPH
4. Pico Boulevard between Lincoln Boulevard and Centinela Avenue – from 35 to 30 MPH
Proposed to be reduced to 25 MPH
5. 2
nd Street between Wilshire Boulevard and Colorado Avenue – from 30 to 25 MPH
6. 4
th Street between Colorado Avenue and Pico Boulevard – from 30 to 25 MPH
7. 11th Street between San Vicente Boulevard and Marine Street – from 30 to 25 MPH
8. 14th Street between San Vicente Boulevard and Ashland Avenue - from 30 MPH to 25 MPH
9. 20th Street between Wilshire and Pico boulevards - from 30 to 25 MPH
10.26th Street between San Vicente and Cloverfield boulevards – from 30 to 25 MPH
11.Colorado Avenue between Ocean Avenue and 17th Street - from 30 to 25 MPH
12.Dewey Street between Robson Avenue and 23rd Street - from 30 to 25 MPH
13.Main Street between Colorado Avenue and Pico Boulevard - from 30 to 25 MPH
14.Marine Street between Lincoln Boulevard and 17th Street – from 30 to 25 MPH
15.Montana Avenue between Ocean Avenue and Stanford Street - from 30 to 25 MPH 5 of 8
16.Neilson Way between Pico Boulevard and Marine Street - from 30 to 25 MPH
17.Ocean Avenue between the north City limit and Pico Boulevard - from 30 to 25 MPH
18.Ocean Park Boulevard between Barnard Way and 23rd Street - from 30 to 25 MPH
19.Pico Boulevard between Appian Way and Lincoln Boulevard – from 35 to 25 MPH
20.Stewart Street between Colorado Avenue and Pico Boulevard - from 30 to 25 MPH
21.Wilshire Boulevard between Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard - from 30 to 25 MPH
Proposed to be reduced to 20 MPH
22.6 th Street between Pico Boulevard and Pier Avenue – from 30 to 20 MPH
23.20th Street between Pico and Ocean Park boulevards – from 25 to 20 MPH
24.Appian Way between Pacific Coast Highway and Bay Street – from 25 to 20 MPH
25.Ashland Avenue between Neilson Way and Lincoln Boulevard – from 25 (statutory) to 20 MPH
26.Barnard Way between Hollister Avenue and Neilson Way – from 25 to 20 MPH
27.California Avenue between Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard – from 25 to 20 MPH
28.Michigan Avenue between Lincoln Boulevard and 19th Street – from 25 (statutory) to 20 MPH
29.Washington Avenue between Ocean Avenue and Stanford Street – from 25 to 20 MPH
The following speed limit increase is supported by the Survey and would be established by this ordinance:
1. California Avenue between Pacific Coast Highway and Ocean Avenue (also known as the California Incline) – from 25 to 30 MPH
Pursuant to CVC section 22358.4(b)(1), the Survey supports a 15 miles per hour prima facie (“at face value”) speed limit in areas less than 500 feet from or passing a school building or grounds, effective during school days only, and extending the 25 miles per hour prima facie school zone limits up to 1000 feet from school property.
The following 15 MPH prima facie speed limit and 25 MPH prima facie limits near school property are supported by the Survey and would be established by this ordinance:
1. 6
th Street between Pico Boulevard and Bay Street (Santa Monica High School) 6 of 8
2. 7
th Street between Idaho Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard (Saint Monica Preparatory School)
3. 14th Street between Idaho Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard (Lincoln Middle School)
4. 14th Street between Pearl and Maple streets (Will Rogers Learning Community)
5. 16th Street between Pico and Ocean Park boulevards (John Adams Middle School)
6. 16th Street between Idaho Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard (Lincoln Middle School)
7. 17th Street between Pearl Street and Ocean Park Boulevard (John Adams Middle School)
8. 24th Street between Grant Elementary School and Ocean Park Boulevard (Grant Elementary School)
9. Arizona Avenue between 23rd and 25th streets (McKinley Elementary School)
10.California Avenue between 6th and 9th streets (Saint Monica Preparatory School)
11.California Avenue between 14th and 16th streets (Lincoln Middle School)
12.Chelsea Avenue between Arizona Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard (McKinley Elementary School)
13.Idaho Avenue between 23rd and 25th streets (Franklin Elementary School)
14.Lincoln Boulevard between Alta and Montana avenues (Roosevelt Elementary School)
15.Lincoln Boulevard between Idaho Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard (Saint Monica Preparatory School)
16.Montana Avenue between 23rd and 25th streets (Franklin Elementary School)
17.Ocean Park Boulevard between 4th Street and Beverley Avenue (John Muir Elementary School)
18.Pearl Street between 16th and 20th streets (John Adams Middle School)
19.Pearl Street between Cloverfield Boulevard and 25th Street (Grant Elementary School)
20.Virginia Avenue between High Place and Frank Street (Edison Language Academy)
21.Washington Avenue between 6th and 9th streets (Saint Monica Preparatory School)
22.Washington Avenue between 14th and 16th streets (Lincoln Middle School) The proposed speed limit changes support the City’s Vision Zero goal of eliminating fatal and severe injury crashes for all roadway users within the context of the CVC as recently updated by AB 43. One of the pillars of the national Safe System Approach is 7 of 8
safer speeds, and application of reasonable and safe speed limits allows for effective enforcement of speed limits throughout the City.
Next Steps
Should City Council approve, the installation of new and updated speed limit signs will be performed by DOT staff after the changes take effect 30 days after second reading of the ordinance. The anticipated duration for installation of signs is two months, and new speed limits would not be enforceable until signage is posted on the corridor.
Environmental Impacts
The project is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15301 and of the CEQA Guidelines. Section 15301 exempts Class 1 (Existing Facilities) projects from CEQA, which include the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The proposed speed limit changes would apply to existing streets in the City and no expansion of the streets would occur. Therefore, the changes are exempt pursuant to Section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines.
The speed limit changes are also exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The proposed speed limit changes would reduce fatal and severe injury crashes and would not have a physical effect on the environment. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that actions would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, is exempt from CEQA.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the recommended action. Staff will return to Council if specific budget actions are required in the future.
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Prepared By: Mia Silver, CityTraffic Engineer
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. New Speed Limit Ordinance Amendment 8-27-2024 (002) A B. Santa Monica Engineering & Traffic Survey Results and Recommendations_FINAL_20240813
C. Written Comments
D. PowerPoint Presentation