ELLIOTT AVENUE PILOT CLOSURE
PROJECT
City Council Meeting
March 15, 2022
Rob Sprinkle, Deputy Director Traffic Engineering
Transportation and Public Works Department
1 BACKGROUND
• Santa Rosa Junior College(SRJC) wants to improve their pedestrian linkage from the main campus across Elliott
Avenue to Emeritus Hall, Race Building and Plover Hall. • Over the past 10 years, additional crosswalks, signing and pedestrian fencing has been installed to channelize
pedestrians.
• SRJC desires a vehicle free, pedestrian connection across Elliott Avenue.
2 SRJC Campus Map
3 Project Location
• Gated closure on
east side of westerly
driveway to Emeritus
• Gated closure on
west side of easterly
driveway to Emeritus
• New driveway
constructed at
Clement and Salem
Avenue
4 EMERITUS CIRCLE
IMPROVEMENTS
Completed April 2021
• New two-way drive
• New sidewalks
• Accessible ramps
• Landscaping
• Asphalt and striping
5 Public Outreach
• On November 19, 2019, the SRJC held a community
meeting introducing the proposed pilot project prior to the environmental evaluation beginning
• An Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration was
prepared and open for comments January 22, 2021 –
February 22, 2021
• On January 18, 2022, the SRJC held a community meeting re-engaging the community on the project prior to going to the Board of Trustees on February 8, 2022, where the
document was adopted.
• On February 17, 2022, the City of Santa Rosa Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, by motion, supported the pilot closure project.
6 • During the meetings and public review of the ISMND, comments from the public regarding the closure
• Inconvenience for residents using Steele Ln to access Mendocino Ave
• Concern at Steele Ln/Illinois intersection with
congestion
• Emergency access and evacuation with the road closure • How will this link to the Bicycle and Pedestrian
Overcrossing
7 Public Comments
Circulation Study Intersections
8 Potential Redistribution
9 Traffic Circulation Study Findings
• The project would not generate new trips and may
potentially reduce trips due to increased bicycle /
pedestrian activity. It would change travel patterns
in the area.
• Vehicle trips would shift away from Elliott Avenue to other routes, including through the neighborhood
north of Elliott Avenue, Armory Drive, and Bear Cub
Way.
• During the pilot phase, each of the 15 study
intersections are expected to continue operating
acceptably within the City’s LOS (level of service)
standard.
10 Traffic Circulation Study Findings
• In Future year projections, 2040, the level of service at Steele Lane and Mendocino Avenue reduces to
LOS E without and with the proposed project.
• Mitigation would include the addition of a
northbound left turn lane, which would eliminate
the bike lanes and be considered a significant impact
by CEQA.
• Operations at Steele Lane and Illinois Avenue would
experience an increase in delay that could be
mitigated with the addition of a right turn lane.
11 • If implementation is approved by Council, the
project would be constructed in Summer 2022, and
evaluated through 2023.
• SRJC will hold two additional meetings, one in
February 2023 and one in November 2023 for
feedback.
• STEM and housing planned to open in Fall 2023 and
further counts and analysis would be gathered at
that time.
• Feedback from the SRJC and the surrounding
neighborhood will be collected to note impacts prior
to any permanent closure.
• City Council would provide final approval for road
closure.
12 Next steps
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Transportation and Public Works Department that Council, by resolution, approve the
temporary road closure of Elliott Avenue between the West Emeritus Driveway and East Emeritus Driveway to enhance pedestrian connectivity for students across Elliott Avenue, for the duration of 16 months beginning in Summer 2022 as a pilot project to evaluate the impact a permanent closure may have.
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