CITY OF SEBASTOPOL
CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Meeting Date: November 15, 2022
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Toni Bertolero, Engineering Consultant
Subject: 5th District Infrastructure Funding
Recommendation: Authorize Staff to Submit Funding Request for the Sonoma County District 5 Infrastructure Funding
Funding: Currently Budgeted: _______ Yes _______ No ___X__ N/A
Account Code/Costs authorized in City Approved Budget (if applicable) ___AK_____ (verified by Administrative Services Department) INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE:
The item is to request Council consider the priority list of projects and approve the submittal of an infrastructure funding request for the Pedestrian Crossing Improvements at Sunset Avenue/Taft Street Project to Supervisor Hopkins of Sonoma County District 5.
BACKGROUND :
At the October 10, 2022 SCTA/RCPA Board meeting, Supervisor Lynda Hopkins announced that each District will have $2 million to distribute for infrastructure improvements. The intent of the funds is broad: to invest in otherwise-unserved local community infrastructure needs.
Each Supervisor has considerable discretion to identify the most pressing needs within the communities they represent. Supervisor Hopkins goal is to support climate mitigation and adaptation in the projects that are chosen with special attention on bike- and pedestrian-focused projects, as well as projects that support safe routes to schools.
DISCUSSION:
Given the limited amount of funds available – $2 million for the entirety of District 5 – it is recommended that the City’s priority list focus on recommended projects from the 2019 Analy High School Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation (“2019 report”). There are 10 recommended projects listed in the 2019 report and attached to this agenda report (see Table 2 on the 2019 report). The six (6) recommended projects from Table 2 that are located on City right of way are:
1. N. Main Street/Analy Ave. Reconfiguration and Intersection Improvements
2. Bulbout South of School Entrance on N. Main Street. Pavement markings for cyclists.
3. Healdsburg Avenue/N. Main Street (SR 116) Caltrans Signal Re-timing
4. Sunset Avenue/Taft Street. Pedestrian Crossing Improvements
5. Johnson Street/Sunset Avenue Traffic Calming Measures
6. Eddie Lane Crosswalk between student parking lot and back of campus. Pavement markings Agenda Item Number 6
Agenda Item Number 6
City Council Meeting Packet for November 15, 2022
On May 25, 2022, a representative from the School District contacted the Engineering Department via email requesting pedestrian crossing lights at Sunset Avenue and Taft Street. There is an existing crosswalk, however, there are improvements that can be made to make this crossing more visible to motorists. An excerpt from the 2019 report:
Identified Need/Observation ‐ There is an existing high visibility school‐zoned crosswalk that runs diagonally at the intersection of Taft St/Sunset Ave. The crosswalk leads into the gated roadway onto campus. Diagonal crosswalks are non‐standard.
Recommended Improvement ‐ The diagonal crosswalk provides the best pedestrian sight distance conditions for drivers approaching the intersection. Suggest that the City install appropriate pedestrian crossing signage, advance yield markings (shark’s teeth) and possibly a Rapid Flashing Beacon to aid pedestrians in crossing the street.
The staff-level Traffic Safety Group consisting of the City Engineer, Public Works Superintendent, and the Police Chief met on June 1, 2022 and again on August 10, 2022. Steve Weinberger, W-Trans traffic engineer, was asked to provide traffic engineering consultation to provide technical background and support. Based on the Traffic Safety Group’s discussion, it was recommended that an enhanced crosswalk with flashing beacons along with various signage and striping improvements be installed and that it be included in the Fiscal Year 2023/24 Capital Improvement Program request to Council. Given the importance of this crossing and the amount of preliminary engineering and outreach with Analy High School that has already occurred, it is recommended that this project be submitted to District 5 for infrastructure funding. The estimated cost of the project for design and construction including contingency is estimated to be $60,000.
GOALS:
This action supports the following City Council Goals and General Plan Action:
• Circulation 2 – Maintain and expand a safe and efficient pedestrian, bicycle, and transit network that connects neighborhoods with key destinations to encourage travel by non-automobile modes while also improving public health.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
As of the writing of this staff report, the City has not received any public comment. However, if staff receives public comment from interested parties following the publication and distribution of this staff report, such comments will be provided to the City Council as supplemental materials before or at the meeting. In addition, public comments may be offered during the public comment portion of the agenda item.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
This item was noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to schedule meeting date.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None. Preparation of the letter requesting the funding is part of routine Engineering Department tasks and activities.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Sebastopol City Council authorize staff submit a letter to Supervisor Hopkins of District 5 requesting infrastructure funding for the Pedestrian Crossing Improvements at Sunset Avenue/Taft Street Project.
Attachment:
2019 Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation
Agenda Item Number 6
Agenda Item Number 6
City Council Meeting Packet for November 15, 2022
Balancing Functionality and Livability since 1995
w-trans.com
TRAFFIC ENGINEERING
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
April 17, 2019
Prepared for the County of Sonoma
Submitted by
W-Trans
Analy High School - Safe Routes to School
Engineering Evaluation
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Analy High School – Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation April 2019 i
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Background Conditions ........................................................................................................................................................... 4 Walking Audit Observations ............................................................................................................................................... 12 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Study Participants and References ................................................................................................................................... 20 Figures
1. Carbon Footprint Data (Fall 2017) ........................................................................................................................................ 3
2. Density Map of General Student Population (Fall 2017) ............................................................................................... 5
3. Existing Transportation Facilities within ½ Mile of Campus ........................................................................................ 8
4. Collisions within 1 Mile of Campus .................................................................................................................................... 11
5. Recommended Walking and Bicycling Routes to School ........................................................................................... 15
6. Finalized Engineering Recommendations ....................................................................................................................... 16 Tables
1. Bicycle Facility Summary ......................................................................................................................................................... 7
2. Recommended Engineering Improvements Summary .............................................................................................. 17 Appendices
A. Draft Recommendations with Community Comments Memorandum B. Bike and Walk Smart Tips and Recommended Routes for Walking and Biking to School Map Package Agenda Item Number 6
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Analy High School – Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation April 2019 1
Introduction
As part of the High School Safe Routes to School Pilot Program, this report presents an analysis of the existing transportation facilities with areas for improvement within two miles of Analy High School in the City of Sebastopol. This report was completed in accordance with comments from Analy High School community members and stakeholders, in cooperation with the Department of Health Services and Center for Climate Protection.
Prelude
Safe Routes to School is a nationwide movement that aims to encourage students to bicycle and walk to school using programmatic activities, and to enhance access through infrastructure improvements. The purpose of this Safe Routes to School engineering recommendation report is to provide data that can be used to create viable active transportation networks for students and the surrounding community. All recommendations in this report are contingent upon available funding, secured either through the School District or corresponding municipal or county public works departments. Most recommended improvements (especially those needing significant engineering and construction) would be contingent upon winning federal, state, or regional grants.
Background information, and comments from a walk audit are presented as baseline evidence collected to develop the engineering recommendations and a Safe Routes to School map. These recommendations and safe routes to school map were developed based on initial feedback from community meetings. Law enforcement and program recommendations are also included as a part of the Safe Routes to School initiative to encourage students to use modes other than vehicles to commute between home and school.
How to Use this Report
Parents can use this report to understand the conditions at their children’s school and to become familiar with the ways the Safe Routes program can work to make walking and bicycling safer and easier.
School District and School staff can use this to develop programs that educate and encourage students and parents to seek alternatives to single family automobile commutes to school. In many cases, education and encouragement programs require dedicated parent or teacher volunteers to carry them out.
City and County staff can use this report to identify issues and opportunities related to walking and bicycling and to prioritize potential short-term and long-term infrastructure improvements. Staff can also use this report to support Safe Routes to School funding opportunities such as:
California Active Transportation Program (ATP) grants Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) grants
One Bay Area (OBAG) grants
Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grants
Law Enforcement staff can use this report to plan for and prioritize enforcement activities that may make it easier to and safer for students to walk and bike to school.
Goals of Safe Routes to School Program
The goals of the Sonoma County Safe Routes to School Program include:
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Increase the number of children safely walking and bicycling to school Increase health and safety of students and community
Reduce pollution and traffic congestion around the campus Create safer, calmer streets and neighborhoods in Sonoma County Develop a sustainable Safe Routes to School program in Sonoma County Reduce collisions and injuries with bicyclists and pedestrians near schools Purpose
With the help from participating schools, community members, public health and planning professionals, and law enforcement officers, Safe Routes to School aims to improve multiple aspects of the community. By promoting active transportation options to school, students are developing a healthy habit to be physically active, while also educating them the importance of lowering individual carbon footprints and the role of transportation on environmental sustainability. Additionally, within cooperation with local jurisdictions, a Vision Zero for Youth initiative is a goal of this program, which is a part of the multi-national initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries in school zones where students walk and bicycle. An infographic of Analy High School’s carbon footprint based on data collected in the fall of 2017 is shown in Figure 1.
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Analy High School – Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation April 2019 4
Background Conditions
School Characteristics
City Sebastopol
Principal Raul Guerrero
Enrollment
(YEAR)
1,157 Students, Grades 9-12
(2017)
Arrival M/W/F: 7:35 a.m.
T/TH: 8:10 a.m.
Dismissal M: 2:45 p.m.
T/TH: 2:20 p.m.
W/F: 2:50 p.m.
Circulation
This background report identifies pedestrian, transit, and bicycle facilities within one-half mile, one mile, and two miles of the school grounds. A half mile distance is understood as the optimal distance a pedestrian to connect between a transit stop and their destination; on average it takes 15 minutes to walk and 5 minutes to bike a half mile. One mile and two-mile radius circles were used to look at public transit connections and other data that might affect the ability of students to use active transportation. These conditions are described below.
Layout
Analy High School is located at 6950 Analy Avenue in the City of Sebastopol. The school entrance is located 270 feet east of North Main Street, with a parking lot on Analy Avenue. The West County & Rodota Trails provide access to the campus connecting just south of the intersection of North Main Street/Analy Avenue. There are multiple parking lots located on the campus, the majority of which are accessed along North Main Street-High School Road.
The campus is located approximately 900 feet north of the start of the commercial shopping area and is set between suburban residential neighborhoods and agricultural farming.
Students who live within walking distance of the High School generally live to the south and west. Most of the students who live within biking distance also live to the south and west of the campus. Students living further than 2 miles from the High School can travel to the campus via transit provided by Sonoma County Transit. Most of the students traveling to school via transit live to the south and east of the campus. A map showing density areas of where the student population lives is shown in Figure 2.
Loading Zone
Vehicle loading/unloading generally occurs on Analy Avenue at the front of the school as well as along the streets surrounding campus. There is a student parking lot that is accessible off High School Road, to the north of Eddie Lane.
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Alternative Access Points
In addition to the front of the school, there is a pedestrian entrance on the southeast corner of campus at the intersection of Taft Street/Sunset Avenue. Pedestrians and cyclists can also access the campus from the north via Eddie Lane which functions as part of the West County Regional Trail and spans between Morris Street and North Main Street.
Pedestrian Facilities
Sidewalks/Walkways
The West County Trail serves pedestrian access from the area west of High School Road, north of Healdsburg Avenue, and in the north part of Sebastopol. The trail terminates on North Main Street, just to the south of Analy Avenue. Eddie Lane serves as the continuation of the West County Trail on the north side of the campus and connects with Johnson Street and Morris Street near the east side of campus.
Both Healdsburg Avenue and North Main Street have continuous sidewalks along both sides of the street, allowing for adequate access for students to walk to campus. Most of the streets within the study area have continuous sidewalk except at the following segments:
Healdsburg Avenue has no sidewalk on the northeast side of the street near the intersection with Covert Lane. North of Eddie Lane along High School Road, there are no sidewalks as the area becomes rural. No sidewalks exist on either side of Johnson Street between Sunset Avenue and Morris Street. No sidewalk is present on the west side of Morris Street.
Crosswalks
An enhanced uncontrolled crosswalk is located on the south leg of the unsignalized intersection of Analy Avenue/North Main Street. The crossing connects the campus to the West County and Rodota Trails and is characterized by bulbouts, in-pavement flashers, stamped green pavement, and flashing pedestrian signs. There are multiple pedestrian crossing signs in both directions along North Main Street. There are wheelchair accessible curbs along all the intersections near the High School. There are multiple pedestrian crossing signs both directions along North Main Street and along Healdsburg Avenue.
The study area has crosswalks with school zone yellow crosswalk striping and green stamped pavement at the following locations:
East leg of Healdsburg Avenue/Florence Avenue
West leg of Healdsburg Avenue/Murphy Avenue
East leg of Healdsburg Avenue/Pitt Avenue
North and west legs of Analy Avenue and main entrance to campus North leg of North Main Street/Keating Avenue
East leg of Weeks Way/McKinley Street
There is a high visibility school zoned crosswalk located at intersection of Taft Street/Sunset Avenue, leading into campus. It should be noted that this crosswalk is oriented in a diagonal direction, which is usually not standard.
Within the study area there are uncontrolled pedestrian crosswalks at the following locations:
West leg of Laguna Park Way/Morris Street
350 feet west of Laguna Park Way /Morris Street
South and east legs of Healdsburg Avenue/North Main Street East leg of Wallace Street/North Main Street
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West leg of Keating Avenue/North Main Street
East and south legs of North Main Street/McKinley Street All legs of South Main Street/Bodega Avenue
West leg of Wilton Avenue/North Main Street
North and east legs of Keating Avenue/Pitt Avenue
South and south legs of Healdsburg Avenue/Pitt Avenue-Harrison Street South, north, and east legs of Laguna Park Way/McKinley Street North leg of Laguna Park Way/Johnson Street
North leg of Laguna Park Way/Flynn Street
West leg of Morris Street/McKinley Street
North, south, and West legs of Morris Street/Sebastopol Avenue All legs of Petaluma Avenue/Sebastopol Avenue-Bodega Avenue North, west, and east legs of Depot Street/Petaluma Avenue Bicycle Facilities
The Highway Design Manual, Caltrans, 2017, classifies bikeways into four categories:
Class I Multi-Use Path – a completely separated right-of-way for the exclusive use of bicycles and pedestrians with cross flows of motorized traffic minimized.
Class II Bike Lane – a striped and signed lane for one-way bike travel on a street or highway. Class III Bike Route – signing only for shared use with motor vehicles within the same travel lane on a street or highway.
Class IV Bikeway – also known as a separated bikeway, a Class IV Bikeway is for the exclusive use of bicycles and includes a separation between the bikeway and the motor vehicle traffic lane. The separation may include, but is not limited to, grade separation, flexible posts, inflexible physical barriers, or on-street parking.
Within the study area there are existing Class I bike facilities along Eddie Lane on the north side of campus and the West County Trail that ends at the main campus entrance off North Main Street. There are existing Class II bicycle lanes along the entirety of Morris Street and North Main Street between SR116 and Eddie Lane as well as Laguna Park Way. Class II bicycle lanes have recently been striped along the entirety of Hwy 116 (Gravenstein Hwy NHealdsburg Ave-Main St-Petaluma Ave-Gravenstein Hwy S). Table 1 summarizes the existing bicycle facilities in the project vicinity and displayed in Figure 3, as contained in the Sonoma County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.
Table 1 – Bicycle Facility Summary
Status
Facility
Class Length
(miles)
Begin Point End Point
Existing
West County Trail I 0.34 North Main St City Limits
Eddie Ln I 0.34 High School Rd Johnson St
North Main St II 0.29 North Main St Eddie Ln
Morris St II 0.44 Eddie Ln Sebastopol Ave
Laguna Park Wy II 0.27 Morris St McKinley St
Gravenstein Hwy N-Healdsburg AveMain St-Petaluma Ave-Gravenstein Hwy S
II 2.43 Mill Station Rd Lynch Rd
Source: Sonoma County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, County of Sonoma, 2014 Agenda Item Number 6
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Analy High School – Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation April 2019 9
Transit Facilities
Transit facilities within a two-mile radius of the school with bus stops within one-half mile of the campus were mapped and are referenced at the end of the report. Within one-half mile of the campus, there are nine bus stops within walking distance from the school, serviced by Sonoma County Transit. There are adequate pedestrian facilities near all the bus stops, connecting to the high school campus. The nine bus stops are serviced by Routes 20, 22, 24, 26, 52. These routes provide access to Cotati, Forestville, the Russian River area, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, and Sonoma State University.
Traffic Volumes
Along North Main Street near Analy High School, there is an estimated ADT of 4,700 vehicles a day.
Speed Limits
Within the study area, most of the streets have a posted speed limit of 25 mph, except for Healdsburg Avenue and South Main Street which each have a posted speed limit of 30 mph.
School Zone Signing
Along North Main Street, north of Healdsburg Avenue/North Main Street, “SLOW SCHOOL XING” pavement markings are present in addition to pedestrian crossing signs and school zone signage.
Traffic Control
Unless noted otherwise, all intersections near the high school are “unsignalized”, in other words, they have stop control(s) on the minor cross street with free flow on the main street. Existing all-way stop controlled and signalized intersections are shown in Figure 3.
All-way Stops
Within the study area all-way stop controlled intersections are located at the following intersections:
Wilton Avenue/North High Street
Pitt Avenue/Keating Avenue
Traffic Signals
Within the study area there are four signalized intersections located at:
Healdsburg Avenue/North Main Street
North Main Street/McKinley Avenue
Main Street/Bodega Avenue
Petaluma Avenue/Sebastopol Avenue
Existing school-zone crosswalks, standard crosswalks, intersection controls, and existing/proposed bicycle facilities are shown in Figure 3.
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Reported Collisions
The collision history for the study area within one mile of the school was reviewed and collision rates were calculated based on records available from the California Highway Patrol and published on UC Berkeley’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) reports. Under vehicle collisions, crashes involve vehicles with other vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, objects, etc. Bicycle and pedestrian-only incidents involve either a pedestrian or bicyclist. It should be noted that collisions reported on TIMS involve only collisions resulting in a minimum of a minor injury. The collisions reported since January 1, 2012 are summarized below. Collision maps involving a pedestrian or bicyclist injured within the studied time frame is shown in Figure 4.
Frontage ½ mile 1 mile Frontage ½ mile 1 mile Frontage ½ mile 1 mile 1 91 136 0 10 16 0 12 15
Vehicle Collisions
One collision was reported along the campus frontage at the intersection of North Main Street/Analy Avenue.
Within one-half mile of the campus, there is a high frequency of collisions reported: sixteen along Healdsburg Avenue, sixteen along North Main Street, six along Bodega Avenue, and seventeen along Sebastopol Avenue.
Along Healdsburg Avenue, seventeen collisions have been reported between Murphy Avenue and North Main Street.
Bicycle Collisions
The closest collision to the campus involving a cyclist during the five-year study period was reported at the intersection of Wallace Street and Bonnardel Avenue. There were ten reported collisions within one half mile of the campus, the majority occurring along Healdsburg Avenue between Murphy Avenue and Pitt Avenue. There were two such crashes at the intersection of Weeks Way/Petaluma Avenue.
Pedestrian Collisions
Within one-half mile of the campus, there have been twelve reported collisions involving pedestrians. Four of the incidents occurred on North Main Street between Burnett Street and Wilton Avenue. Three were along Petaluma Avenue between Sebastopol Avenue and Weeks Way. Additionally, three collisions were reported along Sebastopol Avenue between Barnes Street and South Main Street.
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Figure 4 – Collisions within 1 Mile of Campus
Analy High School- Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation sox585-analy-FINAL.ai 1/19
0 0.125 0.25 0.5
Miles
Vehicle Pedestrian Bicycle
Motor Vehicle Involved with:
Legend
ANALY HIGH SCHOOL
Collisions within 1 Mile of Campus
*Information collected during most recent five year period E Agenda Item Number 6
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Walking Audit Observations
A walking audit was completed on February 21, 2018 with school and community representatives, in coordination with the Center for Climate Protection. The purpose of the walk audit was to involve community members who use these facilities daily, to talk about the issues that pedestrians and bicyclists face near campus and to point out areas to provide recommendations for transportation facility improvements.
Following are notes from the walking audit of issues and opportunities:
Main Entrance
There are conflict issues between vehicles travelling in/out of main school entrance with pedestrians walking throughout parking lot outside of designated crosswalk areas. Vehicles enter at a high rate of speed. There are no signs or markings indicating that the entrance is divided into two one-way roads. Suggestion made to install one-way arrows in/out of front entrance parking lot for cars to be more aware of one-way travel.
North Main Street
Recent installation of bike lanes and restriction of parking along school frontage has helped with bike safety and all vehicle safety in general.
Bike trail ends across from the High School. Some pedestrians and bicyclists cross straight across the street rather than using the marked crosswalk.
Healdsburg Avenue-North Main Street (SR 116)/North Main Street Significant number of school pedestrians crossing from the Safeway shopping area. Suggestion made to install pedestrian advance signal timing at the intersection to reduce conflicts with turning vehicles.
Taft Street/Sunset Avenue
This is a significant pick-up/drop off area with the following issues:
Not enough all-weather paths for pedestrians, students walking in dirt. There is a gate which prevents vehicles from entering campus, but the gate provides no access for pedestrians to all-weather path.
Diagonal crosswalk is placed in a non-standard fashion. Consider moving. If a new crosswalk is striped, it should be perpendicular to either of the streets and a beacon of some sort should be considered. However, adequate sight distance should be provided.
There are no pedestrian crossing warning signs.
Sight distance is lacking for vehicles turning onto Sunset Avenue from Taft Avenue. Frontage property of the Laguna Continuation School should be considered as potential location for pickup/drop-off. There is pick-up/drop-off activity, but there is no room for vehicles. The curb cut along the adjacent property should be resurfaced. It’s currently is a bit narrow and has slope that is not ADA compliant.
Eddie Lane
Parking lot: Traffic travels at a high rate of speed on this “back alley.” Students cross Eddie Lane to campus from the school parking area. Signage or raised crossing is needed.
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Johnson Street
The sun rises directly in the eyes of motorists traveling eastbound on Sunset Avenue at the intersection with Johnson Street. Drivers were observed speeding down the hill which creates conflicts.
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Recommendations
Based on an examination of the background conditions and input received during the walking audit and community meetings, routes to school maps and engineering infrastructure recommendations were developed.
The comments received on the draft route map and recommendations are included in Appendix A. The Recommended Walking and Bicycling Routes to School Map shows the suggested walking and biking routes to school while the Engineering Recommendations Map shows the locations of the recommended engineering improvements.
Recommended Routes to School Map
Safe Routes to School Maps can be very useful to help guide parents and students in selecting the safest routes to and from school, by mapping out routes along roads with seemingly the best pedestrian and bicycle facilities. The routes maps are also a way for identifying areas that need improvements to allow for the best access to school.
While the route maps are often developed for all households within a one-half mile of the campus, consideration was also made to the entire enrollment area thus giving us a better idea of how to develop the recommendations.
According to the National Safe Routes to School Guide, as part of the development of the school route maps and engineering recommendations for transportation facility improvements, the area should be reassessed after implementation of a change to determine if the recommended route is improved. Enrollment population should be reviewed at least annually to see any changes to attendance within the one-half mile area.
The recommended bicycling and walking routes to school for Analy High School are shown in Figure 5. An informational package of smart bicycling and walking tips for students, along with the recommended routes to school map, are included in Appendix B.
Recommendations for Engineering Improvements
Based on observations during the walk audit and comments from the community meeting about the draft engineering recommendations, the following finalized recommendations have been developed. A summary of the observations and the recommendations for engineering modifications and enhancements to transportation facilities are mapped out in Figure 6 and presented in Table 2.
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Figure 5 – Recommended Walking and Bicycling Routes to School Analy High School- Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation sox585-analy-FINAL.ai 1/19
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Table 2 – Recommended Engineering Improvements Summary
City
Location Identified Need/Observation Recommended Improvement 1) North Main St/Analy Ave Poor sight distance at Analy Ave (school entrance) approach of
vehicles on North Main St due to
the hill.
Vehicles southbound on North
Main St observed speeding
approaching intersection.
Consider adding a pedestrian and
bicyclist crossing signage at end of
West County Trail, facing
southbound directional vehicles.
If feasible, reconfiguration and/or
improvement of intersection to
improve sight distance at the Analy
Ave approach should be
considered.
2) Bulbout South of School
Entrance on North Main St
Conflict between bicyclists and
drivers at bulbout, lane is
discontinuous at bulbout (forcing
bicyclists into travel lane or onto
sidewalk).
Because the bulbouts are
important safety elements for
pedestrian crossings, the City
prefers to maintain the bulbouts
which are located at the crest of a
hill on North Main St. As an added
element for cyclists, the City should
consider adding sharrow markings
in the northbound and
southbound lanes at the crosswalk
location to increase driver’s
awareness of cyclists.
3) Healdsburg Ave-North Main
St/North Main St (SR 116)
Pedestrian crossing between high
school and Safeway.
Suggest that Caltrans retime the
traffic signal to include a lead
pedestrian interval, to allow
pedestrians to cross earlier than
southbound vehicles to reduce
conflict with pedestrians on east
leg.
4) Taft St/Sunset Ave There is an existing high visibility school-zoned crosswalk that runs
diagonally at the intersection of
Taft St/Sunset Ave.
The crosswalk leads into the gated
roadway onto campus. Diagonal
crosswalks are non-standard.
The diagonal crosswalk provides
the best pedestrian sight distance
conditions for drivers approaching
the intersection. Suggest that the
City install appropriate pedestrian
crossing signage, advance yield
markings (shark’s teeth) and
possibly a Rapid Flashing Beacon
to aid pedestrians in crossing the
street.
5) Johnson St/Sunset Ave Drivers observed speeding along curve, visibility issue
pedestrians/bicyclists due to curve
and grade.
Traffic calming measures such as
white edgelines to reduce the
width of the travelway should be
considered to improve sight
distance, decrease speeding, and
increase safety. This edgeline
could be extended to create a
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Analy High School – Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation April 2019 18
striped bulbout on the southwest
corner to limit speeds of rightturning traffic.
6) Eddie Ln (crosswalk between
student parking lot and back
of campus)
Poor sight distance of students
walking towards parking lot from
campus for drivers on Eddie Ln.
Observations of drivers driving too
fast for narrow road.
Add shark teeth yield pavement
markings approaching pedestrian
crossing to improve driver’s
awareness of students. Also,
considered raised pedestrian
crossing.
School District
Location Identified Need/Observation Recommended Improvement 7) Analy Ave (School Entrance) Conflict between drivers pulling into campus and pedestrians
walking through the parking lot.
Consider channelizing pedestrians
at north-east corner into school
with pedestrian fencing to
discourage crossing parking lot
outside of crosswalk. Add one-way
arrows to clarify directional travel.
8) Bicycle Parking Identified demand for sheltered
bicycle parking on the campus to
encourage students to bike during
all-weather conditions.
Should consider adding shelter to
existing bicycle parking or add
sheltered bicycle parking if the
school deems a high enough
demand for spaces.
9) Multi-Use Path onto Campus
off Taft St/Sunset Ave
There is a gate blocking students
from walking onto campus at
paved path, there are dirt paths
students were observed using
frequently to get onto campus
around this blocked path.
Since it is currently not paved,
could be an issue during inclement
weather conditions.
Consider paving area east of paved
path to allow for pedestrian access.
Reconfiguring the gated road into
campus to remove the gate or
allowing for more space for
students to walk on should also be
considered.
10) Johnson St between Sunset
Ave and Morris St
No all-weather sidewalks on either
side of the street for pedestrian
travel between the High School
and the Community Center activity
area.
Install sidewalks or an all-weather
a/c walkway on the west side of
Johnson St connecting existing
sidewalk sections on Sunset Ave
and Morris St. Also, install a
crosswalk across Eddie Ln at the
intersection with Johnson StMorris St.
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Analy High School – Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation April 2019 19
Recommended Enforcement Activities
Based on observations during the engineering review site visit and the walking audit, there are no recommendations for enforcement activities. Following years after the route map and engineering recommendations are put into action, enforcement activities which should be considered if there is need for transit behavior improvements near the campus.
Recommended Program Activities
School should utilize the Safe Routes map provided in this document to promote use of identified “suggested routes” for students and families to walk and bike to/from school. School should implement sustainable education and encouragement activities that inform families of infrastructure changes and promote use of improved routes to/from school. School should partner with the local public works department on funding applications aimed at improving infrastructure around the school. This could include providing data on the student body and letters of support needed for the grant application.
School should adopt school wellness policies that support regular (e.g., every 2 years) assessments of on campus SRTS infrastructure assessments. For example, assessing safety of pick-up/drop-off zones, need for training of school traffic control volunteers, need for traffic flow improvements, and bicycle parking availability.
Agenda Item Number 6
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City Council Meeting Packet for November 15, 2022
Analy High School – Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation April 2019 20
Study Participants and References
Consultant Team
W-Trans
Steve Weinberger, PE, PTOE
Julia Walker
Barry Bergman
Center for Climate Protection
Maitreyi Siruguri
Kevin Anderson
Amanda Begley
Amy Jolly
Alta Planning + Design
Jeff Knowles
References
Highway Design Manual, 6th Edition, California Department of Transportation, 2017 Safe Routes to School Online Guide, http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org/index.cfm Sonoma County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, County of Sonoma, 2014 Sonoma County Transit, http://sctransit.com/
UC Berkley Transportation Injury Mapping System, https://tims.berkeley.edu/ Agenda Item Number 6
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Analy High School – Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation April 2019 A
Appendix A
Draft Recommendations with Community Comments Memorandum Agenda Item Number 6
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490 Mendocino Avenue, Suite 201 Santa Rosa, CA 95401 707.542.9500 w-trans.com SANTA ROSA • OAKLAND • SAN JOSE
Memorandum
Date: November 28, 2018 Project: SOX585
To: Brittany Lobo
Department of Health Services
From: Steve Weinberger
[email protected]
Julia Walker
[email protected]
Subject: Analy High School – Community Meeting Comments on Draft Recommendations and Walking/Bicycling Routes to School
As requested, W-Trans has collected community feedback on our draft recommendations and route maps. The community meeting was held on September 27, 2018 in coordination with Kevin Anderson who represented Center for Climate Protection.
Overall, the group that participated in the community meeting was bicyclist improvement oriented, and said there was more than enough pedestrian related recommendations but felt that more bicycle facility improvements should be made.
Main Entrance
Proposed Recommendation
The City should consider providing channelization or short fencing along the median on Analy Avenue to discourage pedestrians from diverting through the parking lot. An additional crosswalk at the intersection of Analy Avenue and the service road, just east of High School Road should also be considered for improvement to pedestrian connectivity.
The school should consider installing one-way arrows where the parking lot driveways intersect the public road to make drivers aware of the one-way restrictions.
Community Input
Some participants stated the need for sheltered bicycle facilities if there were not already some on campus, though there was efforts to install some in the past it was uncertain if they were built or not.
Additional bicycle parking spaces/sheltered bicycle facilities will be addressed in the final recommendations.
North Main Street
Proposed Recommendation
Consider either a) adding a crosswalk on the north leg of the intersection with Analy Avenue to connect the Joe Rodota Trail to the campus entrance including bulbouts and appropriate signage or b) provide fencing on the trail to force users toward the existing crosswalk.
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Ms. Brittany Lobo Page 2 November 28, 2018
Community Input
A student who came to the meeting stated that he feels ‘unsafe’ when on a bicycle at the crosswalk bulbout just south of the campus entrance. Now that bicycle facilities have been added along High School Road, bicyclists using the lane have too narrow of a passage to cross bulbout with vehicles speeding though. Group talked about reconfiguring this bulbout to make it more accessible for through bicycle traffic.
Healdsburg Avenue/North Main Street
Proposed Recommendation
Add an “early release” advance pedestrian signal phase at Healdsburg Avenue/North Main Street to allow pedestrians to establish their presence in the crosswalk and reduce conflicts with turning vehicles.
Community Input
Student stated that he felt unsafe using the road crossing Wallace Street on North Main Street due to drivers not seeming to look at him when entering onto North Main Street. He said he often ends up biking on the sidewalk along this segment onto High School Road, however he said the new bicycle lanes so far have seemed to help a bit. While we anticipate this issue to be mitigated through the completion of the bicycle lanes along North Main Street/Healdsburg Avenue, we will address need for additional facilities to make this corridor feel safer for bicyclists.
Taft Street/Sunset Avenue (southeast rear entrance to campus) Proposed Recommendation
Provide an all-weather pedestrian access around the access gate. Relocate the crosswalk perpendicular to either Sunset Avenue or Taft Street. Add appropriate signage and warning devices. Additionally, determine if the frontage of the continuation school, Laguna High School, could be widened as a potential location for pick-up/drop-off.
Community Input
Participants agreed with these recommendations at this location. An additional idea was to repaint arrows along the path that had been previously painted by a class at the high school for bicyclists.
Johnson Street/Sunset Avenue
Proposed Recommendation
If a stop sign is warranted on Sunset Avenue, this could serve to reduce the speed of traffic, which is especially important when the sun is in drivers’ eyes. If a stop sign is not warranted, other improvements to signing could include an additional speed limit sign or even a speed feedback sign.
Community Input
The participants agreed with this recommendation.
Talked about the need for the school to have an educational program about student drivers needing to be aware of pedestrians/bicyclists, and about the dangers of speeding.
Agenda Item Number 6
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City Council Meeting Packet for November 15, 2022
Ms. Brittany Lobo Page 3 November 28, 2018
Eddie Lane
Proposed Recommendation
Install traffic calming, including a raised crossing and appropriate signage.
Community Input
Participants agreed that there is a need to control vehicles along this corridor to increase visibility of students crossing from parking lot to campus. Need for bicycle parking in this area will be addressed based on comments.
Thank you for giving W-Trans the opportunity to provide these services. Please call if you have any questions.
SJW/jw/SOX585.M1
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Analy High School – Safe Routes to School Engineering Evaluation April 2019 B
Appendix B
Bike and Walk Smart Tips and Recommended Routes for Walking and Biking to School Map Package
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The suggested routes shown on this map
identify streets most suitable for walking and
biking to school. Some of these routes may be
slightly longer than the most direct route, but
they provide bicycle and pedestrian facilities,
students walking and biking.
Recommended Routes
Analy
High
School
How Were These Recommended
Routes Chosen?
CHECK BOTH DIRECTIONS
Bike Smart! Walk Smart!
Wear a Helmet. It’s the law, and
it’s the smart thing to do. Helmets
should fi t snugly, sit level on your
head, and always be buckled
fi rmly under your chin.
Ride on the
right, in the same direction
signals.
Share the Path. Pass walkers
carefully on paths. Ring your
bell or call “on your left” before
passing.
Lock Your Bike. Always lock your
bike frame and front wheel to the
bike rack to prevent theft.
Make Eye Contact. Don’t assume
that drivers see you, especially
when entering or crossing a
street. Make eye contact before
you cross, even if it is your turn.
Be Alert. If biking on the street,
watch for opening car doors and
cars turning across your path.
Be Visible. Ride where cars can
see you. Wear bright clothes, and
use lights and refl ectors when it is
dark outside.
Be Predictable. Ride in a straight
line and always signal your moves
to others.
Look Before You Cross. Look
left, right, and left again before
crossing a street or look over
your shoulder for turning cars,
especially at intersections.
Make Eye Contact. Don’t assume
that drivers see you. Make eye
contact before you cross the
street.
Use the Cross walk. Cross at
corners or at a marked crosswalk.
This is where drivers expect to see
you.
Follow the Rules. Follow
directions from crossing guards.
Be Visible. Walk where cars
and bikes can see you. Wear
bright clothes, and use lights and
refl ectors when it is dark outside.
Class I Path -
bicycles and pedestrians
Class II Bike Lane - On-street
bikeway separated from vehicles
by lane striping
Class III Bike Route - On-street
bikeway shared with vehicles,
typically designated by bike route
signs and sharrow markings (see
image to the left)
Class IV Separated Bikeway -
On-street bikeway physically
separated from vehicles by curbs
WALK
& ROLL
TO SCHOOL
6950 Analy Ave
Sebastopol, CA 95472
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!"$
!"$
!
Johnson
St
Flynn
St
Bodega
Ave
Healdsburg Ave
Willow St
Joe Rodota Trail
McKinley St
High School Rd
Wilton Ave
Analy Ave
Jesse St
Walker Ave
Dei Rd
Dutton Ave
Calder Ave
Lyding Ln
West St
Valentine Ave
Pine Tree Ln
Pitt Ave
S
High
St
Huntley St Ellis Ct
N
Main
St
S
Main
St
Dufranc Ave
Eddie Ln
Florence Ave
Morris
St
Petaluma
Ave
Sebastopol Ave
Murphy Ave
Washington Ave
E Hurlbut Ave
W County Trl
Ã12
Ives
Park
Laguna
Youth
Park
Analy High
School
ANALY HIGH SCHOOL
RECOMMENDED ROUTES FOR WALKING & BICYCLING TO SCHOOL
0 0.1 0.2
MILES
Bus Stop
Signalized Intersection
!"$ All-Way Stop Intersection
Class I Shared-Use Path
This Recommended Routes to Walk & Bike to School
map provides you with information to improve your
choices as you walk, ride your bicycle, carpool, or bus to school. The suggested routes were developed based
on parent and student input. We cannot guarantee the
safety of the suggested routes; parents and students are encouraged to inspect the routes on their own to ensure that the routes are as safe as possible.
1/2 Mile (15 minute walk 5 minute bike)1/2 Mile (15 minute walk, 5 minute bike) Ã116
Class II Bicycle Lane
School Access Point
Recommended Bicycling Route
Recommended Walking Route
Bike/Ped Only Access Point
Laguna Park Way
Skate
Park
Agenda Item Number 6
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City Council Meeting Packet for November 15, 2022