PURPOSE

Traffic patterns have changed significantly in the alley south of Magnolia Boulevard and east of Hollywood Way since the opening of Porto�s Bakery on the southeast corner of these two major streets.  Staff requests authorization to change the traffic operation in this alley between Hollywood Way and Cordova Street to a one-way eastbound operation to improve traffic flow.

BACKGROUND

The alley south of Magnolia Boulevard and east of Hollywood Way serves four businesses fronting Magnolia Boulevard, and it connects to associated parking facilities to the south of the alley, as shown in Attachment 1.  The alley is currently 15-feet wide, which is too narrow to safely accommodate two-way traffic in significant numbers.  The very successful opening of Porto�s Bakery has attracted large volumes of patrons to the alley and adjacent parking facilities.  Traffic congestion and maneuvering in the alley also spills out on to Hollywood Way, which impacts the operation of this highly traveled street.

ANALYSIS

Porto�s Bakery is located at the southeast corner of Magnolia Boulevard and Hollywood Way.  The alley and parking system south of Porto�s Bakery cannot currently handle the additional area traffic for several reasons.  The alleys are 15-feet wide with telephone poles and other utilities that make maneuvering difficult.  The alley connections to Hollywood Way and Cordova Street are too narrow to allow vehicles to enter and exit simultaneously; thus vehicles waiting to maneuver into the alley increase vehicle congestion.

Peak parking demand in the parking areas along the alley exceeds the available parking supply, further increasing congestion in the alleys.  Access to the parking areas from Hollywood Way are inbound only, to match the angled parking pattern of the lots.  The north-south alley provides circulation for all the lots and commercial uses south of Porto�s Bakery, but all the residential uses fronting Cordova Street have garage access from Cordova Street.

Staff met with Mr. Porto and his two commercial neighbors fronting Magnolia Boulevard several times to resolve the access and parking issues along the alley.  All owners and users adjacent to the east-west alley favor a one-way alley operation.  In addition, Mr. Porto agreed to the following:

• To reconstruct the alley approach to Hollywood Way to increase the turning radius for vehicles entering from Hollywood Way,

• To reconstruct the first driveway south of the alley to allow easier ingress from Hollywood Way,

• To restrict deliveries to the bakery in the alley to before 7:00 a.m.

City staff agreed to the following:

• To install three 15-minute (green) spaces on Magnolia Boulevard for quick pick-up,

• To restripe the southernmost City parking lot to provide egress to Hollywood Way to improve alley circulation for all parking lots,

• To restrict southbound left turns into the alley from Hollywood Way should this movement become problematic,

• To request City Council to approve one-way eastbound operation in the east-west alley

The one-way eastbound operation of the east-west alley was selected because the eastbound flow resulted in the best traffic operation in the alley system.  The eastbound flow is compatible with existing parking lot striping of both Porto�s Bakery and the adjacent commercial neighbors.  The eastbound flow, with the restriped City parking lot, provides convenient use of the alley to minimize vehicle intrusion into the residential area on Cordova Street, and the eastbound flow minimizes congestion on Hollywood Way.

FISCAL IMPACT

Porto�s Bakery will fund the reconstructed alley and parking lot entrances, and the City will provide all signing and pavement markings for the one-way operation.  No additional funds are required.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends that City Council authorize the installation of one-way eastbound operation in the alley south of Magnolia Boulevard between Hollywood Way and Cordova Street.

Attachment:                Attachment 1 � Existing Alley Environs

go to the top