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Council Agenda - City of BurbankTuesday, June 6, 2006Agenda Item - 7 |
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Council Agenda - City of BurbankTuesday, June 6, 2006Agenda Item - 7 |
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PURPOSE
This memorandum provides Council information to consider an appeal by Sharon Springer, 1145 Tujunga Avenue, on the decision by the Traffic and Transportation Committee not to install additional speed reducing devices on Tujunga Avenue between Sunset Canyon Drive and Via Montana. It summarizes the chronology of studies of Tujunga Avenue, public input, and public meetings conducted to discuss and identify a range of traffic calming devices that were ultimately installed on Tujunga Avenue during the last year. Staff reports and pertinent resident correspondence are attached for Council consideration.BACKGROUND:
In August 2004, residents of sixteen homes on Tujunga Avenue between Sunset Canyon Drive and Gibson Court and two homes on Sunset Canyon Drive petitioned Council to study the installation of speed control devices (speed humps, stop signs, cameras, flashing lights, medians, or security gates) on Tujunga Avenue to mitigate traffic speed as a result of a head-on traffic collision near 1130 East Tujunga Avenue on July 22, 2004 (See Attachment 1). The overwhelming complaint by residents focused on the speed of vehicles on Tujunga Avenue, with an ancillary issue of drivers crossing the road centerline around the curves. A secondary complaint involved the number of vehicles using Tujunga Avenue.
Staff met with interested residents at two evening meetings. The first meeting, on September 21, 2004 was attended by 18 residents of the area, and the second meeting, on October 25, 2004 was attended by slightly fewer residents. The meetings were scheduled to discuss the resident issues and to formulate a list of potential improvements for staff to investigate further. The residents identified a total of sixteen modifications to traffic controls on Tujunga Avenue that they wished staff to study, in addition to the initial resident request for speed humps, or street closures on Tujunga Avenue.
A total of eighteen physical traffic controls were studied for Tujunga Avenue as a part of the evaluation process:
Improvement options were thoroughly discussed at six Traffic and Transportation Committee meetings on November 18, 2004, March 10, 2005, May 12, 2005, July 14, 2005, September 8, 2005, and November 10, 2005. Over the yearlong period of discussion and evaluation, a number of improvements were installed on Tujunga Avenue and Sunset Canyon Drive. These improvements included pavement markings, signs, traffic controls, and visibility improvements as shown in Attachment 2. The Traffic and Transportation Committee determined that these traffic control improvements were adequate and sufficient to resolve the speeding and safety issues raised by residents.
Sharon Springer, by an E-mail communication on December 22, 2005, requested a review by Council of the decision not to install other speed control devices, particularly speed humps, on Tujunga Avenue. The request is included as Attachment 3. The residents of Tujunga Avenue south of Gibson Court, through Sharon Springer, have been informed of the Council review. Residents of Tujunga Avenue north of Gibson Court have been notified of the meeting through the neighborhood association.
ANALYSIS:
A head-on collision on July 22, 2004 in the lower curve of Tujunga Avenue was caused by a driver unfamiliar with Tujunga Avenue traveling westerly (downhill) crossing the unmarked centerline and colliding with a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. This accident was one of three accidents on Tujunga Avenue in the last five years. Residents of Tujunga Avenue west of Gibson Court petitioned for relief of speeding traffic. The petition listed traffic issues and several traffic calming measures that residents wished to be evaluated for the street.
Public Input and Studies
Two meetings were held with neighbors of Tujunga Avenue to discuss issues and possible modifications to traffic control devices to reduce speeding on the lower portion of the street. The meetings held on September 21 and October 25, 2005 resulted in a list of 18 potential traffic-calming devices for Tujunga Avenue. The options were discussed by 18 to 20 Tujunga Avenue residents at each meeting. Commentary on the various calming devices was provided by the neighborhood. Staff conducted a thorough investigation of all 18 potential calming options.
A series of six meetings were held before the Traffic and Transportation Committee to discuss various potential traffic control changes to Tujunga Avenue to control traffic speeds. The first meeting, on November 18, 2004, included a discussion of all options and recommended a stepped approach to implementation of the traffic calming devices. The November staff report (Attachment 4) suggests four initial improvements to the street and three possible future improvements. The Traffic and Transportation Committee approved the proposed four calming measures plus the installation of edge lines in the initial improvement program.
Subsequent Traffic and Transportation Committee discussions were held on March 10, 2005, May 12, 2005, July 14, 2005, September 8, 2005, and November 10, 2005. The staff reports for these meetings are provided as Attachments 5 through 9. The data collected during the study showed that traffic speeds and volumes were generally reduced in the lower portion of Tujunga Avenue. The raised markers and centerline painting on Tujunga Avenue have reduced the incidence of drivers crossing the street centerline.
After Ms. Springer requested that Council review the decision of the Traffic and Transportation Committee, she submitted a further request to close Tujunga Avenue south of Gibson Court by gates or a cul-de-sac. The police and fire departments were requested to comment on the closure of Tujunga Avenue and their responses are included in this report.
History of Tujunga Avenue
Tujunga Avenue, east of Sunset Canyon Drive was initially constructed with Tract 11271 as a cul-de-sac serving about 20 single-family lots. As shown in Attachment 10, Tujunga Avenue ended at about house number 1201 Tujunga Avenue. In the mid-1980�s, Tujunga Avenue was extended with Tract 25292 to Via Montana. The extension of Tujunga Avenue was mandated to serve as a secondary access to homes along Via Montana and for an additional emergency services route to this fire prone area. This hillside residential area served by Tujunga Avenue and Via Montana currently contains about 141 single-family homes and 49 condominiums, for a total of 190 residential units, as shown in Attachment 11. The area has two access roads, Tujunga Avenue / Camino de Villas and Country Club Drive / Via Montana. The canyon area along Country Club Drive contains a total of 53 homes as shown in Attachment 12
Tujunga Avenue was constructed as a 36-foot wide street on a 50-foot right-of-way between Sunset Canyon Drive and Camino de Villas. The 36-foot width allows two standard travel lanes and two narrow parking lanes. The section of Tujunga Avenue between about 1130 Tujunga Avenue and 1310 Tujunga Avenue has a gradient of 15 percent. The street has a very curvilinear alignment, with centerline curve radii as short as 85 feet (near 1214 Tujunga Avenue) and several curve radii between 100 and 200 feet. A number of homes below Gibson Court have driveways on the interior of curves resulting in very short driver visibility for driver ingress and egress.
Traffic Demand in the Canyon
Attachment 13 shows the current daily traffic demand on the various roads in the canyon. Country Club Drive carries about 1,700 daily vehicles near Sunset Canyon Drive, Tujunga Avenue carries about 700 daily vehicles, and Via Montana carries about 900 daily vehicles near Camino De Villas. This traffic demand equates to about 9.8 vehicle trips per household, which is a normal generation rate for single family homes. Tujunga Avenue carries traffic for about 72 households, and Country Club Drive carries traffic of about 171 homes.
Cul-de-Sac Options
A cul-de-sac on Tujunga Avenue is not practical for both physical restrictions and emergency services needs. Attachment 14 shows the required dimensions for a cul-de-sac. The needed turn around area would take a large portion of the front yard or rear yard of any home adjacent to the cul-de-sac. Both the police and fire departments strongly oppose any barrier on Tujunga Avenue that would in any way reduce response time to the hillside area.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact on this issue since no further modifications are proposed for Tujunga Avenue.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends that no further action be taken on speed control devices for Tujunga Avenue.
Attachments: 1. Tujunga Avenue resident petition 2. Improvements Installed for Tujunga Avenue 3. E-mail request for City Council review of speed control devices 4. November 2004 T & T staff report 5. March 2005 T & T staff report 6. May 2005 T & T staff report 7. July 2005 T & T staff report 8. September 2005 T & T staff report 9. November 2005 T & T staff report 10. Homes on Tujunga Ave. and Via Montana 11. Homes on Via Montana and Side Streets 12. Homes in the Tujunga Ave and Country Club Drive area 13. Current Daily Traffic Demand 14. Cul-De-Sac Options 15. Letter from Fire Department
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