Agenda

Back to Calendar Return

Agenda Item 18.

City Council Meeting

Meeting Date:	03/07/2023
FROM:	Bill Gallardo

Subject:

Traffic Improvements at the Intersection of Puente Street and Northwood Avenue

RECOMMENDATION

Approve Conceptual Signing and Striping Improvement Plan for the intersection of Puente Street and Northwood Avenue; and
Direct the City Engineer to implement said improvements.

BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION

Puente Street and Northwood Avenue intersection is an all-way stopped intersection of two two-lane residential streets in the northwestern part of the City. Puente Street widens to the south of Central Avenue and becomes an arterial street in Brea, serving both residential and commercial properties. Northwood Avenue is a local street on both the east and west of Puente Street but widens to the east of Puente Street, providing median turning lanes. Northwood Avenue serves as a connection that travels from the subject intersection to the east to N. Berry Street.

In late 2021, a resident reached out to the City to draw attention to concerns regarding both speeding issues on Puente Street and pedestrian safety concerns at the intersection of Puente Street and Northwood Avenue. Along with this request, the resident submitted a formal request for speed humps on Puente Street, from Northwood Avenue to Whittier Avenue. After attaining the data necessary to review the proposals, both recommendations were presented at the May 19, 2022, Traffic Committee meeting. At this meeting, the City Traffic Engineer identified that the request for speed humps met all technical warrants and presented three options for intersection improvements at Puente Street and Northwood Avenue. The Traffic Committee subsequently approved a motion to refine the intersection options based on feedback from the resident group making the request, to refine the speed hump design further, and to present these items at a future Traffic Committee meeting. After attaining resident input on the preferred design option and subsequent plan revisions, the Conceptual Signing and Striping Improvement Plan was presented by the City Traffic Engineer on November 17, 2022, to the Traffic Committee with the recommendations to move forward with the intersection improvements as identified on the plan and to bring the speed hump portion of the request to a future Traffic Committee meeting. Subsequently, the Traffic Committee approved a motion concurring with the provided recommendations.

The proposed Conceptual Signing and Striping Improvement Plan, prepared by the City Traffic Engineer, offers both signage and striping improvements at the intersection of Puente Street and Northwood Avenue that serve as safety enhancements. The improvements proposed include the installation of crosswalks at the intersection; the restriping of bike lanes at the south leg of the intersection; the addition of lane delineation striping at the east leg of the intersection; the installation of channelizing striping at the northeast and southeast corners of the intersection; as well as associated signage improvements. Please see the Conceptual Signing and Striping Improvement Plan attached for reference. These improvements collectively reduce the speeds of motorists approaching the intersection by narrowing the intersection and providing additional safety measures for pedestrians at the intersection.

COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Finance Committee reviewed staff’s recommendation at their February 28, 2023 meeting and recommended for Council approval.

FISCAL IMPACT/SUMMARY

Implementing the traffic improvements outlined in the Conceptual Signing and Striping Improvement Plan are estimated to cost $4,500. Sufficient funds are available within the Department of Public Works operational budget for installing the traffic improvements.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

William Gallardo, City Manager
Prepared by: Ryan S. Chapman, P.E., Assistant City Engineer
Concurrence: Michael Ho, P.E., Director of Public Works/City Engineer

Attachments
Conceptual Signing & Striping Improvement Plan