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Agenda Item 17.

City Council Meeting

Meeting Date:	07/21/2020
FROM:	Bill Gallardo

Subject:

Traffic Improvements at the Intersection of Puente Street and Whittier Avenue

RECOMMENDATION

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

BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION

The intersection of Puente Street and Whittier Avenue is an all-way stopped intersection of two two-lane residential streets located in the northwestern part of the City. Whittier Avenue to the west turns into Whittier Boulevard, which is a major arterial in the City of La Habra. Puente Street to the south of Central Avenue widens and becomes an arterial street in Brea serving both residential and commercial properties. Although the two streets are residential where they meet, some motorists use the two streets as a neighborhood cut-through connection between destinations within La Habra and Brea. The cut-through motorists typically either make a northbound left-turn or eastbound right-turn at the intersection of Puente Street and Whittier Avenue.

A little more than ten years ago the City installed three small landscaped median islands at the intersection as a traffic calming measure. The intent of the islands was to reduce speeds and discourage cut-through traffic within the neighborhood. Over the last five years, there have been eleven single party crashes involving motorists making turns at the intersection and colliding with the medians or other fixed objects in the vicinity of the intersection.

In late January of this year, after a motorist traveling northbound making a left-turn to go westbound on Whittier ran over the west leg median and got stuck atop a decorative rock, the Police Department requested that an engineering investigation be conducted by the Engineering Division to determine if there were traffic control measures that could be implemented to reduce the incidences of such crashes. In addition, a Traffic Committee member having heard of the January crash also made a similar request at the February Traffic Committee meeting.

As a result of the investigation, the City Traffic Engineer concluded that that some motorists can misjudge the size of the intersection and the turning radius required to clear the medians. To address the situation, the City Traffic Engineer developed the attached Conceptual Striping Plan as a possible traffic safety enhancement. The Conceptual Striping Plan calls for a further narrowing of this large intersection through the installation of crosswalks and better motorist guidance by extending the yellow median striping around the medians.

COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

At the May 21, 2020 Traffic Committee meeting, the City Traffic Engineer provided an oral report regarding the findings of the traffic investigation and presented the Conceptual Striping Plan. During the Committee discussion, an alternative comprised of installing a single dashed yellow centerline through the intersection guiding motorists making northbound left-turns to westbound was also considered. The Committee decided to hold the matter over until the next meeting to allow staff time to obtain implementation costs for the two alternatives. At the June 18, 2020, meeting the Committee reconsidered the two alternatives and estimated implementation costs and then voted 4-1 to recommend the installation of the Conceptual Striping Plan recommended by the City Traffic Engineer to City Council for implementation.

FISCAL IMPACT/SUMMARY

Implementation of the traffic improvements outlined in the Conceptual Striping Plan are estimated to cost $3,500. Sufficient funds are available within the Department of Public Works operational budget for the installation of the traffic improvements.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

William Gallardo, City Manager
Prepared by: Michael Ho, P.E., Deputy Public Works Director / City Engineer
Concurrence: Tony Olmos, P.E., Public Works Director

Attachments
Conceptual Striping Plan