CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA

CITY COUNCIL
Staff Report

February 6, 2018
CONSENT AGENDA

TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members

SUBMITTED BY: Robert M. Harary, P.E., Director of Public Works

APPROVED BY: Chip Rerig, City Administrator

Resolution No. 2018-019, Approving the Conversion to 4-way Stop-Controlled

Intersections at Carmelo Street/8th Avenue, Dolores Street/12th Avenue, and Lincoln
SUBJECT:
Street/7th Avenue.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution No. 2018-019, approving the conversion from 2-way to 4-way stop-controlled Intersections at
Carmelo Street/8th Avenue, Dolores Street/12th Avenue, and Lincoln Street/7th Avenue.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:

On August 8, 2017, the City Council authorized the installation of stop signs on 8th Avenue to create a 4-way stop-
controlled intersection at Mission Street and 8th Avenue. Feedback from the community has been all positive to date,
and the intersection is safer for motorists and pedestrians alike.

Following that safety upgrade, Public Works staff confirmed the locations of all existing stop signs City-wide,
and reviewed the past 18 months accident data as tracked by the Police Department. All intersections are unique in
terms of speed limit, site visibility, roadway widths/alignments, centerline offsets, grades, and pavement markings.
Intersections having one or two accidents were reviewed in the field, and all were determined to not warrant additional
safety measures at this time.

However, as a result of that safety evaluation, the following three (3) intersections appear to merit safety
enhancements: Carmelo Street/8th Avenue, Dolores Street/12th Avenue, and Lincoln Street/7th Avenue. These
particular intersections are currently 2-way stop controlled and have had three or more vehicle accidents over the
past 18 months.

At the January 17, 2018 Traffic Safety Committee meeting, implementation of the Mission Street/8th Avenue stop
signs and cross walks was discussed at which time, the Police, Public Works, and Community Planning and Building
Departments noted no additional problems or concerns. This intersection will continue to be monitored; however, no
alterations, including no changes in the number of parking spaces adjacent to the intersection, are recommended at
this time.
The Traffic Safety Committee next discussed the merits of possibly converting the three additional intersections of
concern to 4-way stop controlled. The existing conditions follow:

Carmelo Street/8th Avenue is located adjacent to La Playa Hotel. Visibility may be obstructed by parking stalls on all
four corners. North and southbound traffic on Carmelo Street does not stop, and speeding has been an ongoing
problem. This intersection had three accidents, including one with bodily injury, over the past 18 months.

Dolores Street/12th Avenue does not have visibility obstructions; however, east and westbound traffic on 12th Avenue
does not stop. There has been five accidents, plus several near misses, at this intersection over the past 18 months.

Lincoln Street/7th Avenue - Located in the commercial district, Lincoln Street is 39 feet wide, and 7th Avenue is
33 feet wide. There are no visibility obstructions, but east and westbound traffic on 7th Avenue does not stop.
This intersection may have higher traffic volumes than the others. Three vehicle accidents have occurred at this
location over the past 18 months.

The Committee considered several alternatives to installing additional stop signs, such as reducing speed limits,
installing bulb outs or landscaping for traffic calming, and additional signage; however, the Committee noted that none
of these alternatives would be as effective as stop signs. No one from the public attended the Traffic Safety
Committee meeting regarding these intersections.

Finally, the Committee unanimously agreed to seek City Council authorization to convert all three intersections to 4-
way stop controlled. To encourage public participation, Police Officers and Volunteers have gone door-to-door
handing out a notice of this item on the agenda surrounding all three locations.

Since each intersection is different, the Director of Public Works, with confirmation by the Director of Public Safety,
will determine if ancillary safety upgrades at each intersection, such as "Stop Ahead" signs and/or pavement markings,
are prudent. Upon Council approval and conversion of these intersections, these intersections will continue to be
monitored and reviewed at the next Traffic Safety Committee meeting.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The estimated cost for six (6) stop signs, posts, and potential Stop Ahead signs is estimated to be under $1,200.
Sufficient funding is available in the Public Works Operating Budget.

There may be incrementally small, ongoing maintenance labor cost to paint and refresh pavement markings at
these intersections each year.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION:

On August 8, 2017, the City Council authorized the installation of stop signs and cross walks to create a 4-way stop-
controlled intersection at Mission Street and 8th Avenue.

ATTACHMENTS:

Resolution No. 2018-019

 CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA Attachment 1
CITY COUNCIL

RESOLUTION NO. 2018-019

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA APPROVING THE

CONVERSION TO 4-WAY STOP-CONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS AT CARMELO ST./8TH AVENUE,
DOLORES ST./12TH AVENUE, AND LINCOLN ST./7TH AVENUE

WHEREAS, in August 2017, the City Council approved the conversion from 2-way to 4-way stop control
at the Mission Street/8th Avenue intersection, resulting in a safer intersection for motorists and pedestrians; and

WHEREAS, Public Works staff subsequently confirmed the locations of all stop signs City-wide and
reviewed traffic accident data over the past 18 months as tracked by the Police Department, resulting in the
identification of three currently 2-way stop control intersections that may warrant 4-way stop control; and

WHEREAS, at the January 17, 2018 Traffic Safety Committee meeting, the intersections of Carmelo
Street/8th Avenue, Dolores Street/12th Avenue, and Lincoln Street/7th Avenue were reviewed, and it was noted
that at least three vehicle accidents have occurred at each of these locations over the past 18 months, and that
each intersection had unique characteristics in terms of visibility, speeding, and traffic volumes; and

WHEREAS, the Traffic Safety Committee agreed that additional stop signs, as opposed to traffic
calming measures or reducing speeds, would be most effective from a safety perspective; and

WHEREAS, the Committee unanimously agreed to recommend that the City Council approve the
conversion to 4-way stop controlled intersections at these three locations.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-
THE-SEA DOES HEREBY:

Approve the conversion from 2-way to 4-way stop-controlled intersections at Carmelo Street/8th
Avenue, Dolores Street/12th Avenue, and Lincoln Street/7th Avenue.

PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA this
6th day of February, 2018, by the following roll call vote:

AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS:

SIGNED: ATTEST:

_______________________ ___________________________
Steve G. Dallas, Mayor Thomas A. Graves, MMC
City Clerk