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Item 18 - Appropriation of Funds for CA Office of Traffic Safety Grants AGENDA REPORT SUMMAR..Y - ~ TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council FROM: James L. Bowersox, City Ma~ - ,) .NITIATED BY: Mark S. Weston, Director of Engineering Service~ Michael H. Robinson, Traffic Engineer", < " .'! DATE: February B, 1994 SUBJECT: Appropriation of Funds for California Office of Traffic Safety Grants ABSTRACf Last year the City was notified that it had been approved for a state grant from the Office of Traffic Safety to implement two projects, a Neighborhood Speed Control Program and a High Accident Location and Analysis Program. Grant money, ($40,500l will be used to purchase a Radar Speed Trailer and Accident Analysis Software and Database. It is recommended that $40,500 be appropriated to fund the project until grant monies are received from the State. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW This action is not subject to CEQA requirements. FISCAL IMPACf The two programs will require periodic manning by Traffic Engineering personnel and costs will be managed within existing Engineering Services funding. ADDITIONAL PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND CORRESPONDENCE None RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council appropriate $40,500 for the Neighborhood Speed Control and High Accident Location and AnalYSis Programs. Funds are to be transferred from Account No. 18-8930 to Account No.18-1313. ACl'ION - I I of 9 rEB 8 ITEM 18 1994 \ , .- - AG ENDA REPOR~ CITY OF POW A Y This report is induded on the Consent Calendar. There win be no separate discussion of the report prior to approval by the City Council unless members of the Council, staff or public request it to be removed fr?~ t~e <:onsent Calendar and discussed separately. If you wish to have this report pulled for discussion, please fill out a slip IndicatIng the report number and give it to the City Clerk prior to the beginning of the City Council meeting. TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council FROM: James L. Bowersox, City Man~ , INITIATED BY: Mark S. Weston, Director of Engineering serVice~~ Michael H. Robinson, Traffic Engineer f~~. DATE: February 8, 1994 SUBJECT: Appropriation of Funds for California Office of Traffic Safety Grants BACKGROUND The City of Poway has been approved to receive up to $40,500 from the State Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for two traffic safety related projects. The first, a High Accident Location and Analysis Program will involve the purchase of accident analysiS software and the creation of a database to identify high accident locations in Poway. A report outlining the high accident locations and specifying needed improvements will conclude the program. The second project is a Neighborhood Speed Control Program. The program will begin by purchasing a Radar Speed Trailer for placement on residential streets having speeding problems. Volunteers and City personnel will, at selected times, record license plates of vehicles exceeding the speed limit. Registered owners will be notified that their car was observed in exceeding the speed limit. A copy of the application documentation, with additional program details, is included as Attachment A. The OTS provides funding for various programs, administered by cities such as Poway, in pursuit of improving traffic safety. FINDINGS The City of Poway will be reimbursed up to $40,500 upon satisfactory completion of the program, which will end in April 1995. City funds must be available for the two projects as they are being developed, until the grant money is received from the State. ACTION: I J 2 of 9 . ~ - Appropriation of Funds for California Off ,f Traffic Safaty Grants City Council Agenda - February 8. 1994 Page 3 ~ ~~IRON"EtfiAL REVIEW This action is not subject to CEQA requirements. FISCAL IMPACT The two projects will require periodic manning by Traffic Engineering personnel and costs will be managed within existing Engineering Services funding. ADDITIONAL PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND CORRESPONDENCE None RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council appropriate $40,500 for the Neighborhood Speed Control and High Accident Location and Analysis Programs. Funds are to be transferred from Account No. 18-8930 to Account No. 18-1313. JLB:HSW:MHR:pc - Attachments: A - Office of Traffic Safety grant applications - 3 of 9 fEB 8 1994 ITEM 18 ' I ....... -~ ors IlSI OILY I State of california \' Business, TraIIsportation << Rousing Agency l'llOJEC'r !tJIIBEll CP9407 , ' , OFFICX OF mmc mM PSP 1IO. 94-CP " :J CWI'OIIMA mmc sum PROJiCr .I.GmIIEIIT ll!VISIOH HllHBEll II 0I'FlCl! 0I'T1fAH/C ~ om PlKlJ!CT BllllGE'f IlS'fIlllTE PAGll (To be colpleted by Applicant Agency) Ft~_\~ $ 40, ~~.too 1. PlKlJ!CT mLX Neighborhood Speed Control and High Accident Location and Analysis Program 2. IWII OP APPLIC!JT AGlIICY 'l'O'fAL $ 40,500.00 City of Poway 4. PlKlJ!CT PERIOD Month - Day - Year 3. !GlIICY llIII'l' 10 II!HDLI PlKlJ!CT , , !'tOI: 1/01/94 I Engineering Services, Traffic Engineering Division/Poway f' 9/30/94 Sheriff I s Department 0 . 5. P!lnlEC! DESCllIP'fiOI (SUDarize the proposed project plan covering tile objectives, lethod of 'procedure, lValuation, and end product in approuutel y 100 'lOrds.) The City of poway will initiate a two-pronged effort to improve safety on, its streets. The first part Will be purchase of.a .radar';sp:eed ,trailer "to be ,used in a Ne'ighborhqod Speed Control Program. Volunteers and city' pers~mlel wili~recor(Cvehicle license plates of vehicles exceedin the speed limit by ,more than 9"mph. ""The, tra:i.lel: loIillbe set ,up at least once ,a month for 1 ~ ., .. _. ,__ .~.... - .<. ~ ..,,~ __"'_~""',"''<'...,>. .,-.0.. _,_ _~. ."_..,, _ ... months. The second part of the program is pu~c~se ,of a computeraccident~anaLysis packagl J ....'.-l....... .'~,........ '... ~ "'.' . . .-_ '., . identify high accident locations. The Traffic Engineer will make recommendations to improve high accident locations..,. Accident ,records., for ,the ,past 3 years will, be. input. "Both phases of "'-.- ..-' .. '. ... ~'_ .....41.. .~........ '~"""'" _'~.......",....'''' ::;~.., J. ~-::_..._ . . _ ....., _ '_.. .." _" ..:.,.. " the program will be reported on quarterly with a final report outlining ,reSUlts to conclude t .." "I,'~ -..... .oJ~. .,..-", .,..,...,...~-_... 6. FEDERAL FIIIIlS AU.OClDIlllllllll '!!IS 1/lIP1!IIII!I'f SIIlLL a BICllID,$40 >,500 ~~_~a ;;.- "''J,'~ ,,~::t:-:,l :'; "'l..t:~ :., - "-. - _. ~_., -_._,-~,..~~'-t -- . ............... -~.--'-'''';;':'-''''-'' ~ ~'.'-'.: ...'~...:.;.. ...'A:;".~ 7. !CCl!PmC! ,OP aDmOlS ~ 'rile provisions on tile reverse sidt, hereof, constitnte l part of t)Iis AqreeIen1::,,:.c A --- D';"-'; -..-- ..~ .::~~ ';:" 'i:,:-. .:' ,,' AlmllmnC;omcmor APPtIClIUGlIICY I . l'A\,IU(A,. ~\I. .........1.. .... / _......,l.v _. .. .-.-' I Hue: Michael,R..:Robinson : 'Phone: :(619):!-'>2' .!IaIe:..' ': James L. Bowersox ,;j/" : PIIone: ' (619) Address: 13325..Civic Center,Drive':'f;;.::r,679.,,4353 j,;$ ,'~:':'13325 Civic Center Drive' 748-6600 I pow,ay CA 92~74 0 Poway CA" 2074-0120:, ~ ' Signature ' , .... Si " fitle Traffic Endneer fitle C. FISClL 01 Al.UJUlI'IllIG OmCIAL D. omcx lIlT!mIZED 10 REC!IV! P!YII!1ftS I !IaIe: Christine Tsung Phone: (619) Jane: Christine Tsung Address: 13325 Civic Center Drive 748-6600 Finance Division Poway CA 92074-0120 - Signature (J tM1Y111 ~ Address: 13325 Civic Center Drive Poway CA 92074-0120 Title Finance Manager OTS-38 ( 4 of 9 fEB 8 1994 ITEM 18 Paqe 2 (Office of !raffic Safety's Use OIIly) - - EPPECrIV! DA!! or !GUIIIJlII! 1/01/94 GRlI'fEI citv of Powav PIIOJBt"'f II. CP9407 8. 1crIerllI. 1 DAft 12/30/93 10. mE or 1GmllEl'f _X_ Initial Revision Continuation 9' fIeri mIlII 5'llIDAllD PSP 'fAS( , FISCAL 'lIAR 314 94-<:1' 07 1994 Initial approval. 1994 HSP grant funds obliqated. 11. PIlIDIIi DISPOOmerl , S'rl'l'US Obliqated This Action $ 40.500.00 Previously Obliqated -0- 'fotal Aaount Obligated 40.500.00 DOunt Suspended -0- state FY 1993/94 2700-101-890 (55/93) 'fO'l'AL PUIDS PROGllAJlIIED 40.500.00 (Federal catalog Ro. 20.600) U. BllDGIl'f SUIIllR! (PrOI Schedule B Detailed) - mCAL YEAR GRAIl'!' PERIOD EHDIJIG: 9/30/94 1994 1994 mm emf C1mDY GRAIl'!' PERIOD PRIOR GRAIl'!' 'l'O'l'AL GRm PIlOJIC'l IlUIlGE'f 1STIMm! A. Personnel Costs r ravel Expenses C. Contractual Services 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 D. Ionexpendable Property 29,500.00 29,500.00 29,500.00 - E. other Direct Costs 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 F. Indirect Costs 'l'O'l'AL PEDDAL lUIDS 40,500.00 40,500.00 40,500.00 , 13. PIlOJIC'l APPIKl'1lL , AIl'rIIlRIU!IcrI to EIPDD lIlLIGmD PUIDS 1. APPIlIlVAL RBOlIlDDID BY B. lGRmID'f , PIlIDIIG llmIlRISID BY IlAIlE : lIIWAIIlI. J1alllS, JR. AlmItlR L. ABDERSOI Office of Traffic Safety 7000 Pranklin Blvd., suite 440 Sacraaento, C1 95823 o.<qf1'ftlRE tJd&' ~~,~ SIGRl'ftlRE (;4: /4 'fI'fLE Proaraa Coorrl;nator TI'fLE Director 0'fS-38a (Rev 9/91) 5 of 9 fEO 8 1394 ITEM 18 ,\ i . ,-~---------- . . scm:oou: 1 l'IlIlliC1' Ill. - I , l'IlIlliC1' DESCRImOl Page 1 ; BACKGROUND I General Characteristics Poway is in the heart of rapidly developing north San Diego County. Poway has a population of! approximately 45,000, but its traffic volumes are indicative of a much larger municipality. The City recently approved, and is in the process of developing, a 2500-acre industrial park i which has made Poway a transportation destination as well as origin. Also, Poway now accom- modates a very high regional commuter traffic demand due to its location between adjacent I developing residential communities and San Diego, a large employment center. These factors contribute greatly to the steadily increasing traffic volumes on poway's arterials. I , Streets and Highways i The roadway system in Poway has a total of 120 miles of paved roadway, approximately 25% of ; I which are arterials. \ Operating Departments I The Poway Sheriff's Department has the primary responsibility for enforcement of City Ordi- I nances, traffic laws, and investigation of traffic accidents. I The Traffic Engineering Division of Engineering Services Department consists of the City Traffic Engineer, an engineering technician, and a division secretary. The division con~'--ts and updates speed studies as required by the California Vehicle Code, performs traffic CL cs and projections, keeps accident reports, and manages the City's traffic signal system and provides planning and design review sssistance for other departments. I Existing Systems poway's Traffic Engineering Division has existed for only 3 years. Except for small consult- ing contracts, few traffic engineering safety analyses and proactive traffic safety imPlement-I ations were made before then. The division is maturing, and many safety improvements have been made, but, manpower and equipment limitations prevent the initiation of two programs ; which would further enhance traffic safety in the city. , - I Problem 1 ' At present, poway' s high accident location and analysis program is an acc.ident pin map in thel Traffic E~gineer's office. Hard copies of all accident records are submitted by the Sheriffsl Department to the Traffic Engineer, where they are filed chronologically by year and by ! location. Unusual patterns which develop on the pin map over the course of a year are re- i viewed. Accident diagrams are hand-drawn by reading each accident report, then the patterns are studied for common causes. At other times, Poway residents or the Traffic Safety Com- 1 mittee request review of specific locations. I . Manpower and resource limitations prevent implementation of a more thorough accident analysis! program. Two recent management studies performed for the City of Poway indicate that a more proactive accident analysis system is needed. Currently, only those conditions brought to the City's attention through public input a-- addressed in detail and corrected. It is unknown what other potential problems exist. - is likely that accidents are occurring which will be preventable, once identified. 0'rS 6 of 9 fED 8 1994 ITEM 18 ' ; . ' . , - SCIIEOOL! ! PlWF.Cf Ill. I I'IlOJECr DESC2IPrIOI Paqe 2 Attempts to solve Problem 1: A Capital Improvement Project involving high accident location identification has been approved, but fiscal limitations have diminished the project to an ineffective scope. , Problem 1 Project Objectives , The primary goal of this project is to create an effective maintainable accident analysis , system, identify at least 10 correctable high accident locations and provide recommendations for improvements to enhance traffic safety in those areas. Specific objectives to accomplish! this goal are outlined below: To identify and purchase upgraded computer memory sufficient to store an accident I 1. , database and analysis system. Identify and purchase the database and analysis I system software, including installation of the last 3 yearly accident records, by September 30, 1994. 2. By using the system to identify at least 10 high accident locations in Poway which i could be corrected, by December 31, 1994. 3. To create a report outlining the high accident locations and specifying needed improvements for enhancing safety in each location, by March 31, 1995. - METHOD OF PROCEDURES (Problem 1): Phase I Planning and Preparation (January to September, 1994) Additional computer data storage and analysis capacity will be purchased for the existing Traffic Engineering computer. Staff will identify and purchase an expandable, easy to maintain accident database and analysis software package. The software will be capable of: 1) Displaying a city map. complete with identifiable street segments and intersections which can be picked for accident review; 2) Calculating accident rates; 3) Rating loca- ions by accident rates and number of accidents. and; 4) Drawing accident diagrams for ana- lysis 'by the Traffic Engineer. A 3-year accident history will be input for review and analysis, and the system will be debugged. Phase II (October 1994 to March 1995) The database will be queried for high accident locations in order of accident rate. All 10catiQns will be reviewed and those with the highest rate will be studied for possible recurring patterns. All of the locations meeting the final criteria will be field- reviewed for consideration of improvements which would enhance safety and/or eliminate accidents. A report will be generated including at least 10 locations with recommendation to improve traffic safety. Phase III Evaluation (March 1995 to April 1995) Using the data compiled in Phase II, the Project Manager will evaluate how well the program objectives were accomplished. The following questions will be addressed: 1. Was a competent accident database system capable of displaying a ,city map, calcu- ..- lating accident rates, rating high accident locations, and drawing accident diagrams created? 2. Was the system capable of identifying locations for review and was a field safety review of each location accomplished? 3. Did the review result in actions or installation of improvements to reduce future rm 7 of 9 FEB 8 1994 lT~M 18 ' I "-"._~_.~_.._._---- SClIEIlOU ! I'IllloIEa JIl. I PIlJ!C'r DESatP!IOI Paqe 3 Phase III Evaluation (cont'd) I accidents? I 4. Were all activities outlined in the "Method of Procedure" performed in accordance , with the project agreement? ' S. Was the project cost-effective? A final report will be submitted no later than 60 days following the end of the project. I Problem 2 ' Neighborhood speeds appear to be increasing due to modern car and street design. Traffic ! volumes on residential streets are also higher. This has caused concern for neighborhood , safety and resident complaints have increased substantially. Though accident frequency has I not increased substantially, the potential of severe residential accidents has increased. I Existing Sheriff's Department and Traffic Engineering personnel are severly challenged to ! address the increased number of complaints being received. ' Neighborhood speed control is conducted using a two-pronged approach. Initially, complaints! of speeding in residential areas are referred to the Sheriff's Department. If enough vital i information can be obtained from the complainant (location, time of day, car description, or: license number), then a patrol will be dispatched to the area for speed enforcement. Sub- I sequent complaints result in traffic engineering personnel responding to the location with I hand-held radar to confirm the problem. Confirmed problems are reported to the Traffic I Safety Committee for consideration of more active control measures, such as, sign insta~_atior. e~hanced patrol activity, or other speed deterrents, such as road bumps. I Attempts to Solve Problem 2: i The method of addressing resident complaints as described above is only mildly successful. I Continuing complaints are resulting in increased cases coming before the Traffic Safety I Committee. There is increasing implementation of the more drastic types of speed control, , such as added signage and road bumps. I Problem 2 Project Objectives i The primary goal of this program is to reduce speeds on problem neighborhood streets. This I will reduce our neighborhood speeding, which eventually gets to the Traffic Safety ~ommittee'l Project objectives are as follows: . , 1) From January to March 31, 1994, purchase a radar speed trailer and research methods of I identifying owner names and addresses from vehicle license tag numbers. i 2) Identify neighborhood citizens or committees who would volunteer to record vehicle I license numbers and compose a fo~ letter for use in the program. Publicize the program j through the local media by July 31, 1994. , , 3) Conduct a minimum of 12 radar speed setups in residential areas over the following 12 I months. The setups will be conducted at least once a month. I METHOD OF PROCEDURE (Problem 2) I Phase I Planning and Preparation (January to July, 1994) I This phase allows for acquisition of a radar speed trailer and contacting the State Depart ment of Motor Vehicles for requirements related to obtaining owner names and addresses from vehicle license numbers. ars. 8 of 9 - 8 fEll 8 1994 ITeM 1 ' I - - SClII!lllIU 1 PlIIl.JEa Il. I PIlIlJEC'r DESCm'!IOI Paqe 4 METHOD OF PROCEDURE Staff also will identify candidate locations for utilizing the radar speed trailer, I identify neighborhood groups or individual volunteers to be used in the program and publicize the program through the local newspaper. ! Phase II Radar Speed Program Implementation (August 1994 to August 1995) 1 During this time, at least 12 radar speed setups will be made (minimum 1 per month) in various neighborhoods having speed control problems. The setup will be manned during the I peak morning and evening hours and unmanned at all other times. , Phase III Evaluation (August 1995 to September 1995) I Using the data compiled in Phase II, the Project Manager will evaluate how well the pro- i gram objectives were accomplished. The following questions will be addressed: 1) Was the radar speed trailer purchased and did staff define a method of obtaining I I , owner names and addresses from license plates recorded? , 2) Were candidate locations for using the trailer identified and did neighborhood I groups and volunteers assist in operation of the program? I 3) Did the local newspaper assist by publicizing the program? I ... 4) Were the minimum 12 radar speed setups completed and were the setups adequately manned? ., 5) What was neighborhood and driver reaction to the program? ';1 6) How were speeds affected in the trailer setup areas? -'I 7) Were all activities outlined in the ''Method of Procedure" performed in accordance I with the project agreement? 8) Was the project cost-effective? I A final report will be submitted nO later than 60 days following the end of the project. I I Statement of Intent . i It is the intent of the City of Poway to continue use of the High Accident Location and Analysis Program and the Radar Speed Control Program as a means of improving safety on all city streets. . - 9 of 9 OTS-38b (Rev 9/91) fEB 8 1394 ITErJJ 18 ' I . .