HomeMy WebLinkAboutTraffic Control at Lincoln Elementary and PD Middle Schools ci Yam eoe4.4, - G
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Joseph S. Gaugush, Director of Public Works/City Engineer
SUBJECT: TRAFFIC CONTROL AT LINCOLN ELEMENTARY AND PALM DESERT MIDDLE
SCHOOLS
DATE: March 22, 2001
RECOMMENDATION:
By minute motion, direct staff to place barricades on Rutledge Way at Portola Avenue to prevent
eastbound traffic for one hour at the beginning and end of school days and; implement a traffic
enforcement program on Rutledge Way and Magnesia Falls Drive during the same time period.
BACKGROUND:
Barricades had been placed on Rutledge Way at Portola Avenue, to prevent eastbound traffic at
Lincoln Elementary and Palm Desert Middle Schools from 1996 until November 2000. This action r
had been taken in agreement with staff, the Sheriffs Department, school officials, parents and
residents, in an attempt to bring some order during the very congested periods. This was intended
to be a relatively short term action to train drivers to use a clockwise flow around the schools to
improve safety and congestion around the schools. As time passed, compliance and support for the
barricades waned, and the program was discontinued. The major concerns were continued severe
congestion in front of the schools, displacement of school traffic further into the residential
neighborhood and across Portola Avenue to Stony Hill Court, near-misses with the crossing guard
while placing and removing the barricades, and enforcement.
After the barricade program was discontinued the Public Works Department received four telephone
calls, and a school official appeared at a Public Safety Commission meeting, requesting that the
barricades be replaced. Since that time staff has met with school and Sheriffs Department
representatives to identify appropriate responses to traffic conditions near the schools. The 2X2
Committee of City Council and School Board representatives also has discussed this issue where it
was determined that this issue should be presented to the full City Council after receipt of a letter
from the School Board (which is attached). In the interim the Sheriffs Department has provided
periodic traffic enforcement on Rutledge Way in an attempt to improve conditions. The City
Attorney has reviewed the issue of enforcement of the barricades and has indicated that this type of
closure can be enforced.
Last printed 03/13/2001 3:16 PM G:\PubWorks\Sonja De La Fuente\My Documents/STAFF REPORTS\Traffic Control at Schools.doc
STAFF REPORT: TRAFFIC 1NTROL AT SCHOOLS
MARCH 22, 2001
PAGE 2 OF 2
In response to the request from the School Board, it is recommended that the barricade program be
restored on Rutledge Way in conjunction with a school area traffic enforcement program on
Rutledge Way and Magnesia Falls Drive.
J SEPH S. GA H, P. V WED AND CUR
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/CITY ENGINEER ACM FOR DEVEL PMENT SERVICES
" i�
REVIEWED AND CONCU-
CITY MANAGER
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CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
APPROVED / DENIED
RECEIVED OTHER
MEETIN DATE...4-teta.-�,
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AYES: 1- ray '
NOES: n � �
ABSENT: (�r (\ i
ABSTAIN* Pl(
VERIFIED BY: - ( 1417 rl'Y°m
Original on File with City Clerk' s Office
Last printed 03/13/2001 3:16 PM G:\PubWorks\Sonja De La Fuer.te'My Documents\STAFF REPORTS\Traffic Control at Schools.doc
LAW OFFICES OF
BEST BEST & KRIEGER ' '
RECEIVED
AR 14 2001 March 8, 2001
MEMORANDUM
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
CITY CF PALM DESERT
TO: Joseph S. Gaugush, Director of Public Works/City Engineer
FROM: David J. Erwin, City Attorney
RE:. Traffic Issues at Lincoln Elementary School and
Palm Desert Middle School
Responding to the request contained in Mark Greenwood's February 26, 2001 staff
memorandum on the traffic issues, the answer to his question in the last paragraph, is yes. The City
is legally entitled to barricade the street during specific hours that action is authorized pursuant to
Section 21100 of the Vehicle Code as well as our Chapter 10.32 so long as the City's Traffic Engineer
directs and authorizes it. The citations would then be issued for violations of Chapter 10.32 of the
Code. My suggestion is that this be accomplished in a memo sent to the Council as an information
item. The Traffic Engineer intends to place barricades and the time frame the item could be ratified
by the City Council.
If you would like to discuss this further, please give me a call.
Very truly yours,
David J. Erwin
of BEST BEST & KRIEGER LLP
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y BERMUDRANCHO DUNESMIRAGE r Desert Sands Unified School District
RANCHO MIRAGE
INDIAN WELLS (7)
PALM DESERT a 47-950 Dune Palms Road • La guinta. California 92253 • (760) 777-4200 • FAX: (760) 771-8505
P LA OUINTA
`ap INDIO y0
•
BOARD OF EDUCATION
John J. Benoit March 5, 2001
Tina A. Godecke n O
Jim Koedyker
Gary Tomak - 3
Dr. Marcile K. Wright CD
SUPERINTENDENT O
Dr. Doris L. Wilson
Gl "O
CP
The Honorable Jim Ferguson e o
Mayor, Palm Desert
73-501 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92260
Dear Mayor Ferguson:
Until January of this year, eastbound traffic at the intersection of Portola and Rutledge streets
was restricted for approximately 45 minutes during the opening and closing of Lincoln
Elementary School and Palm Desert Middle School. When the barricades were removed,
allowing the flow of eastbound traffic, the danger to arriving and departing students increased.
The District is now cooperating with the Sheriff's Department in formalizing a plan to increase
the safety of students in the area. Replacing the barricades, which restrict the flow of
eastbound traffic morning and afternoon, would greatly enhance our ability to provide safe
egress and ingress to our school sites.
To help facilitate our safety plan, the Board of Education requests the return of eastbound
barricades at the corner of Portola and Rutledge during the arrival and departure of students.
Thank you for your review and consideration.
Sincerely,
diu./
Tina A. Godecke, President
Board of Education
cc: Richard Kelly, Mayor Pro-Tempore, City of Palm Desert
Jean Benson, Council Member, City of Palm Desert
Buford Crites, Council Member, City of Palm Desert
Bob Spiegel, Council Member, City of Palm Desert
,
1 ;
�� "f ~ MAGNESIA FALLS DRIVE �-
LINCOLN STUDENT LOADING
i
PDMS STUDENT 1
t LOADING
1 NOT TO SCALE
W
Z SANTOLINA DRIVE
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LINCOLN PALM DESERT .,,
a ELEMENTARY MIDDLE SCHOOL
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LU
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FACULTY
m PARKING
FACULTY NC'
PARKING �O1,0
t NO
RUTLEDGE WAY ♦�
MYRSINE AVENUE
tROADUSE SED
MAGNESIA FgL�SN
LEGEND
�� f— =SCHOOL TRAFFIC
EASTBOUND RUTLEDGE WAY WILL BE
CLOSED TO SCHOOL TRAFFIC FROM
7: 15 AM TO 8: 15 AM AND FROM PALM DESERT MIDDLE SCHOOL
1 :5 0 PM TO 2:50 PM. SCHOOL LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
TRAFFIC SHOULD USE MAGNESIA FALLS SCHOOL AREA TRAFFIC PLAN
DRIVE.
AUGUST 8. 1996
r'
c ��h/Fx, Riverside County Sheriff's Department
0 '' PALM DESERT POLICE DEPARTMENT
i `< Memorandum
'wnEc°, ;
Larry D. Smith, Sheriff
TO: Mr. Carlos Ortega—City Manager Date: March 15, 2001
FROM: Lieutenant Steve Thetford
RE: School Barricades
Mr. Ortega,
Upon review of the attached staff report I am in concurrence that there is a need for the barricades on
Rutledge near the schools. However the attached criteria must be met to allow the Police
Department to enforce barricade violations as noted. There must be an ordinance passed and there
must be a defined survey as stated in CVC 21373. We support the placing of the barricades and will
enforce violations once the criteria are met per the Vehicle Code.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to review and provide input from the Law Enforcement
perspective. Please contact me if you have any further questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Steve Thetford, Lieutenant
s
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4
V 1
, Riverside County Sheriff's Department
,,.1:ff_ E dto;.. Palm Desert Station
Memorandum
4 SIDE t ' ;c/,
To: Lt. Thetford Date: March 15, 2001
From: Sgt. Waltch
Re: Barricades at Rutledge @ Portola Ave
After reading the memo and researching the enforcement aspect of their request, I found the
following:
1. Section 21102 VC- States that a local authority (the city) may adopt rules, and pass
Ordinances or Resolutions, which enable them to close a portion of a highway which
crosses school grounds, for the safety of persons attending such school or school
grounds.
2. Section 21372 VC- States that when placing Traffic Control Devices (eg. signs, signals
etc..) near schools for the purpose of protecting students, they are required to establisl�i
warrant(s) as guidelines for the placement of such devices.
Enforcement:
When the above conditions have been met, we as the enforcing agency can utilize the
following Vehicle Code sections:
1. 21464(a) (c)VC- No person shall without lawful authority remove, deface, or knock-
down any traffic signpost, call box. This is an infraction. It becomes a felony if
while removing, defacing or knocking down the sign, it causes injury.
2. 21461(a) VC- Failure to obey an official traffic control device. (Infraction)
1711111111MMITISJO, .4.7)-1 _ r/ i',, '1
. ;-,„7".: i
- I:,
,Div. 11 Div. 11 —627— §21375
ti
' warning signs, � -' recommendations to the Legislature on or before March 31, 1988.
traffic pursuant Added Ch.631,Stats. 1987. Effective January 1, 1988.
`► Guidelines for Traffic Control Devices Near Schools
1..,. ',, 21372. The Department of Transportation and local authorities shall,
with respect to highways under their respective jurisdictions, establish and
een established promulgate warrants to be used as guidelines for the placement of traffic
thereof, it shall control devices near schools for the purpose of protecting students going to
•ked pedestrian - and from school. Such devices may include flashing signals. Such warrants
'cs is required to - shall be based upon, but need not be limited to, the following items:
crosswalks may pedestrian volumes, vehicle volumes,width of the roadway, physical terrain,
of the crosswalk speed of vehicle traffic,horizontal and vertical alignment of the roadway, the
is thereof, or(b) distance to existing traffic control devices, proximity to the school, and the
et from a school degree of urban or rural environment of the area.
rosswalks other Amended Ch. 545,Stats. 1974.Effective January 1, 1975.
a that the facts - School Board Request for Traffic Control Devices
e crosswalks for
Therere shall be 21373. The governing board of any school district may request the
ie lane or lanes
"SLOW— appropriate city, county, city and county or state agency to install traffic
7r r�:control devices in accordance with the warrants established pursuant to
ords, i4 "Section 21372.Within 90 days thereafter, the city, county, city and county or
ed or marked in _--.:1 < -.-.state agency involved shall undertake an engineering and traffic survey to
;d by stop signs, determine whether the requested crossing protection meets the warrants
not be painted or s rx y.,` established pursuant to Section 21372. The city, county, city and county,or
srmitted in this state agency involved may require the requesting school district to pay an
,, amount not to exceed 50 percent of the cost of the survey. If it is determined
that such requested protection is warranted, it shall be installed by the city,
. °` �- county, city and county or state agency involved. - -
ry 1, 1960,,are :r = Amended Ch. 1061,Stats. 1969.Effective November 10, 1969.
able prima facie _
P. � Directional Markings for Tourists- __
ring and traffic , - . --
21374. A local authority may mark or paint the surface of any street or
;, highway under its jurisdiction, or of any state highway, with the approval of
the Department of Transportation, with lines, arrows, or other suitable
symbols for the purpose of directing visitors and tourists to local points of
iuly authorized interest. No such marking shall be of a color or configuration which, as
engaged in the determined by the Department of Transportation, would cause it to be •
;strict the use of confused with an official traffic control device.
intersecting the Added Ch. 472,Stats. 1976. Effective January 1, 1977.
work interferes Freeway Sign: Private and Public Postsecondary
work. Educational institutions
21375. (a) The Department of Transportation shall place and maintain,
_ or cause to be placed and maintained, directional signs on freeways
ration with the - indicating the location of the freeway off ramp which may be used to reach a
'ae feasibility of _ , public or private postsecondary education institution having an enrollment
i state highways : of either 1,000 or more full-time students or the equivalent in part-time
.um consider the ;":• students, at the request of the institution.No signs shall be erected pursuant
ti, -_Y to this subdivision until the department has received donations from private
sources covering the costs of erecting the signs.
. (b) The Department of Transportation shall place and maintain, or.cause
. A to be placed and maintained, freeway directional signs for any institution
described in subdivision (a) for which freeway directional signs had
•. : previously been erected and which has, on or after January 1, 1980, moved
velop a highway _ to another location, if that move was done to contribute to the improvement
findings and : of the institution, as determined by the department. Freeway directional