City Council
MEETING DATE: 9/11/2018
TITLE:
Title
Recommendation to approve a proposal from Albert A. Webb Associates to conduct a Traffic & Engineering Study to establish Citywide Speed Limits in the City of Cathedral City
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FROM:
John Corella, City Engineer
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
City Staff is recommending that the City Council approve a proposal by Albert A. Webb Associates to conduct a Traffic & Engineering Study to establish Citywide Speed Limits in the City of Cathedral City at a cost of $36,320; and approve a budget amendment to provide the funding for this work from the City's Traffic Safety Funds.
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BACKGROUND:
City-wide Speed Limits in Cathedral City were last established in 2009. On October 28, 2009 City Council approved a second reading of City Ordinance No. 684, which amended Section 12.20.01 of the City’s Municipal Code relating to the designation of Speed Limits throughout Cathedral City.
In March of 2015, City Council approved an amendment to the 2009 Speed Limits by reestablishing the Speed Limits on segments of Ramon Rd., East Palm Canyon Dr. and Cathedral Canyon Dr. due to road widening occurring on segments of those roadways.
On July 22, 2015, the City Council also approved the reestablishing of the Speed Limits on two segments of Cathedral Canyon Dr., (south of East Palm Canyon Dr.) and established by Ordinance No. 758.
DISCUSSION:
The State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) requires all cities to update their local speed limits every five to ten years. The City is fast approaching the limit of California’s 10-year maximum cycle and must now proceed with reestablishing the City-Wide Speed Limits. Chapter 5 of the 2014 Edition of the California Manual for Setting Speed Limits, lists the requirements for renewal of city speed limits on a reoccurring basis in local cities. This Caltrans manual cites the 85th percentile of speeds recorded during these traffic studies, as a determining factor for setting speed limits.
The City currently contracts Albert A. Webb & Associates (Webb) for its biennial on-call Traffic Engineering services. City Engineering Staff requested a proposal from Webb to conduct the City-Wide Speed Limit Study. This includes all arterial, major highways, secondary highways, collector, and residential roads. Based on the cost proposal of $36,320 submitted from Webb, Engineering Staff is recommending that the City Council approve the purchased of services to conduct the City’s Speed Limit Study.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The attached proposal from Albert A. Webb Associates quotes a not to exceed cost of $36,320 to conduct the City-Wide Speed Limit Study in Cathedral City. This Study was not accounted for in the current 2017 to 2019 Engineering Budget and Engineering Staff is recommending the City Council approve the budget amendment to cover the cost of the study. Existing fund within the City’s Traffic Safety Fund account are adequate to cover the amount requested.
ATTACHMENTS:
Webb & Associates City-Wide Speed Survey Proposal
Ordinance No. 758
Exhibit III-6 Roadway Classifications
Exhibit III-6A Roadway Classifications