City Council
MEETING DATE: 3/25/2015
TITLE:
Title
Adoption of the 2015 City Speed Limits Ordinance
End
FROM:
Pat Milos, Director of Community Development
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the 2015 City Speed Limits Ordinance.
Body
BACKGROUND:
On October 28, 2009, City Council approved the first reading of Ordinance No. 684, amending section 12.20.010 of the Cathedral City Municipal Code relating to the designation of SPECIAL SPEED LIMITS in the City. In November 2009, the City Council approved the second reading of the Ordinance, and the revised 2009 Speed Limits became effective 30 days thereafter. The Council was acting on the recommendation of the Streets and Transportation Commission, who reviewed and approved a citywide Speed Limits Study by registered Traffic Engineer Bill Darnell of Darnell & Associates of San Diego.
Speed Limits on California roadways are set after professional speed surveys are completed by registered traffic engineers. These speed surveys were most commonly re-reviewed by municipal agencies on a reoccurring basis every 5 years in California. In recent years, the California traffic regulations were revised, and new speed limit studies are now only required when the characteristics of roadway segments are revised in a manner that would increase traffic volumes and/or speeds (mostly commonly by roadway widening). These Special Speed limits pertain only to General Plan roadways (i.e. Major, Secondary and Collector roads), and all other residential roadways are established statewide at 25 mph.
The Speed Limits Studies are also required to allow the Cathedral City Police Department to write citations to speeders on each roadway. When roadway characteristics significantly change on specific segments, it triggers the need for an updated Speed Limits Study on those specific roadway segments and an Ordinance Amendment.
DISCUSSION:
Since 2009 there have only been three (3) General Plan roadway segments that were widened in Cathedral City, thereby requiring new Speed Limit Studies. Those segments were: 1. RAMON RD. (Date Palm to Neuma Rd.), 2. RAMON RD. (Neuma Rd. to East City Limits at Da Vall), and 3. EAST PALM CANYON DRIVE (Perez Rd. to West City Limits at Golf Club Dr.).
Having done the City's previous citywide Speed Limits Traffic Study in 2009, the City staff recommended re-hiring Darnell & Associates to survey the speed limits on the above mentioned roadway segments. On February 16, 2015 traffic engineer Bill Darnell submitted his recommendation for new Speed Limits as follows:
ANALYSIS:
Affected Cathedral City 2009 Speed Limits 2015 Speed Limit
Roadway Segments (Existing) (Proposed)
1. Ramon Road 45 MPH 50 MPH
(Date Palm Dr. to Neuma Rd.)
2. Ramon Road 50 MPH 50 MPH
(Neuma Rd. to East City Limits)
3. E. Palm Canyon Drive 40 MPH 40 MPH
(Perez Rd. to West City Limits)
On March 4, 2015 staff made a presentation to the Streets and Transportation Subcommittee of the Planning Commission regarding the above recommendation. The Subcommittee recommended approval to City Council, via the Planning Commission. The Commission recommended approval of the revised Speed Limits on roadway segment numbers: 1, 2 and 3 above.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Public Works will encumber a small amount of labor and costs to update the speed limit signs as part of the traffic safety budget.
ATTACHMENTS:
No. 1: 2009 SPEED LIMITS ORDINANCE (3 pgs.)
No. 2: SPEED LIMITS RECOMMENDATION, by Darnell & Associates (1 pg.)
No. 3: New 2015 SPEED LIMITS ORDINANCE (3 pgs.)