REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve a Resolution Creating School Zone Speed Limits on Lakechime, Meadowlake, and Silverlake Drives near Lakewood Elementary School and Determine that the Action is Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
Report
DISCUSSION
Staff received a citizen request to consider school zone speed limits on streets adjacent to Lakewood Elementary School. In response, staff has completed an engineering study of existing speeds on Lakechime Drive, Meadowlake Drive, and Silverlake Drive in the morning school hours in order to evaluate prevailing speeds against the Council-established threshold for consideration of 15 mile per hour school zones. At its December 4, 2012 meeting, the City Council adopted a criterion as part of a Comprehensive School Traffic Study to allow consideration of 15 mile per hour zones on those qualifying street segments that have documented higher traffic speeds (RTC 12-279). The criterion is for those school area streets that have an 85 percentile speed greater than 25 miles per hour during school commute times, establishment of a 15 mile per hour zone would be recommended.
Completed speed surveys for the 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. time period on Lakechime, Meadowlake and Silverlake Drives show that the 85 percentile speeds for the three streets are 29.9 miles per hour on Lakechime Drive, 25.2 miles per hour on Meadowlake and 34.1 miles per hour on Silverlake Drive. These prevailing speeds exceed the Council's established threshold for consideration of 15 mile per hour school zone establishment. Per the California Vehicle Code, modification of speed limits shall be done by ordinance or resolution of the governing body (Attachment 1). The proposed school zones are depicted in Attachment 2.
EXISTING POLICY
Safety and Noise Element SN-3.5, Facilitate the safe movement of pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Approving the Resolution to establish prevailing speeds on certain streets in Sunnyvale is a project that is exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guideline 15301(c) because it concerns the operation of an existing street.
FISCAL IMPACT
Fabrication and installation of signs creating 15 mile per hour school zones is estimated at $700. This cost would be absorbed within the operating budget for traffic signs and markings in the Pavement Maintenance Program.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve the attached resolution establishing 15 mile per hour school zones on Lakechime Drive, Meadowlake Drive, and Silverlake Drive adjacent to Lakewood Elementary School per the requirements of the California Vehicle Code.
Staff
Prepared by: Jack Witthaus, Transportation and Traffic Manager
Reviewed by: Kent Steffens, Director, Department of Public Works
Approved by: Robert A. Walker, Interim City Manager
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
2. Proposed Reduced School Speed Limit Zone