Staff Report

ITEM NO.   E-6

 BACKGROUND

The lack of regular business items on this agenda allows Town Staff an opportunity to bring the Commission up to date on the results of three traffic studies that were presented to the Town Council this summer. The three studies represent recent efforts by the Town to alleviate increasing traffic safety and congestion concerns in the community, both on local streets and on arterial streets such as Tiburon Boulevard and Trestle Glen Boulevard. A brief description of the three studies is as follows: 

1.    The Tiburon Boulevard Traffic Operations Study was a 100% grant-funded effort that studied relatively simple and inexpensive physical improvements to enhance traffic flow and improve intersection level of service along Tiburon Boulevard. The improvements studied included interconnection of traffic signals, installation of left-turn merge/acceleration lanes, and addition of a second westbound lane through the Trestle Glen/Tiburon Boulevard intersection.

2.    The Stewart Drive @ Tiburon Boulevard Signal Warrants Analysis was a 100% Town-funded study focused exclusively on whether this difficult intersection meets, or is likely to meet, any of the mandatory Caltrans "warrants" that justify signalization at Caltrans’ expense.

3.    The Safety and Operational Analysis for Tiburon Schools report was a Town/RUSD/St. Hilary jointly-funded study that focused on traffic safety for school children in the vicinity of the Town’s major schools (Reed Elementary, Bel Aire Elementary, Del Mar Middle, and St. Hilary’s School). It also looked at improving traffic flow in and around schools, including on neighborhood streets and arterials.

While the volume of these studies can appear initially daunting, the actual analysis sections are relatively brief, while the appendices are lengthy. Staff has excluded the extensive appendices from studies #1 and #3, but will furnish them on request. The appendices from study #2 are attached to the report.

ANALYSIS

This study was presented to the Town Council on June 20, 2001. The Town Council staff report and the study itself are attached as Exhibit 1, while the minutes of the meeting are attached as Exhibit 2. The staff report provides a detailed summary of the study’s findings and recommendations. This study provided "concept-level" physical improvements that would need to be designed, funded, approved by Caltrans, and implemented.

Implementation Strategy: The Town Council has directed the Town’s new Public Works Director/Town Engineer to review the report and prepare specific recommendations for implementation. Potential funding sources include general fund monies, grants, the Tiburon Circulation System Improvement Fund, and the Tiburon Planning Area Mitigation Fund. The two latter funds are restricted accounts containing monies collected from developers specifically for constructing physical traffic improvements along Tiburon Boulevard.

This study was also presented to the Town Council on June 20, 2001. The Town Council staff report and the study itself are attached as Exhibit 3, while minutes of the Town Council meeting are attached as Exhibit 4. The study concluded that warrants are not met and are unlikely to be met in the foreseeable future, placing the onus for funding on local sources and not Caltrans. Caltrans has previously indicated (in a 1996 letter) that it would approve a signal at this intersection, provided that the Town funds the project 100%. Rough estimates indicate a total project cost in the range of $200,000 to $300,000.

Implementation Strategy: The existing Town Council subcommittee appointed to study the Stewart Drive intersection issue (Councilmembers Thomson and Gram) will meet to consider options. The Town Council has not committed to funding a traffic signal at this intersection at this time. All options are open for discussion at this point.

This study was presented to the Town Council at a special meeting held on June 4, 2001 and accepted by the Town Council later in the summer. No staff report was prepared for this item, and no minutes of the presentation were taken. The study is attached as Exhibit 5.

Implementation Strategy: The Town’s Traffic Safety Committee is currently preparing cost estimates and holding a series of special meetings (one at each school site) to hear public testimony on the lengthy list of improvements suggested in the vicinity of each school site. The Traffic Safety Committee is expected to make its recommendations to the Town Council on November 7, 2001. Some of the items in the report have already been implemented and yellow-green "day-glow" school zone signs have been installed. However, there is currently no funding in the Town’s adopted budget for implementation of any of the costly physical items listed in the report. Funding options will be discussed and considered by the Town Council.

EXHIBITS

Town Council Staff Report and Tiburon Boulevard Operational Study.

Town Council minutes on Tiburon Boulevard Operational Study.

Town Council Staff Report and Stewart Drive Warrant Analysis.

Town Council minutes on Stewart Drive Warrant Analysis.

Final Report: Safety and Operational Analysis for Tiburon Schools.