HomeMy WebLinkAbout103-2. Memo from Fehr & Peers.pdf
160 West Santa Clara Street, Suite 675, San Jose CA 95113 (408) 278-1700 Fax (408) 278-1717 www.fehrandpeers.com
MEMORANDUM
Date: October 7, 2011
To: Kristin Borel, Public Works, City of Saratoga
From: Kevin Chen/Sohrab Rashid
Subject: Review of On-Street Parking on Ravenwood Drive, Saratoga, California
1025-446-1
The purpose of this memorandum is to address traffic and parking concerns on Ravenwood Drive
east of Marilyn Lane during peak periods of traffic generated by nearby Marshall Lane Elementary School. This memo describes the reasoning behind our recommendation for a
parking restriction on Ravenwood Drive, which would prohibit parking on the south side of Ravenwood Drive east of Marilyn Lane for 30 feet starting from the end of the sidewalk at the
southeast corner of the intersection.
Ravenwood Drive is an east-west, two-lane local roadway linking Quito Road to Marilyn Lane.
Marilyn Lane is a north-south, two-lane local roadway connecting Marshall Lane Elementary School to Ravenwood Drive. The main entrance to Marshall Lane Elementary School is
approximately 780 feet south of the Ravenwood Drive/Marilyn Lane intersection.
Currently, a raised asphalt sidewalk is provided on the east side of Marilyn Lane starting at
Marshall Lane Elementary School and terminates just around the southeast corner of the Ravenwood Drive/Marilyn Lane intersection. Based on field observations and City staff input, this
sidewalk is heavily used by parents and students traveling to and from the school during school peak hours.
Ravenwood Drive near Marilyn Drive is approximately 36 feet wide. Under existing conditions, no parking restrictions exist on Ravenwood Drive. Thus, during the peak drop-off and pick-up
periods at the school, vehicles park on both sides of Ravenwood Drive, leaving just enough lane width for two vehicles passing in opposite directions. The City of Saratoga has expressed
concerns regarding pedestrian safety near the southeast corner of the intersection due to the lack of a sidewalk on the south side of Ravenwood Street and encroachment by parked vehicles.
As shown on Figure 1 on the following page, parked vehicles in the eastbound direction were frequently observed encroaching into the sidewalk area during school peak hours, causing
pedestrians to immediately shift to the eastbound vehicular travel lane after the sidewalk terminus. The observed pedestrian safety concern when this occurs is twofold:
1. The limited sight distance provides inadequate time for drivers in vehicles making a northbound right turn to react and stop once they recognize that pedestrians are in the
roadway. Drivers are typically focused on looking for vehicles in the street and not pedestrians.
2. For pedestrians crossing the street at this location, vehicles parked at the corner reduced visibility for both drivers and pedestrians.
To allow for adequate visibility and improved pedestrian safety at this location, Fehr & Peers recommends prohibiting parking on the south side of Ravenwood Drive (east of Marilyn Lane) for
30 feet starting from the corner sidewalk terminus (i.e., the curb return). This recommendation would eliminate one potential vehicle parking space but it is not expected to result in a parking
deficiency in this area.
Kristin Borel October 7, 2011 Page 2 of 2
Figure 1: Parked Vehicles on Ravenwood Drive (East of Marilyn Lane looking eastbound)