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Home My WebLink AboutResolution MV-301 Implementing No Parking on Saratoga AveRESOLUTION NO. MV -301 RESOLUTION IMPLEMENTING A NO PARKING RESTRICTION ON SARATOGA AVENUE The City Council of the City of Saratoga hereby resolves as follows: I. Based upon an engineering and traffic study, the following parking restrictions shall be designated on Saratoga Avenue in the location specified below: NAME OF LOCATION RESTRICTION STREET Saratoga Avenue Starting at the southwest corner of the intersection of Saratoga Avenue and Biarritz Lane and traveling south for seventy five (75) feet. No Parking or Stopping Anytime II. All prior resolutions and other enactments imposing a parking restriction at the location specified above are hereby repealed to the extent of their inconsistency with the restriction specified above. III. This resolution shall become effective at such time as the signs and/or markings are installed. The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Saratoga at a regular meeting held on the 6th day of June, 2012, by the following vote: AYES: Council Member Manny Cappello, Emily Lo, Howard Miller, Vice Mayor Jill Hunter, Mayor Chuck Page NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ATTEST: Chuc Page, Mayor (wDA) DATE: % Z rytstaj Morrow, City Clerk Saratoga Avenue Parking Restriction •Imsb No Parking or Stopping Date: To: From: FEHRk PEERS MEMORANDUM May 24, 2012 John Cherbone, City of Saratoga, Public Works Director Franziska Church/Sohrab Rashid Subject: Saratoga Avenue/Biarritz Lane Intersection - Sight Distance Evaluation 1025-446-3 Fehr & Peers has completed an evaluation of sight distance at the Saratoga Avenue/Biarritz Lane intersection in Saratoga, California. A resident brought this item to the attention of the City of Saratoga Public Works staff in March 2012. The resident indicated that vehicles parked on the east side of the south leg of Saratoga Avenue restrict visibility for drivers of vehicles turning right out of Biarritz Lane (Biarritz Lane is restricted to right-in/right-out movements only). After review of this issue, Fehr & Peers determined that parking should be restricted on the east side of Saratoga Avenue for 75 feet south of Biarritz Lane to provide reasonable visibility. This memorandum summarizes the sight distance analysis at the Saratoga Avenue/Biarritz Lane intersection. BACKGROUND Saratoga Avenue is a north -south, four -lane major arterial that traverses through the center of the City of Saratoga and connects to the City of San Jose in the north and the Village area of Saratoga in the south. Near the Biarritz Lane intersection, Saratoga Avenue includes a raised median and the posted speed limit is 40 miles per hour (mph). Biarritz Lane is a local street that serves as an internal circulator for the Chardonnay residential development at the south-east corner of Saratoga Avenue/Bucknall Avenue intersection. The Saratoga Avenue/Biarritz Lane intersection is a "T" intersection, where Biarritz Lane provides the east leg of the "T" intersection and Saratoga Avenue the north and south legs. Access at the Saratoga Avenue/Biarritz Lane intersection is restricted to right-in/right-out only and is a side -street stop -controlled intersection (i.e. Biarritz Lane is stop -controlled). Biarritz Lane intersects Saratoga Avenue via a driveway design across the sidewalk as opposed to a public street intersection with raised curbs and wheelchair ramps, etc. On -street parking is generally permitted on Saratoga Avenue near Biarritz Lane, though there are some intermittent red curb parking restrictions to provide access to fire hydrants or to increase visibility at entrances to other residential developments. In March 2012, a resident communicated that the sight distance appears to be limited for drivers in vehicles turning right out from Biarritz Lane when vehicles are parked on the east side of the south leg of the Saratoga Avenue/Biarritz Lane intersection. Fehr & Peers conducted an evaluation to determine if the intersection meets industry design standards, with and without vehicles parked on the south side of Saratoga Avenue. 160 West Santa Clara Street, Suite 675, San Jose CA 95113 (408) 278-1700 Fax (408) 278-1717 www.fehrandpeers.com John Cherbone May 24, 2011 Page 2of3 SIGHT DISTANCE EVALUATION FEHO'PEERS Sight distance is evaluated to determine if a driver will have adequate visibility to enter a roadway without resulting in a conflict with traffic already on that roadway. In this case, adequate visibility should be provided so that a vehicle traveling westbound on Biarritz Lane and turning right onto Saratoga Avenue will not conflict with through traffic traveling northbound on Saratoga Avenue. Additionally, a vehicle traveling northbound on Saratoga Avenue should be able to see a vehicle exiting Biarritz Lane so that adequate time is available for the driver to react and either take evasive action or stop his or her vehicle, if needed. In accordance with Caltrans' Highway Design Manual (HDM, 2007) the minimum stopping sight distance required for vehicles turning left from Biarritz Lane to Saratoga Avenue is 360 feet based on a design speed of 45 mph. Design speed is typically five (5) mph hour higher than the posted limit, which is 40 mph on Saratoga Avenue. �- x x 13: Figure 1: Intersection Sight Distance During a field visit, the sight distance was measured at the westbound approach of Biarritz Lane approximately 13 feet behind the face of curb for the northbound direction, which is the approximate distance where the driver would be when parked at the edge of the sidewalk. This distance from the face of curb is approximately where a driver would be located when stopped and deciding when to turn (see Figure 1 to left). Without any vehicles parked on the street near Biarritz Lane, the available sight distance for drivers on Biarritz Lane with their vehicle stopped behind the sidewalk was measured to be approximately 170 feet when looking for vehicles traveling northbound on Saratoga Avenue (see Figure 2). The line of sight for drivers is impeded by the extensive landscaping located behind the sidewalk south of Biarritz Lane. This sight distance would be further reduced if one or more vehicles were parked near the intersection. In developed areas including Saratoga, minimum required sight distance is often not available for drivers when their vehicles are positioned behind a sidewalk or crosswalk. Assuming that a vehicle moves forward to increase the driver's sight distance and the driver's eyes are approximately six (6) feet behind the face of the curb, the measured sight distance is approximately 300 feet with a car parked down the street (see Figure 3). In either case, the existing sight distance on Saratoga Avenue without cars parked immediately adjacent to Biarritz Lane intersection is less than the minimum sight distance of 360 feet required by industry standards. CONCLUSIONS The existing sight -distance at Biarritz Lane looking to the south on Saratoga Avenue without vehicles parked immediately south of Biarritz Lane does not meet the minimum sight distance of John Cherbone May 24, 2011 Page 3 of 3 FEHR/S''PEERS 360 feet . Restricting parking for 75 feet (approximately three car lengths) south of Biarritz Lane would connect to an existing red curb in front of a residence; thus, the first available parking space south of Biarritz Lane would be where the car is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Thus restricting parking for 75 feet from Biarritz Lane will ensure that at least 300 feet of sight distance is provided. In addition, vehicles can move forward onto the shoulder of the road to further increase their sight distance to the recommended 360 feet. To balance the parking needs along Saratoga Avenue with the need to provide reasonable visibility, we recommend that a parking prohibition be implemented between Biarritz Lane and the existing red curb to the south (approximately 75 feet). Figure 2: Saratoga Avenue/Biarritz Lane Intersection Looking South (towards Cox Avenue) from Biarritz Lane with no parked vehicles on the street and 13 feet from face of curb Figure 3: Saratoga Avenue/Biarritz Lane Intersection Looking South (towards Cox Avenue) from Biarritz Lane with parked vehicles on the street and 6 feet from face of curb