Traffic Safety Committee Meeting

CITY OF LOS BANOS TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES January 9, 2018 ACTION MINUTES – These minutes are prepared to depict action taken for agenda items presented to the Traffic Safety Committee. CALL TO ORDER: Police Chief Brizzee called the Traffic Safety Committee Meeting to order at the hour of 1:01 p.m. ROLL CALL – MEMBERS OF THE TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE PRESENT: Mason Hurley, Assistant Fire Chief (Fire Department); Mark Fachin, Public Works Director/City Engineer (Public Works Department); Stacy Elms, Community & Economic Development Director (Community & Economic Development Department); Gary Brizzee, Police Chief (Police Department); Erik Limon (Planning Commission Representative). STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Assistant City Clerk/Human Resources Analyst Sousa. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Motion by Fachin, seconded by Elms to approve the agenda as submitted. The motion carried by the affirmative action of all committee members present. PUBLIC FORUM: MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE ON ANY ITEM OF PUBLIC INTEREST THAT IS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY; INCLUDES AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS. NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS. SPEAKERS ARE LIMITED TO A FIVE (5) MINUTE PRESENTATION. JULIE LOVATO, Los Banos, stated she was hit in her vehicle in the left eastbound turn lane on Pacheco Boulevard at Ward Road, it is a long turn lane, there was a major collision recently that was similar to hers, there have been four accidents there since August, traffic is traveling very fast and they aren’t expecting vehicles to stop in the middle of the turn lane. POLICE CHIEF BRIZZEE stated this is a CalTrans issue and he would work with Ms. Lovato on it. KATHY BALLARD, Los Banos, asked if the speed cushions are doing what they are designed to do. POLICE CHIEF BRIZZEE responded stating there hasn’t been a study on it but residents seem to be happy with them. No one else came forward to speak and the public forum was closed. CONSIDERATION OF THE ACCEPTANCE OF A VARIANCE OF THE SPEED CUSHION POLICY STANDARD IN RELATION TO INSTALLATION OF SPEED CUSHIONS ON QUAIL STREET. Public Works Director/City Engineer Fachin stated that speed cushions must be 300 feet from a traffic control device; however, this one would need to be installed 246 feet to the west stop sign and it is an engineering call. Committee Member Limon inquired as to how the speed cushions affect emergency vehicles. Public Works Director/City Engineer Fachin discussed some options that may be utilized in the future to assist emergency vehicles, such as pre-fab cushions. Motion by Elms, seconded by Limon, to allow the variance of the speed cushion policy standard in relation to installation of speed cushions on Quail Street. The motion carried by the affirmative action of all committee members present. COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS. Fire Chief Hurley stated he appreciates the comments and willingness to make changes to the speed cushions, thanked the committee for trying to come up with the best solution to the problem. Public Works Director/City Engineer Fachin stated he does not believe the committee should give variance to arterial streets so as to not affect the City’s federal funding. Committee Member Limon thanked the Public Works Department for the insight on speed cushions, stated he is now officially running the operations at Allied Waste. ADJOURNMENT. The meeting was adjourned at the hour of 1:22 p.m. APPROVED: / s / Gary Brizzee _______ ATTEST: Gary Brizzee, Chairman / s / Jana R. Sousa ______ Jana R. Sousa, Assistant City Clerk