SR-506-003-04-01 (9)
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. 506 -?to"3 -61 f/-tfJ / JAN 9 1S79
Santa Monica, Cal1fornla, December 20, 1978
TO: Mayor and City Councll
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Proposed Left Turn Channelization -
Santa Monica Blvd. from 20th St. to Cloverfleld Blvd.
Introduction
ThlS report concerns staff's recommendatlon to Council based upon requests
from Saint John's Hospital and the Santa Monlca Bank for lnstallation of
left turn storage lanes.
Background
Left turn channellzatlon presently on Santa Monica Blvd. at 20th St., 21st St.,
and Cloverfleld Blvd. was installed in 1969. The City Council, at lts meeting
on May 10, 1977, adopted a Resolution orderlng the vacation of 22nd St. from
Arizona Ave. to Santa Monica Blvd. As a condition of thlS vacation, a trafflc
slgnal was lnstalled at Saint Johnts expense at 23rd St. and Santa Monica Blvd.
ThlS trafflc slgnal became operatlonal in February of this year. In November
Saint Johnls new Ambulatory Care Center opened. Its patlent drop-off area
is located just west of 21st St. on Santa Monica Blvd.
There are two letters attached; one from Saint John's Hospital and the other
from the Santa Monica Bank branch at 23rd St. and Santa Monlca Blvd. Sister
Marie Madeleine, Executive Director of Saint John1s, has requested that the
Clty establish a left turn lane to permit left turns into their new Ambulatory
Care Center. Mr. Fred Gaunt, Vlce President and Manager of the Santa Monica
Bank branch, has requested the lnstallatlon of left turn storage lanes on
Santa Monica Blvd. at 23rd St. lIt
~JAN 9 1~79
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To: Mayor and Council -2- December 20, 1978
Staff believes both requests are warranted and should be implemented. A left
turn storage lane into the Ambulatory Care Center would allow ambulances and
automobiles to turn without obstructing eastbound traffic on Santa Monica Blvd.
Wh1le 1t 1S too soon after the opening of the Center to indicate what accident
potent1al the absence of any lane might pose, staff believes that as more
activity is generated by the Center as patients become more familiar wlth its
location, then a definite safety hazard would develop due to the absence of
a left turn storage lane.
Both east- and westbound left turn storage lanes on Santa Monlca Blvd. at
23rd St. will permit vehicles to safely execute left turns either north- or
southbound onto 23rd St. There have been eight traffic accidents at the
intersection of 23rd St. and Santa Monica Blvd. in 1978 versus two in 1977.
Five of these 1978 accidents involved left turning vehicles on Santa Mon1ca
Blvd. versus two ln 1977. The presence of left turn channelization on Santa
Mon1ca Blvd. at thlS lntersection will permlt the installation of separate
left turn phasing with green arrow indication so that those motorists wlshing
to make a left turn can do so with a greater degree of safety.
Presently the 24-hour traffic count on Santa Monica Blvd. in the subject
v1cinity is 26,000 vehicles. This traffic volume compares with 20,000 vehicles
per day just five years ago in 1973. A great portlon of the significant
increase in traffic volumes can be attributed to the enlargement of the
Saint Johnls Hospltal and Health Center. Their new Ambulatory Care Center
can certainly be expected to increase these existlng traffic volumes. Staff
believes that the community-wide interest would be best served by installing
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To: Mayor and Council -3- December 20, 1978
left turn channelization as shown on the attached drawing No. 3037. This
proposal would reduce congestlon along a major arterlal at a loss of only
ten metered parking spaces and two taxi zones. These twelve spaces are
inslgnificant when compared to the well over 2,450 on- and off-street
parking spaces adjacent to and serving thlS section of Santa Monica Blvd.
(See attached drawing No. L-52.) Not only wlll this proposed left turn
channelization expedite the flow of trafflc, but it should provide the motorlst
with the optimum safety permissible with the eXlstlng street system.
The benefits derlved for the communlty at large from such an installatlon would
be substantial Slnce it would result in considerably less energy use and lower
pollution levels. The channelizatlon, WhlCh wlll save the community's resi-
,
dents considerable time and frustration, will cost less than $1,000 since no
flght-of-way acquisition or construction is necessary to lmplement thlS much-
needed installation. No appropriation is necessary since funds are available
in Account No. 01-500-413-000-401.
Recommendatlon
It is recommended that staff be authorized to lnstall left turn channellzatlon
on Santa Monica Blvd. between 20th St. and Cloverfield Blvd. as shown on the
attached drawing No. 3037 and to remove two taxi zones and ten on-street park-
ing meters to facilitate the installatlon of this much-needed improvement.
BUSlnesses affected wlll be notified of this meeting.
Prepared by: S. E. Scholl
E. D. McAteer
J. J. Wrenn
Attachments: 4
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Saint John's Hospital and Health Center
October 18, 1978
}fr. James Hrenn
City Traffic Engineer
City Hall
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica. California 90401
Dear Mr. Hrenn:
Saint John's Hospital and Health Center would like
to request that the City establish a left turn
lane, g01ng east, on Santa Mon1ca Boulevard. This
would allow ambulances to turn into our Ambulance
entrance and automobiles to turn into the Ambulatory
Care Center patient drop-off area. It would require
the e11minatian of tvo metered parking spaces on the
south side of Santa Monica Boulevard between 20th
and 21st Streets.
I am sure that you would agree that the above would
improve the traffic flow and safety factor through
this area.
Please let me know if I can provide you with any
further information.
Sincerely,
.;J~ Q... ~ <::1..- h-1A .
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Sister ~furie Madeleine
Executive Director
/lld
cc: ~fuyor Donna Swink
David Dolter. Acting City lillnager
1328 Twenty-Secof"1d Street. Santa MCf'lca. California 90404' (213) 829-5511
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Sallta l\-Iollica Balllr
2Jrd and SaIl/a JIOli'CO BlJilhrnrd Off~ce
:: 2ftl Santa JIon;ca. BOIJlel'Cud
Santa JIoinca, Califvnua 90W.+
Novem!:ler 8,1978
Mr. James Wrenn
TraffIc Engmeer
Parkmg &: TraffIc Engmeering Dept.
Cny of Santa 1\.1onica
1685 Mam Street
Santa MOnIca, CalIforma
Dear Mr. Wrenn"
I would lIke to follow up my previous letter of October 18,1978, in
response to our recent telephone conversation and make a recommen-
dation from my observatIOns.
Apparently, due to the traffIC on Santa Momca Boulevard in the distance
between Cloverfleld and 23rd Street signals, It requires a delayed red
lIght change for the west bound traffic on Santa Momca Blvd. Although
this is a traffIC flow problem, It appears to snll create an mtersection
hazard for drivers. May I recommend conslderatlOn m an alternative
for thIS problem. It IS eVIdent that what IS really needed due to the
Increased traffIc actIvity in this IntersectIOn is a left hand storage Ian e
on Santa Monica Blvd. for drivers makmg a left hand turn onto 23rd St.
I would imagine thIs would facilItate the use of a green arrow for them,
elImmatmg the confusion for dnvers executing a left hand turn mto the
oncoming traffic.
I hope addItional consIderatIOn 'wIll be gIven to this problem as optimum
dnver safety should be the primary concern In the regulation of traffic.
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SIncerely,
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