sr-081109-7b~®
acme City Council Report
Santa Monica
City Council Meeting: August 11, 2009
Agenda Item: ~ `~'~
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Eileen Fogarty, Director, Planning and Community Development
Subject: Establishment of Speed Limits
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council introduce for first reading an ordinance of the
City Council of the City of Santa Monica establishing speed limits pursuant to an
Engineering and Traffic Survey and the California Vehicle Code and amending the
Santa Monica Municipal Code.
Executive Summary
By adopting this ordinance the City Council will be exercising an option granted to it by
the State of California Vehicle Code 22358 specifically to use the results of an
Engineering and Traffic Survey to justify the establishment of speed limits lower than 55
miles per hour on certain streets.
This ordinance recommends speed limits for 103 locations included in a survey
conducted for the City by Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. from June, 2006 through
July, 2006. If adopted, the Municipal Code will be modified to include a reduction of the
speed limit at 12 of the 103 survey locations and an increase of the speed limit at 2
locations included in the survey.
Background
The City of Santa Monica uses three tools to encourage motorists to travel at safe
speeds: education, engineering and enforcement. This ordinance strengthens the
enforcement effort.
The California Vehicle Code establishes permitted speeds on City streets but allows
local jurisdictions to reduce speeds and enforce reduced speeds based oh an
Engineering and Traffic Survey. The Municipal Code (S.M.M.C. 3.12.490) sets forth the
streets where speed limits have been modified. The previous Engineering and Traffic
1
Survey was completed in 2000. The Vehicle Code Section 22348 requires that a new
survey be conducted every five to ten years; as such, a new survey was completed by a
registered engineer from Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. in 2006 and certified in May
2009. It provides justification for Council to establish speed limits at, above, or below
limits currently established in the Municipal Code, as well as to establish speed limits on
all other streets where such a survey is required to support radar enforcement.
This proposed ordinance reflects speed recommendations made by the survey in 2006
and strengthens S.M.M.C. Section 3.12.490 by providing for: a) further reducing speeds
on some street segments where the City has already reduced speeds, b) the posting of
speed limits on street segments without existing posted speed limits, c) authorizing
speed reductioris on additional street. segments where the City has not previously
reduced speed limits and d) increases speed limits where justified.
Discussion
This proposed ordinance, modifies the Municipal Code to include a reduction of the
speed limit at 12 of the 103 survey locations and an increase of the speed. limit at 2
locations included in the survey. The Police Department and the Transportation
Management Division support establishing and posting notice of justifiable speed limits
in order to facilitate effective enforcement.
On Colorado Avenue, between Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard, the speed limit
currently established in the Municipal Code is 25 miles per hour. The speed limit that is
supported by the Engineering and Traffic Survey and would be established by this
ordinance is 30 miles per hour, consistent with the other street segments in the
downtown area.
On 2"d Street, between Wilshire Boulevard and Colorado Avenue, the speed limit
currently established in the Municipal Code is 25 miles per hour. The speed limit that is
supported by the Engineering and Traffic Survey and would be established by this
ordinance is 30 miles per hour along this segment of 2"d Street, consistent with the
2
other street segments in the dovvntown area.
The California Vehicle Code limits the extent to which speed limits can be increased
above the prevailing speed of traffic, and the proposed speed limits for Colorado
Avenue and 2hd Street includes the greatest increase allowed by the California Vehicle
Code.
The following speed limit reductions are s upported by the Engineering and Traffic
Survey and would be established by this ordinance:
1. Olympic Boulevard between 11th Street and 15th Street -from 45 MPH to 40
MPH
2. Ocean Park Boulevard between 23rd Street and Centinela Avenue -from 40
MPH to 35 MPH
3. Wilshire Boulevard between Lincoln Boulevard and 17th Street -from 35 MPH
to 30 MPH
4. Wilshire Boulevard between 17th Street and Centinela Avenue -from 35 MPH
to 30 MPH
5. 4th Street between San Vicente Boulevard and Montana Avenue -from 30
MPH to 25 MPH
6. 4th Street between Montana Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard -from 30 MPH to
25 MPH
7. 4th Street between Pico Boulevard and Ocean Park Boulevard -from 30 MPH
to 25 MPH
8. .4th Street between Ocean Park Boulevard and south City Limit -from 30 MPH
to 25 MPH
9. 5th Street between Montana Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard -from 30 MPH to
25 MPH
10. Main Street between Pico Boulevard and Ocean Park Boulevard -from 30
MPH to 25 MPH
11. Main Street between Ocean Park Boulevard and south- City Limit -from 30
3
MPH to 25 MPH
12. Ocean Avenue between Pico Boulevard and Hollister Avenue -from 30 MPH
to 25 MPH
Attachment B compares existing speed limit postings, speed limits established by
Municipal Code, and recommended speed limits (that would be incorporated into the
Municipal Code if this ordinance is adopted):
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
This ordinance is expected to have minimal impact on the City's enforcement costs or
revenues.
Prepared by: Andrew Maximous, P.E., T.E., Transportation Engineer
Approved:
Eilee Fogarty.
Director, Planning Co muhit
.Development Department
Forwarded to Council:
P. Lamont. Ewell ~J
City Manager
Attachments:
A. Ordinance
B. List of Changes from Existing Code Speed Limits
4
Attachment A -Ordinance
ORDINANCE NUMBER
(City Council Series)
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SANTA MONICA ESTABLISHING SPEED LIMITS PURSUANT TO
ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC SURVEY AND THE CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE
AND AMMENDING THE SANTA MONICA MUNICIPAL CODE
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES HEREBY
ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City of Santa Monica is authorized to use radar
enforcement of speed limits on local streets pursuant to prima facie speed limits
specified in the California Vehicle Code and on other streets if the .speed limits
established by the City are consistent with the results of an engineering and traffic
survey conducted according to standards set forth in California Vehicle Code.
SECTION 2. An engineering and traffic survey meeting the requirements
of Vehicle Code Section 627 was prepared and certified by a registered engineer in May
2009.
SECTION 3. The Santa Monica Municipal Code is amended by deleting Section
3.12.490 and replacing it with the following:
Section 3.12.490 Speed limits established on the basis of Traffic and
Engineering Survey pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 22358.
The following speed limits are established pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section
22358. The City Council finds, on the basis of an Engineering and Traffic Survey
meeting the requirements of California Vehicle Code, that a speed limit of 55 miles per
hour is not applicable on any of the following streets and is therefore establishing the
speed limits specified for each street listed below. The prima facie speed limit for each
listed street, or portion thereof, shall be as follows when signs are erected giving notice
thereof:
(1) 45 miles per hour:
(a) Olympic Boulevard from 20th Street to Centinela Avenue
(2) 40 miles per hour:
(a) Olympic Boulevard from 11th Street to 20th Street
(3) 35 miles per hour:
(a) 26th Street from north City Limit to Wilshire Boulevard
(b) Ocean Park Boulevard From Lincoln Boulevard to Centinela Avenue
(c) Olympic Boulevard From 4th Street to 11th Street
(d) Pico Boulevard from Appian Way to Centinela Avenue
(e) San Vicente Boulevard from Ocean Avenue to east City Limit
(4) 30 miles per hour:
(a) 2"d Street between Wilshire Boulevard and Colorado Street
(b) 4th Street from Wilshire Boulevard to Pico Boulevard
(c) 5th Street from Wilshire Boulevard to Olympic Boulevard
(d) 7th Street from north City Limit to Montana Avenue
(e) 11th Street from San Vicente Boulevard to Marine Street
(f) 14th Street from San Vicente Boulevard to Ashland Avenue
(g) 20th Street from Wilshire Boulevard to Pico Boulevard
(h) 26th Street from Wilshire Boulevard to Cloverfield Boulevard
(i) .Barnard Way from Neilson Way to Hollister Avenue
(j) Cloverfield Boulevard from Santa Monica Boulevard to Pico Boulevard
(k) Colorado Avenue from Ocean Avenue to Centinela Avenue
(I) Dewey Street from Robson Avenue to 23`d Street
(m) Exposition Boulevard from Stewart Street to Centinela Avenue
(n) Lincoln Boulevard from San Vicente Avenue to Santa Monica Freeway
(o) Main Street from Colorado Avenue to Pico Boulevard
(p) Montana Avenue from Ocean Avenue to east City Limit
(q) Neilson Way from Pico Boulevard to south City Limit
(r) Ocean Avenue from north City Limit to Pico Boulevard
(s) Ocean Park Boulevard from Barnard Way to Lincoln Boulevard
(t) Santa Monica Boulevard from Ocean Avenue to Centinela Avenue
(u) Stewart Street from Colorado Avenue to Pico Boulevard
(v) Wilshire Boulevard from Ocean Avenue to Centinela Avenue
(5) 25 miles per hour:
(a) 2"d Street from Montana Avenue to Wilshire Boulevard
(b) 4th Street from San Vicente Boulevard to Wilshire Boulevard
(c) 4ih Street from Pico Boulevard to south City Limit
(d) 5th Street from Montana Avenue to Wilshire Boulevard
(e) 6th Street from Montana Avenue to Colorado Avenue
(f) 7th Street from Montana Avenue to Olympic Boulevard
(g) 17th Street from San Vicente Boulevard to south City Limit
(h) 20th Street from San Vicente Boulevard to Wilshire Boulevard
(i) 23`d Street from Pico Boulevard to Ocean Park Boulevard
Q) 28th Street from Pico Boulevard to Ocean Park Boulevard
(k) Appian Way from Santa Monica Freeway to Bay Street
(I) Arizona Avenue from Ocean Avenue to Centinela Avenue
(m) Ashland Avenue from Lincoln Boulevard to 23'd Street
(n) Broadway from Ocean Avenue to Centinela Avenue
(o) California Avenue from Ocean Avenue to 4th Street
(p) Cloverfield Boulevard from Pico Boulevard to Ocean Park Boulevard
(q) Main Street from Pico Boulevard to south City Limit
(r) Marguerita Avenue from Ocean Avenue to 7th Street
(s) Marine Street from Barnard Way to -17th Street
(t) Pearl Street from Lincoln Boulevard to Centinela Avenue
(u) Robson Street from 17th Street to Dewey Street
(v) Stanford Street from Montana Avenue to Colorado Boulevard
(w) Washington Street from Ocean Avenue to Stanford Street
SECTION 4. Any provision. of the Santa Monica Municipal Code or appendices
thereto inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the extent of such
inconsistencies and no further, is hereby repealed or modified to that extent necessary
to effect the provisions of this Ordinance.
SECTION 5. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this
Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any
court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would
have passed this Ordinance and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause,
or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion
of the ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 6. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall attest to the passage
of this Ordinance. The City Clerk shall cause the same to be published once in the
official newspaper within 15 days after its adoption. This Ordinance shall become
effective 30 days from its adoption.
TO FORM:
City
Attachment B - List of Changes from Existing Code Speed Limits
~
Street Name
wr ,-
SeginepfEgd
,- _
5egmegt End
" ., Exrstmg (2006
Pasted Speed,
.;:. Crmd .; .. ; Current
Speed ih
Jrlantcrpat
Code, ~; :,
tYroposed,
~~SPeed ~.
45 MPH
Olympic 81vd 20th St. 26r" St 45 45 45
Olympic Bivd 26"' St Centinela Av 45 45 45
40 MPH
Olympic Blvd N~" St 20r" St 45 45 40
35 MPH
26th Street Montana Av Wilshire 81vd 35 35 35
26th Street N City Limit Montana Av 35 35 35
Ocean Park Blvd. Lincoln Blvd. 23rd St. 35 35 35
Ocean Park Blvd. 23rd Street Centinela Av 40 40 35
Olympic Blvd.(E/B) 4th St 11th St. 35 35 35
Pico Blvd. 20th St. Centinela Av 35 35 35
Pico Blvd. Appian Way Lincoln Blvd. 35 35 35
Pico Blvd. Lincoln Blvd. 20th St. 35 35 35
San Vicente Blvd. 17th St. East City Limit 35 35 35
San Vicente Blvd. 7th St. 17th St. 35 35 35
San Vicente Blvd. Ocean Ave 7th St. 35 35 35
30 MPH
4th Street Colorado Av Pico Blvd. 30 30 30
4th Street Wilshire Blvd. Colorado Av Not Posted 30 30
Sih Street Wilshire Blvd. Olympic Blvd. 30 30 30
7th Street N City Limit Montana Av 30 30 30
11th Street Ocean Park Blvd. Marine Si 30 30 30
11th Street Pico Blvd. Ocean Park Blvd. 30 30 30
11th Street San Vicente Bivd . Montana Av 30 30 30
11th Street Wilshire Blvd Pico Blvd. 30 30 30
11th Street Montana Av Wilshire Blvd Not Posted 30 30
14th Street Pico Blvd. Ashland Av 30 30 30
14th Street San Vicente Blvd Montana Av 30 30 30
14th Street Wilshire Blvd Pico Bivd. 30 30 30
14th Street Montana Av Wilshire Blvd 30 30 30
20th Street Wilshire Blvd Pico Blvd. 30 - 30 30
26th Street Cloverfield Blvd Olympic Blvd. 30 30 30
26th Street Wilshire Blvd Olympic Bivd. 30 30 30
Barnard Way Hollister Avenue Neilson Way 30 30 30
Cloverfield Olympic Blvd. Santa Monica Fwy 30 30 30
Cloverfield Santa Monica Fwy Pico Blvd 30 30 30
Clover0eld Santa Monica Blvd. Olympic Blvd. 30 30 30
Colomdo Avenue 20th St. Centinela Av 30 30 30
Colorado Avenue Lincoln Bivd. 20th St. - 30 30 30
Dewey Street Robson St 23rd St. 30 30 30
Exposition Bivd Stewart St Centinela Av 30 30 30
Lincoln Blvd. Montana Av Wilshire Blvd 30 30 30
Lincoln Blvd. San Vicente Blvd Montana Av 30 30 30
Lincoln Bivd. Wilshire Blvd Santa Monica Fwy 30 30 30
Mairi Street Colorado Av Pico Blvd. 30 30 30
Montana Avenue 17th St. East City Limit 30 30 30
Montana Avenue 7th St. 171h Si. 30 30 30
Montana Avenue Ocean Ave 7th St. 30 30 30
Neilson Way Ocean Park Blvd. S City Limit 30 30 30
Neilson Way Pico Bivd. Ocean Park 81vd. 30 30 30
F:ITransportatlonManagemenllSharelSpeed Survey O6lSpeed Survey 2006-Atlach~g8466fa&ges 712012009
Attachment B - List of Changes from Existing Code Speed Limits
' ~
Street Name
.~.. _.., ~
menhEnd.
Seg;
.~„-. _..
l
Se '
gmentEntl
.. ,. .~ ~. ExuN O6
~ ~ }
Post'ed8peed
'; Gmd
~ ~ Current
=Speed ra
iMummpal
? Cody
~ ,.':
Pfoposeil'
„Speed is
wa -
Ocean Avenue Calrfornia Avenue Colorado Avenue 30 30 30
Ocean Avenue Colorado Avenue Pico Blvd. 30 30 30
Ocean Avenue N City Limit Califomia Avenue 30 30 30
Ocean Park Blvd. Barnard Wa Lincoln Blvd. 30 30 30
Sonia Monica 17~" St. East City Limit 30 30 30
Santa Monica Lincoln Blvd. 17th St. 30 30 30
Santa Monica Ocean Ave Lincoln Blvd. Not Posted 30 30
Stewart Street Colorado Av Exposition Blvd. 30 30 30
Sievrart Street Exposition Blvd Pico Blvd 30 30 30
Wilshire Blvd. Ocean Ave Lincoln Blvd. 30 30 30
Wilshire Blvd. Lincoln Blvd. 17th St. 35 35 30
Wilshire Blvd. 17~h St. Centinela Av 35 35 30
25 MPH
2nd Street Montana Avenue Wilshire Blvd. 25 25 25
4th Street Ocean Park Blvd. S City Limit 30 30 25
4th Street Pico Blvd. Ocean Park Blvd. 30 30 25
4th Street San Vicente Blvd. Montana Av 30 30 25
4th Street Wilshire Blvd. Montana Av 30 30 25
Ss' Street Montana Av Wilshire Blvd. Not Posted 30 25
6th Street Montana Av Wilshire Blvd 25 25 ~ 25
6th Street Wilshire Blvd Colorado Av 25 25 25
6th Street Bay St Pier Av Not Posted 25 25
7th Street Montana Av Wilshire Blvd 25 25 25
7th Street Wilshire Blvd Olympic Blvd. Not Posted 25 25
17th Street Montana Av Wilshire Blvd Not Posted 25 25
17th Street Pead Si South City Limit 25 25 25
17th Street San Vicente Blvd Montana Av 25 25 25
17th Street Wilshire Blvd Pico Blvd. 25 25 25
20th Street Montana Av Wilshire Blvd 25 25 25
20th Street San Vicente Blvd Montana Av 25 25 25
23rd Street Pico Blvd. Ocean Park Blvd. 25 25 25
261h Streef Pico Blvd. Ocean Park Blvd. 25 25 25
Appian Way Pacific Coast Hwy Bay Street 25 25 25
Arizona Avenue Lincoln Blvd. 26th St. 25 25 25
Arizona Avenue 26"' St Centinela Av 25 25 25
Arizona Avenue Ocean Ave Lincoln Blvd. 25 25 25
Broadway 20'" St. Centinela Av 25 25 25
Broadway Lincoln Blvd. 20th St. 25 25 25
Broadway Ocean Ave Lincoln Blvd. 25 25 25
Califomia Avenue Pacific Coast Hwy Ocean Av ~ 25 25 25
Cloverfield Blvd Pico Blvd Ocean Park Blvd 25 25 25
Main Street Pico Blvd. Ocean Park Blvd. Not Posted 30 25
Main Street Ocean Park Blvd. S City Limit 30 30 25
Marguerite Avenue Ocean Ave 7th St. 25 25 25
Marine Street Lincoln Blvd. 17th St. 25 25 25
Marine Street Neilson Way Lincoln Blvd. 25 25 25
Ocean Avenue . Pico Blvd. Hollister Avenue 30 30 25
Pearl Street 20th St. Centinela Av 25 25 25
Pearl Street Lincoln Blvd. 20th St. 25 25 25
Robson Street 17th St. Dewey St. 25 25 25
Stanford Street Montana Av Wilshire Blvd 25 25 25
Stanford Street Wilshire Blvd Colorado Av 25 25 25
Washington Av 20th St. Stanford St 25 25 25
Washin ton Av Lincoln Blvd. 201h St. 25 25 25
Washington Av Ocean Ave Lincoln Blvd. 25 25 25
Legend
Increase in Speed Limit
Decrease in Speed Limit
F:ITrensportationManagementlSharelSpeed Survey O6lSpeed Survey 2006-Attach~isg82(Lfa&ges 712012009