CC RES 1983-063RESOLUTION NO. 83- 63
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
RANCHO PALOS VERDES REQUESTING THAT THE LEAGUE
OF CALIFORNIA CITIES SUPPORT AN AMENDMENT TO THE
VEHICLE CODE RECOGNIZING DECREASE OF LOCAL SPEED
LIMITS DUE TO SUSTAINED DESCENDING GRADES
WHEREAS, there exists numerous locations in local jurisdictions where
sustained descending grades make safe stopping difficult; and
WHEREAS, the State of California Highway Design Manual declares a six
(6) percent grade to be the maximum grade for highways; and
WHEREAS, the State of California Highway Design Manual declares that
stopping sight distances be increased by 18 percent on sustained down grades
steeper than 3 percent and.longer than one mile; and
WHEREAS, the State of California Vehicle Code recognizes that a local
jurisdiction may decrease local speed limits based on an engineering and traffic
survey; and
WHEREAS, the State of California Traffic Manual states that speed limits
should be established preferably at or near the 85 percentile speed; and
WHEREAS, the application of this limit may result in speed limits set in
opposition to the basic speed law which states that no person shall drive at a
speed greater than is reasonable and prudent; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes was saddened
at the senseies-s death of a-twe-1-ve -year old pedestrian crossing a highway with a 10%
grade; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes desires to
improve traffic and pedestrian safety throughout all local jurisdictions in the
State of California; and
WHEREAS, the momentum of vehicles on a descending grade is such as to
require stopping distances in excess of that required on level or ascending grades,
and to require a concomitant 18 percent reduction in the recommended speed limit,
namely, a 5 mile per reduction for recommended speed limits in the range of 25 to
45 miles per hour and a 10 mile reduction in the range of 50 to 55 miles per hour
inclusive.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes
DOES RESOLVE, DETERMINE AND ORDER as follows:
To propose to the League of California Cities an amendment to Section
22358.5 of the Vehicle Code, to read:
"It is the intent of the Legislature that physical conditions such as
width, curvature, grade and surface conditions, or any other condition readily
apparent to a driver, in the absence of other factors, would not require special
downward speed zoning, as the basic rule of Section 22350 is sufficient regulation
as to such conditions, except where application of the posted speed limit and the
basic speed rule has proven ineffective in reducing accidents below the average
rate developed by the local jurisdiction for similar highways."
And to propose to the League of California Cities amendments to the State
of California Traffic Manual, section 8 -03.3B to read as follows:
"Due to the increased stopping distance required on a descending grade,
should accident rates exceed the avera e rate develo ed -b , the ' local jurisdiction
_
for similar highways, speed limits shall be lowered below the recommended 85 per-
centile according to the following formula:
"A 5 -mile per hour reduction for recommended speed limits of 30, 35, 40
or 45 miles per hour and a 10 -mile per hour reduction for recommended speed limits
of 50 or 55 miles per hour." (Additions underlined)
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 26th day of September, 1983,
MAYOR
ATTEST:
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� CITY RK
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
I, MARY JO LOFTHUS, City Clerk of the City Council of the City of Rancho
Palos Verdes, hereby certify that the above Resolution No. 83-63 was duly and
regularly passed and adopted by the said City Council at a regular meeting thereof
held on the 26th day of September, 1983.
G1/ v
City Clerk /City of ancho yAlos erdes
Resolution No. 83- 63 -2- 9/26/83