CC SR 20161115 05 - PVIC South Entrance ModificationRANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 11/15/2016
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA DESCRIPTION:
Consideration and possible action to restrict left -turns from the southern entrance at
Lower Point Vicente Park and Palos Verdes Drive South.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Review and consider restricting left -turns from the southern entrance at the
intersection of Lower Point Vicente Park and Palos Verdes Drive South, limiting
the intersection to left -turn in and right -turn out only.
FISCAL IMPACT: The estimated cost to install striping and signage is under $5,000
and can be accomplished with the adopted street maintenance budget.
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Nicole Jules, PE, Deputy Director of Public Works
REVIEWED BY: Michael Throne, PE, Director of Public Works
APPROVED BY: Doug Willmore, City ManagerVlot/J
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
Palos Verdes Drive South (PVDS) at the south entrance to Lower Point Vicente Park
has experienced a large number of traffic collisions due to visibility constraints at the
southern entrance drive where it intersects with PVDS. Since 2007, there have been 19
reported collisions, of which 8 resulted in injuries and 1 in a fatality. In an effort to
improve safety, Staff is requesting the City Council's consideration to restrict certain turn
movements at this intersection, which is the primary directional movement that is
causing the collisions. The table on the following page summarizes the collision history
at this intersection.
In 2015, the City's consulting traffic engineer, Willdan, conducted a traffic study along
PVDS from Palos Verdes Drive West to the easterly City limits, wherein various
intersections along the Drive were evaluated for traffic improvements. The study was
initiated in response to the City Council's concern of increased traffic as a result of
private development along PVDS, and included the review of this intersection.
During the development of the traffic study, several public meetings and workshops
were held that allowed the public to attend and voice their concerns about traffic
conditions and the considered improvements. Although the study has yet to be
1
finalized, Staff recommends addressing the intersection of PVDS at the Lower Point
Vicente southern entrance at this time due to elevated safety concerns as a result of
recently reported collisions. The PVDS traffic study, in its entirety, will be presented to
the City Council at a later date upon its completion and review by Staff.
Summary of Traffic Collision Data
Palos Verdes Drive South
PVIC Dwy 1 1056' 1 E , HO 1 Unsafe Speed I Injury 1 4/11/07 1 Wed 1 19:03
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
BR
Left Turn
PDO
6/2/07
Sat
21:30
PVIC Dwy
26'
W
HO
DUI
PDO
11/10/07
Sat
2:25
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
HO
Unsafe Speed
Injury
5/28/08
Wed
13:20
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
BR
Left Turn
Injury
7/20/09
Mon
14:50
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
BR
Left Turn
PDO
10/12/09
Mon
12:35
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
SS
Unsafe Speed
Injury
2/24/10
Wed
15:00
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
BR
Left Turn
PDO
3/3/10
Wed
8:50
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
BR
Left Turn
PDO
5/3/10
Mon
17:25
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
BR
Left Turn
PDO
4/4/12
Wed
11:20
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
HO
Unsafe Speed
Fatal
5/18/12
Fri
12:05
PVIC Dwy
54'
E
SS
Unsafe Speed
Injury
8/17/12
Fri
9:47
PVIC Dwy
1'
S
RE
Unsafe Speed
PDO
1/13/13
Sun
14:30
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
BR
Left Turn
Injury
1/31/13
Thu
14:13
PVIC Dwy
2112'
S
HO
Unsafe Speed
PDO
4/15/13
Mon
18:20
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
BR
Left Turn
PDO
7/23/13
Tue
12:10
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
OT
Left Turn
Injury
5/2/15
Sat
18:35
PVIC Dwy
0'
-
BR
Left Turn
PDO
7/11/15
Sat
16:35
PVIC Dwy
180'
W
HO
DUI
Injury
6/26/16
Sun
06:20
1 = Approximate number of feet from the cross street.
2 = Direction collision was from the cross street, where N=North, S=South, E=East, W=West.
3 = RE = Rear End, SS=Sideswipe, BR = Broadside, HO = Hit Object, HDO Head On, OT = Overturned, O = Other
4 = PCF = Primary Collision Factor (main reason for collision)
5 = PDO = Property Damage Only (no injuries or fatalities)
Palos Verdes Drive South at Lower Point Vicente Park Southern Entrance
PVDS is a divided highway with the westbound roadway at a higher elevation than the
eastbound side. The intersection is located in the middle of a sweeping horizontal curve
that is the beginning of a steep vertical incline. Due to the acute angle at which the
southern driveway meets the eastbound lanes of PVDS, motorists wishing to make a
left turn at this location must make a sharp, u -turn -type motion across the break in the
raised median of the roadway. The most effective way to address the high number of
left -turning collisions is to prohibit left turns from the park's southern entrance onto
westbound PVDS, limiting the turn movements from this driveway to left -turn in and
right -turn out only. See the exhibit below for a depiction of these modified turning
movements. With these changes, motorists wishing to travel westbound on PVDS will
need to turn right onto eastbound PVDS and then make u -turn at the signalized
intersection at PVDS and Terranea Way/Crestmont Lane (roughly %-mile to the east).
2
Legend
= Median modification=conceptual Plan
R6 -i (Right) -A-=Sign Median Modification
- Fainted Right Turn Arrow Palos Verdes Drive South & Lower Point Vicente Park Entrance
R&UR5-1a Exhibit 8
WILLDAN
EnglneOng
Palos Verdes Dire South Traffic Study
�S—ary Report {#7014711
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Striping and signing this proposal is simple and low in cost. In the future, the City
Council may choose, as part of the larger planning of Lower Point Vicente Park, to
consider another entrance/exit from the park. In the meantime and out of an abundance
of caution, Staff is recommending that the City Council consider restricting the left -turn
movement from the southern entrance, thereby limiting the intersection to left -turn in
and right -turn out only.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available
for the City Council's consideration:
1. Identify other measures for Staff to research to present for City Council
consideration at a future meeting.
2. Direct Staff to take no action at this time.
3