HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.7 No Right Turn on Red Status Report CITY OF DUBLIN
AGENDA STATEMENT
[2-
MEETING DATE: December k , 1983
SUBJECT: No Right Turn on Red - Status Report
EXHIBITS ATTACHED: Memorandum from Traffic Engineer
Dated December 6, 1983
RECOMMENDATION: 1-) Consider traffic engineer's recommendation
to remove the signs or take no action.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: Cost of sign removal by Alameda County Forces
Estimated at $100
DESCRIPTION: The attached memorandum from the traffic engineer
describes the history of the installation of NO
RIGHT TURN ON RED signs at Amador Valley Boulevard
and Donahue Drive. Neither the traffic engineer
nor the remainder of the City staff have strong
opinions on this matter and it is being reviewed at
this time as a result of the original Council
directive. Although the signs do not appear to be
causing any problems at the present time, they also
are not resolving any problems.
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COPIES TO:
ITEM NO. 7- 7
DATE: December 6, 1983
TO: City Engineer
FROM: Chris Kinzel
SUBJECT: Six Months' Evaluation "NO RIGHT TURN ON RED"
at Amador Valey Boulevard at Donahue Drive -
Approximately six months ago, the City Council authorized the placement
of NO RIGHT TURN ON RED signs at the signalized intersection section of
Amador Valley Boulevard and Donahue Drive affecting both eastbound and
westbound traffic on Amador Valley Boulevard . The purpose of the
placement was to respond to a citizen concern regarding the timing of
WALK-DON'T WALK pedestrain signals for those pedestrians crossng Amador
Valley Boulvard at the intersection . The specific concern was that
there was inadequate time for pedestrians to cross the street. That
issue was investigated and resolved and the remaining issue dealt with
reducing the potential conflict between pedestrians at the intersection
and right turning vehicles .
It should be noted that as right turns on red are restricted in order to
alleviate conflicts between Amador Valley Boulvard motorists and
pedestrians crossing Amador Valley Boulevard , such a restriction
increases the potential conflicts between the same right turning
motorists on Amador Valley Boulevard and those pedestrians usng the
Donahue Drive or Gemco entrance crosswalks . That is because Amador
Valley Boulvard right turning motorists can only make their right turns
on the green which is the same time that pedestrains cross Donahue Drive
or the Gemco entrance street . Therefore , our field investigation
included a evaluation of the real hazard resulting from this potential
conflict.
In order to evaluate this issue, right turning vehicle and pedestrian
movement counts were made at the intersection on October 27, 1983, from
10:30 a.m. to 11 :30 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
These counts show that in the morning sample the peak 15 minute period
for right turns versus pedestrian flow occurred from 10:45 a.m. to 11:00
a .m. During this time , six vehicles turned right onto Donahue Drive,
while six pedestrians used either of the two crosswalks driven over by
right turning vehicles . At the same time, there were 39 vehicles
turning right from eastbound Amador Valley Boulevard into the Gemco
area, as 7 pedestrians used one of the two crosswalks driven over by
these right turning vehicles . In the afternoon sample , 23 vehicles
turned into Donahue Drive during the peak 15 minutes while 12
pedestrians crossed the street , and 28 vehicls turned right into the
i
Engineer -2- December 6, 1983
Gemco area while 5 pedestrians used one of the two crosswalks . The
observations of our field personnel with regard to activities at the
intersection can be summarized as follows :
1. About 10 percent of right turning vehicles would come to a complete
stop on red and then after awaiting for various periods of time , would
make a right turn against the red light. This is an illegal movement
accordng to the current signing at the intersection.
2. Most of the vehicles wishing to turn right eastbound or westbound _
arrive at the intersection during the green cycle and experience no
difficulty or delay in making their right turn. The signal is timed to
accommodate relative traffic flows at the intersection which strongly
favor Amador Valley Boulevard. In addition, the signal is timed so that
in the absence of any Donahue Drive or Gemco traffic , the green signal
is displayed for Amador Valley Boulevard.
3 . During the 2- 1/2 hours studied , there never was a case of a
pedestrian conflicting with a vehicle making a right turn. This does
not imply that an occassional conflict would not occur; that could be
expected to be true of any intersection.
4. It was noted that the walk cycle for all directions is timed to be
relatively standard with other intersections and appears adequate for
all pedestrian observed.
The police department has issued an estimated 20 to 30 warnings to
motorist who have made illegal right turns on red at the intersection.
No citations have been issued, however. The overall conclusion is that
there is a relatively minimal potential conflict between pedestrians and
right turning vehicles such that the "NO RIGHT TURN ON RED" signs now in
use at this location are not needed and are partially ignored, On the
other hand , there is no observed problem relating to the signs and as a
result there would appear to be little if any harm Jn retaining the
signs.
It appears that either action the council might take at this time -
retention of the signs or removal of the signs - would not present an
on-going traffic problem. However , from the standpoint of removing
unnecessary or ineffective traffic signs , it appears that removal of
the sign would be in order.
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