Agenda

Return

C. 4

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Julia R. Bueren, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer
Date:	May 13, 2014

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

RESCIND Traffic Resolution No. 1988/3235, Walnut Creek area. (District IV)

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 05/13/2014

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Monish Sen, (925) 313-2187

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: May 13, 2014
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

RESCIND Traffic Resolution No. 1988/3235 regarding the temporary prohibition of left turns from westbound Treat Boulevard (Road No. 4861) to southbound Cherry Lane (Road No. 4057B), as recommended by the Public Works Director, Walnut Creek area.

FISCAL IMPACT:

No fiscal impact.

BACKGROUND:

In 1988, the Board of Supervisors adopted a traffic resolution temporarily prohibiting left turns from westbound Treat Boulevard onto southbound Cherry Lane. The resolution was enacted to mitigate for the new routing construction occurring at the I-680/24 Interchange. Although construction was completed many years ago, the temporary left-turn restriction was not removed and remains in place.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

Removing the temporary restriction to left-turn movements to southbound Cherry Lane is expected to improve traffic flow on Treat Boulevard. Under current conditions, vehicles traveling westbound on Treat Boulevard must continue to the next intersection at Jones Road in order to make a U-turn and return in an eastbound direction to turn right at Cherry Lane. At times, the left-turn lane on Treat Boulevard and Jones Road exceeds capacity as motorists seeking to make a left-turn onto southbound Jones Road join those seeking to make a U-turn to access southbound Cherry Lane. The resulting additional U-turn movements at Jones Road adversely impacts westbound traffic flow on Treat Boulevard because those vehicles queue back beyond the left-turn storage and into the westbound through lane, causing congestion and potential safety impacts.

A traffic study conducted by Traffic Consultants Fehr & Peers concluded that reopening the left-turn lane would improve traffic flow on Treat Boulevard. The study also recommended implementation of a limited green phase for left-turns during peak hours to deter motorists from using Cherry Lane as a way of bypassing traffic congestion on Treat Boulevard.

Community members were provided an opportunity to give their feedback on the proposed reopening of the left-turn lane at the October 2013, February 2014, and March 2014 meetings of the Contra Costa Centre Municipal Advisory Council. The matter was also addressed at the annual meeting of the Walden District Improvement Association which was held on March 10, 2014. On March 18, 2014, the Contra Costa Centre Municipal Advisory Council recommended approval of reopening the left-turn lane with a limitation on the green time during peak hours.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

The left-turn prohibition from westbound Treat Boulevard to southbound Cherry Lane will remain.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

Not applicable.

CLERK'S ADDENDUM

Speakers: Marylee Martinez, resident of Walnut Creek; Deanna Sereno; Kathleen McKeown; Michael Monaldo, John Muir Health.

ADOPTED the recommendation to Rescind Traffic Resolution No. 1988/3235, with an amendment to the Board Order to add the following language: "implementation of a limited green phase for left-turns during peak hours to deter motorists from using Cherry Lane as a way of bypassing traffic congestion on Treat Boulevard" .