A resident requested lowering the existing speed limits approaching Kensington Hilltop Elementary School. The Traffic Safety Investigator conducted an investigation which included a site visit, observation of vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian activity. This area features few formal sidewalks, and the roadways are narrow. It was determined an Engineering and Traffic Survey (E&TS) was required to support any reduction in the existing speed limit.
On January 1, 2008, California Assembly Bill (AB) 321 went into effect allowing local jurisdictions, through an ordinance or resolution, to extend the 25 miles per hour prima facie speed limit in school zones from 500 feet to 1,000 feet from the school grounds and to reduce the speed limit to 15 to 20 miles per hour up to 500 feet from the school grounds, under certain conditions.
California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 22358.4 states the Board of Supervisors through adopted resolution, may reduce the speed limit on roads within 500 feet of a school to 15 or 20 miles per hour based on an E&TS. CVC Section 627 provisions justifying the reduced speed limit must be documented in an engineering study with the following: crash records, highway conditions not readily apparent to the driver, residential density, and safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. When established, the 20 miles per hour school zone speed limit is in effect when children are present; which is generally during the periods when children are arriving at, or departing from school.
An E&TS was subsequently conducted according to established traffic engineering standards. The factual findings of the survey determined this section of roadway had multiple unusual conditions; there is a high number of pedestrians, students and bicyclist traveling within the roadway during school hours. There are no sidewalks at this location. The crosswalk is unmonitored and used by elementary school aged children. There is no parking on the northeast side of Highland Boulevard due to the roadway width. The critical speed (85th percentile) was found to be 16 miles per hour. Based on the results of the E&TS, Public Works recommends the establishment of a school zone speed limit of 20 miles per hour for a portion of Highland Boulevard near Kensington Hilltop Elementary School. This speed limit is also consistent with proposed 20 miles per hour school zone speed limits on two other roadways (Kenyon Ave. and Arlmont Drive) bordering Kensington Hilltop Elementary School boundaries. This action will allow Kensington Police Department to enforce the 20 mile per hour school zone speed limit on portions of Highland Avenue.
The existing 25 mile per hour speed limit will remain.
A 20 mile per hour school zone speed limit (when children are present) will alert motorists they are in a school zone.