8TH STREET PETITION

Recommendation:

It is recommended that the City Council receive and file this report.

Background:

Concerns have been expressed in a petition signed by fourteen residents regarding traffic safety along 8th Street, between PCH and Hermosa Avenue. Please see the attached petition.

The petitioners are alleging that 8th Street is not a safe environment and are requesting that the following be considered:

1. Build continuous sidewalks from PCH to Hermosa Avenue

2. Close 8th Street to through by closing Valley or Ardmore

3. Change 8th Street to a one-way street (50% reduction in traffic)

4. Install large speed reducing speed bumps

5. Increase traffic patrol and regularly issue citations for noise and speeding

Analysis:

Concerning the request for continuous sidewalks, because of the anticipated changes in staff it will take staff approximately eight weeks to study this issue and return with a recommendation.

The study of closing 8th Street west of PCH or at Valley Drive is a more complex issue than simply saying yes or no to the question. In February 1994, the "High Accident Identification Program and Neighborhood Intrusion Study" (the Foust study) investigated the ramifications of traffic impacts on 8th Street. Foust studied the area bounded by Herondo Street, PCH, Pier Avenue and Valley Drive. In addition, the impacts to 2nd Street, 8th Street, Monterey/Herondo and Valley/Ardmore were discussed. Public meetings and neighborhood meetings were conducted. Recommendations relative to sign prohibition et al were developed. Unfortunately the community could not agree on what methods should be implemented. A consensus was not reached and the project was filed.

The City Traffic Engineer proposes to resurrect some of the principles in the Foust study as well as studying the ramifications of closing 8th Street at the Greenbelt. In addition, he proposes that the study area be the same as in the Foust study.

Since much of the groundwork was done in the Foust Study and staff has been studying the Monterey/Herondo intrusion problem, the traffic does not anticipate a lengthy project study. It is anticipated that recommendations and alternatives will be available by mid December 1998.

Fiscal Impact: None.

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