CCMIN040197 - Laserfiche WebLink

Diane Heckman, 340 East Angela, said East Angela was wide at the beginning and then narrows down to a very narrow street. Her concern was safety for the children. She had suggestions on how to slow traffic down. One was to put a stop sign at Third Street, or cut East Angela in half, thus not allowing cut through traffic, or create a traffic circle. She would like East Angela to be considered for the pilot program. Carole Varela, 3858 Mohr Avenue, wanted to comment on the traffic calming devices versus stop signs. The program does not control volume, only speed. The slides showed stop signs combined with traffic circles or narrowing of streets. She was very concerned about no stop signs on streets that have circles or narrowing. She was concerned about the slide showing a crosswalk across a narrow street to a city park. Pedestrians would not cross at the crosswalk, but rather dart out between cars. Some of the neighbors checked areas where traffic circles had been removed. Complaints were coming from pedestrians not wanting to be diverted around the circle. She said the City of San Leandro was removing traffic circles due to liability issues and the City of Berkeley also had problems with traffic circles. She wanted to comment about Mohr Avenue and Nursery and the three-way stop. The man who complained about the stop sign was running a taxi cab business out of his home and had at least ten cars parked at the home. The neighbors did not want a traffic circle. Peter Cohen, 1602 Martin Avenue, said he attended the meeting on traffic calming. He felt other cities had not put as much thought into the process as the City of Pleasanton. He felt Ms. Noyes had considerable experience and he would like to see the program implemented. He would like to see a committee established to look at what works and what does not work. He said there should be neighborhood committees established to help work out the details. In regards to cost sharing, there should be input from all the residents. He said he objected to photo radar and would like it off the table. Ms. Michelotti said she would like to move forward with the pilot program. She said she was impressed with the presentation. She was interested in getting the program going to see the effect it would have. The staff recommendation is appropriate. Mayor Tarver said all programs have the good, the bad and the ugly. The outline proposed was a good place to start. He would not be adverse to a committee looking at a neighborhood, where there was cut through traffic and a significant number of complaints. He would like to see the pilot program started. East Angela would be a good place to start. Ms. Dennis asked how areas would be selected for the pilot program? Mr. van Gelder said Council could make suggestions. Staff went through the Traffic Committee's minutes to get names of neighborhoods that had raised traffic issues. Another option would be to contact the Homeowners Associations in the City and have them select someone from each Association to work with staff. City Council 04/01/97 Minutes 12