DATE: August 6, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Amendment of the Fresno County Ordinance Code to Modify the Chapter on Speed Limits
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Conduct second hearing on an Ordinance to amend Chapter 11.24 - Speed Limits of the Fresno County Ordinance Code, Sections 11.24.010 through 11.24.100, to reflect various changes to the Ordinance Code as a result of recent traffic studies; and waive the reading of the Ordinance in its entirety.
REPORT
The recommended action pertains to 21 road locations, or portions of the road defined by the boundaries, otherwise known as speed zones, within the boundary of Fresno County. Five new speed zones were studied for an established speed limit and are proposed for adoption into the Ordinance. One speed zone was studied to have a speed limit that will increase. Two speed zones are currently located outside of the County’s jurisdiction, and will be removed from the Ordinance due to annexation to a city. The remaining 13 speed zones consist of technical changes. The Vicinity Maps display eight locations that are either new zones, zone with a speed change, or a zone annexed to a city. The speed limits are intended to improve traffic safety and service for consistency with existing conditions. This item pertains to locations in Districts 2, 3, 4, and 5.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended action is not approved by your Board, the Speed Limits chapter of the Fresno County Ordinance Code will remain unchanged.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The estimated cost to install or replace speed limit signs is $1,020 for materials and $590 for labor and equipment for a total estimated cost of $1,610. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department of Public Works and Planning - Roads Org 4510 FY 2018-19 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
On June 18, 2019, your Board conducted the first hearing to amend Sections 11.24.010 through 11.24.100 of Chapter 11.24 - Speed Limits of the Fresno County Ordinance Code, related to 21 road locations.
The purpose of a speed limit is to regulate traffic so that reasonable driving speeds are maintained. National and State guidelines recommend speed limits be set so that the fifteenth percentile of the fastest motorists are subject to a citation with the burden to prove their driving was safe at the time of the citation. Arbitrarily low and restrictive limits set by local authorities on classified County roads are defined in the California Vehicle Code (CVC), Section 40802 as speed traps, and are not enforceable by radar.
Sections 22357 and 22358 of the CVC allow a local authority to determine, upon the basis of an engineering and traffic survey, a prima facie speed limit upon any street, other than a State highway, to facilitate the orderly movement of traffic that is reasonable and safe.
Engineering and Traffic Surveys (E&TS) are required as the basis for local authorities to establish speed limits higher or lower than those prescribed in the CVC. These include radar measurement of operating speeds, analysis of accident records, and field reviews to inventory road conditions and roadside conditions not readily apparent to drivers. The appropriate speed limit is recommended based upon analysis of the acquired data and actual road and traffic conditions. According to the CVC, only those prima facie speed limits based on E&TS are enforceable by radar.
The public, other agencies and County staff initiate requests for changes to existing speed limits, which require an amendment to the Fresno County Ordinance Code, Sections 11.24.010 through 11.24.100 of Chapter 11.24 - Speed Limits.
Department staff proposes changes to the Speed Limits chapter of the Ordinance Code relating to 21 road locations (or portions of the road defined by the boundaries, otherwise known as “speed zones”). The changes are summarized into the following four categories: (1) new, (2) speed change, (3) annexed to a city, and (4) technical change.
(1) New: These zones are proposed for establishment into the Ordinance with a recently established speed limit, supported by E&TS:
1. Central Avenue from Cherry Avenue to Mary Avenue will be 45 miles per hour (MPH).
2. Del Mar Avenue from San Jose Avenue to Barstow Avenue except that portion within the boundaries of the City of Fresno will be 25 MPH.
3. Golden State Boulevard from Maple Avenue to North Avenue will be 55 MPH.
4. Live Oak Drive from Lupine Drive to Chaparral Drive will be 30 MPH.
5. Lupine Drive from Elwood Road to Live Oak Drive will be 30 MPH.
(2) Speed change, supported by E&TS:
The speed limit of this zone will increase:
1. Golden State Boulevard from Maple Avenue to a point 650 feet south of Central Avenue will increase from 55 to 60 MPH.
(3) Annexed to a city: These zones are currently located outside of the County’s jurisdiction, and are to be removed from the Ordinance:
1. Alluvial Avenue from 1,320 feet west of Chestnut Avenue to Willow Avenue.
2. Manning Avenue from Buttonwillow Avenue to the east Reedley City Limit except that portion within the jurisdiction of the City of Reedley.
(4) Technical change:
The remaining 13 speed zones consist of technical issues that the Department wishes to address making the Ordinance Code more accurate and well-organized. Technical changes are defined by any of the following: zone’s E&TS was renewed and there was no speed change; description of the zone was changed to reflect a new boundary due to partial annexation to a city; or, description of the zone was grammatically corrected.
A notice that the Fresno County Speed Limits Ordinance is proposed for change was published in the Fresno Business Journal before today’s hearing. With your Board’s approval, the ordinance amendment will take effect 30 days after it is adopted and signs, where required, will be installed or replaced shortly thereafter.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) provides traffic enforcement on Fresno County roads. The CHP was notified on May 6, 2019 for review of the proposed ordinance amendment. Cities in Fresno County have jurisdiction of the roads within their boundary. A road location that has joint jurisdiction between the County and a City is a boundary line street, and is known as a shared-jurisdiction location. The City of Fresno was notified on May 6, 2019 for review of the traffic studies involving speed zones in shared-jurisdiction locations with the City of Fresno.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #11, June 18, 2019
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Vicinity Maps
Speed Zone Ordinance
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa