ORANGE COUNTY TRAFFIC COMMITTEE. COMMITTEE REPORT OF: July 20, 2017 ITEM A. Comprehensive Traffic Study of Rossmoor

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1 ORANGE COUNTY TRAFFIC COMMITTEE SUPERVISORIAL DISTRICT: 2 SUBJECT: Traffic Study LOCATION: Rossmoor; T.B. 796-H4 INITIATED BY: INVESTIGATOR: REQUEST: Orange County Traffic Committee Deepthi Arabolu Comprehensive Traffic Study of Rossmoor DATA: LOCATION MAP Page 1 of 33

2 INTRODUCTION The contents of this report are from the Rossmoor Traffic Study of September 26, This comprehensive traffic study provided findings and alternatives for the Rossmoor community in order for them to reach a consensus among themselves through Rossmoor Community Services District (RCSD) and Rossmoor Homeowners Association (RHA) meetings and discussions. RCSD took the lead role in being the community s representative in order to reach a consensus from the community through many of its meetings. This traffic study was presented by Traffic Engineering staff at the RCSD s Board of Directors meeting held on January 10, On March 14, 2017, RCSD adopted a resolution to support Alternative 1 from the traffic study to maintain the current time period parking restrictions on Foster/Hedwig Road. However, on March 21, 2017, the RHA Board adopted a resolution to support Alternative 2 which is to remove the existing time period parking restrictions on Foster/Hedwig Road. These positions taken by the RCSD and RHA are in conflict with each other. Since neither RCSD nor RHA has authority over the other and the County holds the authority over this matter of parking restrictions, the County has decided to bring this item back to the Orange County Traffic Committee to help make a final recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. BACKGROUND At the May 21, 2015 Orange County Traffic Committee meeting, a request to remove time based parking restrictions on both sides of Foster Road/Hedwig Road between Druid Lane and Wallingsford Road was agendized and discussed by the Committee. This request to remove parking restrictions was initiated by the Rossmoor Homeowners Association due to inconvenience to residents fronting Foster Road/Hedwig Road. The Committee voted to maintain the current time based parking restrictions and to conduct a more comprehensive study in collaboration with the Rossmoor Homeowners Association, the Los Alamitos Unified School District and other stakeholders. This traffic study and the information below outlines research conducted and additional information collected by OC Public Works/Traffic Engineering staff as part of the OC Traffic Committee recommendation. EXISTING CONDITIONS The Rossmoor community is bound by the San Gabriel (I-605) Freeway to the west, by the San Diego (I-405) Freeway to the south, by Katella Avenue to the north, and Seal Beach/Los Alamitos Boulevard to the east. On the north, access to the community is limited to one location at Wallingsford Road off Katella Avenue, and on the east, access is available from Seal Beach/Los Alamitos Boulevard at six locations: Hedwig Road, Orangewood Avenue, Rossmoor Way, Bradbury Road, Rossmoor Center Way, and Saint Cloud Drive. Freeway access to the I- Page 2 of 33

3 605 and I-405 freeways is limited to the Katella Avenue interchange and the Seal Beach/Los Alamitos Boulevard interchange. Wallingsford Road between Katella Avenue and Hedwig Road is a fully improved, residential collector street with one travel lane in each direction separated by a centerline stripe. Wallingsford Road has a posted speed limit of 25 mph. The intersection of Wallingsford Road and Katella Avenue is controlled by a traffic signal operated and maintained by the City of Los Alamitos; the intersection of Wallingsford Road and Hedwig Road is controlled by an all-way stop. Three residential streets intersect the segment of Wallingsford Road between Katella Ave and Hedwig Road; all are controlled by stop signs. Currently, parking is prohibited on the west side of Wallingsford Road; on the east side, parking is also prohibited except for a segment fronting an apartment complex near the intersection of Hedwig Road which has restricted parking between the hours of 7am to 9 am excluding weekends and holidays. Within the community, Hedwig Road, Foster Road, and Yellowtail Drive form a loop road that runs through the entire Rossmoor community. These streets are fully improved, residential collector streets with one travel lane in each direction separated by a centerline stripe and a posted speed limit of 25 mph. Hedwig Road begins at Los Alamitos Boulevard and changes its name to Foster Road at Donnis Road. Westerly of Donnis Road, Foster Road continues as a residential collector street southerly through the community. At the south end of this segment, Foster Road again changes its name to Yellowtail Drive at Druid Lane, and ends at its intersection with Saint Cloud Drive. Foster Road is centrally located within the community and provides the primary access to the northerly half of Rossmoor. All streets intersecting Hedwig Road/Foster Road/Yellowtail Drive are residential streets controlled by stop signs. Of these intersections, Copa de Oro Drive, Main Way Drive, Bostonian Drive, Shakespeare Drive, and Wallingsford Road are all-way stop controlled intersections. On the west side of Foster Road between Bostonian Drive and Shakespeare Drive, there are two elementary schools, and. Another school, Hopkinson Elementary, is located west of Foster Road with access from Kensington Road and Gertrude Drive. Rossmoor Park occupies the south side of Foster Road/Hedwig Road between Kerth Drive and Pemberton Road. There are assigned school crossing guards located on Foster Road at the intersections of Gertrude Drive, Bostonian Drive, and Shakespeare Drive; in addition, there is an assigned school crossing guard located at the intersection of Gertrude Drive at Kensington Road. Between Druid Lane and Wallingsford Road, parking is prohibited between the hours of 7:30 am to 9:30 am on school days on the easterly side of Foster Road/Hedwig Road and between 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm on school days on the westerly side of Foster Road/Hedwig Road. Foster Road/Hedwig Road between Druid Lane and Wallingsford Road is currently signed as a Bike Route; the parking lanes are striped and marked for bike usage during the parking restrictions period. Page 3 of 33

4 Orangewood Avenue, Montecito Road, and Saint Cloud Drive form a loop road that intersects Seal Beach/Los Alamitos Boulevard at two locations. These streets are fully improved, residential collector streets with two travel lanes in each direction separated by a centerline stripe and have a posted speed limit of 35 mph. All streets intersecting Orangewood Avenue/Montecito Road/Saint Cloud Drive are controlled by stop signs. Of these intersections, Shakespeare Drive, Bostonian Drive, Bradbury Road, Main Way Drive/Rossmoor Center Way, and Copa de Oro Drive are all-way stop controlled intersections. The intersections of Los Alamitos Boulevard at Orangewood Avenue, Rossmoor Way, Bradbury Road, Rossmoor Center Way, and Saint Cloud Drive are controlled by traffic signals that are operated and maintained by the City of Los Alamitos and/or the City of Seal Beach. Rossmoor Elementary School is located on the east side of Montecito Road between Bostonian Drive and Shakespeare Drive; school access is available from the local streets of Bostonian Drive and Shakespeare Drive. There are assigned school crossing guards located on Montecito Road at the intersections of Bostonian Drive and at Shakespeare Drive. Parking is allowed on both sides of Orangewood Avenue/Montecito Road/Saint Cloud Drive. Rossmoor Way between Bostonian Drive/Shakespeare Drive and Los Alamitos Boulevard has a posted speed limit of 25 mph and is a fully improved, residential collector street with two travel lanes in each direction divided by a landscaped raised median. Weatherby Road is the only street that intersects Rossmoor Way within this segment and is stop controlled. Rossmoor Way at Los Alamitos Boulevard is controlled by a traffic signal that is operated and maintained by the City of Los Alamitos; Rossmoor Way intersects Shakespeare Drive/Bostonian Drive at a T intersection controlled by a stop sign. There is an assigned school crossing guard located on Rossmoor Way at the intersection of Shakespeare Drive/Bostonian Drive. Parking is allowed on both sides of Rossmoor Way. Bradbury Road between Montecito Road and Seal Beach/Los Alamitos Boulevard has a posted speed limit of 25 mph and is a fully improved, residential collector street with one travel lane in each direction separated by a Two-Way Left Turn Lane (TWLTL). The intersection of Bradbury Road and Seal Beach/Los Alamitos Boulevard is controlled by a traffic signal operated and maintained by the City of Los Alamitos; the intersection of Bradbury Road and Montecito Road is controlled by an all-way stop. Four residential streets intersect this segment of Bradbury Road and all are controlled by stop signs. Parking is allowed on both sides of Bradbury Road and the parking lanes are striped. Rossmoor Center Way between Montecito Road and Seal Beach Boulevard has a posted speed limit of 25 mph and is a fully improved street with one travel lane in each direction separated by a centerline stripe. Rossmoor Center Way primarily provides access to the Rossmoor Shopping Center. The intersection of Rossmoor Center Way and Seal Beach Boulevard is controlled by a traffic signal operated and maintained by the City of Seal Beach; Rossmoor Center Way intersects Montecito Road at a T intersection controlled by an all-way stop. Parking is prohibited on both sides of Rossmoor Center Way. Page 4 of 33

5 Ruth Elaine Drive, Martha Ann Drive, and Druid Lane form a loop road that runs through the entire Rossmoor community and intersects Wallingsford Road and Saint Cloud Drive. These streets are fully improved, residential collector streets with a posted speed limit of 25 mph, and one travel lane in each direction separated by a centerline stripe. Ruth Elaine begins at Wallingsford Road and changes its name to Martha Ann Drive east of Donnis Road. Martha Ann Drive continues as a residential collector street southerly through the west side of the community. At the south end of this segment, Martha Ann Drive changes its name to Druid Lane near Foster Road/Yellowtail Drive and ends at its intersection with Saint Cloud Drive. Ruth Elaine Drive at Wallingsford Road is controlled by a stop sign with traffic on Ruth Elaine stopping for Wallingsford Road traffic. Ruth Elaine Drive has only one minor intersecting street, Donnis Road, controlled by a stop sign. None of the streets that intersect Martha Ann Drive are controlled by stop signs except for Piedmont Avenue, Shakespeare Drive, Bostonian Drive, and Main Way Drive. Piedmont Avenue is stop controlled at Martha Ann Drive; Shakespeare Drive, Bostonian Drive and Main Way Drive are all all-way stop controlled at their intersection with Martha Ann Drive. The four-way intersection at Druid Lane and Foster Road/Yellowtail Drive is controlled by a two-way stop control with traffic on Druid Lane stopping for Foster Road/Yellowtail Drive traffic. All streets intersecting Druid Lane are uncontrolled. Druid Lane at Saint Cloud Drive is controlled by a stop sign with traffic on Druid Lane stopping for Saint Cloud Drive traffic. Parking is allowed on both sides of Ruth Elaine Drive/Martha Ann Drive/Druid Lane. DEMOGRAPHICS Rossmoor is a self-contained community with a population of 10,244 as of the 2010 United States Census; the approximate number of household units was 3,710 with an average family size of three persons per family. There were approximately 2,550 children living in Rossmoor. The projected total daily trips generated by the community are approximately 42,000 vehicles, consistent with the 38,000 total daily inbound and outbound trips measured most recently in 2015 at the seven entrances to the community. SCHOOL ENROLLMENT The Los Alamitos Unified School District (LAUSD) serves the Rossmoor community. Currently there are four elementary schools located within the boundaries of Rossmoor: Hopkinson, Lee, Rossmoor, and Weaver. With the exception of which is a year-round school, all the elementary schools in Rossmoor are on a nine month academic year calendar. Based on the LAUSD provided school enrollment data for the Rossmoor schools, the current year s school enrollment within Rossmoor has increased by approximately 16% since However, enrollment numbers have remained consistent over the past 3 years. Page 5 of 33

6 The school enrollment data is tabulated and graphed below: Rossmoor School Enrollment School School Year Hopkinson Lee Rossmoor Weaver Total 2,330 2,782 2,786 2,697 TRAFFIC DATA (VOLUMES / SPEEDS) Vehicular volume counts and speed profiles have been conducted over the last 15 years at several locations on the residential collector streets within the Rossmoor community. A summary of this data is tabulated and shown in Table 1 of the Appendix. The table includes available historical data from 2002 traffic counts, 2015 Traffic Flow Map counts, and a 2013 Engineering & Traffic Survey data. A review of vehicular volumes conducted before and after the summer of 2015 shows that overall, there has been no significant change in vehicular volumes with the exception of two streets, Saint Cloud Drive and Hedwig Road. Volumes increased on Saint Cloud Drive by 20%; while volumes on Hedwig Road decreased by 18%. These changes may be the result of changes in demographics and new school year traffic patterns. Page 6 of 33

7 The 2015 traffic volumes are graphed below: Current traffic volumes were also compared to available historical data from Overall the traffic volumes in Rossmoor have remained relatively constant over the 13-year period with the exception of Wallingsford Road which experienced a 39% decrease in vehicular volume. Taking in consideration the overall consistency of traffic volumes and the increase in school enrollment experienced since 2002, it can be inferred that more people are driving less to school and are walking, carpooling, or being bussed to school instead. Page 7 of 33

8 The comparison of traffic volumes between 2002 and 2015 is graphed below: Current prevailing speeds were compared to available historical data from Based on the data, the prevailing speeds have remained relatively constant over the years with the exception of Orangewood Avenue which experienced a 9 mph decrease in speed. The prevailing speeds on the Rossmoor residential collector streets are comparable to other collector streets within the County. The following graph illustrates the speed comparison between 2002 and 2015: Page 8 of 33

9 ACCIDENT DATA We reviewed collision data for the last three year period on eleven primary collector streets within Rossmoor: Traffic Collision Records: 12/31/2012 to 12/31/2015 Street Name No. of No. of Ped/Bike Accidents Accidents Bradbury Road 2 0 Foster Road 7 1 Hedwig Road 3 0 Martha Ann Drive 6 0 Montecito Road 5 1 Orangewood Avenue 0 0 Rossmoor Center Way 0 0 Rossmoor Way 1 0 Saint Cloud Drive 2 0 Yellowtail Drive 2 0 Wallingsford Road 6 1 Total 34 3 For a historical perspective, the above three year collision data was compared with the 2002 three year collision data (12/31/1999 to 12/31/2002). Page 9 of 33

10 The following graphs illustrate the resulting comparisons for the two periods: The total number of accidents has declined from 56 to 34 based on the collision data. The total number of pedestrian/bicycle related accidents has also decreased from 6 to 3. Therefore, the relative accident rate has declined within the community. It can be inferred that traffic safety has improved within Rossmoor despite the increased school enrollment. ROSSMOOR PARENT ROUTE TO SCHOOL SURVEY In collaboration with Traffic Engineering, LAUSD conducted a school survey of parents from all four schools within Rossmoor to determine their typical mode of transportation to school. A total of 203 parents responded to the LAUSD survey with information; 24 responded that they do not live within walking therefore no mode of transportation was provided in the response. A summary of the 179 responses to the school survey data is tabulated in the Appendix, Table 2. Page 10 of 33

11 The following graph illustrates the percentage of transportation modes to school: The survey results show that a majority of parents (56%, 101) drive their children to school in their personal vehicle, followed by 18% (32) who walk to school, and 10% (18) who bike to school. All other modes of transportation or combination of modes shown in the graph are considered negligible. Additionally, LAUSD also conducted a survey that focused on Rossmoor children attending Oak Middle School, located outside of the Rossmoor community, north of Katella Avenue. All of the Rossmoor parents with children exclusively biking or walking to Oak Middle School were requested to take this survey. Page 11 of 33

12 Following are the results of the 9 parents that responded to this survey: Rossmoor Residents attending Oak Middle School Student Id Walking or Biking Route 1 Donnie Ann/ Wallingsford 2 Weatherby/ Wallingsford 3 Bostonian/ Montecito/ Harrisburg/ Wallingsford 4 Donnie Ann/ Wallingsford 5 Bradbury/ Seal Beach/ Katella 6 Montecito/ Bradbury/ Weatherby/ Hedwig/ Wallingsford/ Katella 7 Foster/ Hedwig/ Wallingsford 8 Donovan/ Shakespeare/ Foster/ Hedwig/ Wallingsford 9 Foster/ Donnis/ Quail Run/ Wallingsford The survey indicated only 4 of the 9 children are walking or biking to school along Foster Road/ Hedwig Road to attend Oak Middle School. CONCLUSIONS In summary, on the basis of existing and historical volume, speed, and collision data, traffic in the Rossmoor community shows an overall decline in vehicular volumes, speed, and collisions. However, through analysis of prior studies, data collection, field observations and community input, OC Public Works/ Traffic Engineering staff has developed the following alternatives for traffic operational improvements and enhancements to potentially mitigate existing community concerns related to traffic congestion created by peak school student drop-off and pick-up periods, parking availability, and bicycle safety. Foster Road/ Hedwig Road: Foster/Hedwig Road is the only roadway in the Rossmoor community that currently has time based parking restrictions on the roadway. These restrictions work in coordination with the striped parking lanes to facilitate bicycle traffic. On school days, parking is prohibited between the hours of 7:30 am to 9:30 am on the easterly side of Foster Road/Hedwig Road and between 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm on school days on the westerly side of Foster Road/Hedwig Road. The parking restrictions were originally implemented to provide Rossmoor children attending Oak Middle School, located outside of the Rossmoor community, unimpeded bicycle lanes when traveling to and from school; however, our field reviews along Foster and Hedwig Road performed over a period of several days during the morning and afternoon school peak hours confirmed that the parking lanes are under-utilized as bicycle lanes. Only two children were observed biking along these lanes. Other children were also observed biking but utilizing the Page 12 of 33

13 sidewalks instead of the bicycle lanes and were fewer in numbers. This observation is consistent with the Los Alamitos Unified School District s survey results that indicated only four children bike and walk to Oak Middle School along Foster and Hedwig Roads. Observed speeds on Foster/ Hedwig Road are higher than the prima facie speed limit of 25 mph. However, the lack of speed related accidents and excellent safety record within the community demonstrates that motorists are interpreting the road conditions and safely travel at speeds higher than the posted speed limit. Alternatives: 1. DO NOTHING: Maintain the current time period parking restrictions between the hours of 7:30 am to 9:30 am on the easterly side of Foster Road/Hedwig Road and between 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm on school days on the westerly side of Foster Road/Hedwig Road. This alternative does not address the concerns expressed by the Rossmoor Home Owners Association. 2. SHARE THE ROAD & PARKING: This alternative would remove existing time based parking restrictions on either side of Foster / Hedwig Road and install Shared Lane Markings to assist bicyclists during all times with lateral positioning in lanes. This alternative was originally requested by the RHA with the addition of bicycle markings on the traveled way to raise bicycle traffic awareness. This alternative does not address bicycle safety concerns raised by the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). Alternative 2 3. MULTI-USE SIDEWALK: This alternative would widen the existing sidewalk on both the sides of Foster/ Hedwig Road to a multi-use 10 to 12 wide sidewalk that could accommodate both pedestrians and bicyclists. This alternative contains removal of the 8 existing parkway on both sides of Foster/ Hedwig Road. All existing trees, shrubs and greenery would have to Page 13 of 33

14 be eliminated to build a multi-use sidewalk that could accommodate both pedestrian and bike traffic. The figures below illustrate the existing condition and the proposed scenario: Existing Condition Proposed Condition (Remove Existing Parkway) Page 14 of 33

15 Martha Ann Drive: 24 hour speed data indicates prevailing speeds are higher than the posted speed limit on Martha Anna. However, there has been only one speed-related accident over the past 3 years on Martha Ann. Furthermore, based on the location of Martha Ann with respect to the Rossmoor Community layout, it is evident that the majority of traffic the roadway carries are residents living on Ruth Elaine, Martha Anna, Druid Lane and other Rossmoor streets; Therefore, people driving on this street are in fact mostly Rossmoor residents. Alternatives: INSTALLATION OF PAINTED PARKING LANES: This alternative would install parking lanes on both sides of Ruth Elaine, Martha Anna, and Druid Lane. The striped parked lanes are recommended as a traffic calming measure to help reduce driver speeds by creating side friction due to parked cars. This striping helps in giving a visual impression of a reduced width travel lane which has been shown to slow vehicles down while travelling along a roadway. This method has proven successful in other areas of the county. ESTABLISH BICYCLE LANES ON MARTHA ANN DRIVE: Unlike Foster/ Hedwig Road, Martha Ann does not serve as primary access within Rossmoor. Martha Ann marks the outside perimeter of the Rossmoor community on its west side and collects the majority of its traffic from residents living on Martha Ann or adjacent blocks and nearby streets. Based on the location of the schools with respect to Martha Ann, it is not a convenient route for children to bicycle to and from their respective schools. Relocation of bicycle lanes from Foster/ Hedwig Roadways to Martha Ann Drive is not a convenient alternative for bicycle users. Page 15 of 33

16 SUMMARY The results of this comprehensive traffic study confirm Traffic Engineering s previous findings that the parking lanes on Foster/Hedwig Road are under-utilized as bike lanes. Based on strong support from Foster/Hedwig residents and the low bicycle ridership, Traffic Engineering recommends Alternative 2 for Foster/Hedwig Road which is to remove the previously established time period parking restrictions on both sides of Foster Road/Hedwig Road between Druid Lane and Wallingsford Road. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND INPUT The Director of Educational Services from LAUSD addressed the Committee on behalf of the school district. He mentioned the school district serves three communities which are, City of Seal Beach, City of Los Alamitos and the Rossmoor community. He stated that the school district believes that the current parking restrictions should remain on Foster Road/Hedwig Road. He mentioned that a survey that was given by the school district s Director of Safety in March 2017 indicated a total of 695 responses from Rossmoor residents and 98% of them are in support of retaining the parking restrictions. He mentioned that the school district feels responsible maintaining a safe environment for students to go to school and the existing bike lanes provide this support. A resident of Rossmoor who is a member of the RHA addressed the Committee. He mentioned that RHA is not asking for removal of the existing bike route. He stated that, with the removal of the current time period parking restrictions nothing would change with respect to the existing Class III Bike Route. He emphasized that there are no bike lanes as currently defined by the law on Foster Road/Hedwig Road. He stated that he was previously informed by the former County Traffic Engineer that the use of the parking lanes to create a temporary bike lane was removed from the County s Traffic Manual several years ago because it is no longer considered an acceptable engineering practice. He said that Foster Road/Hedwig Road is the only road within the unincorporated County of Orange with time period parking restrictions to create temporary bike lanes. He mentioned that these restrictions were implemented back about the year 1980 without any community outreach. He said in addition to all the stated reasons for removing the parking restrictions, no one is using the parking lanes as bike lanes during the restricted parking hours and that these restrictions were placed only to serve the Oak Middle School children. He stated that the County s survey during the year 2015 indicated the bike lanes are underutilized with only three to four children observed to be biking on Foster Road/Hedwig Road. He stated that the new survey conducted by the County in the year 2016 with multiple days of observations, indicated only two students biking on the roadway while many more children were observed biking on the sidewalk instead; he noted that more children were biking on the sidewalk because parents and students feel the sidewalk is safer to commute to school than using the roadway. He said that other students biking to school use routes other than Foster Page 16 of 33

17 Road/Hedwig Road. He explained that a larger number of bikes at the school bike racks do not conclude children are using Foster Road/Hedwig Road to bike to school. He stated the only scientifically valid data that the County has is this survey which shows the facts and confirms what many residents have said for years that they do not see any one using the street to ride their bikes. He stated that RHA at the request of OCPW, conducted a petition to gauge the opinion of residents living on Foster Road/Hedwig Road about the parking restrictions; He stated that out of the 198 homes along this roadway, 124 residents signed the petition in support of removing the parking restrictions, 10 households declined signing the petition, 60 households did not respond to the petition. More than 90% of the respondents support removal of the parking restrictions. He stated that since the temporary bike lanes are not being used, the opinions that should matter are the opinions of the residents that live on this street whose parking was taken away. He said that there are bike routes that run through the neighboring two communities of Los Alamitos and Seal Beach that do not have any parking restrictions and the school district and the PTA have not sought to impose any restrictions on these routes. He said that the County offered Rossmoor three options to retain the parking restrictions, remove the parking restrictions, or build a fully engineered bike lane by taking out the parkway. He said based on the consensus he received from the community of Rossmoor, none were interested in opting for building a fully engineered bike lane along Foster Road/Hedwig Road. He stated that the current restrictions create major issues to some residents that own multiple vehicles that have to park on the street where they may get ticketed if they forget to move their vehicles. Additionally he mentioned about a boarding care facility for disabled and ill residents that is located on Foster Road/Hedwig Road. The caregivers have to leave the disabled residents twice a day to comply with the parking restrictions and the families visiting the facility find the parking restrictions confusing. He said other s were sent from around Rossmoor supporting RHA s position to remove the parking restrictions. He addressed the concern from some residents that say he has a conflict of interest because he lives on Hedwig Road. He noted being one resident of 600 Rossmoor residents is not considered a conflict of interest just because he wants the parking restrictions to be removed. He also mentioned that he is currently a single car household and will not benefit from the parking restrictions being removed. However he mentioned that being a long time resident of Foster Road/Hedwig Road having lived there with growing children, he knows the inconveniences residents with multiple vehicles experience as a result of the time period parking restrictions on Foster Road/Hedwig Road. He mentioned that legislatures several years ago made bicycling legal on sidewalks if allowed by local jurisdictions and County of Orange allows it; this is to the advantage of school children who do not know the rules of the road that would otherwise be at a risk riding their bicycles on a very busy road like Foster Road/Hedwig Rd. He even noted many adults who ride bikes recreationally ride on the sidewalk. He mentioned that most parents in the community feel safer with their children riding on the sidewalk rather than on the roadways. Furthermore he mentioned about the existing bike route passing the intersection of Hedwig Road at Wallingsford Road which is very busy intersection and claimed about a past collisions involving vehicles, pedestrian and bicyclists. He mentioned that the RHA Board at the request of County staff held a community outreach in October of The attendees were Page 17 of 33

18 evenly divided between residents that favored removing the parking restrictions versus those that were not in favor. He stated that there was no overwhelming opposition to the removal of the parking restrictions and more importantly the consensus gathered was that the residents wanted bike routes to serve elementary school children attending Rossmoor schools. He stated that the existing bike lanes on Foster Road/Hedwig Road are contrarily designed to serve only the children attending Oak Middle School. He said that, he has been the RHA Traffic Committee Chairman for the past ten years and that the RHA, a volunteer organization, represents one third of the households in the Rossmoor community and provides many benefits/services to the community which is outside the legal jurisdiction of the RCSD. He also stated that he along with the rest of the RHA Board members are elected similar to the RCSD. He said that he has made an effort during his tenure in his current position, to improve traffic enforcement, reduce speeding, and improve pedestrian crossing and address parking issues. He concluded stating that the current time period parking restrictions on Foster Road/Hedwig Road are based on outdated and unacceptable engineering practice with Foster Road/Hedwig Road being the only street in all of unincorporated Orange County with this kind of design and he requested the restrictions to be removed. A resident of Rossmoor addressed the Committee. He mentioned that he was a resident living on Foster Road between the years of 1972 to He mentioned that the time period parking restrictions that were installed in the year 1980 came as a complete surprise. He stated that as a resident on Foster Road, he was very inconvenienced by the parking restrictions since at the time they were a multiple car family. He supports the removal of the time period parking restrictions along Foster Road/Hedwig Road. A resident of Rossmoor who is a sophomore at Los Alamitos High School addressed the Committee. He explained that, when he rides in the parking lane and sees a parked car obstructing his path, he has two choices to either exit the parking lane to share the travel lane or shift to ride on the sidewalk. He noted that most often the sidewalk is too crowded so he often chooses to ride in the travel lane making it more dangerous to get to school due to the amount of traffic. He strongly believes keeping the parking restrictions on Foster Road/Hedwig Road. A resident of Rossmoor addressed the Committee. She stated she has been a resident of Rossmoor for twenty three years. She thanked staff for performing the second traffic study that once again proved that the bike lanes are under-utilized which confirmed what Foster Road/Hedwig Road residents like herself have always known; it does not warrant the inconveniences it creates for so many residents especially when bicyclists have the option to ride in the sidewalk. She mentioned that fifteen years ago when her children were riding to schools, she advised them to use the sidewalk instead of the parking lanes, and this was when the traffic was better than what it is today. She stated she is not advocating for removal of the striped lanes but just the removal of the time period parking restrictions. She mentioned that parents with school aged children will eventually see their children grow up and will own Page 18 of 33

19 vehicles but not have a place to park. With the current parking restriction in place, she mentioned it is highly inconvenient to park on the roadway and may get parking tickets. She mentioned that the parking restrictions are unwarranted since there is very low bike usage on roadway as per staff s report so these restrictions should be removed. The General Manager for RCSD addressed the Committee. He mentioned that RCSD has an elected Board and has directed him to address the Committee on this issue. He mentioned that the bike/parking issue on Foster Road/Hedwig Road has been debated on many levels with varying points of view with each side expressing their support or opposition to the removal of the time period parking restrictions. He stated that County staff and the Committee has thoroughly vetted the matter and thus provided a recommendation on the matter. He acknowledged there was no unanimous agreement between all interested parties. He reiterated RCSD S position on this matter which was provided to the County in the form of a resolution which recommends the time period parking restrictions to remain in place for bicyclist safety reasons. He also noted that it was never anyone s intent to remove the striped lanes or bike route just the time period parking restrictions. He expressed his appreciation of County staff for their professionalism and thoroughness in their traffic analysis in developing a recommendation. He also commends Supervisor Steele s staff who has been working very closely with the community on this issue. He acknowledged that this is a sensitive issue when considering the safety of children and expressed RCSD s position that, if the parking restrictions have been in place over several years and it provides an additional safety element for the children, the restrictions should not be removed. He mentioned that the RCSD had four board meetings and the initial concern was that there may not had enough community input on this topic. Therefore they conducted their own public meetings and had four different discussions on this issue with a lot of community input. As a result of these discussions, he said their board concluded with a recommendation to maintain the current time period parking restrictions on Foster Road/Hedwig Road. A resident of Rossmoor addressed the Committee. He is currently a student at Oak Middle School and stated he has used the bike lanes often and has three friends that use it. He said he was a past student of School who biked to school. He mentioned that biking in a lane shared by parked cars is interrupting and unsafe since he then needs change direction to use the sidewalk or the travel lane. He mentioned that he has personally been hit by a car while swerving out of the parking lane into traffic. He stated that the bike racks at Oak Middle School or School are always full, that the bike lanes have been there for 35 years, and does not see a problem with having the bike lanes. He supports maintaining the time period parking restrictions on Foster Road/Hedwig Road. A resident of Rossmoor addressed the Committee. She mentioned that her three children use the bike lanes daily during the school year and also mentioned that one of her children is a special education child. For the safety purposes, she supports the time period parking restrictions to remain in place on Foster Road/Hedwig Road. Page 19 of 33

20 A member representing the California State PTA addressed the Committee. She mentioned she previously addressed the Committee in the year 2015 when she was serving as the Oak Middle School PTA President. She thanked staff for sharing the resolutions recommended by RCSD and RHA to the Committee. She stated that RCSD comprises of elected officials through all official channels while RHA is a voluntary group who are not elected by Rossmoor and do not represent the Rossmoor community. She mentioned that in the year 2008, the California State PTA passed a resolution on bike safety that states that communities should work together to promote safe routes for children biking and walking to school. She stated that the LAUSD council of PTA s passed a resolution in spring of 2017 to keep the time period parking restrictions in place. She mentioned that the LAUSD school board that comprises of elected officials unanimously supported LAUSD PTA s resolution to keep the time period parking restrictions in place. She acknowledged that the community has not been using the bike lanes much but with recent increased Sheriff parking enforcement to keep the lanes clearer for bikes, she stated that, had staff s study been conducted in April or May of this year, packs of bikes using the bike lanes would have been observed. She stated that the current time period parking restrictions also help in the ingress and egress of traffic in and out of schools. She also stated that emergency vehicles could benefit from using the parking lane as a travel lane during the time period parking restrictions whenever traffic along the roadway is impeded. She strongly recommends the Committee to keep the time period parking restrictions in place even if it is only for a few children since it is for the safety of children. A resident of Rossmoor addressed the Committee. She mentioned that she rides the bike lane on a regular basis along with her son who attends School, and plans to bike ride with her son to school every day to provide him enough practice so he can bike ride to Oak Middle School in the future. She stated that she is terrified about the safety of her child when he has to ride in the travel lane and supports keeping the time period parking restrictions in place. She also mentioned that she feels sidewalks are unsafe for bike riders because of cars backing out from driveways not seeing or expecting bike riders. She expressed that Rossmoor is an amazing community to reside in and wants to keep it that way by providing a safe environment for children to have a place to ride their bikes. A resident of Rossmoor addressed the Committee. She mentioned she is an attorney and worked for fourteen years for the Michigan State Legislature and the Arizona State government. She thanked County staff for the traffic safety improvements that were implemented in the vicinity of School. However, she stated that staff s recommendation on the bike/parking issue on Foster Road/Hedwig Road decreases safety for students on bikes. She is opposed to the proposed removal of the time period parking restrictions and thinks there would be negative safety and political consequences if staff s recommendation is passed. She stated that RHA is a voluntary organization that does not have an official capacity. She expressed her dissatisfaction about RHA s dealings regarding this issue with respect to community outreach and stated that RHA was not thorough, was unfair and was Page 20 of 33

21 not representative of the entire community. On the other hand, she mentioned that RCSD are officially elected to represent all of Rossmoor. She noted that RCSD conducted many community outreach efforts because this issue is very divisive with very many people concerned about it. She stated that RCSD after four public meetings recommended not to remove the time period parking restrictions. She acknowledged that unlike the County, RCSD does not have specific jurisdiction over this issue but emphasized that RHA certainly does not have any authority. She stated that the LAUSD School Board and RCSD, both which elected bodies, are opposed to the removal of the time period parking restrictions whereas RHA, a voluntary organization, supports the removal of these parking restrictions. In addition she mentioned that the other voluntary organizations of the Oak Middle School PTA and the LAUSD PTA that represents all nine schools voted to oppose the removal of the parking restrictions. She also mentioned about the overwhelming response to protect the parking restrictions, received from Rossmoor parents to an that was sent out by the LAUSD. A resident of Rossmoor addressed the committee. She mentioned that her older son, who will be a sophomore in Los Alamitos High School, was the one who was hit at the intersection of Hedwig Road at Wallingsford Road last fall on his way to high school. She stated that he has used the bike lane every day of the school year for the past four years since being a student at Oak Middle School. She also mentioned that her younger son who is a special needs student will be using the bike lane to Oak Middle School this coming fall. She said she is concerned that her kids will not have a safe route to school due to having more parked cars in their way. She mentioned that her older son often does not ride on the sidewalk because of conflicts with pedestrians due to the narrow sidewalk; so instead he chooses to ride in the travel lane where unfortunately he has had close calls with distracted drivers. She is strongly in favor of keeping the time period parking restrictions and making Rossmoor as community stand for safe routes to school and safe streets for their children. A resident of Rossmoor who is the president of the Lightning Velo Cycling Club addressed the Committee. He mentioned her husband and her three children grew up in Rossmoor riding their bikes to school: elementary, middle, and high schools. Being bike riders, she said she and her family have a lot riding experience and knowledge of the roadways in Rossmoor. She said that Rossmoor needs a vision for safe routes to schools and a biking plan. She commended the member of RHA who addressed the Committee at this meeting for his efforts in trying to fix a flawed system and concurs that the current time period parking restrictions on Foster Road/Hedwig Road are of great inconvenience to the residents living on this street. However, she recommends keeping the time period parking restrictions in place until there is some sort of plan to safely get the children to school. She stated that the reason for the bike lanes being underutilized is because the current time period parking restrictions not being enforced. Therefore, she stated the children are using alternate routes in lieu of Foster Road/Hedwig Road to bike to school. She mentioned that when this bike/parking issue was initially brought up due to concerns from community members, they relied on the LAUSD to do their safe routes to school and the RCSD and RHA to come up with a plan. She stated that the solutions that Page 21 of 33

22 were presented three years ago that are very workable and would help the residents on Foster Road/Hedwig Road as well as the rest of the community are not in any of the three options presented at this meeting. She mentioned that RHA is not a real committee but a group of friends and they should not be representing the community. She said she tried to get on the RHA s list for many years but only has received one . She further stated that, being a person with a lot of knowledge and resources who has volunteered her support to find a workable solution for everybody, has not yet been included by the RHA. She wants the community to form a community action group to come up with solutions because it is not being done by the RCSD or RHA. She requested the Committee not to make any changes to the parking situation on Hedwig Road/Foster Road until a workable solution with buy in by the entire community is developed. The Second District representative from Orange County Board Supervisor Michelle Steel s office addressed the Committee. He stated that two and a half years ago when RHA brought the concerns of the parking restrictions on Hedwig Road/Foster Road to the Chairwoman, he was assigned the task of attending an Ad Hoc Traffic Committee meeting. As a result, he mentioned that he had attended a minimum of twelve meetings of RHA with Ad Hoc. He mentioned that Chairwoman Steel is proud of the exhaustive work Traffic Engineering staff has completed with regards to this issue and that she is supportive of staff s recommendation of removing the time period parking restrictions on behalf of the people she represents in Rossmoor. He noted that respectful of the fact that PTA, LAUSD and other entities outside of Rossmoor that represent other people, Rossmoor is an unincorporated area that the Chairwoman was specifically elected to represent, and she supports the removal of the time period parking restrictions on Foster Road/Hedwig Road. TRAFFIC COMMITTEE DISCUSSION The Committee member representing OC Public Works Operations & Maintenance said that they understand the concerns of the community but considering the extensive survey performed by the County and the LAUSD, he said the majority of motorists should be aware of bike user pedestrian laws and are responsible for them. He said that based on the overall input heard and taking into consideration the statement that Supervisor Steel s office has attended meetings about the parking issue; he is supportive of staff s recommendation of removing the time period parking restrictions. Another Committee member who represents CHP stated that he is fairly new to a lot of these issues and that he worked in the Westminster area for fifteen years and has patrolled Rossmoor but not exclusively. He said after hearing all the concerns, from a law enforcement point of view, safety is their primary concern. His mentioned that CHP s main objective is ensuring safety on roadways and reducing injuries. He stated that he along with other officers will be Page 22 of 33

23 patrolling more in Rossmoor in the near future and he wants to ensure safety of the children in the outstanding community of Rossmoor. The Committee member representing the California Department of Transportation stated that, although he respects both sides opinions, he believes that safety of the children going to school is a priority. He stated that the time period parking restrictions should remain in place to preserve the safety of children to school. A motion was made to approve staff s recommendation of removing the time period parking restrictions on Foster Road/Hedwig Road. However, this motion was not seconded. As a result, another motion was made to maintain the time period parking restrictions on Foster Road/Hedwig Road and this motion was seconded. Two committee members voted in favor and two voted against the motion, making it a tie vote leading to a failed or a lost motion. RECOMMENDATION No recommendation; Traffic Committee was unable to pass a motion at this time. BOARD ACTION NECESSARY TO ENACT THIS RECOMMENDATION 1. Approve this report. Page 23 of 33

24 APPENDIX Table 1. Traffic Data (Volumes/Speeds) Street Name Location Limits Date ADT Volume Bradbury Road Montecito Rd. to Los Alamitos Blvd ,874 Bradbury Road Montecito Rd. to Los Alamitos Blvd. 06/02/15 5, Bradbury Road Montecito Rd. to Los Alamitos Blvd. 06/03/15 5, Bradbury Road Montecito Rd. to Los Alamitos Blvd. 07/29/15 4, Bradbury Road Montecito Rd. to Los Alamitos Blvd. 07/30/15 5, Bradbury Road Montecito Rd. to Los Alamitos Blvd. 10/13/15 5, Bradbury Road Montecito Rd. to Los Alamitos Blvd. 10/14/15 5, % MPH Foster Road Druid Ln. to Tigertail Dr Foster Road Druid Ln. to Tigertail Dr. 06/02/ Foster Road Druid Ln. to Tigertail Dr. 06/03/ Foster Road Druid Ln. to Tigertail Dr. 07/29/ Foster Road Druid Ln. to Tigertail Dr. 07/30/ Foster Road Druid Ln. to Tigertail Dr. 10/13/ Foster Road Druid Ln. to Tigertail Dr. 10/14/ Foster Road Engel Dr. to Blume Dr , Foster Road Engel Dr. to Blume Dr. 06/02/15 1, Foster Road Engel Dr. to Blume Dr. 06/03/15 1, Foster Road Engel Dr. to Blume Dr. 07/29/15 1, Foster Road Engel Dr. to Blume Dr. 07/30/15 1, Foster Road Engel Dr. to Blume Dr. 10/13/15 1, Foster Road Engel Dr. to Blume Dr. 10/14/15 1, Foster Road Kempton Dr. to Oak Knoll Dr , Foster Road Kempton Dr. to Oak Knoll Dr. 06/02/15 2, Foster Road Kempton Dr. to Oak Knoll Dr. 06/03/15 2, Foster Road Kempton Dr. to Oak Knoll Dr. 07/29/15 2, Foster Road Kempton Dr. to Oak Knoll Dr. 07/30/15 2, Foster Road Kempton Dr. to Oak Knoll Dr. 10/13/15 2, Foster Road Kempton Dr. to Oak Knoll Dr. 10/14/15 2, Foster Road Piedmont Ave. to Channing Wy , Foster Road Piedmont Ave. to Channing Wy. 06/02/13 3, Foster Road Piedmont Ave. to Channing Wy. 06/03/15 3, Foster Road Piedmont Ave. to Channing Wy. 07/29/15 2, Page 24 of 33