To: PUBLIC WORKS, SAFETY, AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
From: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
TITLE
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DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL CROSSWALK IMPROVEMENTS AT PCH/AGATE INTERSECTION (CALTRANS)
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is an arterial within Redondo Beach that is owned, operated, and maintained by Caltrans, a state agency. Caltrans has received requests from area residents to improve pedestrian crossing safety at the existing marked, but uncontrolled crosswalk at PCH and Agate Street. Since then, Caltrans performed a preliminary traffic safety investigation at the intersection and found that a pedestrian hybrid beacon (PHB) at this location is warranted. Caltrans reached out to the City with this information and both parties discussed the benefits and drawbacks of a PHB at this location, and also alternative solutions to addressing the request. Caltrans will perform an Intersection Safety and Operational Assessment Process (ISOAP) to study all viable access control options and will recommend the most viable one. The City requested that a public meeting with Caltrans in attendance be held to answer any questions and hear feedback from the public before proceeding further. The City of Redondo Beach notified a large number of residents and constituents near PCH and Agate1 with a postcard informing them of this meeting.
BACKGROUND
Caltrans has a defined traffic safety investigation process when receiving customer/public complaints about intersections. Since 2018, Caltrans received at least two customer service requests to install Traffic Lights (Traffic Signals/PHB) at PCH/Agate. Caltrans performed a preliminary crosswalk signal warrant analysis and found that a PHB was warranted per CA MUTCD due to 39 pedestrians crossing PCH and more than 2000 vehicles per hour on PCH crossing Agate during lunchtime on weekdays. Currently, PCH contains two lanes in each direction with intermittent curbside parking on both sides or a center turn lane at intersections. A turn lane is not provided at Agate Street. Agate Street terminates at PCH and is opposite a driveway into a retail shopping center. The existing intersection is stop-controlled for Agate, and a marked crosswalk with warning signage and high visibility markings is present at the north leg of the intersection. Per California Vehicle Code, drivers must yield to pedestrians crossing or with the intent to use this legal crosswalk, whether or not it is marked. The presence of markings and signs can aim to attract driver attention to follow the law, but compliance can be challenging at crosswalks that cross multilane arterials like PCH. Federal guidance for improving crosswalks uses speeds, number of lanes, and traffic volumes to determine suggested countermeasures that improve crosswalk safety. One of the suggested measures is a PHB, which is one of the viable countermeasures that Caltrans is studying.
A PHB is a newer traffic control device that contains traditional crosswalk signals for pedestrians and actuation-only traffic signals for drivers. If installed within a signal system, the PHB should be coordinated. Below is an infographic showing how a PHB sequence works.
PHBs are becoming more common after they were approved as a traffic control device in the United States and California. An existing PHB is at PCH and 3rd Street in Hermosa Beach, and a PHB is currently under construction in Redondo Beach at PCH and Avenue D. PHBs can cause some confusion as they are relatively new traffic control devices, but time and education typically result in high levels of crosswalk compliance compared to flashing yellow warning lights or no crosswalk controls at all.
The City expressed some concerns with adding closely spaced traffic control devices along PCH, and Caltrans replied that the PHB would be coordinated with nearby signals to maintain traffic flow and signal coordination along PCH. The City inquired about the potential to relocate the existing traffic signal at Irena to Agate, but Caltrans stated that this may simply relocate the potential issues at Agate to Irena.
At this time, Caltrans and the City is gathering public feedback on the proposed pedestrian crossing enhancements at PCH and Agate Street Intersection. A public notice postcard of this meeting was mailed to area residents shown in Attachment 1.
COORDINATION
Coordination of this report took place within the Public Works Department and with Caltrans District 7 Division of Transportation Safety and Operations.
ATTACHMENTS
• Public Noticing Area