Downtown North Neighborhood Association (DTNNA) Traffic Calming

DTNNA > Traffic

Here is a picture of the Protest against the Closures

Modified No Closure Plan schedule SJM Apr 9, 2004 (local copy)

History

The traffic calming closures are complete as of September 2003, as shown in map

• The first trial is scheduled to last from June thru December (DONE)
• During October the traffic flows and speeds are to be re-measured (DONE)
• The results of these measurements and alternative plans for the next step will be presented to the community in November and December (DONE)
• The community was to be be surveyed in December to determine their opinions and suggestions as to the future of traffic calming measures in the area. and the Information to be used by the decision makers is as follows: (Original Letter ) from Joseph Kott

• The information and proposed "next step" was presented to the Planning and Transportation Commission and then to City Council in open meetings to determine "the fate of the Downtown North project" early in 2004
• The City council voted to approve the Modified No Closures plan, see: , with the retention of the Palo Alto ave/Middlefield closure and a speed table at Palo Alto/Bryant

Please E-mail us, dtnna-owners@yahoogroups.com, or the city, if there are problems so that we can determine how the plan should be adjusted to improve the traffic flow so that the project can be "tuned" to achieve its purpose of reducing the cut through traffic with as little inconvenience as possible. Also there is a forum, the DTN forum.com that allows DTN residents to discuss topics of interest and maintain a record of the problems and benefits of this project as well as others.

At this time (7/11/2003) the following problems have been reported. (Preliminary MLL)

Other material

• Palo Alto city site discussing traffic calming for Downtown area. 1999-2000
• Downtown north neighborhood traffic calming study recommendation by City manager , December 11, 2000
• Evaluation plan of the transportation department is documented here
• DTNNA meeting notes   formatted , Sept 18, 2003 <Meeting flyer>
  • DTNNA merged meeting notes, Map of traffic calming impact , Sept 18-25, 2003,  
    • Sectional Meetings
      • Sept 24-th including Middlefield through Cowper, (east) minutes (txt)
      • Sept 24-th from Cowper through Bryant, (middle) minutes
      • Sept 25-th from Bryant through Alma, (west) minutes Not available
        
        
• Oct 22, 2003 Letter from Palo Alto Transportation department

Old, 1998 Schedule

The following is the schedule showing the completion dates of the 20 tasks involved in the Traffic Project that was presented to DTNNA members in 1998.

 

Task    Date of Schedule                 <-Duration->    <-Finish Date->
        01/28/98                        fast    likely  early  realistic       comments
                                                
1       scope of work                   9       13      Apr-98  APR-98  
2       city staff review               0       6       Apr-98  Jun-98  4-6 Mo. choosing consultant
3       policy & services/finance       4       6       Apr-98  Jul-98  starts with Jul. 98 budget
4       RFP                             6       2       Jun-98  Aug-98  
5       mail/wait                       4       5       Jul-98  Sep-98  
6       review/interview                2       3       Jul-98  Sep-98  
7       negotiate                       4       6       Aug-98  Nov-98  
8       council action                  3       3       Sep-98  Dec-98  
9       study begins                    2       3       Sep-98  DEC-98  
10      data collection                 6       8       Nov-98  Feb-99  6-9 mos for study (from
11      alternative analysis            8       12      DEC-98  May-99  Dec 98 - Sep 99)
12      neighborhood meeting            4       4       Jan-99  Jun-99  
13      preferred alternative           0       2       Jan-99  Jun-99  
14      final staff report              8       12      Mar-99  Sep-99  
15      policy and services comm        4       6       Apr-99  Oct-99  
16      council resolution, budget      0       8       APR-99  DEC-99  
17      staff report for budgeting      8       13      Jun-99  Mar-00  
18      council: budget amendment       0       0       Jun-99  Mar-00  
19      improvements begin              26      39      DEC-99  DEC-00  work done by transportation
20      improvements done               8       12      Feb-00  Mar-01  dept or public works

Information on the Traffic Calming project

• Initial plan including Diagonals as Option 2., -- August 16, 1999 --letter to residents describing the four initial alternatives, PDF 298k
• Report to the Planning and Transportation Commission, Oct., 11, 2000 -- Staff recommends... PDF 204k

• Downtown North Plan: 1999 - 2000

  • CMR 440-00 (New Council Report) , Dec. 11, 2000, -- recommends that the "Recommended Preferred Option" traffic calming plan be implemented in Downtown North on a trial basis; and that a new Lytton neighborhood traffic calming study be started concurrently
• Palo alto city -- Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program July 2, 2001
• Traffic Calming E-mail (April 03, 2002 ... 15, 2002)
  • TIF of street closing design (July 19, 2002
• Conceptual Designs, "Aggarwal, Ashok" (July 23, 2002)
• Modified No Closure Plan schedule San Jose Mercury, Fri, Apr. 09, 2004

  The first barrier went down Wednesday, and the other five should be out by the end of next week, city transportation engineer Carl Stoffel said. A seventh barrier, on Palo Alto Avenue, will remain.

  Palo Alto paid contractor J.J. Albanese $15,000 to remove the barriers. By using that contractor, the city saves $18,000 and significantly speeds up the schedule from initial estimates.

  Installing the new measures and collecting data are expected to cost $74,000, Stoffel said.

  Around mid-June, the city plans to install signs limiting the hours when cars heading south on Alma Street or Middlefield may turn onto either Everett Avenue or Hawthorne Avenue. The rest of the construction should be complete by the end of August.

• Traffic Counter Locations in pdf format:

Downtown North Neighborhood

Lytton Neighborhood

Menlo Parks - Linfield Oaks

May 26, 2004