TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager and City Attorney to draft an ordinance to prohibit pedestrian median access to medians that are less than 4-feet wide or are located on streets with a speed limit of 35 MPH or more.
DISCUSSION
Traffic medians throughout Long Beach are dangerous places for people to walk, stand, sit, advertise for businesses, raise money for non-profits, walk dogs or any other activity that is done while not in the process of legally and safely crossing a street.
City Staff issued a report on September 28, 2017 that was requested by City Council on March 7, 2017 on the feasibility of restricting access to some medians based solely on pedestrian and traffic safety concerns. Their report indicated their review found that some medians are not appropriate for standing and cannot safely accommodate a walkway due to insufficient width, high traffic speed, large traffic volumes, and lack of accessibility. In the report they further determined that traffic safety concerns are heightened when speeds reach certain levels. City data confirms that the risk of fatality drastically increases for a pedestrian when vehicle traffic speed is over 30 MPH. The fatality risk increases between 3.5 and 5.5 times from 30 MPH to 40 MPH. Meaning the risk of a pedestrian being killed at 30 MPH is relatively low, the fatality rate is nearly 50% at 40 MPH and 79% of pedestrians stuck at this speed sustain serious injuries.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
[Timing Considerations]
FISCAL IMPACT
There is not a significant financial impact as a result of the recommended action.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
COUNCILWOMAN SUZIE PRICE
THIRD DISTRICT
COUNCILMEMBER DARYL SUPERNAW
FOURTH DISTRICT
COUNCILMAN DEE ANDREWS
SIXTH DISTRICT
COUNCILMEMBER ROBERTO URANGA
SEVENTH DISTRICT