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Traffic committee denies all‑way stop at Nelson Street and Fair Grove Avenue, agrees to red‑curb extension and relook at stop bar
Summary
Staff told the committee the intersection does not meet all‑way stop warrants; the committee approved staff recommendations to add plaques, markings and extend red curb, and asked staff to re‑examine the stop bar placement to improve sight lines.
Staff presented a resident request to install an all‑way stop where South Nelson Street meets Fair Grove Avenue and recommended against an all‑way stop after reviewing traffic counts, collision history and sight lines. The committee voted unanimously to forward recommended signage and curb changes and directed staff to re‑evaluate the stop bar location.
Robert, CIP project manager, reported that Fair Grove Avenue is classified as a major collector and Nelson Street as a local road under the Caltrans road classification system used by staff. SWITRIS collision data from January 2022 through January (period in report) showed two reported collisions on the segment. Traffic counts taken May 6 showed north‑south total volumes of 1,258 vehicles per day and east‑west totals of 3,345 vehicles per day. A 24‑hour speed sample returned an 80th‑percentile speed of 34 mph compared with the posted 35 mph limit on Fair Grove.
Staff reviewed the location against all‑way stop warrants and found it did not meet any time‑period thresholds. Staff recommended: install a “cross traffic does not stop” plaque and red reflective post under the existing Nelson Street stop sign; add a stop‑ahead (W3‑1) sign and pavement markings on Nelson Street about 130 feet south of Fair Grove; refresh and extend red curb on the south side of Fair Grove to about 75 feet total; and replace faded curve and advisory speed signs.
A nearby resident told the committee it is difficult to see westbound vehicles from the Nelson Street stop line and asked that the stop bar (stop line) be moved closer to Fair Grove. The resident described two recent local crashes (one involving a driver who “went straight through the stop sign” and another involving a Tesla hitting parked cars) and said some incidents may not have been reported to police. Jana Robbins and other staff explained the stop bar cannot block ADA ramps and that placement is constrained by the ramp and parking; staff said they would "take a relook" at the stop bar location and consider extending red curb pavement markings to improve sight lines.
Committee members voted to approve staff recommendations with the additional direction to re‑examine the stop bar placement and to forward items that constitute new installations to city council while routing maintenance items to Public Works.
