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Commission reviews Gamble Street traffic study proposal; seeks public input and agency coordination
Summary
Consultant presented a proposed scope for a comprehensive traffic flow study on Gamble Street to address commuter cut-throughs, speed and safety concerns; commissioners urged testing temporary measures, coordination with Caltrans and fire, and neighbourhood engagement before implementing physical changes.
The commission received a consultant report on April 10 proposing a comprehensive traffic-flow management study for Gamble Street and nearby neighborhood cut-throughs, and commissioners provided targeted feedback for how the study should proceed.
Rob Blau of STC Traffic told the commission the intent is to document baseline conditions (volumes, turning movements, speeds and crash history), identify whether Gamble is functioning as a commuter shortcut, and evaluate options that could slow traffic without simply shifting congestion to adjacent streets. "What I thought was, in my experience, would be the best idea is develop a comprehensive solution," Blau said, adding the study would include AM/PM turning movement counts and an evaluation of signal timing on nearby arterials.
Blau described possible treatments under study: speed humps and speed cushions, speed tables (often used at schools or crosswalks), center median barriers to create right-in/right-out operations, chicanes, and temporary pilot installations to test community acceptance. He warned of tradeoffs: traditional speed humps can delay emergency response times and generate neighborhood noise; median treatments may affect emergency access and require special design; and stop signs are not an approved tool for traffic calming under standard warrants.
Commissioners and staff emphasized two near-term priorities: 1) public engagement with Gamble and adjacent streets before selecting treatments, and 2) early coordination with Caltrans and the fire department where signals or emergency response could be affected. One commissioner noted that the Broadway/Lincoln signal is Caltrans‑controlled and recommended early outreach to that agency. City staff also suggested use of historical vehicle-location data (cell/Bluetooth/Waze patterns) to document commuter routing and to explore temporary, low-cost pilot installations to test effects before permanent construction.
Blau recommended the commission "receive the report and provide feedback that will be incorporated into the traffic study." Commissioners supplied ideas—temporary chicanes, speed-feedback signs, and a possible physical median at Lincoln/Gamble—but also cautioned about shifting traffic to Ivy or other nearby streets. No formal motion or recorded roll-call vote occurred on the study scope during the meeting; the consultant and staff will incorporate the feedback into the next phase of the study and return to the commission for review.
The commission discussed public safety implications, emergency response tradeoffs, and the importance of targeted enforcement as an interim measure while the study proceeds.
