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Commission recommends Las Casitas Drive traffic calming plan after neighborhood vote
Summary
The Traffic and Transportation Commission voted to recommend the City Council approve a neighborhood traffic calming plan for Las Casitas Drive that would install three speed cushions after residents met the ballot thresholds. The work is estimated at $32,300 and would be funded from the traffic calming CIP budget.
The Salinas Traffic and Transportation Commission voted to recommend that the City Council approve a neighborhood traffic calming plan for Las Casitas Drive that would install three speed cushions, staff said.
The plan, developed with residents, meets the city's ballot thresholds: 25 of the neighborhood's 48 households returned ballots (52 percent return rate), and all returned ballots were in favor, staff reported. "The estimated total cost of these improvements is $32,300," a staff presenter told commissioners. Staff said funds are available in the traffic calming CIP (project code shown as CIP 9,163).
Why it matters: The street carries an 85th-percentile speed well above the 25 mph limit and passes a school and a park. Staff cited an 80/85th percentile combined speed near 40 mph and five reported collisions during the three-year review period, two of which involved pedestrians or bicyclists. Those factors placed Las Casitas Drive at the top of the city's FY24–25 prioritization list; city council allocated $200,000 for traffic calming that year.
Most important details: The proposed treatment is three rubber speed cushions spaced along Las Casitas Drive between the school driveway near Ranchero and Writer Avenue. Staff described the project as Phase 3 of the neighborhood traffic calming process: petition → plan development with residents → plan support (ballot) → implementation. Because the neighborhood met both the 50 percent valid return and the 67 percent-in-favor thresholds in policy, staff recommended forwarding the plan for implementation.
Commission discussion and vote: Commissioners asked about the ballot return process and speed reduction calculations. Commissioner Orsonio asked whether a failed ballot could trigger a second vote; staff said planning could be revised and re-balloted if the return requirement was met but the in-favor threshold was not. Commissioner Hammer questioned whether the three cushions would sufficiently reduce speeds; staff replied that the policy includes spacing formulas intended to reduce speeds based on measurement points. Commissioner Sonio moved to approve the plan and Commissioner [unnamed] seconded; roll call votes were recorded as all present voting yes. The motion to recommend City Council approval passed.
What was not decided: Implementation timing and construction scheduling will be set after council action. Staff identified the current funding source as the traffic calming CIP; no other funding changes were proposed at the meeting.
Ending note: The recommendation now moves to the City Council for final approval and scheduling of construction.
