Apple Valley pulls Caltrans signal vote, seeks full four-movement design at Pawnee and Highway 18

Apple Valley’s Town Council on [date not specified in transcript] pulled an agenda item after staff and council members said a Caltrans plan for a traffic signal at Pawnee and Highway 18 would create safety and pedestrian-access problems.

Town staff told the council Caltrans planned to install a partial traffic signal that would permit turning movements but not straight-through vehicle or protected pedestrian crossings. “Their plan includes, or excludes, I should say, some important movements at that signal… it allows for only the current movements, which are just right turns and left turns, but no straight through movement,” staff warned. The council and staff said a partial signal risked confusing drivers and could encourage unsafe pedestrian crossings.

Staff said the town offered to take over the project and deliver a full signal — one that would allow straight-through movements and marked crosswalks — but Caltrans declined because of their timeline. According to staff, Caltrans later emailed the town before the meeting saying the agency had not made a final decision and was willing to talk at the executive level. The town manager said he had written to the district director asking Caltrans to coordinate with the town so the village area would receive a full, consistent signal design.

Given ongoing discussions, staff recommended and the council agreed to pull item 6.5 from tonight’s consent vote so the town and Caltrans can negotiate next steps. Council members and residents urged the town to press for funding and coordination to avoid a two-tier configuration in the village that would differ from other nearby signals.

What happens next: Staff will continue to coordinate with Caltrans, seek possible cost-sharing to fund a full signal, and return the item to a future council meeting once the parties have a clear plan.