Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council defers protected‑permissive left‑turn upgrades, cites cost and changing traffic patterns
Summary
Public works staff recommended against proceeding now with Phase 2 of protected‑permissive left‑turn (PPLT) upgrades at four intersections; council agreed, citing visibility constraints, reconfiguration costs (about $350,000 per intersection) and upcoming traffic changes from a new Costco development.
Lake Forest City Council accepted staff’s recommendation on April 7 not to proceed immediately with Phase 2 of the city’s protected‑permissive left‑turn (PPLT) signal program at four intersections.
Public Works Director Doug Erdman said the proposed PPLT upgrades face visibility conflicts at several intersections that would require median removal and reconfiguration. A traffic‑signal synchronization program implemented earlier reduced corridor delays, and staff’s study found PPLT installation would yield relatively small mid‑day and evening improvements at significant capital costs. Staff estimated reconfiguration costs around $350,000 for intersections such as Alton and Monarch, and recommended monitoring post‑Costco traffic patterns before investing in Phase 2.
Council members agreed the timing was premature given planned nearby development and seconded the recommendation to defer; the motion passed 4–0 with Mayor Pro Tem Serbo absent. Staff said it would continue to monitor intersections and return potential PPLT candidates in a future Capital Improvement Program cycle if conditions change.
