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Staff: AB43 lets Los Altos rely on 2016 speed survey; commissioners press for broader traffic-calming criteria
Summary
City staff told commissioners that under AB43 the city can re-certify a prior (2016) speed survey where road geometry hasn't changed and use it for enforcement; commissioners urged a broader rubric for traffic calming beyond speed, and staff described current e‑bike rules and planned PD education/enforcement steps.
City staff and commissioners discussed how the city will use existing speed-survey data and new enforcement resources.
Stevenson, the city traffic engineer, said staff conducted spot checks and that "under AB43, as long as the geometry hasn't changed, the configuration of the road hasn't changed ... the city has a right to go ahead and re-certify old survey without having to do new ones" and that staff plan to ask the City Council in August to adopt the 2016 speed study for enforcement purposes.
Several commissioners argued the project should not focus solely on speed limits. One commissioner said many streets that are hazardous for children and pedestrians are not necessarily speeding corridors, and urged the commission to create a broader set of criteria for traffic calming — for example, missing sidewalks, obstructed shoulders, diagonal parking hazards near downtown destinations and school routes.
Commissioners asked staff to develop a rubric and weighted scoring system to identify top unsafe streets; Stephen and a colleague said they will draft criteria and return with a recommendation in August.
The meeting also included questions about e-bike use and enforcement. Stephen summarized the city's approach: Los Altos has an e-bike ordinance aligned with state classifications and limits for class 1 and 2 devices; class 3 e-bike regulations and restrictions were described alongside state law. Staff recommended residents who see unsafe e-bike operation contact Sergeant Michael Taylor to request targeted monitoring.
No formal policy vote was taken tonight; staff will seek council adoption of the re-certification of the 2016 speed study and return with recommended criteria for the commission to use in prioritizing traffic-calming measures.
