City Traffic Committee Meeting

The City Traffic Committee met today and unanimously recommended a 4-way stop sign at the intersection of Valle Verde and Solera/Vinter Way. They determined that the 4-way stop is warranted due to:

• Need to control conflicts between pedestrians and motorists
• Need to provide a safe crosswalk to school
• Inadequate sight lines for turning left out of Vinter or Solera

There was plenty of opposition to the signs as well and we should expect opponents to turn out in force. We need to outnumber them at the meeting next Tuesday!

City Council Meeting on Tuesday

This Tuesday, October 4, the City Council has the traffic study of our intersection on the agenda. While the traffic study is already underway, the City Council must vote to authorize its completion – or they can vote to forbid its completion. We need your support to show them that we want a stop sign. It’s necessary to ensure the safety of children, residents and drivers along this very dangerous street.

How you can help:

• Send an email to the City Council
• Attend the meeting on Tues, October 4
• Bring your kids to the meeting – the Council has graciously indicated that they will schedule our agenda item for the beginning of the meeting to accommodate kids’ schedules.

City Council meeting

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

7 pm

Poway City Council Chambers

13325 Civic Center Drive

Meeting with City Staff

The development staff and City Manager hosted a meeting on Friday (Sept. 23) to provide an update on the traffic calming project and the request for stop signs. Here are the highlights:

• The traffic calming project is approved and the design phase is nearly complete. The City has hired outside engineers (consultants) to complete the designs. Next steps are to complete the design, put the project out to bid and start working with the utility companies to move utilities. They plan to start construction in March and expect the project to take about 3 months. Like any construction, timing is not definite. With this project, they also have to involve Cal-Trans (the State is paying for part of the project) and the utility companies. Neither Cal-Trans nor the utilities are required to work according to the City’s schedule so timing can be affected by their availability and schedules.
• The City will start a new traffic study in the coming weeks. The traffic study conducted in 2008 is now too old to be used in a decision about a stop sign. The City Manager authorized the study to be started right away – in advance of the October 4 City Council meeting and vote. On October 4, the City Council will vote to approve the traffic study or they can choose to stop the traffic study. We need to tell the City Council that we support a stop sign and demand that they vote to complete the traffic study.
• Councilman John Mullin attended the meeting and asked many thoughtful questions. He supports the traffic study and looks forward to seeing the results. Like most of us, he expects the results to be the same as in 2008 when the City recommended a stop sign.
• Councilman Mullin recommends that we continue to encourage neighbors to send emails and get petitions signed. And he strongly recommended that concerned residents attend the October 4 City Council meeting. Three years ago, stop sign supporters did not turn out in force and the opponents did. We lost that fight….in 2011 we intend to get a stop sign approved. We need you at the meeting to help make that happen!

Free Slow-Down Signs for your Home/Yard

Free lawn signs to remind motorists to “slow down” are now available at Development Services on the first floor of the City Hall, 3325 Civic Center Drive. For more details, call Zubir Ouadah at 858-668-4640.

Traffic Meeting Tomorrow (Friday, Sept 23)

The City is holding a meeting for neighbors to discuss the status of the traffic calming measures and the October 4 City Council agenda item re: stop signs. Please attend if you can.

Friday, September 23 (yes tomorrow)
1:30 pm
Observation Room of the City Council Chambers
13325 Civic Center Drive

October 4 City Council Meeting

The City Council has put the stop signs on its agenda for their October 4 meeting. We need your help!

We need to bring signatures on petitions and we need a large turnout at the meeting.

How You Can Help

• Read about the Petition on the Petition Page
• Print the petition and get your friends and neighbors to sign it
• Come to the City Council meeting on October 4. Bring your children and have them wear a shirt from Chaparral!

Timeline of Traffic Calming Discussions

TIme Line

• Jan 23, 2008 – Eleven year old boy hit by vehicle in sidewalk at Valle Verde/Solera (I believe there was another close call around that same time as well)
• Feb 13, 2008 – Neighborhood Meeting with City of Poway to propose an All-way Stop Sign
• March 4, 2008 – City Council rejects Stop Sign
• April 10, 2008 – Teen killed and others hurt in high speed roll over accident on Valle Verde Road near Edina Way
• April 14, 2010 – Neighborhood Meeting with the City
• Sept 28, 2010 – Neighborhood Meeting with the City
• Sept 13, 2011 – Vehicle collision Solera exiting NB Valle Verde
• Sept 13, 2011 – Pedestrian hit at Valle Verde Road & Dorset
• As of today, NO improvements nor changes have been made to improve safety.

Given the years of planning it is taking the City of Poway to implement public safety improvements along Valle Verde Road, the GVCA would like to see changes in the City’s process so future tragic accidents can be avoided. Our community really deserves a more effective and timely response from the City, especially when it involves the safety of our children and families.