Minutes 1987-09-15 SP
MINUTES
STUDY SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1987
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 215 E. BRANCH STREET
ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA
The City Council met for a Study Session on the Rancho Grande Shopping
Center at 3:30 P.M., with Mayor Howard Mankins presiding. Present were
Council Members Dorace Johnson, Mark M. Millis, Gene Moots and D. G. Porter.
Mayor Mankins opened the meeting. Lindley Miller of Terranomics,
developers of the shopping center, introduced Neal Liddicott of Barton-
Aschman Associates, Inc., traffic engineers for the project.
Mr. Liddicott distributed to the City Council "Proposed Lane Configurations
and Level of Service - Ramp Option and Bridge Option." He compared the
two options, (1) a two to three lane bridge from Hillcrest to Camino Mercado
costing $2\ to $3 million, and (2) Highway 101 hook ramps at Camino Mercado.
He said all intersections are designed to operate at A, Band C traffic
levels. He said there is not a lot of difference between the two plans
costwise.
Mayor Mankins said the City is considering the second bridge over
the freeway to help with the emergency vehicle situation. He objected
to the bridge lining up to Camino Mercado. Mr. Miller said a certain amount
of land is needed for the entrance to the bridge. Mr. Liddicott said Caltrans
prefers that location.
Council Member Moots said he did not agree with that location for
the bridge. He and Mayor Mankins said that improving the Oak Park Intersection
would only solve problems already there. They said the Rancho Grande center
would create more traffic. Council Member Millis said the engineers have
not presented an adequate solution. He said hook ramps are needed but
two hook ramps should not cost as much as $1 million.
Mr. Liddicott said that Oak Park Boulevard is the place to put more
lanes across the freeway. Mayor Mankins said traffic should be evenly
distributed throughout the City.
Fire Chief Douglas Hamp said additional access across the City is
needed, and there is room for expaninding and widening [1 Camino Real.
,
City Manager Robert Mack discussed reversing the angle of the bridge,
and said there may be other options also. Mayor Mankins said overcrossings
in Santa Barbara tie in to frontage roads.
There was further discussion of the overcrossing versus the hook
ramps/improvement at Oak Park Intersection.
Mr. Miller suggested that the City allow the project, and when it
receives the income generated by sales taxes, solve the traffic problems
at that time. He said Terranomics could contribute as much as $1 million
toward improving the Oak Park Interchange.
Council Member Porter said the freeway hook ramps suggested do not
solve southbound traffic problems.
Council Member Moots asked Terramonics what it was planning to do
about Rancho Grande traffic problems. He said improving Oak Park Intersection
only solves problems the City has today.
Mayor Mankins said he is interested in an overcrossing moved to the
south, and Mr. Mack said that would help address southbound traffic and
relieve the Brisco Undercrossing situation.
Peter Miller, representing Rancho Grande, said that may be just moving
the problems south, and there still may be bottlenecks at Oak Park Boulevard
and Halcyon Road.
CITY COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 15, 1987
ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA PAGE TWO
There was discussion of bridge alternatives, and Mr. Lindley Miller
said the engineers would come back with other designs. In answer to Council
Member Johnson, Mr. Liddicott said 15~ feet are required for clearance at
the entrance of the bridge.
Council Member Johnson brought up the matter of the traffic study
statistics. She said she would be sending the engineers some projections
for Highway 101.
David Naggar of Terranomics said he was concerned with the "trust
factor," and that Mr. Liddicott is a foremost traffic engineer.
There was further discussion of outdated figures in the study. Mayor
Mankins stressed that Los Angeles and San Francisco traffic standards are
not acceptable in Arroyo Grande. Traffic ratings were discussed, and the
various levels were explained by Mr. Lindley Miller.
Council Member Millis left the meeting at 4:45 P.M.
Council Member Porter asked the developers to plan for Rancho Grande
Traffic without consideration of improving the Oak Park Intersection.
He said to talk with Caltrans, but not to count on it solving the problem
for a number of' years.
Mayor Mankins asked the engineers to design the overcrossing to the
south of the previous design, using accurate statistics, and to solve the
southbound traffic problem.
Mr. Lindley Miller asked if the City would participate in costs of
an overcrossing. Mayor Mankins said it is too premature to discuss that
matter.
Mr. Liddicott said he may come back with an alternative that is too
costly. Council Member Johnson said she still would like to see all the
alternatives.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:10 P.M.
CITY CLERK