Randolph Ave Parking and Multi-Modal Circulation Improvements
Award
Roadway & Highway Project
Description
This project increased on-street parking, slowed speeds, improved circulation and safety, and enhanced walkability. The project reduced the number of travel lanes, added angled on-street parking in the center, and constructed a raised mid-block crosswalk, four sets of speed cushions, and a modern roundabout with lighting, crosswalks, and landscaping.
The City of Costa Mesa completed multi-modal transportation improvements on Randolph Avenue between Bristol Street and Baker Street and on St. Clair Street to increase available on-street parking, slow traffic on Randolph Avenue, and provide improved pedestrian safety and mobility.
A modern roundabout was constructed at the intersection of Randolph Avenue and St. Clair Street with new street lighting, pedestrian crosswalks, and landscaping. The project included installation of four sets of speed cushions and a raised mid-block crosswalk on Randolph Avenue with a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB). In addition, the construction of a new traffic signal at the intersection of Randolph Avenue at Baker Street was completed on the north end of the project. This project added over 60 on-street parking spaces in this neighborhood, slowed traffic speeds on Randolph Avenue, improved multi-modal circulation, and enhanced walkability in the community.
This project constructed new signing, striping, and traffic calming improvements along Randolph Avenue and added new angled, on-street parking in the center of both Randolph Street and St. Clair Street. The project included a reduction in travel lanes from 4 to 2 lanes, street rehabilitation, a modern roundabout, street lighting, landscaping, and ADA improvements. The design was completed in 2021 and construction was completed in October 2022.
Historically, the City received complaints about the lack of available parking in this neighborhood with many retail businesses and popular restaurants. Also, staff received speeding complaints from residents and visitors. Randolph Avenue was a four-lane street with average daily traffic volumes of only 3,000 vehicles per day and a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour (mph). The low volumes on Randolph Avenue made this an ideal candidate for consideration of alternative treatments and reduction of vehicle travel lanes.
City staff engaged the community to identify parking, multi-modal circulation, and traffic calming improvement options on Randolph Avenue. City of Costa Mesa staff hosted public open houses in the St. Clair Street cul-de-sac adjacent to the project site to engage and get feedback from residents, local businesses, and community members on proposed project concepts.
After the completion of the construction, staff conducted speed surveys and found the 85th percentile speed on Randolph Avenue was significantly reduced from 35 mph to 23 mph, resulting in a 34 percent reduction in speed. This enabled the City to lower the speed limit to 20 mph on Randolph Avenue. Staff received feedback from adjacent businesses and community members who were supportive of the project, utilizing the additional diagonal, on-street parking in the center of Randolph Avenue and St. Clair Street, and enjoying the improved walkability. “
One of the goals of the Randolph Avenue Parking and Multi-Modal Circulation Improvement project was to slow vehicle speeds and improve walkability along the corridor. The traffic calming features of the project included: a road diet on Randolph Avenue reducing the vehicles lanes from four lanes to two lanes, a modern roundabout, on-street diagonal parking in the middle of both Randolph Avenue and St. Clair Street, raised mid-block crosswalk, and four sets of speed cushions. After the completion of the construction, staff conducted speed surveys and found the 85th percentile speed on Randolph Avenue was significantly reduced from 35 mph to 23 mph, resulting in a 34 percent reduction in speed. This enabled the City to lower the speed limit to 20 mph on Randolph Avenue. In addition, this project improved the pedestrian environment with slower vehicle speeds, reduced number of vehicle travel lanes, new roundabout with crosswalks and street lighting, and an added a midblock raised pedestrian crosswalk with RRFB’s on Randolph Avenue for residents and visitors to enjoy walking to commercial establishments in the neighborhood.
Another goal of this project was to increase parking in this neighborhood which had experienced parking impacts and increased parking demand due to the popularity of adjacent local retail shops and restaurants. This project added over 60 on-street parking spaces in the center of both Randolph Avenue and St. Clair Street. After construction of the angled parking in the center of the streets, the added on-street parking was already at 90% utilization immediately after it opened. One of the nearby businesses requested the parking be signed as a two-hour parking only since it was immediately being utilized; however, a survey conducted by staff found that the majority of adjacent businesses did not want to add a parking time limit restriction to the parking. The on-street parking along both Randolph Avenue and St. Clair Street is signed with a no overnight parking restriction in this commercial neighborhood. This project was successful in increasing on-street parking in the neighborhood and nearby businesses are happy and thankful for the additional on-street parking.
This commercial neighborhood is a popular destination for dining and shopping and has experienced parking impacts and increased parking demand due to its popularity. To improve parking in the neighborhood, City staff partnered with businesses in this neighborhood to explore options to increase on-street parking. City staff held public outreach meetings in the neighborhood in the St. Clair Street cul-de-sac to get feedback on on-street parking options including diagonal/angled parking in the center of the street, parallel parking in the center of the street, and diagonal/angled parking on the sides of the street. In addition, staff met with nearby businesses to get feedback and discuss proposed pedestrian improvements, a modern roundabout, and lane reduction on Randolph Avenue from four lanes to two lanes. One concern from a few businesses was regarding left turn access into their commercial driveways because the addition of the angled on-street parking in the center of the street would not allow for this movement. The addition of the modern roundabout at the intersection of Randolph Avenue and St. Clair Street near the southern portion of the project and a U-turn cross-over center break near the northern portion of the project provided U-turn capabilities for drivers along the corridor. These were designed to accommodate fire vehicles and large trucks. This partnership and engagement between City staff and nearby businesses helped ensure the overall success of the project.
One of the City’s Fire Department stations is located within 1,000 feet of the project corridor on an intersecting street. The City’s Public Works staff worked with the City’s Fire Department staff during the design and construction phases to make sure these improvements would enable the emergency vehicles to easily use this corridor if needed. For example, the speed cushions were designed and installed with spacing to match the wheel tracks of City’s fire vehicles for ease of fire trucks to drive straight through the corridor, but wide enough to effect and slow automobiles. In addition, the design of the modern roundabout was tested with fire vehicles prior to final design and construction using temporary cones and delineators to make sure the design met the needs of the City’s Fire Department. After the construction of the project, staff observed a few vehicles not appropriately parked in the center angled parking with their vehicles encroaching into the traveled way. To mitigate these instances, staff installed rumble strips to serve as “wheel stops” on both Randolph Avenue and St. Clair Street, to help drivers align their vehicles in the center angled on-street parking. This has resulted in drivers parking in the center of the new, angled on-street parking spaces and successful parking utilization of the added on-street parking.
The City has received praise from businesses and residents on slower vehicles speeds, improved walkability, and additional on-street parking in the neighborhood.
Branch
