Circulation Element Update

Components of Circulation Element

Introduction

As a required component of the City of Oceanside's General Plan, the Circulation Element provides the framework for all aspects of transportation. This framework includes everything from how local and regional traffic will circulate through our City under both existing and future conditions, as well as, addressing the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit and rail users. Additionally, there are a number of established goals and policies (currently under review) that will help the City to improve the quality of life for its residents with the goal of reducing impacts to the environment.

The various components of the Circulation Element are described below.

Establish Circulation Element Goals, Objectives and Policies

The City of Oceanside is reviewing its current goals and policies as well as looking at new goals and policies to be encompassed in the City's Circulation Element Update. This review will examine the City of Oceanside's current Circulation Element (last amended in 1995), the General Plan, as well as related plans and programs, such as the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Regional Transportation Plan, regional mobility plans and the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District's (APCD) regional air quality strategies. In addition, Assembly Bill 32 (California Global Warming Solution Act of 2006) and the new State Senate Bill SB375, aimed at reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) will also be reviewed and factored into the development of goals and policies for the Circulation Element.

While these plans and programs will be reflected in the Circulation Element update, it is important to note that changes to other areas of the General Plan (such as the Land Use Element) are required to achieve key objectives to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion.

The City is also examining local planning reports and studies that may be of significance in developing the Circulation Element, such as the North County Transit District's Mobility Plan update (currently underway), reports and studies from the City of Oceanside Redevelopment Agency for new and exciting Downtown resorts and commercial developments, as well as the City's Advanced Planning studies for the Coast Highway Vision Plan and the Oceanside Boulevard Specific Plan. Moreover, new goals and policies will be established for the City's Levels of Service (LOS) standards needed for assessing roadway and intersection operational conditions.

Transportation Issues, Traffic Growth, and Future Roadway Improvements

Current transportation problems, with respect to the movement of vehicular traffic and the operational condition of our roadways, are being identified and will be examined in detail. Moreover, anticipated roadway operational problems will also be identified and examined under future year conditions due to the forecasted growth in traffic within our City. An examination of the current roadway system will be made to determine where improvements may be required to accommodate the planned growth within the City. Understanding the current traffic conditions will provide additional insight in the shaping of goals, objectives and policies for future roadway needs within the Circulation Element.

Both current and future traffic volumes will be analyzed relative to the given capacities of current and future roadways and intersections. This process is largely facilitated through the City of Oceanside's existing relationship with the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) referred to as the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). City staff and the project consultants have been working with SANDAG staff on the development of the regional traffic model referred to as the Series 11 North County Sub-Area model. This regional traffic model will be utilized to assess a number of possible future roadway network scenarios given the projection of future traffic volumes. The projection of future traffic volumes is primarily based upon existing and future land use zoning throughout the City. Future year scenarios in the model include the City's "buildout" year 2030. A total of 19 possible future network scenarios have been modeled.

The Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) will include very detailed model analyses of three possible future roadway network scenarios:

Baseline 2030 Network: The Baseline 2030 network is shown as Figure 3 in the City's existing Circulation Element. A map of Figure 3 is also provided in the "Documents" section of this webpage.
Alternative 2: Alternative 2 has yet to be defined, but will be some variation of the Baseline network in the current Circulation Element. Alternative 2 will be developed based upon public scoping meetings held on January 12^th, 2010, January 14^th, 2010, and on February 8^th, 2010.
Alternative 3: Alternative 3 has yet to be defined, but will be some variation of the Baseline network in the current Circulation Element. Alternative 3 will be developed based upon public scoping meetings held on January 12^th, 2010, January 14^th, 2010, and on February 8^th, 2010.

Level of Service (LOS) analyses will be completed to assess and identify the operational characteristics of each alternative at the individual roadway segment and intersection level. Ultimately, it will be up to our community and the City Council to select a future network alternative that best suits the needs of the City. The selected alternative will then represent the future roadway network in the newly updated Circulation Element.

Levels of Service (LOS)

As mentioned previously, LOS is a measure of the operational condition of a given roadway segment or intersection. LOS can be thought of as individual grades: A, B, C, D, E, and F, with LOS "A" being the best and LOS "F" being the worst. Currently the minimum LOS for intersections is LOS D and the minimum for roadway segments is LOS C. As part of the Circulation Element Update, a review of the current LOS standards will be completed to ensure compliance with regional requirements while taking into consideration what is most appropriate and best suited for our community.

In addition, the various methodologies and capacity assumptions used to determine roadway and intersection LOS will be reviewed and refined to reflect any new guidelines for LOS analyses in the San Diego region. New LOS guidelines from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) have been released in the beginning of year 2010 that move away from the traditional emphasis on "capacity" and places more emphasis on "performance" of the roadways. These new guidelines take into consideration that more people might use another modes of travel such as transit, carpooling, walking, telecommuting or bicycling, to name a few. It may be appropriate for the City of Oceanside to adopt reformed LOS policies that provide more flexibility in determining changes in LOS due to new land use developments within the City.

Transportation Demand Management (TDM)

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) is typically employer-based trip reduction programs aimed at reducing the number of vehicles (or work trips) during an average weekday. TDM programs require employers who have over a certain number of employees to promote ridesharing, transit use, telecommuting, walking or bicycling to work to help reduce work related traffic on City roads.

TDM programs need to be enforced by the lead agency (in this case, the City of Oceanside). Enforcement of such trip reduction programs to employers requires that the City either adopt an Ordinance and/or to create incentives that make TDM programs economically viable to businesses. In the past, TDM programs have not been very successful due to the ongoing monitoring and level of enforcement necessary to keep businesses in compliance. How a TDM program in the City of Oceanside will be implemented has yet to be determined.

Public Transit and Railway Systems

The City of Oceanside has the benefits of a good public transit system with several North County Transit District (NCTD) routes beginning or ending service within the City limits. The introduction of the new Sprinter light rail system, the planned expansions of the Coaster and Metrolink commuter rail service, and improvements to Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner intercity rail service will bring visitors and residents more non-automobile travel options.

The Circulation Element will detail how the public transit and rail systems in the City function, and how the City and its residents can derive the most benefit from them through thoughtful integration. Recommendations in the Circulation Element Update include working with NCTD to create circulator routes that would serve the seven planned Oceanside Sprinter stations, and could dramatically improve traffic operations around the stations. It could also spur additional retail, commercial, and residential development in the station areas. One example of this is the current Oceanside Boulevard Specific Plan aimed at densifying various land uses along the Sprinter line/Oceanside Boulevard corridor between I-5 and Crouch Street.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

The City of Oceanside recognizes that providing for a vibrant pedestrian and bicyclist travel network helps encourage walking and bicycling as alternatives to driving, especially for short trips such as the trip to and from school, or to run errands close to home or work. Often, the lack of an appropriate path can lead people to opt out for driving, when they would walk or bike if the opportunity were there.

In 2008, the City of Oceanside updated its Bicycle Master Plan, and in 2009, updated its Pedestrian Master Plan. Each master plan update examined the existing sidewalk and bicycle network, and created objectives and policies to ensure that these important and healthful options are readily available. This included consideration of safety improvements (i.e., routes, lighting, sidewalk/bike path conditions, identification and prioritization of future improvement projects, etc.).

Intelligent Transportation System Technologies (ITS)

As part of the Circulation Element Update, the City of Oceanside will develop a high level plan that identifies and incorporates pertinent Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies, which the City would utilize to enhance traffic management, traveler information dissemination, and/or incident management with emergency agencies. An evaluation of existing ITS elements will be completed, as well as recommendations for future ITS technologies that should be deployed as part of an evolving transportation system that is consistent with the San Diego Regional ITS architecture. Key items that will be considered include:

The development of a Traffic Management Center (TMC) with an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS).
Enhancing the communications network, particularly fiber optic cables.
Improving the traffic signal equipment in order to facilitate signal coordination/synchronization and the deployment of ATMS.
The provision of signal priority for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) or Light Rail Transit (LRT) operations.
Enhancing safety at intersections and grade crossings.
Interface with the City's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and other emergency services.
Improve event management, surveillance, and security (i.e., deployment of CCTV cameras and changeable message signs).
Coordination of ITS programs with neighboring jurisdictions.

Neighborhood Traffic Calming

The City of Oceanside has an existing neighborhood traffic calming program designed to promote safer neighborhood streets for area residents. Traffic calming is based upon the concept of passive speed reduction measures that include everything from raising public awareness, to enforcement of prima fascia speeds in residential areas, to the physical installation of landscaped chicanes, traffic circles, and in some case, speed humps.

As part of the Circulation Element update, the City is currently updating this existing program and related policies that will take into consideration the specific needs of neighborhood groups. This will include establishing specific criteria for determining where traffic calming measures should be considered and development of a list or "tool kit" of traffic calming measures that could be considered for each specific neighborhood location.