Parking bans approved, Green Canyon speed limit rejected

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors ratified several Traffic Advisory Committee recommendations during the supervisors’ August 2 meeting, and parking prohibitions on portions of Gird Road and Elder Street were among the actions adopted.

The supervisors also ratified the TAC recommendation not to establish a posted speed limit on Green Canyon Road. The TAC recommended the parking prohibitions and the rejection of a speed limit on June 3.

Green Canyon Road covers 3.1 miles between South Mission Road and Reche Road. It is classified as a Rural Collector on the county’s Circulation Element map and measures between 22 and 49 feet in width with edge striping along both sides of the roadway. There is no posted speed limit for the road, although the speed limit becomes 0 mph at the all-way stop at the intersection with Winter Haven Road. A December 2004 traffic count north of Green Canyon Place produced a two-way average daily traffic volume of 2,310 vehicles.

Speed spot data on Green Canyon Road 100 feet north of Jackson Road provided an 85th percentile speed of 41.3 mph with 71 percent of the 152 drivers within the ten-mph pace of 32-41 mph. Speed spot data 880 feet south of the southern Green Briar Circle intersection produced an 85th percentile speed of 45.5 mph with 64.2 percent of the 196 cars in the 37-46 mph pace.

If 70 percent of drivers are within a ten-mph pace, the flow of traffic data is considered to be likely accurate based on the theory that 15 percent of the drivers will exceed safe speeds and 15 percent of the drivers will travel too slowly. The 71 percent within the pace at Jackson Road convinced the TAC that no further action was necessary.

Between March 31, 2002, and March 31, 2005, six reported collisions occurred along Green Canyon Road, including three which involved injury. The TAC does not believe that a posted speed limit would have prevented any of the accidents.

The TAC had reviewed a request for a speed limit from a Green Canyon Road family who had expressed concern about some cars driving between 55 and 60 mph. On an unposted local road any speed in excess of 55 mph is automatically illegal, so enforcement rather than a posted speed limit was the TAC’s recommended solution for those drivers and the speed survey indicated that only a handful of drivers were exceeding 55 mph. Speeds above the flow of traffic could also be considered unsafe, so a driver could also be cited for driving too fast for conditions.

The Gird Road parking prohibition covers the west side of that street from the north line of Casablanca Way southerly 690 feet. The ban was considered necessary to maximize visibility for motorists existing the Fallbrook Golf Club driveway when looking north onto Gird Road.

The Elder Street prohibition covers the south side of that road from 450 feet west of Potter Street to 490 feet west of Potter Street. That ban was considered necessary to maximize visibility for motorists existing the Regency Fallbrook Independent and Assisted Living Senior Community’s easternmost driveway when looking west onto Elder Street.

Since the parking prohibitions involve ordinance amendments, they will return to the supervisors for a second reading and adoption, which is expected to occur September 21. The parking prohibitions will take effect 30 days after the adoption of the ordinance amendment.