Should a signal be installed at S. Mission & Green Canyon roads? Fallbrook Community Planning Group asks County for alternatives

Local planners feel that making a southbound turn from Green Canyon Road onto South Mission Road is more dangerous than making a northbound turn.

Shane Gibson photo

The Fallbrook Community Planning Group has concerns about the proposed traffic signal at the intersection of South Mission Road and Green Canyon Road, and the county's Department of Public Works (DPW) will conduct a field review before the proposed signal is considered by the county's Traffic Advisory Committee (TAC).

DPW traffic engineering staff asked the TAC to review the intersection for possible inclusion on the county's Traffic Signal Priority List. The intersection was scheduled to be discussed at the December 12 TAC meeting, but was pulled off the agenda to allow the planning group to provide input. A review of the intersection was expected to be part of the TAC's January 23 meeting, but DPW now plans to conduct a field review and report back to the planning group and its Circulation Committee before discussing whether a signal is suitable for that intersection.

"We're just fortunate right now we do have safe operations," said TAC secretary Kenton Jones.

South Mission Road is a two-lane through highway which is 50 feet wide north of its intersection with Green Canyon and 45 feet wide south of that intersection. South Mission Road has edge striping on both sides of the roadway along with median striping, and a left turn pocket at the intersection allows southbound traffic to turn onto Green Canyon. South Mission Road is classified as a boulevard in the Mobility Element network of the county's general plan.

Other than the stop sign where Green Canyon Road ends at South Mission Road, Green Canyon Road is also a two- lane through highway with median striping and edge striping on both sides. Green Canyon Road is classified as a Light Collector in the general plan's Mobility Element. It is approximately 30 feet wide, and no speed limit has ever been formalized.

A multi-day October 2014 traffic survey revealed a two-way average daily volume of 10,570 northbound vehicles on South Mission Road south of Green Canyon Road, 10,230 southbound vehicles on South Mission Road north of Green Canyon Road, and 1,160 westbound vehicles on Green Canyon Road east of South Mission Road. The previous traffic survey at that intersection was taken in August 1995, when the average daily volume was 9,240 northbound, 7,960 southbound, and 640 westbound vehicles. During the 67-month period from January 1, 2009, to July 31, 2014, four collisions were reported at the intersection, including two which involved injury. Based on an October 7 traffic survey, the intersection meets three of the nine volume, safety, and operational warrants for a traffic signal.

The Fallbrook Community Planning Group's Circulation Committee met December 9 to discuss the proposed signal. The committee had concerns about the possible effects on traffic flow if the intersection was signalized and desired that DPW consider possible alternatives.

"We recognize there is a danger at that intersection and we're hopeful that the county can find some other alternative for making that intersection safer without putting in a signal," said Circulation Committee chair Anne Burdick.

Burdick expressed her concerns to the TAC staff on December 10, and the TAC pulled the item from its December 12 agenda to allow for input from the full planning group.

"They decided to pull it so we would have an opportunity to at least offer them some input," Burdick said.

"The circulation committee and the planning group had a number of concerns," Burdick said. "There were a number of concerns that the committee had, and the full planning group when those concerns were reviewed agreed."

The planning group discussed the potential signal December 15 and unanimously approved a request to the county to study the intersection and determine what other options are available including a review of line-of-sight concerns and investigating the possibility of straightening the road at that intersection, reviewing the possibility of adding turn lanes, installing flashing lights, and a review of whether a signal would create additional adverse friction on the South Mission Road traffic flow.

"We would like to see a full range of alternatives, the signal being one among them," Burdick said. "It may very well turn out that the signal is the only feasible option."

The Circulation Committee and the planning group believe that intersection improvements can occur without widening that portion of South Mission Road. "The planning group's position has always been that if you can reduce the friction on the road you don't need to widen it," Burdick said. "It is possible to make that road flow really well."

The intersection meets the eight-hour vehicular volume, four-hour vehicular volume, and roadway network warrants for a signal. It did not meet the peak-hour delay, pedestrian volume, school crossing, coordinated signal system, crash, or railroad crossing warrants.

"The traffic moves really well on South Mission as a two-lane road with left-turn pockets," Burdick said.

The Circulation Committee and planning group fear that northbound motorists may not see traffic stopped at a signal in time to avoid a collision.

"It could make things more dangerous for northbound traffic because the signal comes right as you're making a turn in the road," Burdick said. "There were other concerns about the line of sight."

During the field review process DPW staff will determine the sight distances including sight distances for northbound and southbound motorists on South Mission Road approaching the intersection as well as sight distances for the Green Canyon Road westbound traffic which must yield to the South Mission Road vehicles.

"It's a dangerous location for people coming out of Green Canyon and turning south. It is not that big an issue for people coming out of Green Canyon turning north," Burdick said.

An earlier date for the TAC to recommend a signal, along with ratification from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, does not necessarily translate into the signal being installed earlier. If an intersection is placed on the Traffic Signal Priority List, priority points rather than the length of time the intersection has been on the list determine the next intersection to be signalized when funding is available. Priority points are given for vehicular volume, pedestrian volume, flow interruption reduction, hazard reduction potential, coordinated movement potential, and special conditions. Design issues such as driveway access or private property may cause a signal lower on the list to be installed first, and a "T" intersection can often create such design issues as is the case with driveway access at the intersection of East Mission Road and Santa Margarita Road which was placed on the priority list in 2011 and private property on the west side of a still-unsignalized Lakeside intersection which had the most priority points when it was placed on the priority list in 2012.

"It would be down the road quite a ways," Burdick said of the signal's eventual installation should that option be chosen.

Jones noted that additional traffic volume on Green Canyon Road in the future could increase priority points. DPW periodically updates information on intersections which have been placed on the Traffic Signal Priority List.

Burdick would not oppose the TAC placing a review of the intersection on the agenda.

"We have no problem with them addressing it at all. We're just encouraging them to look at additional options," she said.

"The fact that it's on the agenda means they can have a discussion on it," Burdick said. "We're asking the TAC for their expertise in evaluating that intersection."

Shane Gibson photo in his folder

CAPTION: Local planners feel that making a southbound turn from Green Canyon Road onto South Mission Road is more dangerous than making a northbound turn.