Speed limit changes may be made to South Mission Road

The county's Traffic Advisory Committee continued two Greater Fallbrook radar enforcement certification recommendations which were on the Dec. 11 TAC docket.

A recommendation on increasing the speed limit on Osborne Street between Guajome Lake Road and East Vista Way from 35 mph to 40 mph so that the segment could be certified for radar enforcement was continued to allow the Bonsall Sponsor Group to provide input. The 35 mph speed limit on South Mission Road from 860 feet south of Pepper Tree Lane to Hill Avenue is currently certified for radar enforcement, but the TAC asked the county's Department of Public Works to review a possible transitional speed limit prior to making a recommendation on the recertification necessary to continue radar enforcement.

In order for a speed limit to be enforceable by radar, a speed survey must show that the speed limit is within an adjacent 5 mph increment to the 85th percentile speed. The speed limit may be rounded either up or down from the 85th percentile speed. The speed limit may also be rounded down an additional 5 mph if findings are made that the road has conditions which would not be apparent to a motorist unfamiliar with the road. Periodic recertification, including a supporting speed survey, is required for continued radar enforcement. The Department of Public Works or DPW contractors will typically conduct speed surveys every seven years.

Osborne Street is a two-lane roadway with a striped median. The 1.48-mile segment from Guajome Lake Road to East Vista Way varies in width from 26 to 31 feet. The road is not classified on the mobility element of the county's general plan. A June 2015 traffic survey taken west of East Vista Way indicated a two-way average daily volume of 6,530 vehicles. The previous traffic survey at that location was taken in August 2007 and resulted in an average daily volume of 5,155 vehicles. During the 62-month period from Jan. 1, 2010, to Feb. 28, 2015, the roadway had 13 reported collisions including seven which involved injury.

A 35 mph speed limit is posted on Osborne Street, but none of the three traffic surveys taken Nov. 13 justified that speed limit for radar enforcement. The speed survey 200 feet west of Amstel Lane was taken between 9:05 a.m. and 11:05 a.m. and had an 85th percentile speed of 47 mph with 75 percent of the 84 vehicles traveling within a 10 mph pace of 35-44 mph. The 175 vehicles in the speed survey taken 400 feet east of Hutchinson Street between 11:10 a.m. and 1:10 p.m. had an 85th percentile of 43 mph with 86 of the vehicles within a 34-43 mph pace. The speed survey 400 feet of Guajome Lake Road was conducted from 1:25 p.m. to 3:25 p.m. and had an 85th percentile of 44 mph for the 80 vehicles whose 36-45 mph pace was traveled by 86 percent of those.

South Mission Road is a four-lane through highway with a striped median. The 1.73-mile segment from 860 feet south of Pepper Tree Drive to Hill Avenue varies in width from 75 to 82 feet and has both residential and commercial usage. South Mission Road is classified as a Major Road in the mobility element.

A 24-hour survey taken 200 feet south of Fallbrook Street on Oct. 20, 2015, indicated 23,470 total vehicles consisting of 11,292 northbound and 12,178 southbound vehicles. Between midnight and noon that Tuesday 3,108 northbound and 6,088 southbound vehicles crossed that segment while between noon and midnight the traffic consisted of 8,184 northbound and 6,090 southbound vehicles.

The busiest hour was between 4 and 5 p.m. when the 2,106 total vehicles consisted of 1,323 northbound and 783 southbound commuters while the hour with the highest southbound volume was between 6 and 7 a.m. when the 1,233 total vehicles included 977 southbound motorists. The busiest 15-minute period was from 4:00 to 4:15 p.m. when the 540 motorists consisted of 339 northbound and 201 southbound travelers. The 387 vehicles which made 8:00 to 8:15 a.m. the busiest morning 15-minute period made 137 northbound and 250 southbound trips.

The previous traffic survey at that location was taken in October 2009 and indicated an average daily volume of 23,540 vehicles.

During the 24-month period from Feb. 28, 2013, to Feb. 28, 2015, South Mission Road between 860 feet south of Pepper Tree Lane and Hill Avenue had 24 reported collisions, eight of which involved injury.

The speed surveys for that segment of South Mission Road were conducted 140 feet north of West College Street. The 2008 speed survey indicated an 85th percentile of 42 mph with 75.4 percent of drivers within a 34-43 mph pace. The Oct. 20, 2015, speed survey involved 201 vehicles which crossed the survey point between 9:20 a.m. and 11:20 a.m. The 85th percentile speed of 41 mph included 79 percent within the 32-41 mph pace.

South Mission Road immediately south of the segment under consideration for radar recertification has a 50 mph speed limit, creating a 15 mph differential. The TAC asked DPW to study the possibility of a 40 mph or 45 mph speed limit between the 50 mph and 35 mph segments. "They wanted to study that transition," said TAC secretary Kenton Jones.