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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1997 0820 CC REG ITEM 09KKOM FROM: DATE: ITENx. .K. CITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA AGENDA REPORT City Ca t Meeting C= T Y O F MCIORPARK pf Z 199 The Honorable City Council ACTION: Kenneth Gilbert, Director of Public August 1, 1997 (Meeting of 8- 20 -97) SUBJECT: Discussion of Engine Braking the City BACKGROUND Proposed Action to Prohibit the Use of (Jake Braking) on State Highways Within Engine braking -- or jake braking -- is a practice used by truck drivers to reduce the speed of a truck by down shifting to a lower gear. The practice is most often used on a down grade. Unfortunately, the use of jake braking generates excessive noise. The excessive noise is not compatible with urbanized and /or residential areas. In order to address the noise problems associated with jake braking, staff submitted an Encroachment Permit Application to Caltrans which, if approved, would allow the City to prohibit this practice on the State Highways (Walnut Canyon Road, Moorpark Avenue, Los Angeles Avenue and New Los Angeles Avenue) within the City. The permit application included a draft resolution establishing those restrictions. It was the intent of staff to present that resolution to the City Council upon receipt of Caltrans approval of the Encroachment Permit. A copy of the permit application has been provided to the City Council under separate cover. A picture of the sign proposed to be installed at certain locations on the highway, is attached as Exhibit 1. DISCUSSION Caltrans has denied the City's Permit Application (see Exhibit 2). It is the position of Caltrans that such a prohibition [use of a BLACK on WHITE sign] could be viewed as the source of a potential safety problem. Caltrans has stated that advisory signs [BLACK on YELLOW signs] could be placed with Caltrans approval. The options are: 1. Drop further efforts to install any signs; jake3 Q-- - 000294 Jake Brakes August 20, 1997 Page 2 2. Proceed with a revised application to install advisory signs [BLACK on YELLOW signs]; or, 3. Appeal the denial of the use of regulatory signs [BLACK on WHITE signs] . CONCLUSIONS 1. It is unlikely that Caltrans will be dissuaded from their decision to disallow this prohibition due the concerns they have regarding safety and liability. 2. Caltrans has stated that the use of advisory signs [YELLOW] in lieu of regulatory signs [WHITE] is just as effective. 3. It is recommend that the City proceed with efforts necessary to install advisory signs [BLACK on YELLOW], evaluate the effectiveness of those signs and report back to the City Council regarding said effectiveness approximately one year subsequent to the installation of such signs. RECOMMNDATION Staff recommends that the City Council direct staff to proceed with an amended Caltrans Encroachment Permit Application for the installation of advisory signs [YELLOW] urging trucks to not use engine braking within the City and to report back to the City Council regarding the effectiveness of those signs. jake3 00OZ 55 NO ENGINE BRAKING NEXT 2 MILES E)6�0014. L i?O0A%9C