Willard/Bateman/LeConte Neighborhood Traffic Calming Survey Results

On December 3, 2002 the City mailed traffic surveys to over 2,400 residents in the Willard/Bateman/LeConte neighborhood. The survey requested feedback on the traffic calming plan developed by the City with input from local residents. 

Results have been tabulated and the City Manager has informed the Mayor and City Council of the results.  The Memorandum summarized the survey results and the complete survey results are also available to the public.

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The remainder of this web page was designed to answer questions about the history of this project and the survey effort. The following issues and questions are addressed below:

1. Project Background

2. Survey Overview

3. How did the City determine who votes on what?

4. Who gets to vote on the traffic calming measures?

5. Why do some people get two surveys?

6. How many votes are needed to install a traffic calming measure?

7. I didn’t receive a survey. How can I get one?

8. How many surveys does each household get?

9. Is each survey different?

1. Project Background

Over the past few years, numerous traffic management projects have been considered which affect the Willard, Bateman and LeConte neighborhoods.  The newly formed Berkeley Office of Transportation attempted to integrate these projects through a public consultation and reporting process. The projects under discussion were:

• Two new traffic signals on Telegraph (at Stuart Street and at Russell Street);

• Willard/Bateman traffic calming; and

• Bike boulevards on Hillegass Avenue and Russell Street.

Three large public meetings were held in August and September, facilitated by the Berkeley Dispute Resolution Service. The meetings provided an opportunity for community members and staff to share information, ideas and comments, and to conduct a question and answer process. A summary of each meeting was developed.

At the third public meeting, held on September 25, staff presented recommendations, based on the input received, which would best meet and balance the needs of the community. The letter sent to the neighborhood announcing this meeting included a proposed traffic calming plan. Some community members presented an alternate proposal, which staff responded to in the aforementioned letter.

On October 15th, staff reported to Council on the outcome of these meetings. Included in this report was the staff recommendation to survey the neighborhood to gauge the neighborhood’s overall interest in the installation of the traffic circles and pinch points proposed in the traffic calming plan. The City Council approved the staff plan for traffic circles and pinch points and directed staff to “ consult widely and beyond the one block of each proposed measure and obtain a 65% or greater affirmative response on the surveys prior to implementation of the plan for that area.” This survey effort was based on this Council direction.

2. Survey Overview

The neighborhood is being surveyed for their opinion of the traffic calming measures proposed in the staff report referred to above, with slight modifications made by the City Council. It includes 10 traffic circles and 24 pinch points. A map of the plan (included in the survey mailing) and a list of all of the proposed traffic calming measures were prepared.

On December 3rd, the City sent a mailing to the Willard/Bateman/LeConte neighborhood. It included a:

• cover letter,

• map of the traffic calming plan,

• info sheet for traffic circles and pinch points, and

• survey

The City sent out 2,918 surveys to all residents living near a proposed traffic calming measure. Where applicable, a survey was also mailed to absentee property owners. Each survey was tailored to the specific block where the property is located. Additionally, each of the surveys is coded with a unique survey number, to facilitate data entry. For these reasons, the surveys should not be duplicated and passed on to other households.

3. How did the City determine who votes on what?

With the direction from City Council described above, staff determined that voting on the traffic calming plan would be done in the following manner:

• Properties would not vote on the entire traffic calming plan, but rather only on those traffic calming measures which were nearby the property.

• For each traffic circle, two blocks in all four directions would be surveyed (equal to 8 blocks per traffic circle).

• For each pinch point, the block with pinch point, plus one connecting block in each direction would be surveyed (equal to 3 blocks per pinch point).

• The survey area was defined as: Carleton from Shattuck to Telegraph, North on Telegraph to Haste, east on Haste to College, south on College to Woolsey, west on Woolsey to Telegraph, north on Telegraph to Ashby, west on Ashby to Shattuck, north on Shattuck to Carleton. This is shown as the shaded area on the map. No blocks outside of this area would be surveyed

• Where a street segment is a full block on one side of the street, but two or more blocks on the opposite side of the street (such as Russell between Telegraph and Regent, which is intersected by Florence on the south side), the entire segment (e.g. Telegraph to Regent) is treated as one block.

So, for example, for the proposed traffic circle at Benvenue and Stuart (TC3), the following blocks will vote on this measure:

• Benvenue (north) from Stuart to Derby, and Derby to Parker.

• Benvenue (south) from Stuart to Russell and Russell to Ashby.

• Stuart (east) from Benvenue to College.

• Stuart (west) from Hillegass to Benvenue, and Hillegass to Regent.

For the proposed pinch point on Stuart between Fulton and Ellsworth (PP20), the following blocks will vote on this measure:

• Stuart from Shattuck to Fulton.

• Stuart from Fulton to Ellsworth.

• Stuart from Ellsworth to Telegraph.

4. Who gets to vote on the traffic calming measures?

A total of 55 blocks in the Willard/Bateman/LeConte neighborhood received a survey. These blocks were determined using the methodology described above. For a list of the blocks receiving a survey, click here.

  All households on these 55 blocks are able to vote on the traffic calming measures proposed within a few linear blocks of their home. This includes renters and homeowners. Absentee owners are also able to vote.

5. Why do some people get two surveys?

Properties that face more than one street may receive two distinct surveys. In most cases these are properties on the corner of a block. If a household receives two surveys, it will be voting on the traffic calming measures that each of the two, three or four blocks it faces is voting on. This was done in order to allow residents to vote on the traffic calming measures that might affect their property. For example, although the property may have an address on one block, the driveway may be on a different block.

  Those receiving multiple surveys will NOT be voting twice on the same traffic calming measure (unless they own more than one property). These households should complete and return both surveys.

6. How many votes are needed to install a traffic calming measure?

In order for a measure to be installed, at least 65% of the residents voting on that particular measure must be in favor of it. The total number of actual votes needed will vary, depending on the number of people voting on the measure.

7. I didn’t receive a survey. How can I get one?

First, look at the list of blocks that are being surveyed. You can only receive a survey if you live on one of these blocks. If you determine that you should have received a survey, but you did not, please contact the Office of Transportation at 510-981-7000 or send an email to transportation@ci.berkeley.ca.us. Please provide us with your name, full address, and phone number.

Do NOT copy your survey or fill out a copied survey. Every survey has a unique identification number and cannot be shared with others. In addition, as described above, each block is voting on a different set of questions.

8. How many surveys does each household get?

Each household only has one vote. In cases where there is an absentee owner, then the owner is also receiving a survey.

9. Is each survey different?

Yes. Every survey has its own identification number, and the survey questions are tailored for that property. Each survey includes between one and five questions, determined by the location of the property as described above.

If you have a question about this project or the survey that is not
answered on this website, contact the Office of Transportation at 510-981-7000 or send an email to transportation@ci.berkeley.ca.us.

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