Agenda Item   

AGENDA STAFF REPORT

 

                                                                                                                        ASR Control  25-000781

 

MEETING DATE:

12/16/25

legal entity taking action:

Board of Supervisors

board of supervisors district(s):

All Districts

SUBMITTING Agency/Department:

OC Public Works   (Approved)

Department contact person(s):

Justin Golliher (714) 667-1675 

 

 

Wei Zhu (714) 647-3976

 

 

Subject:  Adopt Resolutions and Approve OC Traffic Committee Report for October 2025

 

      ceo CONCUR

County Counsel Review

Clerk of the Board

          Concur

Approved Resolution to Form

Consent Calendar

 

 

3 Votes Board Majority

 

 

 

    Budgeted: Yes

Current Year Cost:   $58,000

Annual Cost: N/A

 

 

 

    Staffing Impact:

No

# of Positions:            

Sole Source:   N/A

    Current Fiscal Year Revenue: $50,400

   Funding Source:     See Financial Impact Section

County Audit in last 3 years: No

   Levine Act Review Completed: N/A

 

    Prior Board Action:         10/8/1985 #44

 

RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):

 

 

1.

Find that the project is categorically exempt from CEQA, Class 1 (Existing Facilities) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301.

 

2.

Adopt a Resolution to approve the Orange County Traffic Committee Report of October 9, 2025 - Item A to establish all-way stop control and side-street stop control at 21 intersections throughout unincorporated Orange County as listed in Orange County Traffic Committee Report - Item A.

 

3.

Adopt a Resolution to approve the Orange County Traffic Committee Report of October 9, 2025 - Item B to rescind Item 3 of Resolution 85-1465 and establish a 35 miles per hour speed limit on Foothill Boulevard between Newport Avenue and Arroyo Avenue.

 

4.

Adopt a Resolution to approve the Orange County Traffic Committee Report of October 9, 2025 - Item C to establish a 35 miles per hour speed limit on Windmill Avenue between Sienna Parkway and Antonio Parkway.

 

 

 


 

 

SUMMARY:

 

Approving the Orange County Traffic Committee Report and adopting resolutions to establish all-way stop controls and side-street stop controls at various locations within Orange County; reduce the speed limit at Foothill Boulevard between Newport Avenue and Arroyo Avenue; and set the speed limit at Windmill Avenue between Sienna Parkway and Antonio Parkway will improve traffic safety and operations.

 

 

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

 

At the October 9, 2025 Orange County Traffic Committee (Committee) meeting, the following items were agendized and discussed:

 

Item A - Stop Controls

 

The County of Orange (County) received Cycle 12 funding from the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) to install signs and pavement markers at uncontrolled intersections across unincorporated Orange County to enhance safety on County maintained roadways. Sixty-one uncontrolled intersections were evaluated to determine whether All-Way Stop Control (AWSC) or Side-Street Stop Control (SSSC) would be justified. The warrant study was prepared by Fehr & Peers, one of the County’s on-call consultants.

 

Evaluations were conducted in accordance with state and local guidance, including the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD, 2014 Edition, Revision 9, 2025) and the Orange County Traffic Manual (OCTM, 2007). Standard criteria for stop sign installation include collision history, multimodal traffic volumes and approach speeds. Optional criteria may also be applied, at the discretion of engineering judgment, to account for conditions such as left-turn conflicts, vehicle-pedestrian conflicts or sight distance limitations. Based on analyses, AWSCs are justified at three locations in Rossmoor and SSSCs are justified at 18 locations across unincorporated Orange County.

 

The Committee reviewed the evaluation and approved the recommendation to establish either an AWSC or SSSC at the 21 intersections listed in Attachment B. The estimated cost for installing pavement markings and signs is $56,000. The County will contribute $5,600, or 10 percent of the total cost, and the rest will be funded by the HSIP Cycle 12 Fund.

 

Item B - Speed Limit

 

On October 8, 1985, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Resolution No. 85-1465 to increase, retain or establish speed limits at various locations throughout unincorporated areas of the County, including increasing the speed limit at Foothill Boulevard between Newport Avenue and Arroyo Avenue to 40 miles per hour (mph).

 

In July 2025, a resident of North Tustin requested that OC Traffic Engineering consider reducing the speed limit along Foothill Boulevard between Newport Avenue and Arroyo Avenue. In response, OC Traffic conducted an Engineering and Traffic Survey (E&TS) to determine whether a speed limit reduction was warranted.

 

The speed survey conducted in August 2025 recorded an 85th-percentile speed of 40 mph, which aligns with the posted speed limit. However, the calculated accident rate along this segment has increased from 0.95 to 2.27 (collisions per million vehicle miles traveled) between 1983 and 2025. Increased use of alternative transportation modes, such as e-bikes, and the proximity to several schools, including Foothill High School, Arroyo Elementary School and Hewes Middle School, were considered in the evaluation.

 

Based on these factors, OC Traffic Engineering recommends reducing the speed limit from 40 mph to 35 mph on Foothill Boulevard between Newport Avenue and Arroyo Avenue by applying the 5-mph reduction in accordance with the CA MUTCD and California Vehicle Code (CVC) 22358.6(c). This action would also rescind Item 3 of Resolution No. 85-1465.

 

The Committee reviewed the evaluation and approved the recommendation to reduce the speed limit of Foothill Boulevard between Newport Avenue and Arroyo Avenue from 40 mph to 35 mph. The estimated cost to update speed limit signage is $1,000.

 

Item C - Speed Limit

 

In July 2025, a resident of Ladera Ranch requested the installation of a crosswalk and/or traffic calming measures at the intersection of Windmill Avenue and Main Street. In response, OC Traffic Engineering conducted a field investigation and an E&TS. During the investigation, staff noted a Class III bike route and the absence of posted speed limit signs along Windmill Avenue. In accordance with California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 22357(a), a prima facie speed limit must be established before traffic calming or crosswalk enhancements can be further evaluated.

 

A speed survey of Windmill Avenue recorded an 85th-percentile speed of 39 mph, which under CA MUTCD Section 2B.13 supports a posted speed limit of 40 mph.

 

However, due to the presence of a Class III bike route and the proximity to nearby schools, OC Traffic Engineering recommends setting the speed limit at 35 mph on Windmill Avenue between Sienna Parkway and Antonio Parkway by applying the 5-mph reduction in accordance with the CA MUTCD under CVC 22358.6(c).

 

The Committee reviewed the evaluation and approved the recommendation to reduce the speed limit of Windmill Avenue between Sienna Parkway and Antonio Parkway from 40 mph to 35 mph. The estimated cost to install speed limit signage is $1,000.

 

Compliance with CEQA: The proposed project is categorically exempt (Class 1) from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, because it provides for the minor alteration of existing public facilities and streets, involving negligible or no expansion of existing use.

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

 

Appropriations and associated revenue for the installation of appropriate signs and in-road pavement markings for Orange County Traffic Committee Report - Item A are included in Fund 115, OC Road, FY 2025-26 Budget. The Highway Safety Improvement Program Cycle 12 Fund will reimburse the County 90 percent of the installation costs after completion of the project.

 

Appropriations for the installation of appropriate signs and in-road pavement markings for Orange County Traffic Committee Report - Item B and Orange County Traffic Committee Report - Item C are included in Fund 115, OC Road, FY 2025-2026 Budget.

 

 

STAFFING IMPACT:

 

N/A

 

ATTACHMENT(S):

 

Attachment A - Orange County Traffic Committee Meeting of October 9, 2025 - Agenda
Attachment B - Orange County Traffic Committee Report - Item A
Attachment C - Resolution for Item A
Attachment D - Orange County Traffic Committee Report - Item B
Attachment E - Resolution for Item B
Attachment F - Orange County Traffic Committee Report - Item C
Attachment G - Resolution for Item C
Attachment H - Government Codes
Attachment I - Resolution No. 85-1465