Orinda Traffic Woes Bring Residents to Workshop

Tuesday’s Moraga Way Traffic Community Workshop led residents and concerned citizens through a rapid history of the roadway’s problems, an overview of the traffic studies conducted, and comments from representatives of Orinda schools and the Orinda Union School District (OUSD) — then set them up in small groups to find solutions.

Sue Severson was the only City Council member present, explaining that even she could not stay for the workshop because of a previously scheduled City Council meeting with the Planning Commission.

Steve Schneir, of the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC), introduced his fellow members, Mark Roberts, Bob Recker, Nan Reed, Jerry Gager and John Eddy.

Assuring everyone that the initial vision of the TSAC was to hear residents’ concerns, then present them to the City Council in a “traffic calming measure," Schneir said information gathered at Tuesday’s meeting would be delivered to the full council at a future meeting.

Schneir said most of the requests and complaints the TSAC receives refer back to Moraga Way, or roads connecting with it. He reminded the audience that the committee is charged not just with safety, but with considering ease of use, driver habits, bicycle accessibility and other traffic issues.

“I’ve discovered at various times each of us thinks one or another of these issues is the most important,” Schneir said, foreshadowing the variety of opinions that characterized the evening.

Moraga Way runs 3.6 miles from downtown Orinda to the border with Moraga. Numerous studies, including a four-year study begun in 1990, have been conducted by the city to improve its safety, according to Rob Rees, a traffic engineer with Walnut Creek-based Fehr and Peers.

Rees said that in 1990, as part of Measure C, the study focused on how to better get traffic on Moraga Way to the freeway. It also looked at how to improve pedestrian ways on Ivy Drive and increase the efficiency and safety for school children, bicyclists and residents traveling on foot.

“A variety of issues in one location can actually impact traffic along the whole corridor, so it’s not just one thing that causes the problems,” Rees said.

An audience member asked what improvements have been made as a result of the study, which was concluded in 1994.

Rees listed several:

• Starting at the south end near Ivy Drive, the signal operates more efficiently
• Pedestrians separated from the vehicles going to Miramonte High School
• Added a “no left turn” at what Peer calls North Ivy Drive
• Added left turns at Hall
• Modified the signal at Glorietta to make a right turn onto Moraga Way more efficient
• Installed left-turn lanes at Brookside
• Where Moraga Way splits at Camino Pablo: Intersection was redesigned so it was better channelized in each lane. Southbound, the merge was lengthened
• Access to Highway 24 was improved so vehicles can enter from two lanes
• Striping on Moraga Way was improved to provide more room for bicyclists

Schneir said the schools were the main reason people were so concerned with Moraga Way and introduced Adam Clark, principal of Miramonte High School.

Chris Learned, assistant superintendent of schools, accompanied Clark and spoke of his involvement over the past 14 years with traffic issues on Moraga Way. Learned said suggestions to alter the roads have been unpopular with residents, but the addition of school bus service and educating citizens about efficient traffic patterns has improved the situation.

“But I know there’s something else going on because it seems to calm down for a few years, then here we are, back discussing traffic,” he said.

Clark said he gets out every day to monitor the situation and that adding more carpool parking spots at the high school was not a solution, largely because of DMV regulations for carpool drivers.

Residents asked if kids were allowed to park on campus.

Clark said sophomores were allowed to drive to school, but not park on campus.  Those students park on Moraga Way.

Many people at the meeting spoke about “choke points” near Del Rey and MHS, especially at the intersection of Moraga Way and Ivy Drive — except on Wednesdays, when bell schedules are moved back.

“It’s a matter of logistics,” insisted Larry Brady, who lives on Whitehall Drive.

Schneir asked what body could change the bell schedule.

“That would be the Acalanes school board,” Clark answered.

The problem became clear when another citizen objected to bumping bell schedules because it would interfere with after-school sports programs.

Jerry Bucci, director of business at the school district, said, “We’re here to listen. A couple things to keep in mind: The elementary students all start at the same time. We are bound by state rules concerning instructional minutes and we do have some teachers who travel between schools within the same district on the same day.”

School board member Pat Rudebusch spoke about the district’s promotion of bus service, saying efforts to increase its use were intended to help.

Police Chief Jeffrey Jennings gave the department’s perspective: “We try to have enforcement presence, but basically, we don’t have a vote. I just give (the City Council) the police perspective. We’re not going to solve it with more one-way signs, so we’re glad to participate in this collaborative process.” 

The chief said he is pleased at the community involvement and receives emails about the road daily. His main concern is safety, Jennings said, adding that solutions would not satisfy everyone. “We’re here to help and good luck!”

“We’re hoping for as much light as heat,” Schneir said gently, reminding everyone to be civil, avoid repetition and listen to the facilitators as they moved to their small-group discussions.

“Get things on the boards and don’t knock your neighbor’s legs out from underneath them,” TSAC member Eppy said.

Twenty minutes later, the audience of close to 50 returned to share their ideas. Following is a list of concerns and citizens’ suggestions. The full report will be available online.

• Shuttle bus
• Permanent speed detectors
• Speed cushions added to Whitehall, Ivy and other problem areas
• Find a carpool area near Theatre Square for people going to San Francisco
• County Connections buses: Is there a way to add more?
• Change OUSD start times
• Add sidewalks on the west side of Moraga Way
• School bus safety: Improve it so parents are more comfortable putting their kids on the bus.
• Pedestrian traffic on Whitehall is mixed with vehicles moving at high speeds. Add speed cushions.
• Revisit “no left turn” all the way along Moraga Way corridor.
• Reducing morning speeding on Valley View, Don Gabriel, Ivy Drive and Whitehall is a priority.
• Improvements to sight distances at roads intersecting with Moraga Way
• Southwaite turn restrictions have caused problems on Whitehall Drive.
• Find new “drop-off” locations for children walking to elementary and high schools in the area.
• Add crossing guards on Moraga Way.
• Traffic lights at all feeder streets along Moraga Way
• Open Ivy Drive for commuting. Install a signal at the intersection.