HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/15/2026 Item 5a, Schwartz - Staff Agenda CorrespondenceCity of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum
City of San Luis Obispo
Active Transportation Committee
Agenda Correspondence
A -
DATE: January 14, 2026
TO: Active Transportation Committee
FROM: Luke Schwartz, Transportation Manager
VIA: Adam Fukushima, Active Transportation Manager
SUBJECT: ITEM 5A- 2026 PAVING PROJECT
Staff received the following questions, regarding…. The questions are below with staff’s
response shown in italics:
1) There appears to be a discrepancy in the staff report regarding the
tiering/priority for Johnson Avenue, as the staff report refers to Johnson
Avenue as a Tier 3 project in the Active Transportation Plan (ATP), where the
ATP appears to classify Johnson as a Tier 2 project. Please clarify/correct
this and please cite the policy guidance from the ATP regarding
priority/tiering and on leveraging road maintenance projects to advance
priority ATP projects to help guide discussion on this item.
There was an error in the published ATC staff report, Johnson Avenue is identified
as a Tier 2 project in the ATP, not a Tier 3 project.
The following excerpts from Chapter 2 of the ATP (Vision & Goals) summarize
policies regarding project tiering/prioritization and leveraging opportunities to
advance priority projects as part of larger maintenance efforts:
2026 Paving Project – Staff Agenda Correspondence Page 2
2026 Paving Project – Staff Agenda Correspondence Page 3
2) The staff report mentions traffic analysis for Johnson Avenue, but this
information is not provided in the staff report. Please provide this data for
discussion purposes.
As mentioned in the staff report, traffic operations were analyzed for Johnson
Avenue to evaluate the feasibility of potential lane reductions (a “road diet”)
between San Luis Drive and Bishop Street, which could provide additional width
for other street design opportunities, such as buffered/protected bike lanes, wider
center turn lanes/medians, or on-street parking. The attached tables summarize
the traffic analysis results for existing AM and PM peak commute conditions for the
following design scenarios on Johnson Avenue:
1. Existing Conditions – Two auto lanes in both directions of Johnson Ave
2. Road Diet (Both Directions) – Reduce Johnson to one traffic lane in each
direction
3. Road Diet (Northbound Only) – Reduce Johnson Avenue to one traffic
lane in the northbound direction (highest volume), leaving two traffic lanes
southbound.
As shown in the attached tables, with auto traffic lane reductions, levels of
service (LOS) on Johnson would deteriorate below the City’s adopted General
Plan policy threshold to maintain LOS D or better, and average peak hour delays
would increase substantially for some intersection approaches—particularly side
streets accessing Johnson Avenue. In addition, typical traffic queues on
northbound/southbound Johnson would be expected to spill back through the
nearest upstream intersections at several locations.
In addition to the above response to questions, staff is also including an update to the
Project Plans (shown as Attachment B in the agenda report). The update shows
locations of proposed speed humps and are indicated on pages S08 and S35-37. See
Attachment B in this agenda correspondence for the updated version.
ATTACHMENTS
A – Johnson Ave Traffic Operations Analysis
B – Preliminary Project Plans UPDATED
Johnson Avenue Traffic Operations Analysis
Intersection Vehicle Delays & Levels of Service (LOS)
Approach Delay (s) / LOS Approach Delay (s) / LOS Approach Delay (s) / LOS Approach Delay (s) / LOS Approach Delay (s) / LOS Approach Delay (s) / LOS
Johnson & San Luis Drive
NB
SB
WB
Overall
6.0 A
19.5 B
38.5 D
16.8 B
NB
SB
WB
Overall
4.3 A
13.8 B
29.5 C
15.3 B
NB
SB
WB
Overall
10.2 B
30.2 C
49.1 D
24.6 C
NB
SB
WB
Overall
10.5 B
27.0 C
36.1 D
23.6 C
NB
SB
WB
Overall
7.4 A
25.5 C
59.9 E
23.5 C
NB
SB
WB
Overall
4.4 A
13.8 B
29.5 C
15.4 B
Johnson & Lizzie
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
10.5 B
8.8 A
41.0 D
85.7 F
19.8 B
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
11.3 B
7.8 A
116.7 F
23.3 C
16.3 B
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
60.2 E
30.3 C
73.6 E
220.1 F
69.6 E
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
6.0 A
6.6 A
352.0 F
48.9 D
27.9 C
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
60.3 E
28.6 C
73.6 E
220.1 F
69.0 E
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
93.9 F
8.5 A
116.7 F
23.3 C
53.8 D
Johnson & Ella
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
38.0 D
18.9 B
148.5 F
34.4 C
37.6 D
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
29.7 C
2.1 A
78.4 E
48.2 D
19.2 B
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
52.9 D
5.1 A
368.2 F
59.7 E
54.7 D
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
23.7 C
5.6 A
226.2 F
171.0 F
38.8 D
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
52.7 D
1.3 A
368.2 F
59.7 E
53.2 D
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
73.8 E
2.1 A
78.4 E
48.2 D
31.8 C
Johnson & Bishop
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
15.8 B
46.7 D
37.6 D
31.2 C
29.3 C
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
8.4 A
38.6 D
32.9 C
31.3 C
28.5 C
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
51.7 D
28.2 C
65.6 E
50.3 D
44.4 D
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
10.7 B
50.7 D
61.8 E
60.0 E
42.7 D
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
51.7 D
26.4 C
65.6 E
50.4 D
43.7 D
NB
SB
EB
WB
Overall
10.5 B
37.5 D
33.0 C
31.9 C
28.6 C
Average (50th Percentile) Vehicle Queues
NBT SBT NBT SBT NBT SBT NBT SBT NBT SBT NBT SBT
Johnson & San Luis Drive 79'209'110'172'374'404'268'331'289'313'104'172'
Johnson & Lizzie 91'45'40'27'763'241'152'92'728'63'127'27'
Johnson & Ella 14'108'94'162'146'256'194'1062'145'118'211'163'
Johnson & Bishop 226'110'30'3'891'162'134'134'889'46'66'3'
PM Peak AM Peak PM Peak
Road Diet (NB Only)
AM Peak PM Peak
NOTES:
1) All scenarios assume signal timings have been optimized.
2) Locations highlighed red where intersection levels of service (LOS) would exceed the City's adopted performance thresholds of LOS D or better.
NOTES:
1) All scenarios assume signal timings have been optimized.
2) Queuing results reflect average (50th percentile) queues. Actual queue lengths likely to exceed these values at times during peak periods.
3) Locations highlighed red where average (50th percentile) queues would spill back and block the nearest upstream intersection.
Intersection
Intersection
Existing Conditions Road Diet (Both Directions)Road Diet (NB Only)
AM Peak PM Peak
AM Peak PM Peak
Existing Conditions Road Diet (Both Directions)
AM Peak PM Peak
AM Peak