REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Traffic Calming Measures along Harold Avenue as part of the South of Forest Neighborhood Traffic Calming Study
Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2024, the Department of Public Works Traffic Engineering Division completed an area-wide traffic calming study for the South of Forest Neighborhood based on the guidelines in the City's Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program (NTCP). Several community meetings were conducted in 2024 and 2025, and during those discussions and subsequent resident surveys, residents of Harold Avenue (between Forest Avenue and Stevens Creek Boulevard) expressed a strong desire for speed humps as a traffic calming measure along their street.
Although speed humps on Harold Avenue comply with the traffic volume and data requirements of the NTCP, there is not 100 percent property owner support within 100 feet of the proposed speed hump locations as required by the NTCP. Due to the strong community interest in speed humps on Harold Avenue, this item is being presented to Council for consideration.
BACKGROUND
As part of the City's 2018 Santana West Settlement Agreement with the City of San Jose, $250,000 was allocated for the City of Santa Clara to conduct a traffic calming study in the South of Forest Neighborhood (SOFN). The SOFN area consists of 12 public streets and is bounded by San Tomas Expressway to the west, Forest Avenue to the north, Winchester Boulevard to the east, and Stevens Creek Boulevard to the south. A map identifying the SOFN traffic calming study area is included as Attachment 1.
Traffic calming studies follow the policies and procedures outlined in the NTCP and consider various factors when evaluating a roadway or neighborhood such as historical background, reported citizen concerns, collision history, roadway network, land use, traffic volumes, and traffic speeds. Below is an overview of the NTCP and key criteria utilized to determine what level of traffic calming measure could be im...
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