Amador Traffic Lights

The Pleasanton City Council recently approved the $507,366 project for new traffic lights

stationed on Santa Rita. Santa Rita is parallel to Amador Valley High School, and this venture

was a reaction to safety concerns and school hour congestion. The two new traffic lights will be

added to the pre existing pedestrian crosswalk in front of the Amador Theater.

This large project also harbors concerns among certain residents of Pleasanton who believe that

the plan might actually increase congestion and traffic on the road. Some believe that the

expenses associated with the two traffic lights is an example of overspending whereas others

promote the project as an important improvement in the prevention of automobile accidents.

According to the statement released by the City of Pleasanton on July 26, “City staff, working in

conjunction with the surrounding neighborhood and Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD)

staff, recommended the installation of traffic signals at both the north and middle driveway of the

Amador Valley High School parking lot.”

Currently, there are three new elements to the Amador High School Parking Lot: the first and

more apparent is the northern and middle driveways which are now fully controlled by traffic

lights. The second and third modifications were less apparent but are significant and important to

safety and pedestrian traffic flow. The second modification is the construction of a sidewalk

along the north edge of the student parking lot. This new sidewalk gives pedestrians the ability to

walk from Black Avenue to the school property without having to cross the driveway traffic.

This significantly reduces pedestrian exposure and improves both vehicular and pedestrian traffic

flow. The third modification was the reconstruction of the middle and north driveways that

previously served as driveways in front of residential homes. In an interview with the City

Traffic Engineer, Mike Tassano, these modifications “should improve flow into and out of the

parking lot and improve recognition that pedestrians will need to wait for the pedestrian crossing

sign before crossing the location.”

Although these positive effects will serve the community better, there are still some concerns

about the feasibility and purpose of this project. In the following extended Q&A with Mr.

Tassano, these questions are addressed in superfluity.

AA: Why were these changes made?

MT: “ The signals were installed as a safety improvement. Traffic signals are installed to provide

improved access at intersections. During the AM and PM school commute vehicles were

experiencing delay getting into and out of the lot and sometimes the students made driving

choices based more on their current delay instead of the relative safety. So the traffic signal in

this case is installed to improve the safety, not necessarily improve overall delay.”

AA: Will these new lights increase the traffic on this road in the future?

MT: “ The traffic signals will not likely increase the traffic on Santa Rita Road. They may,

increase the usage in the student lot, as parents will feel safer entering and exiting the lot. This

may have the added benefit of removing vehicles from the neighborhood and frontage road.”

AA: Will these new lights increase the traffic on this road in the future?

MT: “ The traffic signals will not likely increase the traffic on Santa Rita Road. They may,

increase the usage in the student lot, as parents will feel safer entering and exiting the lot. This

may have the added benefit of removing vehicles from the neighborhood and frontage road.”

AA: When was the decision made to put these lights up?

MT: “ It was decided to install the traffic signals back in 2014. The school was experiencing

increased congestion in the small staff loop and this impacted emergency response. This closure

prompted City staff to look for ways to provide a new drop off area. The student lot is an ideal

location, however, the entrance and exit appeared to be a deterrent for usage.”

AA: Has there been any pushback from the community?

MT: “ I would classify the conversations with the community as a mixture of curiosity, concern

and support. Many residents had questions about the design and operation. Some felt that the

signal would increase the traffic in the neighborhood and many felt it was a necessary safety

improvement.”

AA: Finally, do you think that the project will be effective and beneficial?

MT: “ Yes – I believe that each project has pros and cons and it is my job to weigh the pros and

cons and make recommendations based on my review. For this project, there will be additional

delay experienced for the vehicles on Santa Rita that do not wish to access the Amador High

parking lot (they may have to stop, and they didn’t before the signal), but I believe that the

increase in safety to the drivers trying to enter and leave is of greater benefit than the drawback

of added delay.”

If you have any other questions about the project, contact Ed Evangelista at:

eevangelista@cityofpleasantonca.gov.

By: Arman Abrishamchian