On October 2023, Governor Gavin Newson signed assembly Bill 413 (AB413) into law. The bill was authored by assembly member Alex Lee of San Jose and aims to increase visibility at crosswalks across California. The bill went into effect January 1, 2024 and adds a section to the existing California Vehicle Code Section; 22500: Stopping, Standing & Parking.
Although the law went into effect January 1, 2024, enforcement of the law does not begin until January 1, 2025.
This bill is more commonly known as the Daylighting Bill. Daylighting refers to the practice of keeping a clear zone of a specified distance on the approach side of an intersection or crosswalk.
The added language to the California Vehicle Code Section 22500 is as follows: (n)(1)(A) Within 20 feet of the vehicle approach side of any marked or unmarked crosswalk or within 15 feet of any crosswalk where a curb extension is present.
Additional language to Section 22500 includes options for implementation and compliance of the law. Including a local authority may establish a different distance if both of the following requirements are met; (1) The local authority establishes the different distance by ordinance that includes a finding that the different distance is justified by established traffic safety standards; and (2) A local authority has marked the different distance at the intersections using paint or signs.
Additional options include; a local authority may permit commercial vehicle loading or unloading within 20 feet of the vehicle approach side of any marked or unmarked crosswalk or within 15 feet of any crosswalk where a curb extension is present if both of the following requirements are met.
(A) A local authority authorizes the commercial loading and unloading by ordinance and identifies the crosswalk or crosswalks in the ordinance; and (B) A local authority has marked the commercial loading and unloading areas with paint or signage.
Additional options include, a local authority may permit parking for bicycles or motorized scooters within 20 feet of a crosswalk.
Staff has developed a plan for the City to come into compliance with the law and to maximize pedestrian safety, while also working to lessen the impact this law has on our already limited parking inventory.
The plan was developed through a series of steps to meet the requirements of the law while minimizing the impact to our parking.
The intent of this law is to increase visibility for driver and pedestrians for the purpose of reducing motor vehicle versus pedestrian traffic accidents. Given the intent of the law, staff looked at the traffic accident data for the past six years to assess the need for increased visibility.
Step 1: Analyze accident data for the village:
- Over the past six years, including accident data from 2019 to August 2024 there have been a total of 9 pedestrian versus vehicle accidents. Of those 9, only one possibly would have been avoided by the requirements of AB413. In this single accident, a contributing factor was darkness due to the time of night, which impacted the drivers ability to see the person in the crosswalk. In all other accidents, improving the sight view on the approach side of the intersection would not have made a difference in the accident.
Step 2: Identify the intersections that have the highest probability for pedestrian versus vehicle accidents:
- This study includes the business district, including streets and intersections from Junipero to Monte Verde, and 5th Avenue to 8th Avenue.
- Intersections with the heaviest traffic and pedestrian traffic were identified.
- Intersections identified are primarily along Ocean Avenue and on Junipero and 6th Avenue.
Step 3: Determine the number of spaces in the business district.
Staff initially tallied all of the parking spaces available in the core of the village, consisting of Junipero to Monte Verde and 5th Avenue to 8th Avenue. Spaces counted include 2-hour, Commercial loading, 30/10-minute zones, and Disabled parking. Spaces not include are Hotel Loading Zones and spaces contained within parking lots.
Current Parking Stock:
- 696 2-hour parking spaces
- 102 30/10 minute zones
- 8 Commercial Loading Zones
- 4 Disabled Parking
Staff's suggest plan to meet the legal requirement, increase safety, and reduce the impact to our existing parking inventory.
In developing this plan, staff took into consideration the large number of 30-minute parking zones in the village and looked for opportunities to convert a number of these spaces into 20-minute commercial vehicle loading zones.
The following plan, besides being flexible, also may help reduce the amount of small vehicles, double parking and creating full lane closures while conducting short deliveries or pick-ups at local businesses thus increasing traffic flow and reducing congestion.
Staff proposes the following plan:
- Convert 20 existing 30/10 minute zones back into 2- hour parking.
- Convert 3 Commercial Loading Zones back into 2-hour Parking spaces
- Paint 23 spaces as Red No Parking at the identified intersections
- Paint remained or required spaces as 20-minute Commercial Loading Zones- 37 spaces13 of which were already 30-minute Parking Spaces
- Create 8 Bicycle/ Motorized Scooter Parking Spaces
Impact to current parking stock:
810 Total Spaces Previously
- 697 2-hour spaces (696)
- 40 30/10 minute Zones (Green) (102)
- 36 Commercial Loading Zones (Yellow) (8)
- 8 Bicycle/Motorized Scooter Spaces (White) (0)
- 4 Disabled Spaces (Blue) (4)
- 25 Red No Parking Spaces (Red) (0)
This proposed plan gets us complaint with AB413 and allows for flexibility based on future needs while limiting the impact on our existing available parking. Adding the commercial loading zones on corners should reduce the amount of vehicles temporarily blocking traffic by double parking. The result may help reduce traffic congestion caused by vehicles double parking for deliveries and pick-ups.
The Traffic Safety Committees recommendation is to take this plan to Council in October for review and direction. If adopted the 36 Commercial loading zones would need to be identified and adopted by Ordinance by the City Council.