TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Justin Clifton, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Isaac Bravo, Management Analyst
SUBJECT:
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Discussion Regarding Traffic Congestion Requested by City Council Member Stone
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ABSTRACT
This report provides the City Council with an opportunity to discuss traffic congestion, as requested by City Council Member Stone at the May 5, 2026, City Council meeting, and provide direction to staff as necessary regarding future priorities, programs, and potential strategies.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Provide direction to staff.
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PRIOR ACTION/VOTE
On May 5, 2026, during Council Member Requests to Add or Withdraw Items, Council Member Stone requested that a discussion be brought forward to a future City Council meeting regarding traffic congestion (Consensus received).
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
This item aligns with the City Council goal of coordinating and delivering responsive, effective community services. Traffic signal synchronization is identified as a Council Tier 1 priority; however, traffic congestion as a whole is not identified as a tiered priority.
DISCUSSION
At the May 5, 2026, City Council meeting, Council Member Stone received consensus to further discuss traffic congestion. This item provides the City Council with an opportunity to discuss this topic and to provide staff with additional information on the scope and vision for traffic congestion relief efforts.
As additional context on this topic, two (2) recent efforts to address traffic congestion include:
• During this past year, the City implemented a traffic signal synchronization pilot program along Los Alamos Road between Hospitality Lane and Whitewood Road to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion along the arterial. Traffic signal synchronization is also a Tier 1 Council Priority. Through the pilot program, staff identified challenges coordinating signal timing with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) at signalized freeway on- and off-ramps at Los Alamos and Interstate 215, which can limit the effectiveness of synchronization efforts along the broader corridor.
• The City has also worked with regional partners through the Southwest Elected Leaders Collaborative and Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez to introduce legislation this year (AB 2307) intended to advance regional traffic signal synchronization including the participation of Caltrans. The proposed effort would focus on communities within the Western Riverside Council of Governments’ southwest Riverside County subregion to study opportunities for traffic signal synchronization and coordination between different cities along roadway corridors and at freeway interchanges.
Based on City Council direction, staff may return with additional analysis, program options, estimated costs, funding considerations, and potential alternatives. Any future recommendations would be evaluated in coordination with ongoing transportation projects, available resources, regional traffic patterns, and the City Council’s established priority of improving traffic signal synchronization.
PUBLIC NOTICING
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no immediate fiscal impact associated with this report. Any future programs, policies, or related actions brought forward for City Council consideration will include a separate evaluation of potential fiscal impacts.
ATTACHMENTS
None.