New models of transportation are not only changing the way people get around, they are also making it easier for city traffic engineers to understand where bicycle and pedestrian improvements are most needed in Chula Vista.

Dockless bike and scooter companies began operating in the San Diego region in 2018, giving residents and visitors a new and convenient way to travel short distances without getting in a car. Also known as shared micro-mobility devices, these dockless vehicles can be rented by the minute, using a smartphone and a credit card, and they do not have to be returned to a central location.

 The Chula Vista City Council adopted regulations for shared micro-mobility devices in early 2019, allowing businesses to offer dockless bicycles and scooters after obtaining a permit from the city.

Learn more about the Shared Micro-Mobility Device Program.

Shared micro-mobility operators are required to provide the city with anonymized GPS data from every bike or scooter at least once every 30 seconds, as well as provide city traffic engineers with monthly reports on:

 ·        Total number of users in the past month

·         Number of trips by day, week and month

·         Aggregate information about trip origins and destinations

·         Trip lengths and times

·         Number of trips by city block segment

City engineers and planners will use this data to make decisions about where to build new infrastructure, such as bike lanes and bicycle and scooter parking. The data could also be helpful to help police determine where traffic enforcement is most needed.

Major improvements have begun in western Chula Vista’s busiest north-south corridor.

The City of Chula Vista is building new bike lanes on Broadway from C Street on the north end to Main Street on the south end. Adding bike lanes provides a safer north-south route for bicyclists and scooter riders encouraging more people to get out of their cars.

The City is also installing a variety of traffic signal upgrades to smooth the flow of cars, bicycles and pedestrians along and across Broadway by responding and adjusting to real-time traffic conditions. The upgrades also help city traffic engineers better understand and manage traffic patterns. These upgrades include:

• 

  New advanced transportation computer controllers at all signalized intersections
• Upgraded traffic signals at the intersections of Broadway and G and Broadway and F
• Video detection systems that provide accurate counts of vehicles and bicycles traveling through key intersections
• Traffic monitoring cameras that allow traffic engineers to study traffic patterns at specific times of day
• Dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) antennas that will enable future vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) communications to support autonomous vehicles
• Bluetooth sensors that anonymously measure the time it takes to travel between certain points along the corridor
• Fiber-optic cable to support advanced traffic signal communications

Additionally, the City is working with MTS to build new bus shelters for the Metropolitan Transit System Route 932 bus stops on Broadway.

City intersections are being upgraded with smart traffic controls as part of a master plan adopted by the City Council in 2017.

Advanced traffic controllers allow the traffic signals to "see" approaching vehicles from much farther away and to adjust the duration of green and red lights based on real-time traffic patterns. These advanced systems also have the capacity to interact with the vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technologies used by autonomous vehicles.

In 2021, over 120 traffic signals were retimed which brought safety enhancements, improved traffic flow, and reduction in Greenhouse Gases. In 2022-2023, this improvement will be expanded to 100 more traffic signals. Additionally, signal controllers will be upgraded with modern technology.

Project Highlights

Modern traffic signal controllers

• Traffic monitoring
• Ethernet communications
• Signal interconnect
• Vehicle detection upgrades

Documents

City of Chula Vista Traffic Signal Communications Master Plan

Trafficware Press Release

Informational Flyer

In 2017, the U.S. Department of Transportation designated Chula Vista and the broader San Diego region as one of 10 Autonomous Vehicle Proving Grounds in the U.S., and one of only two in the state of California. The region was recognized for its ability to demonstrate safety planning, willingness to share information with industry and government partners, and commitment to compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and policies.

Chula Vista has worked with the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to establish the San Diego Regional Proving Ground (RPG), intended to be a real-world laboratory for validating autonomous vehicle technology. The RPG includes local streets and roads in Chula Vista, state Route 125 and Interstate 15.

 The San Diego RPG is driven by a consortium of industry affiliates and academic partners. While autonomous vehicles can be tested and deployed anywhere in the state of California with appropriate permits from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), San Diego RPG affiliates have streamlined access to local agency officials and receive expedited permitting for select City of Chula Vista and Caltrans road closures and equipment installations.

One major project of the San Diego RPG is the Chula Vista Mobility Hub, which will explore the concept of combining multiple modes of transportation — bicycles, autonomous vehicles, bus transit, electric vehicle charging, on-demand rideshare, etc. — in a central location. Planning for the Chula Vista Mobility Hub project is underway, with an in-depth workshop planned for Winter 2019.

The city is open to a wide range of high-tech vehicle research. A significant amount of supporting infrastructure will be needed to accommodate a future of autonomous vehicles. This supporting infrastructure may include 5G wireless communications networks, advanced traffic signal control systems, upgraded streetlights, and more.

Safety is a top priority whenever testing is conducted in Chula Vista. The city has designated safety supervisor, a Chula Vista police captain, who serves as a single point of contact for all proving grounds activities. The city also has safety protocols and policies to protect the safety of other drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians on the roads. 

Recognizing the potential of autonomous vehicles to drive economic growth and improve safety on our roads, Chula Vista city staff are eager to work with the private sector to find win-win opportunities that benefit residents and businesses. The Chula Vista City Council has adopted a resolution expressing the city's support for autonomous vehicle research and AV testing on city streets.

The city’s openness to autonomous vehicle manufacturers is already attracting new interest in the city among high-tech companies, several of whom have begun tests within the city. As the need to test and validate new technology grows over the next few years, we expect a long-term presence, bringing more economic activity to South County and growing the number of local jobs.