Traffic Safety
Traffic Committee Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday, October 16, at 5 p.m. at the City Council Chambers
Rocklin residents take pride in living in a safe, family-oriented community. As Rocklin has developed and the population increased, the City’s 550 lane miles of road have become busier with people commuting to work, taking kids to school, or just walking or biking to the numerous parks in the area.
Traffic safety issues affect everyone and the City of Rocklin often receives and responds to traffic inquiries from citizens who want to improve conditions in their neighborhoods.
To offer opportunities for residents to learn more about traffic safety planning and to share traffic safety concerns, the City will hold it’s bi-annual traffic safety committee town hall on Wednesday, October 16 at 5 p.m. in the Rocklin City Council Chambers (3970 Rocklin Road).
E-Bike and NEV Information
What you should know about electric bicycles and neighborhood electric vehicles
E-Bikes:
Defined – CVC 312.5 (a) An “electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts.
Traffic Safety Q and A
Q: How do I report unsafe driving in my neighborhood?
Residents may report unsafe driving to the Rocklin Traffic Unit at (916) 625-5424 or through the Access Rocklin online system. Traffic safety issues currently occurring should be reported to Rocklin Police Dispatch at 916-625-5400 or 911 if an emergency.
Be prepared to provide officers with the days of the week, times, and location where the activity usually occurs. The color, make, and model of the vehicle will also be requested if reporting a specific driver.
Q: Can I make a traffic complaint anonymously?
Yes, residents can remain anonymous when filing traffic complaints. Residents may either use Access Rocklin or call the traffic unit at (916) 625-5424. However, please keep in mind that investigating officers will not be able to contact anonymous complainants for additional information they may need to address the complaint.
Q: How are speed limits determined?
The California Vehicle Code sets how speed limits are determined. Caltrans provides direction (View the Caltrans Manual for Setting Speed Limits-PDF) using the bottom 85% of all drivers of that section of roadway. Here is how it works:
- A new road is constructed or there is a significant change to the road.
- The Public Services Department of the City will place speed measuring devices across the road and drivers will drive over them for approximately one to two weeks.
- The 85th percentile is determined by calculating what speed 85% of all drivers on that road traveled at or below.
- Caltrans provides a mathematical formula that determines the speed limit from that data.
- Current law provides for the speed limit to be posted at the nearest 5 mile per hour increment to the 85th percentile speed. The limit may be lowered if there is a history of collisions or other factors in the area that would necessitate a lower speed.
For example, an 85th percentile speed of 41.5 mph on a speed survey would establish a speed limit of 40 mph, whereas an 85th percentile speed of 43.8 on a speed survey would establish a speed limit of 45 mph. An additional reduction of 5 mph may be taken if the Traffic Engineer feels it is warranted to meet the traffic safety needs of the community.
Q: I think my neighborhood needs an additional stop sign. How do I request a stop sign?
The City of Rocklin has approximately 1,800 stop signs in its jurisdiction. Stop signs are used to organize the right-of-way for drivers approaching an intersection, not to reduce speed. If you feel that there has been a right-of-way conflict among drivers at an intersection where there is no stop sign, you may contact the Public Services Department at (916) 625-5500 or by using the Access Rocklin system.
Q: Whom do I contact about parking problems?
Contact the police department to report a vehicle parked in an unsafe manner, a vehicle that has expired registration, or a vehicle that poses an immediate hazard.
Q: Which department do I contact to request a speed radar trailer?
Contact the Rocklin Traffic Unit at (916) 625-5424 to request a radar trailer that will display speeds to drivers in a particular area. Residents should indicate the specific location, address, and direction of traffic where the trailer is requested. Requests are evaluated by the traffic unit on a rotational basis.
Some radar trailers record speed, date, and time data but the information is anonymous and will not be used to cite drivers.
Requests can also be filed electronically at rocklin.ca.us/accessrocklin.