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SR-080800-9A PCD:SF:EG:f:\plan\admin\ccreport\xwalksPhase2 Council Meeting: August 8, 2000 Santa Monica, California TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: City Staff SUBJECT: Recommendation to Conceptually Approve Crosswalk Enhancements and Street Modifications for Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Broadway and Ocean Park Boulevard and to Authorize Staff to Proceed with the Preparation of Construction Drawings and Specifications. INTRODUCTION This staff report recommends that the City Council conceptually approve the proposed crosswalk enhancements and street modifications for Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Broadway and Ocean Park Boulevard and to authorize staff to prepare construction drawings and specifications. BACKGROUND On June 29, 1999 City Council authorized Phase II of a Pedestrian Crosswalk Enhancements Design and Development project for site-specific analysis and the development of recommendations for Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Broadway and Ocean Park Boulevard. The process included suggestions and observations from the community, including three Community Workshops held in September and October, 1999, and a written questionnaire distributed to community members on request. The technical team gathered pedestrian counts, traffic data, reviewed collision reports, and made field observations about pedestrian/land use patterns and physical characteristics of the streets. Based on all these considerations, preliminary 1 site-specific recommendations were developed. The proposed recommendations were presented at three Workshops in May and June, 2000, to obtain feedback from the community. The workshop comments and other subsequent feedback were generally supportive of the proposed measures, although there were requests for additional measures that required follow-up. The discussion of these requests, a description of the additional evaluation and the final recommendations are included in this report. Phase I of this project was initiated in September, 1998 and included Pico Boulevard, Montana Avenue, Ocean Avenue, Neilson Way and Barnard Way. The Pico Boulevard improvements were completed this Spring. The crosswalk enhancements for the other Phase I streets are in various stages of design and construction. The striping work that does not require new curb cuts or other construction work will be completed this Summer. All other Phase I improvements will be completed by Spring 2001. This project is an element of the City?s ongoing Community Livability Objective to enhance the pedestrian experience through the development of safe and convenient crosswalk locations. A Phase III design process is anticipated, but will be deferred until FY '01-02, to allow time to complete the design and construction of Phases I and II. Phase III streets have yet to be identified. Ultimately, the goal is to develop guidelines for enhancing crosswalk locations throughout the City. RECOMMENDED ENHANCEMENTS The crosswalk enhancements recommended for Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica 2 Boulevard, Broadway and Ocean Park Boulevard are summarized in the matrix labeled Attachment A and shown in the maps labeled Attachment B1-4. General Recommendations The following are the general measures recommended: ? Zebra Striping Pattern: Use a zebra-striping pattern at certain locations to increase visibility. This pattern consists of section of white vertical striping about two-feet wide alternating with a wide section of unpainted pavement. It?s different than the current ?ladder? crosswalks because there is no horizontal line connecting the vertical lines. Along the study streets this striping is recommended for uncontrolled crosswalks (no traffic light or stop sign); crossings with a pedestrian signal or in-pavement flashers; crosswalks contiguous with a zebra-striped crosswalk; immediately adjacent to schools and in areas designated by the City as "Walking Districts". ? Pushbutton Operation and Equipment: Adjust signals to automatically show "Walk" for every cycle at locations and during times when pedestrian traffic is steady in both directions. Information placards will be added at every location to explain "Walk" and "Don't Walk." Push buttons will be upgraded with the larger push button mechanisms. ? Limit Lines: Add limit lines outside each crosswalk to encourage the motorist to stop before the crosswalk rather than in the crosswalk. ? Pavement Markings: Add ?Ped Xing? markings in the pavement, in advance of uncontrolled crosswalks. ? Identify Crosswalks on Side-Streets: Mark crosswalks across controlled side-streets, parallel to the major street. ? Alley Treatment: Mark all alleys, at the approach to a sidewalk, with a limit line and a painted ?stop? in the pavement. ? School Crosswalks: Paint crosswalks adjacent to schools the characteristic yellow rather than white. ? Wheelchair Ramps: Install new or repositioned wheelchair ramps where it is determined that they are required in conjunction with the installation of a new crosswalk. ? Align Markings: Align markings so that crosswalk is generally at right angles with the curb line to provide the shortest, most direct pathway. ? Identify Crosswalks at Signalized Intersections: Where appropriate, add crosswalks at each signalized crossing. 3 The specific recommendations for each street and each location were developed based on a combination of considerations including the volumes of pedestrian traffic, the lane configuration, the width of the street, visibility and the speed of traffic. Wilshire Boulevard Wilshire Boulevard experiences a constant stream of pedestrians crossing at both the signalized intersections and the existing uncontrolled crosswalks. This is a wide, busy commercial street, with high traffic volumes. Currently there are marked crosswalks at all fifteen unsignalized intersections. Pedestrian volumes warrant retaining and enhancing all fifteen of the current uncontrolled, marked crosswalks. The recommendations for Wilshire Boulevard are described below. Pedestrian Refuge Islands at Uncontrolled Locations: The approach to fourteen of the fifteen uncontrolled crosswalk locations will be to install raised, pedestrian refuge islands half-way across each zebra-striped crosswalk, so that the pedestrian only needs to cross one direction of traffic at a time. The current crossing requires a pedestrian to anticipate and negotiate both directions of traffic across multiple lanes, a very complex and stressful requirement. Currently each intersection has two marked crosswalks. Both crosswalks will be retained at each intersection and enhanced with pedestrian refuge islands. A typical pedestrian refuge and street cross-section is shown in Attachment B-1. Wilshire Boulevard can accommodate a six-foot wide median refuge island while still maintaining standard lane widths. Six feet for a refuge island is recommended to provide adequate space for several pedestrians or people who may be pushing strollers, in wheel chairs or walking bicycles. The crosswalk locations that will be enhanced with pedestrian refuge islands are: th ? 9 Street th ? 10 Street th ? 12 Street th ? 16 Street th ? 18 Street th ? 19 Street st ? 21 Street 4 nd ? 22 Street th ? 24 Street ? Chelsea Street th ? 25 Street ? Princeton Street ? Harvard Street (Also the existing crosswalk on the east will be shifted east to align with the northeastern-most corner Harvard. This will square off the intersection and reduce right turning conflicts.) ? Stanford Street Pedestrian Signal Near Franklin: The existing single crosswalk on the west side of the jogged Franklin intersection will be moved slightly westward to a mid-block location so that a pedestrian activated signal can be installed at this location. The pedestrian activated signal will be coordinated with the signal at Berkeley in order to maintain traffic flow. The jogged configuration of this intersection precluded the use of the pedestrian refuge island. Signalized Intersections: All signalized crosswalks on Wilshire Boulevard will be zebra-striped because the entire length of the street is heavily utilized by pedestrians. Community Comment on Wilshire Boulevard: In response to the recent workshops and outreach efforts, the following issues were raised that are not addressed above: ? Signalize the uncontrolled crosswalks: Several comments were received pertaining to the need to signalize various intersections or add in-pavement flashers. Adding either of these devices would have to be done consistently, which would affect multiple intersections. Adding signals raises numerous concerns and would create neighborhood impacts on the side streets, impact traffic flow on Wilshire Boulevard and require more in depth traffic analysis. In- pavement flashers are not necessary or preferred when there is the option to provide the pedestrian refuge islands as they are proposed. ? Turning Clearance: A concern was expressed that vehicles may run into the refuge islands. The recommended design anticipates and addresses this issue by placing the crosswalks slightly back from the intersection to allow an adequate turning radius around the refuge "nose". The end or "nose" of the refuge island will be treated boldly with paint and signage to add visibility for oncoming and turning vehicles. ? Adequate lane widths: The goal on Wilshire is to address the need for pedestrians to cross the street while continuing to facilitate the heavy volume of vehicles. The recommended widths are sufficient to accommodate the vehicular 5 flow. The outside traffic lane will remain unchanged at 20 feet (8 foot parking lane and 12 foot travel lane) to accommodate the heavy bus traffic. The inside lane and left turn lane will be reduced from 12 feet to 10 feet, which is a common width in the City. Santa Monica Boulevard Santa Monica Boulevard is characterized by heavy vehicular traffic, with pedestrian volumes that are concentrated at specific locations and are generally lower than Wilshire Boulevard due to differing land use characteristics of the street. Although Santa Monica Boulevard has two travel lanes in each direction, it is narrower than Wilshire Boulevard. The narrower cross-section precludes the use of a pedestrian refuge treatment on Santa Monica Boulevard unless on-street parking is eliminated. Because parking affects the commercial vitality and provides a buffer for the sidewalk, the recommendations avoid parking loss. Currently ten intersections along Santa Monica Boulevard are marked with single uncontrolled crosswalks. Because of the lane configuration and volume of traffic on Santa Monica Boulevard, all retained marked uncontrolled crosswalks will be enhanced. There are several locations, with low pedestrian volumes, where an existing crosswalk will be eliminated as explained below. In-Pavement Flashers: The predominant enhancement approach for the uncontrolled crosswalks is to install pedestrian activated in-pavement flashers. In-pavement flashers will provide increased visibility for the motorist, while still requiring the pedestrian to cross with care. These can be observed at five locations along Pico Boulevard where the systems were recently installed. The installments consist of a series of lights embedded in the pavement along the marked crosswalk that are directed towards motorists and a pedestrian crossing sign with flashing lights. The 6 system is activated by a pedestrian push button. The five crosswalk locations that will be enhanced with pedestrian-activated in- pavement flashers are: th ? 9 Street ? Euclid Street th ? 15 Street th ? 18 Street ? Princeton Street th Pedestrian Refuge Island at 16 Street: At Sixteenth Street the crosswalk will be moved to the east side of the intersection to reduce conflict with the predominant left and right turning movements. A median refuge treatment is recommended at this location because it has the heaviest pedestrian volumes of any of the uncontrolled crosswalks on Santa Monica Boulevard. An in-pavement flasher at this location is not recommended since it would be highly disruptive to the flow of traffic because of the th flasher system recommended at 15 Street (which has the second heaviest pedestrian volumes). The flashers activate instantly and during peak hours the combination of the two locations would be stopping cars almost constantly. With a pedestrian refuge island the pedestrians can cross each half of the roadway when there is a gap in traffic created by the adjacent signal at Seventeenth Street, by the in-pavement flasher at th Fifteenth Street or the signal at 14 Street. Upon approach to the median island, there will be approximately 30 feet of a bold thermoplastic traffic marking pattern to stop the driver in advance of the crosswalk. At this particular location the median island will not require the taking of on-street parking because both sides are already painted red for the distance of the median island. st Pedestrian Signal at 21 Street: There is a constant stream of pedestrians jaywalking at this location, even though it is posted to prohibit crossing. This issue will be addressed during Saint John's Medical Center construction, when the front entrance of st the hospital will be reoriented to Santa Monica Boulevard at 21 Street. As part of the Hospital's Development Agreement with the City, the Hospital will install a pedestrian signal at this location. Full Traffic Signal at Berkeley Street: A signal warrant study was done independent of the crosswalk study to address the vehicular movements at this intersection. The study determined that a full traffic signal should be added. The addition of a signal provides the necessary enhancement needed to maintain a crosswalk. This is a key location for a crosswalk since it is also a bus stop. Signalized Intersections: The signalized crosswalks from Lincoln Boulevard west will be zebra-striped, except for those receiving special pavement treatment as part of the future Transit Mall. 7 rd Countdown Signal at 3 Street Promenade: A new type of signal has been specified at the Promenade to address the large volume and continuous flow of pedestrians. This "countdown" signal will provide actual number of seconds that are remaining for pedestrians to cross, so the pedestrians can decide whether they have time to make it across the street before the light changes. Currently, pedestrians will continue to enter the crosswalk well into the "Don't Walk" phase and are still in the crosswalk after the light has changed. This device will be installed as part of the Transit Mall construction. Coordination with Transit Stops:The Big Blue Bus will move and combine the low ththth volume bus stops at 10 and 12 Streets to a new bus stop at 11 Street where there is th a signalized crosswalk. Currently there is no marked crosswalk at 10 Street and there th is a low-volume marked uncontrolled crosswalk at 12 Street. Removal of Existing Uncontrolled Crosswalks: Listed below are the crosswalks recommended for removal. These recommendations are consistent with study approach of enhancing at least every other crosswalk along the street, focusing on those with the highest demand. th ? 12 Street: This is not a high volume crosswalk and the current bus stop is th being moved to the signalized location at 11 Street, one intersection to the th west. Euclid is the heavier of the two locations between the two signals at 11 th and 14 Streets and will be enhanced with in-pavement flashers. th ? 19 Street: This is not a high volume crosswalk. This is one of the two thth uncontrolled crosswalks between 17 and 20 Streets. Eighteenth Street has the heavier pedestrian volumes and will be enhanced with in-pavement flashers. ? Stanford and Franklin Streets: Both these crosswalks are low volume. With the signalization of Berkeley Street, there will be signals at every other intersection: Yale Street, Berkeley Street and Centinela Avenue. Community Comment on Santa Monica Boulevard: In response to the recent workshops and outreach efforts, the following issues were raised: th Mark a Crosswalk between Cloverfield Boulevard and 26 Street: A crosswalk was th requested in the vicinity of 25 Street, where there is a three-block stretch with no th marked crosswalk, to provide more direct access to the shopping center between 25 th and 26 Street. A marked, uncontrolled crosswalk had previously been removed within this segment to encourage the McKinnely School children to use the signalized crosswalks. Because this is such a congested area, with so many lane changes and 8 turning movements, if a crosswalk were added, it would have to be signalized. The pedestrian volumes were counted and observed several times with the consistent finding that there is not sufficient demand to warrant a new signal. The walking distance th to the signalized intersection at 26 Street is also shorter than most comparable blocks. st Accelerate the 21 Street Crosswalk: A request was made to construct the pedestrian signal as part of the crosswalk project, rather than waiting for Saint John Medical Center to construct it as part of their project. This option was considered, however, the Hospital will be disrupting this area around the same time as implementation of the crosswalk improvements. Broadway Outside the Downtown area, Broadway has moderate traffic volumes and is characterized by only one travel lane in each direction. This type of cross-section is easier for a pedestrian to negotiate than a street with multiple traffic lanes in each direction. The recommendations for Broadway also incorporate the Broadway component of the Mid-City Traffic Improvements, which covers the eastern end of th Broadway from 26 Street to Centinela Avenue. The recommendations for the traffic improvements were developed over several years, through an extensive community involvement process. A final community open house was held on July 18, 2000 to gather input on all improvements proposed on Broadway. The recommendations of Broadway are provided below: Curb Extensions at Uncontrolled Locations: Although Broadway has a cross- section that is easier to negotiate than a multi-lane street, there are currently only three marked uncontrolled crosswalks along the entire street. Based on pedestrian volumes, it was determined that crosswalks will be added at six intersections. All the locations will be zebra-striped and will be marked across all four streets of the intersection, st except for 21 Street where there is a single crosswalk at a "T" intersection. All will be enhanced with curb extensions to improve the site line between the pedestrian the driver by placing the pedestrian out beyond the row of parked cars. The curb extensions will be no wider than the parked cars and will not impede the bicycle lane. The extensions will also be designed to minimize disruption to turning movements. The 9 recommended locations are the following: th ? 10 Street th ? 12 Street ? Euclid th ? 16 Street st ? 21 Street (existing marked crosswalk) ? Princeton Street ? Harvard Street (existing marked crosswalk) ? Stanford Street (existing marked crosswalk) ? Franklin Street rd Countdown Signal at 3 Street Promenade: This is also recommended for Broadway at the Promenade. Other Broadway Improvements: Broadway improvements also include the following: th ? Landscaped Median islands: These will be added in the blocks between 26 Street and Centinela as a traffic calming measure. The islands will break at the alleys (the attached maps show the break as a range depending on how much space needed to accommodate Sanitation and Fire Department movements). th There will be dedicated left turn lanes at 26 Street and Centinela Avenue. ? Additional Curb Extensions at Intersections with Stop Signs: Two intersections controlled by stop signs will also have curb extensions. These are the intersections at Yale and Berkeley Streets. ? Striped Bike Lane: Bike lane striping will be added. Community Comment on Broadway: A workshop to specifically review the Broadway Improvements was conducted on July 18, 2000. Approximately 25 people attended the meeting. Some community members th disagree with the "traffic calming" objectives between 26 Street and Centinela Avenue, preferring to address the large influxes of traffic by maintaining a "free flow" approach. Their concerns were the following: Raised Median Islands: People currently use the existing painted median area for making left turns, detouring around obstructions in the through lane and merging into a traffic lane after turning from the alley. The impacts on these movements is described 10 as follows: ? Left-turning vehicles: The raised medians could create a delay at the uncontrolled intersections of Princeton, Harvard, Stanford and Franklin, depending the amount of on-coming traffic. At the 4-way Stop intersections of Yale and Berkeley the vehicles are stopping anyway, and only a very minor delay could result from the fact that vehicles are in the single line rather than adjacent to each other at the Stop. ? Parallel parking: Currently a vehicle has room to detour around a car that is parallel parking. When a raised median is installed, through vehicles may have to wait for a car that is parallel parking. ? Alley turns: The median will break at the alleys and there will be sufficient space between the medians for a vehicle to pull out of the flow of traffic to turn into or out of the alley. The medians are included as part of the Broadway Improvements to provide the message to motorists that they are in a residential area and to discourage speeding. The medians are proposed to extend to each crosswalk, which provides extra safety for pedestrians by creating a refuge area in the middle. Curb Extensions: Concern focused primarily on curb extensions that inhibit the ability of a vehicle to turn right while another vehicle is proceeding straight ahead. However, most people seemed satisfied when they were told that no curb extensions are planned for the signalized intersections. There was also a specific concern at Euclid that the curb extensions do not interfere with a school's curbside drop-off and pick-up procedures. A site visit was made to talk with the school and it was determined that these issues can be addressed. Ocean Park Boulevard Ocean Park Boulevard is characterized by three sections: west of Lincoln Boulevard the traffic volume is the lowest and the street cross-section consists of one travel lane rd in each direction with a bike lane; between Lincoln Boulevard and 23 Street the traffic volume is heavier and there are two travel lanes in each direction with no median; east rd of 23 Street the traffic volumes are heaviest and the street is characterized by two th travel lanes in each direction with a landscaped median running from 25 Street to 11 Centinela Avenue. Crosswalk enhancement recommendations for Ocean Park Boulevard are described below. Main Street to Lincoln Boulevard: rd ? In-pavement flashers at 3 Street: In-pavement flashers will provide advanced warning to motorists approaching this existing crosswalk. The crosswalk will be relocated slightly eastward to increase visibility at the crown of the hill. The in-pavement flashers will also provide advanced warning for drivers heading eastbound. th ? Install "Stop" sign at bottom of westbound 4 Street ramp onto Ocean Park rd Boulevard: Currently there is a "Stop" sign at the end of the ramp, past the 3 rd Street crosswalk. The "Stop" sign will be added on the east side of the 3 Street intersection. rdth ? Re-orient existing crosswalks at SE corner of 3 Street, SW corner of 5 Street th and NW Corner of 5 Street to increase visibility: At two of the three locations rdth (SW corners of 3 and 5) this will require reconstructing the existing pedestrian islands to provide a better angle for the crosswalks. th ? Improve "Stop" signage on 4 Street: The north and southbound through lanes th on the 4 Street overpass currently have "Stop" pavement markings. These same pavement markings will be added to the adjacent left turning lanes that access the ramps to Ocean Park Boulevard. th ? The 6 Street signal will be adjusted to be more responsive to pedestrians, particularly since it serves as a primary pedestrian crossing for SMASH and Will Rogers Schools. thth Commercial Area Between 16 and 18: This area is considered as a "Walking District" and the following recommended measures serve to enhance these characteristics: th ? In-Pavement Flashers and Curb Extensions on the eastern Side of 16 Street: This location is the western boundary of the commercial district and also the southwest corner of the John Adams Middle School athletic field. An in- pavement warning device, in conjunction with curb extensions, can provide a balanced response by facilitating a desired crossing and avoiding the facilitation of cut-through traffic. The in-pavement flasher system will provide advanced warning to both westbound and eastbound vehicles, coming up the th hill from 14 Street. The recommended curb extensions will facilitate additional line of site in both directions. The curb extensions will not extend beyond the width of the parked cars on Ocean Park Boulevard and they will be designed to 12 minimize disruptions to turning movements. The crosswalk will be zebra- striped. Once this crosswalk is installed, the School Crossing Guard will be thth relocated to 16 Street from the signalized intersection at 17 Street. th ? Zebra-Striping the Signalized Crosswalk at 17 Street: This signalized crosswalk will be zebra-striped, consistent with the location as part of a walking district. th ? In-Pavement Flashers and Curb Extension at 18 Street: A zebra-striped th crosswalk will be added from the north western-most corner of 18 Street in conjunction with installation of an in-pavement flasher system and curb extensions. The curb extensions will fit within the existing red curb zones and should not require removal of on-street parking spaces. This crosswalk will also facilitate the pedestrian demand resulting from the commercial activity and the bus stop at this location. th 25 Street at Clover Park: A marked crosswalk on the eastern leg of this signalized intersection will be added to provide direct access to Clover Park. This will require the construction of new wheelchair ramps. th 30 Street: A new zebra-striped uncontrolled crosswalk will be added from the NE th corner of 30 Street to just west of the driveway on the south side of Ocean Boulevard to address the high level of pedestrian traffic at this location, particularly mid-day. Marking a crosswalk at this location will help to focus the many jaywalkers crossing at random locations along this stretch. A new pathway will be cut through the median, avoiding the existing trees. The existing median island enables a pedestrian to focus thst on each direction of traffic separately. The traffic lights at 28 and 31 will provide the necessary gaps. Signalized Intersections: Neilson Way, Main Street and Lincoln Boulevard will be zebra- th striped, as well as 17 Street described above. Community Comments on Ocean Park Boulevard: In response to the recent workshops and outreach efforts, the following issues were raised: rd ? Add More Warning Lights or Install a Signal at 3 Street: There was a concern that motorists heading westbound would not see the in-pavement flashers. In response, another field visit was made, the line of site at this location was reassessed and the conclusion is that the in-pavement flashers will be effective at this location. 13 th ? Add a Crosswalk back at 5 Street: A marked, uncontrolled crosswalk at this location had been previously removed. The pedestrian volumes are low and the location does not warrant re-introducing an enhanced crosswalk. Instead, the th east-west access is being improved on both sides of 5 Street to facilitate school ththrd children crossing at 6 Street, 4 Street and 3 Street, all of which are all being enhanced. th ? Add a curb extension at 6 Street: The Crosswalk Study has limited the use of curb extensions to uncontrolled locations. Since this is a signalized intersection it was determined that a curb extension is not necessary. ? Address Visibility Issue between Beverly and Highland: These intersections are at the top of a hill and visibility upon the approach is limited. The pedestrian volumes across Ocean Park Boulevard were low in this area. It was determined that short of a signal, which is not justified at this location, the best approach is to leave the locations unmarked. Pedestrians can cross each half of the street, cautiously utilizing the existing painted median island. ? Re-stripe Ocean Park Boulevard east of Lincoln from four lanes: Some members of the community expressed a desire to re-stripe Ocean Park Boulevard from th east of Lincoln Boulevard to 16 Street to reduce the two travel lanes in each direction to: one travel lane in each direction, a left turn lane and a bike lane. It was suggested that this would calm traffic and make it easier for a pedestrian to cross. This suggestion was not addressed in the Crosswalk study because the decision concerning the lane configuration on Ocean Park Boulevard was part of a larger Sunset Park Traffic Plan adopted by Council in 1996. If the cross- section of Ocean Park Boulevard is going to be reconsidered, it will need to be revisited within this larger context and the suggestion was considered to be outside the scope of the Crosswalk Study. th ? Address Visibility Issue between 11 Street and Euclid: These locations are similar to Beverly and Highland, where the intersections are at the top of a hill and visibility upon the approach is limited. The pedestrian volumes across Ocean Park Boulevard were low. It was determined that short of a signal, which is not needed at this location, the best approach is to leave the locations unmarked so that pedestrians will cross with caution. th ? Remove Marked Crosswalk at 29 Street: It was suggested that this crosswalk th won't be needed after adding the 30 Street crosswalk. Based on the current high volume use at both locations, it is recommended that the marked crosswalk th at 29 Street should be retained. rd ? Add a Marked Crosswalk at 33 Street: A suggestion was made to add a rd marked crosswalk to the NW corner of 33 Street to facilitate those crossing from the industrial park to the mailbox and bank on that corner. Additionally, 14 st there is no marked crosswalk for the three blocks between 31 Street and Centinela Avenue. This location was reassessed, but the pedestrian traffic drops off significantly at this eastern end of the industrial park. The topography of the street at this location, where westbound traffic is proceeding up a curved hill, creates the need a supplemental warning device east of this location. Because the pedestrian volumes are not high at this location and there is currently a median island, it was recommended to leave the location unmarked so that pedestrians would cross each half of the street with caution, stopping at the exiting raised median island to wait for a gap in traffic. NEXT STEPS Once the Phase II recommendations are approved the conceptual design plans will be developed into construction drawings and specifications. A recommendation for Project/Construction Manager will be brought to Council for approval within the next two months to keep the process moving and provide continuity throughout the design and construction phases. The Project/Construction Manager will assist with the procurement of the Engineering Design Firm. This procurement will take approximately 3 months, including Council approval. The development of construction drawings will take approximately 5-6 months in order to provide a responsive review process for the concerned departments. It will take at least 3 months to procure the construction firm, take the recommendation to Council and negotiate the contract. Finally, the improvements will be constructed within about 6-month time frame. Based on this schedule, it is anticipated that the Phase II improvements will be completed by Spring 2002. Although the Community continues to express a desire to implement the improvements as soon as possible, all the above steps are required and necessary to develop a quality product, given the City's current staffing level and public bidding requirements. 15 BUDGET/FINANCIAL IMPACT Staff is seeking conceptual approval at this time and will return to Council for the award of design and construction contracts. The estimated cost and budgeted funds are summarized in the table below. Based on conceptual design and 25% contingency, construction of Crosswalk Enhancements is estimated to cost approximately $2.3 million; construction of the East Broadway Traffic Improvements is estimated to cost approximately $1.1 million; and the total design and project/construction management costs are estimated at $750,000. Purpose Estimated Funding Source Cost Construction Drawings & C01045601.589000 ($500,000) Specifications/ $750,000 C01045600.589000 Project Management / ($250,000) Construction Management Crosswalk Enhancement Construction $2,300,000 C01045601.589000 - FY 01-02 ($1,835,000) C01021400.589000 ($165,000) C01045602.589000 ($300,000) East Broadway Traffic Improvements $1,125,000 C01027098.589000 ($705,000) Need to appropriate from Special Office District Deferred Revenue Accounts: 1.215028 ($210,000) 1.215025 ($210,000) Total $4,175,000 16 RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council authorize staff to proceed with the preparation of construction drawings and specifications for the recommended crosswalk enhancements for Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Broadway and Ocean Park Boulevard. Prepared by: Suzanne Frick, Director of PCD Ellen Gelbard, Deputy Director of PCD Lucy Dyke, Transportation Manager Ron Fuchiwaki, Traffic Operations Manager Attachment A: Summary Table of Phase II Recommended Crosswalk Enhancements Attachment B-1: Map of Recommended Wilshire Boulevard Crosswalk Enhancements and Typical Pedestrian Refuge Island Attachment B-2: Map of Recommended Santa Monica Boulevard Crosswalk Enhancements Attachment B-3: Map of Recommended Broadway Crosswalk Enhancements Attachment B-4: Map of Recommended Ocean Park Boulevard Crosswalk Enhancements 17