sr-030309-1g~~
c;cyar City Council Report.
Santa Monica
City Council Meeting: March 3, 2009
Agenda Item: ~~
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Stephanie Negriff, Director of Transit Services
Subject: Authorization of Professional Services Agreement for Architectural and
Design Services for the Bus Stop Redevelopment Program
Recommended Action
Staff requests that Council authorize the City Manager to enter into a professional
services agreement with Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects in the amount of $600,000 to
conduct architectural and design services for the Bus Stop Redevelopment Program for
the Big Blue Bus.
Executive Summary
This report recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate
and execute a professional services agreement with Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects to
conduct site investigations of bus stops with high and medium volume usage; develop
three unique complete designs for bus shelters and associated amenities; assist with
public outreach, and ultimately prepare 100% construction documents; and provide
permit coordination and construction observation services during the installation of the
new shelters, signs, pole systems, and amenities.
Background
Bus stop amenities that easily identify transit entry points, offer customer comforts,
provide transit information and improve the cityscape are important elements of a
successful transit system. Bus shelters and on-street signage are a vital source of
passenger education/communication and greatly improve the passengers' experience
on public transit. Key functions of on-street shelters and signs are to:
• Promote transit services, the transportation agency (branding, routes and
services) and the City
• Improve the public's image of bus travel
• Present travel information - (the shop window for our transit services)
1
• Deliver real-time arrival information
• Provide a safe, secure and welcoming place for transit users to congregate
• Increase ridership
In 2001, large shelters were approved by City Council and built on the transit mall. A
prototype shelter was also built. and reviewed by Council for smaller stops but was not
approved. In 2007, another design was presented but Council requested that. other
designs be developed for review.
Discussion
The Shelter and Bus Stop Master Plan - Identifving Shelter Tvpes:
The plan to create and redesign bus shelters and on-street information for all Big Blue
Bus stops in the City involves creating four styles of stops based on volume of
boardings. Each stop. in the City will be re-developed to offer an improved transit
experience and to create. a more aesthetically pleasing urban environment. The four
types of stops that have been identified are:
L High Volume Bus Shelter Stops
a. Bus stops where the most passengers board will offer a full shelter and
complete signage package including:
i. Printed eye-level schedules and maps
ii. Line number and AVR information (location name)
iii. No-smoking sign
iv. Disabled accessibility sign
v. Direction of travel
vi. Real-time bus arrival information
vii. Large regional maps and route displays
viii. Full bus shelter with seating, trash receptacles, in-shelter lighting
II. Moderate Volume Bus Stop Information System:
2
a. Stop locations with a moderate number of boardings will. receive a bus
stop sign and info system offering:
i. Printed eye-level schedules and maps
ii. Line number and AVR information (location name)
iii. No-smoking sign
iv. Disabled accessibility sign
v. Direction of travel
vi. Real-time bus arrival information
III. Lower Volume Bus Stop Information System:
a. Stop locations with a lower volume of boardings will receive a bus stop
sign and info system offering:
i. Printed eye-level schedules and maps
ii. Line number and AVR information (location name)
iii. No-smoking sign
iv. Disabled accessibility sign
v. Direction of travel
IV. Special High Volume Signage `
a. Key locations with a high volume of boardings and special situation stops
will receive larger versions of bus shelters and/or large information kiosks.
Some of these locations would include the stop at Santa Monica College
on Pico at 18th and Pico Blvd. at Lincoln.
Stop Locations:
An analysis of all bus stops within the City of Santa Monica to identify boarding volume
was completed and stops have been identified based on their daily boarding activity.
Stops outside the City of Santa Monica are also being investigated, but only select
stops will be upgraded at these locations. Early results of the bus stop analysis have
3
identified heavily utilized transit corridors along 4th Street and on Pico Boulevard, which
will have a high concentratioh of the shelter locations.
Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects will study each location to determine if the shelter can be
installed. High volume stops not suitable for a full bus shelter will receive new signage
and benches. Sites currently under consideration to receive a full bus shelter are listed
in Attachments A, B and C
The number of shelters and information poles that would be built and installed is directly
related to the cost of the shelter and amenities chosen. Ultimately, Big Blue Bus intends
to upgrade all stops within the City of Santa Monica. Funding from the Federal Transit
Administration has been secured and programmed into the Capital Improvement Plan.
Once the cost of the shelters and amenities is known, staff will return to Council with a
phased plan that will re-develop as many stops as possible within the current program
budget.
Contractor/Consultant Selection
A request for proposals was issued for this project and proposals were received from
ten very highly qualified applicants. A team of two City architects, a City engineer, and
representative from Big Blue Bus reviewed the bids, selected three firms for one-on-one
interviews and determined that Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects was the most qualified
bidder with the most competitive price..
Public Outreach
On August 18, 2008, all businesses and residences within 50' of a proposed bus shelter
location received written notice. A special web site was created that explains the Bus
Stop Redevelopment Program and the amenities that will be added to the streets and
provided an avenue for feedback and questions. Letters to all Business Improvement
Districts were also sent out referring them to the web site for detailed information.
4
Once initial designs have been developed, another outreach program will commence
that will seek the public's feedback on the designs and locations where elements will be
placed. Plans for this program include public meetings, direct mailings, and possibly a
blog site where the public can review and comment on the program.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There is currently sufficient budget for this program that comes from a variety of funding
sources, including a capital grant from the Federal Transit Administration in the amount
of three million dollars. These funds are available in account: 0410114.589000.
There will be on-going maintenance costs beginning in FY 2011/12 associated with
these additional amenities. Some funds have been shown as an enhancement in the
five year forecast.
Prepared by:
Dan Dawson, Transit Customer Relations Administrator
Attachments: A Proposed Shelter Locations Part A
B Proposed Shelter Locations Part B
C Proposed Shelter Locations City-wide
5
Approved: Forwarded to Council:
ATTACHMENT A:
Proposed Shelter Locations Part A
~~
3~ ~^~~~^^^ mar=
9~~
~^
~^
A
~ I:
O$a Y
~r
n '
a ' ^~~
~ :.
;
.
s 3
3 v I ¢ ui ~~ s _
,a,.
i,
e,,
a
ATTACHMENT B:
Proposed Shelter Locations Part B
'., i ~
E ~;
.,
r.
es
o~.
ATTACHMENT C:
Proposed Shelter
Locations City-wide
~a^^^~^^~.~ o~
^^^^^^~i ^~C
~^^^^^^^ ^^C
~Di=1^^^^^~' ^C
~~^^^00^ee ^C
~0^^^CI^^I1^^C
~~^^^CI^^^^^C
~On!^^^^^^^^C
~0^^^0^^^~~C
~o^^~~^^^ r ~~_
DOOOO^^
~^C~^^~^^ ~^C
~0^~1~. 1~!^ ~^C
~_~
~i ~.
~~uUC~~C~^~~~e^C
~^^^^~~^^D~C
~£_ g
Reference Contract No.
9043 (CCS).