SR-08-11-2009-1PCity Council Meeting: August 11, 2009
Agenda Item:
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Eileen Fogarty,. Director, Planning & Community Development
Subject: Contract with Fehr & Peers for Downtown/Civic Center Circulation Study
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a contract not to exceed $89,100 with Fehr & Peers, including a 10%
contingency; to analyze proposed circulation alternatives to accommodate the light rail
transit station at Colorado Avenue and 4th Street.
Executive Summary
The Exposition Light Rail station located at 4th Street and Colorado Avenue in
Downtown will increase pedestrian activity and change the pattern of bicycle, transit and
vehicular traffic in the area. While the future Exposition Light Rail line is an exciting
opportunity for the City, it is critical that the additional circulation demands are
proactively addressed. Earlier this year City Council reviewed a proposed integrated
circulation concept to address the future light rail station within the context of the
Downtown/Civic Center area. The circulation alternatives are proposed to address the
increased pedestrian and bicycle presence at the terminus station and the need to
preserve travel time for transit on 4th Street. City Council recently designated
Redevelopment funds for infrastructure to support circulation improvements to serve the
station and the Downtown/Civic Center area. This circulation analysis is a necessary
next step in testing the feasibility and potential effectiveness of proposed infrastructure
improvements and other circulation measures.
Fehr & Peers has developed a dynamic multi-modal travel demand model for the City
that will be utilized for the analysis of the above alternatives in this study.
The firm of Fehr & Peers is recommended because the City has not yet taken
ownership of the final model for its own use as a tool for evaluating circulation. The
travel demand model is the best tool available for testing assumptions and the
alternatives in a manner that .dynamically integrates this study location with the
surrounding Downtown and Civic Center area. This study was anticipated as part of the
Downtown/Civic Center Planning Process and is included in its budget. Funding in the
amount of $89,100 is available in Account # C010820: Civic Center Planning and
Design.
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Background
At the March 24, 2009 City Council discussion on integrating planning for the Light Rail
terminus station with the Downtown/Civic Center area, circulation improvements to
address pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and vehicular connections were identified as a
priority. At a subsequent meeting in June, City Council recognized the need to
proactively address circulation demands to serve the station and the Downtown/Civic
Center area and designated Redevelopment funds for "Expo Green Streets and
Pathways" infrastructure improvements. Planning for the station area and the
Downtown/Civic Center area is dependent on the results of this circulation analysis,
making it important to move forward, especially since the Redevelopment funds have a
tight spending time frame and the Exposition Construction Authority is working on an
ambitious schedule to bring the light rail to Downtown Santa Monica.-The circulation
analysis is a necessary next step in testing the feasibility and potential effectiveness of
possible infrastructure and other circulation measures. The focused circulation study will
advance the planning and design effort for CIP projects in the entire Downtown/Civic
Center area by testing assumptions and alternatives.
City Council has recognized the need to evaluate the Downtown/Civic Center area
comprehensively and has already authorized a shared parking study that is currently
underway. Staff has also issued an RFP to address the engineering feasibility of several
proposed projects that would bridge the freeway.
Discussion
The study will analyze a range of circulation alternatives developed to address the
future presence of the light rail station in the Downtown/Civic Center area. These
circulation alternatives will address the increased pedestrian presence at the terminus
station and the need to preserve travel time for transit on 4th Street. Some of the
options to be analyzed include:
• Diverting traffic away from the Colorado Avenue and 4th Street intersection
through the creation of a new street from the 4th Street I-10 west-bound off-ramp
over the I-10 Freeway through the existing City Hall North parking lot to Main
Street;
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• Alternative circulation approaches that are less infrastructure intensive;
• Variations for a proposed pedestrian "Green Street" along Colorado Avenue from
the light rail station at 4th Street to Ocean Avenue and the Santa Monica Pier.
Configurations that include wider sidewalks to address the increased pedestrian
volumes generated by the light rail station and reduced travel lanes will be
analyzed; and
• Limitations on Colorado between 4th and 5th Street, including possible one-way
east or westbound traffic.
Contractor/Consultant Selection
The firm of Fehr & Peers currently retains possession of the city-wide travel demand
model that will be used for this study. The travel demand model is the best tool
available for testing assumptions and the alternatives in a manner that dynamically
integrates this study location with the surrounding Downtown and Civic Center area. At
this point in time, the circulation analysis using the travel demand .model is
recommended for sole source with Fehr & Peers. Once the City takes ownership of the
model, staff will be able to run the model in-house and the City will be able to
competitively bid this type of circulation study.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
Funding in the amount of $89,100 for the proposed contract is available in Account
#C010820: Civic Center Planning.
Prepared by: Elizabeth Bar-EI, AICP, Senior Planner
Approved:
Forwarded to Council:
Eileen Fog y P. Lamont well
Director, Planning & om unity City Manager
Development
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Reference Contract No.
9103 (CCS).