sr-102709-8bCity Council Meeting: October 27, 2009
Agenda Item: ~'"~j
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Eileeh Fogarty, Director of Planning and Community Development
Subject: Grant Transfer for Downtown Storefront Bicycle Center
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council direct staff to request approval from the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) to a apply grant awarded for a Downtown
Storefront Bicycle Center in Parking Structure 2 to a comparable facility in Santa Monica
Place Parking Structures 7 and 8 to ensure grant funding is retained and to fully fund
the Santa Monica Place facility.
Executive Summary
The City of Santa Monica applied for and received a grant through the Metro 2007 Call
for Projects to construct a storefront bike center in Downtown Parking Structure 2 on 2nd
Street between Arizona Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. This location was considered
the best at the time, as the application was prior to initiation of planning for Phase 2 of
the Exposition Light Rail project.
Staff recommends that the Council authorize transferring the $1,669,000 in grant funds
and $904,000 local matching funds to the Parking Structure 7 and 8 "Improvement
Project" to allow a full build-out of the planned bike. parking facility at Santa Monica
Place. The location is highly desirable in its proximity to the light rail station. The grant
transfer would free up previously allocated Redevelopment funds to cover shortfalls in
the Phase II "Improvement Project" and accelerate other desired improvements. There
is also a concern that the grant funds may be jeopardized if they remain on Structure 2,
as they must be processed within a very tight time frame. The Santa Monica Place
project has already completed all of the required environmental and Coastal
Commission clearance.
Metro staff supports the move, as it meets the intent of the original grant to construct a
downtown storefront bike center. The Santa Monica Place location is more convenient
to the Exposition light rail station and centrally located between downtown, the civic
center and coastal areas.
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The alternative is to continue to design the bike center at Structure 2. This alternative
would require modification of the KPFF Consulting Engineers contract for final design.
The modification is not to exceed $179,566, for a revised contract total of $739,218.
This option is not recommended as there is a risk of losing the grant funds.
Background
Improving transportation choices in Santa Monica is key to achieving mobility,
sustainability and active living goals. City planning projects have long emphasized the
need to provide better support for bicyclists, so that more people will shift out of cars.
The City's Downtown Urban Design Plan (adopted 1997) emphasizes accommodating
mixed modes of traffic on the streets, including making all downtown streets bicycle
friendly. It stresses that bike parking should be made available throughout Downtown,
and emphasizes friendly storefronts to enliven the pedestrian experience. More
recently, both the LUCE Strategy Framework and the Walker Parking Study elaborate
on these themes. The City's experience with the bike valet program demonstrates that
providing secure bicycle parking significantly influences people's transportation choices
and helps achieve mobility goals.
Staff applied for funding from the 2007 Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)
Call for Projects to begin a network of bike-transit centers by creating a storefront bike
center with attendant and self parking for bicyclists in the downtown. Metro awarded the
City a grant of $1,669,000 with a local match obligation of $904,000. Staff identified
Parking Structure 2 as the location in the grant application for the following reasons:
• the structure was slated to be retained as part of the Downtown Parking Strategic
Plan;
• the ground floor had not yet been converted to apedestrian-oriented street
frontage;
• access to existing and future bicycle routes, and;
proximity to Wilshire Boulevard Metro Rapid line and other transit routes.
Concept layout, preliminary design and operations planning tasks for the bike center
were included as part of the seismic upgrade design contract for Structure 2, authorized
on June 26, 2007. During this same time frame planning for the downtown light rail
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station was initiated as part of the Expo Phase II alternatives analysis and
environmental review process. The passage of Measure R, in November 2008,
provided the required level of funding making possible an aggressive Exposition Light
Rail Phase 2 schedule including the construction of the rail station at 4th Street and
Colorado.
The .proximity of Santa Monica Place to the planned light rail station was a prime
consideration in City Council's March 11 2008 approval of a conceptual design for the
Santa Monica Place Improvement Project that included a bike center in Parking
Structures 7 (4th Street and Broadway) and 8 (2"d Street and Colorado Avenue). On
July 14. 2009, Council consented to a phased construction of improvements to maintain
a commitment to complete the Project as conceptually designed. Phase I includes the
construction of facade improvements (exterior cladding, art work, graphics, pedestrian
oriented retail at Parking Structure 7, but no bike parking at this time, and a bike center
at Parking Structure 8) and attendant parking improvements (installation of parking
controls, interior painting, and parking advisory signs). Phase II includes construction of
solar photovoltaic systems, replacement of lighting and construction of the bike parking
facility at Structure 7.
The City is currently negotiating agreement terms with Macerich to implement the
Project on behalf of the City. The goal is to commence construction work on Phase I by
January 2010. The Phase II improvements will be constructed as funding becomes
available through a variety of potential sources. Depending on the bids that Macerich
receives for the Phase II improvements, lighting replacement would be the next item to
be funded.
Discussion
Currently there are two bike centers planned, one on 2"d Street near Wilshire and one at
Santa Monica Place. They are planned to contain secure short-term bicycle parking.
Bicycle-related retail, bike rentals, information on mobility alternatives such as walking
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and transit, visitor information, and bicycle repair services will be offered during staffed
hours.. The self-service area would be reserved for customers who purchase passes
(daily, monthly, annual) and be available round-the-clock via an automated access-
control system. The facilities will be designed with visually interesting streetfronts for
pedestrians and attractive signage. A system of bike transit centers is envisioned
throughout the City.
Current status of projects
Staff has completed preliminary design for the storefront bicycle facility in Structure 2,
but the facility faces some design challenges, including the need to relocate/replace
street-level accessible parking spaces. Planning for their relocation and replacement
should be done with community input in order to not reduce the overall accessibility for
downtown visitors, including those attending Emeritus College classes located next door
to Structure 2. These challenges make it doubtful the project planning could proceed
through environmental clearance, final design and Caltrans review in sufficient time for
the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to allocate funds by the June 2010
deadline for FY 2009-10 funding. In June 2009, staff submitted a request to Metro to
move the funds to FY 2010-11, to align more closely with the seismic retrofit schedule
for Structure 2. However, this year Metro categorically denied all requests. After
closely reviewing the project timeline and meeting with Caltrans, City staff believes that
the City will .need. to request an extension from the California Transportation
Commission (CTC) in order to retain the funding. If CTC does not approve an
extension, it will be too late to move the grant funds to the Santa Monica Place project
and the $1,669,000 grant funds would be lost.
The bicycle center parking facility in Santa Monica Place Structures 7 and 8 has
received environmental and Coastal Commission clearances as part of the Santa
Monica Place Improvement Project. However, full funding is not available at this time
for both bike parking facilities and City Council has approved phasing the project.
Accordingly, staff explored the possibility of using the Metro grant to fund this project
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instead of the facility in Structure 2. Metro staff is supportive, as the projects are of
similar size, offer comparable services and the Santa Monica Place location is desirable
because of its adjacency to the planned Expo Line downtown station.
The cost associated with the construction of the bike center at Santa Monica Place is in
line with the Metro grant funding: Given the Metro Grant, the local match and
previously allocated funds for final construction documents, the construction of the bike
parking improvements at Structures 7 & 8 can be done as part of the initial stage of
Phase II. Based on the planned Macerich opening in August 2010 and Macerich's
desire to avoid any construction through the holidays, the earliest date for
commencement of construction of the bike center improvements is early 2011, which is
within the time frame for actual expenditure of the grant funds. The City would
coordinate construction of the bike center facilities with Macerich. The proposed
approach to transfer the bike center grant to Santa Monica Place will require a short
delay in opening the Structure 8 portion of the center, in return for opening afull-service,
complete center in both Structures 7 and 8.
Staff is recommending that City Council direct staff to request Metro to transfer the grant
to the Santa Monica Place structures, enabling the construction of a complete facility at
this location. A bike center could still be constructed in Structure 2 later, if funding is
available, accessible parking is successfully relocated, and Structure 2 is identified as
the next priority for expansion of the City's bike center system. Even though much of
the design and operations planning for Structure 2 has already been completed, a
portion of the work will be transferable to the Santa Monica Place facility.
Alternatives considered
The alternative to the recommended action is to .continue to plan a bike center at
Structure 2 and seek an extension for construction funds. If the center is
environmentally cleared on schedule, the Caltrans process completed on schedule, and
the CTC approves an extension of the funding, this alternative would allow construction
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of the center at Structure 2. This option is not recommended as there is a risk of losing
the grant funds for Structure 2 due to factors outside of the City's control.
Should this alternative be selected, staff recommends that the City Council:
1) authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a fifth modification to
Contract No. 8732 (CCS) with KPFF Consulting Engineers for final design work
of the bike parking facility at parking Structure 2 This modification is not to
exceed $179,566 (including 6% contingency), for a revised contract total of
$739,218; and,
2) Authorize the City Engineer to issue any necessary change orders to complete
additional work within budget authority.
These actions build on past City Council actions on September 16, 2008.
Operations
A Request for Qualifications for bike center operators will be issued this winter. Staff
will return to Council, after negotiating with the selected bike center operators, and
request necessary City Council approvals.
With respect to future operations of these bicycle centers, revenues from retail sales
and repairs, coupled with pass sales for monthly bicycle parking are projected to, over
time; offset the facility's operating costs. During the initial start-up, however, funding
maybe needed to ensure adequate resources for marketing the facility, launch of a
web-based pass-sales system and initial operations.-The amount of funding, if any, will
be determined during the proposal review process. Any actions needed by Council will
be recommended at the time the operations contract is awarded.
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Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
No changes to the City budget are required to implement the recommended actions.
Prepared by: Annette Colfax, Transportation Demand Program Manager
Approved: Forward to Council:
Director, Planning and Community
Development
Ewell
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