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sr-042710-8c~~ City of Santa Monica° City Council Report City Council Meeting: April 27, 2010 Agenda Item: To: Mayor and City Council From: Eileen Fogarty, Director of Planning & Community Development Lee E. Swain, Director of Public Works Subject: Concept Design for 20th Street &Cloverfield Boulevard Improvement Project Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Approve the proposed refined. streetscape concept designs for 20th Street and Cloverfield Boulevard; and 2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a modification to Contract No. 8581 (CCS) with Ahbe Landscape Architects in an amount not to exceed $175,000, for a total contract amount not to exceed $625,000. Executive Summary At the request of City Council, the concept design for 20th Street and Cloverfield Boulevard between the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10) and Pico Boulevard has been evaluated and assessed from both an urban design perspective and along-term traffic/transportation strategy. Staff has completed the transportation system and traffic impact analysis, an independent urban design peer review, and a review of the selected tree species by the new Urban Forest Task Force. Staff has also broadened the scope of the project to incorporate key Draft Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) principles relating to bicycle and pedestrian connectivity, open space and landscaping, sustainability, and the role of streets as places for social interaction, gathering and recreation. The recommended concept for 20th Street provides improvements in the existing sidewalk parkway area, while maintaining the existing street and parking configuration. The pedestrian experience would be enhanced with new human-scaled lighting, landscaping and sidewalk accessibility modifications. The existing street trees would be replaced by three new tree species that provide canopy, color and promote biodiversity. The recommended concept incorporates several bicycle treatments including shared bicycle/automobile lane markings known as "sharrows." 1 The recommended concept for Cloverfield Boulevard maintains the existing street and parking configuration, while providing areas for ground-level landscaping in curb extensions and at the median near the I-10 freeway. The curb extensions would occur at areas currently marked as no parking zones. To enhance the pedestrian experience, a limited number of new street trees would be added in the sidewalk area through a modular underground bio-retention system. These areas would add a sustainable element by increasing permeability. The pedestrian experience would be enhanced with new human-scaled lighting and sidewalk accessibility modifications. Because the proposed concepts include additional street lighting circuit upgrades and traffic signal modifications, the contract with Ahbe Landscape Architects must be amended in the amount of $175,000. for a total not to exceed $625,000. Funds are available in the project budget for the proposed contract modification. Background On December 11, 2007, March 11, 2008, and January 27, 2009 staff presented recommended concepts for the 20th Street and Cloverfield Boulevard Improvement Project (Project) to City Council. At its March 11.2008 meeting, City Council requested that staff investigate including the installation of landscape medians on both streets and bicycle lanes on 20th Street. On January 27, 2009, City Council reviewed the recommended concept design for the Project. While there was general agreement on the Cloverfield concept, the City Council did not reach consensus on the proposed concept for the 20th Street segment. Instead, Council requested that staff from Planning and Community Development initiate a peer review to evaluate and assess the proposed design options as they relate to the City's long term vision for streets, which is set forth in the Draft LUCE. Specifically, City Council requested that staff explore ways to improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities, where possible, and revisit previous urban design strategies to broaden the potential benefit of streetscape improvements to the adjacent neighborhoods. Discussion Staff solicited input and participation of additional expertise to obtain fresh perspectives on issues relating to bicycle and pedestrian amenities, tree selection, transportation strategies, and urban design. Staff also created an interdepartmental team to evaluate 2 ways to incorporate important Draft LUCE principles into the streetscape design. The following diagram summarizes the scope of the peer review: • Nefinrork approach • Complete Streets • Sustainablity * ~ramcca~mmg • Benefrtsto travel times - Impacts rsicycae • Pedestrian Landscape • Tree species recommendation • Additional Canopy Incorporation of LUCE Principles The Draft LUCE provides guidance on integrating streets into the fabric of daily life. In addition to providing networks for moving pedestrians, bicycles, transit, and goods, streets are also part of the neighborhoods and districts they cross, and provide open space for gathering and recreation. Strategies for additional greening, pedestrian and bike connectivity, added quality and sustainability were reviewed. From this exercise, a number of short- and long-range improvements were identified, and are recommended in the revised concept plans. Transportation Systems and Traffic Impact Analysis for 20th Street The scope of work included analyzing multiple street configuration scenarios to broaden the potential benefit for bicyclists and pedestrians. From this work, staff developed a "road diet" concept, which proposed the elimination of one northbound lane on 20th between Pico Boulevard and the Freeway thereby creating additional roadway space for dedicated bicycle lanes that could connect at Michigan Avenue to a planned bike 3 boulevard and to the larger bicycle network. A Traffic Impact Analysis for 20tH. Street assessed the benefits and impacts of changing the roadway configuration to accommodate dedicated bike lanes as well as other modifications like the installation of medians. The report concluded that a loss of at least one travel lane would potentially shift up to 800 peak hour vehicles to parallel and neighborhood streets (e.g., 17rn Avenue, Cloverfield Blvd.). Additionally, while there would be less car volume on 20tH Street as a result of the -lane reduction, travel times would be slightly increased. It should be noted that any potential impacts associated with reducing traffic lanes on 20tH would need to be documented in an Environmental Impact Report. Urban Design Review An urban design professional was retained to provide an independent review of the proposed streetscape improvement plans. This scope of work included reviewing existing conditions and proposed design concepts to determine potential-improvements to biking, walking, crossing both boulevards, sustainability features, landscaping and overall aesthetics. Working with both staff and the project designer, the peer reviewer identified several potential refinements to the recommended concept design for both 20tH Street and Cloverfield Boulevard, most specifically in the area of addressing greening and permeability. Urban Forest Task Force Review The newly formed Urban Forest Master Plan Task Force reviewed the Project at their February 2010 meeting and provided input and direction on the proposed tree species. Members of the Urban Forest Task Force expressed the need for additional canopy trees on both streets to balance against the width of the roadway. The Task Force recommended that the 20tH Street concept include a third species of tree that would provide year-round canopy. The Task Force recommended that the Cloverfield concept involve additional trees, where possible, to provide larger canopy and shade for pedestrians. 4 Public Outreach A public workshop was held at Virginia Avenue Park on March 15, 2010 to obtain community feedback on the revised concept plan,. A total of 18 community members attended the meeting. Several media sources were used to inform the residents, businesses, and property owners about the public workshop including: • Radius Mailer. A bilingual (English/Spanish) meeting postcard was mailed to approximately 2,350 residents, businesses, and property owners. • Newspaper. The meeting postcard was advertised in the Santa Monica Daily Press. • Phone calls and email: Outreach to the community members that participated in previous community meetings including the Pico Neighborhood Association, the Pico Improvement Organization, and bicycle and pedestrian advocates via phone calls and email • Flyers and postcards: Marketing materials were placed at Virginia Avenue Park, the Main Library, the Ken Edwards Center, City Hall and other public buildings. The peer review process and findings were presented and the proposed concept plan was discussed with the community during the meeting. Meeting feedback was generally positive, and participants expressed support for additional greening opportunities, as well as the use of "sharrows" and roadway detection devices for bicycles. A summary of workshop comments are included as Attachment C. Recommended Concept for 20th Street Staff recommends that City Council approve the attached Alternative Conceptual Plan for 20th Street (Attachment 1). Main Features: • New trees (3 species) • Bicycle Enhancements • New pedestrian lighting • New sidewalks and driveway aprons • Additional pedestrian and bicycles connections through modifications to existing traffic signals and roadway improvements 5 New Trees The proposed concept involves the removal of 36 existing bottlebrush trees and replacement with approximately 107 new trees to provide more substantial canopy. The recommended tree species are Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica `Muskogee'),. Evergreen Madrona (Arbutus 'Marina') and Firewheel Tree (Stenocarpus sinuatus). The tree species were selected by the project designer based on their suitability to the site, performance under the site conditions, and nursery availability. The recommended species were reviewed by the Urban Forest Task Force, accepted by the community, and approved by the City's Community Forester for their appropriateness to the existing growing conditions. BicYCle Enhancements A citywide bicycle network that features 20tH Street as a high priority route is included in the Draft LUCE. To facilitate integrating 20tH Street into the larger bicycle network, a menu of solutions was analyzed to improve ~_ ' ~ {E~ ~ .. ,. cyclist visibility, and to connect to both neighboring and citywide bicycle facilities. The proposed design incorporates a shared lane marking, or "sharrow," which is a symbol painted on the roadway to alert road users of the location that- bicyclists are likely to occupy within the traveled way. The concept plan also proposes the use of new intersection treatments such. as "bike boxes" and bicycle detection devices. The use of these tools to improve the bicycle .environment was supported by the community at the March 15th meeting. "Sharrows" and "bike boxes" area relatively new concepts in California and permission to incorporate them into. street design must be granted from the California Traffic Control Devices Committee (CTCDC). However, cities like Berkeley, Chicago, Long Beach and many others are already using "sharrows" and/or 6 "bike boxes" successfully. Attachment D illustrates the process for- acquiring State approval. Creating dedicated bicycle lanes between Pico Blvd. and Michigan Avenue could be accommodated by eliminating one northbound travel lane. Analysis of this scenario concluded that a potential shift of approximately 800 peak hour vehicles to parallel and neighborhood streets was likely. Additionally; the analysis concluded that significant, unavoidable traffic impacts would occur at several intersections necessitating further environmental analysis. The bike lanes were presented at the community meeting and got a mix of positive and negative comments. Because of negative community comments on the subject, potential neighborhood impacts caused by diversion traffic, and the short stretch of dedicated facilities between Pico Blvd. and Michigan Ave., staff recommends that dedicated bicycle lanes on 20th Street not be incorporated into this project. Instead, staff recommends the use of "sharrows," signage, signal modification and roadway detection devices to enhance the bicycle network on 20th Street. New Pedestrian Liphtinp and Sidewalk Replacement Improving the quality, character, and functionality of the streetscape requires updating and enhancing the sidewalk environment. Several upgrades are recommended in the final concept plan: • Pedestrian-Oriented Lighting: new 13-17 foot pedestrian lighting poles are intended to encourage pedestrians and bicyclists to use the street in the evening. • Sidewalk Replacement: portions of the existing sidewalks on both sides of the street do not comply with current pedestrian accessibility guidelines due to the sloped driveways. These driveways will be reconstructed to comply with current accessibility guidelines. 7 Additional Pedestrian and BicVCle Network Connections through Modifications to Traffic Sipnalization and Roadway Improvements Improving north/south and east/west pedestrian and bicycle connections citywide are long-term objectives proposed by the Draft LUCE. Limited crossings and available roadway width provide immediate challenges to modifying the existing conditions on 20t" Street, particularly in the area near the I-10 freeway. In order to gradually improve connectively, improvements to the traffic signal and intersection configuration at the 20rn Street off-ramp at Michigan Ave. are recommended to facilitate an east/west crosswalk. This will provide a vital link to access Michigan Avenue (a future potential bicycle facility), and will serve to promote increase circulation in the area. Recommended Concept for Cloverfield Boulevard Staff recommends that City Council approve the attached Alternative Conceptual Plan for Cloverfield Boulevard (Attachment 2). Main Features: • New trees (3 species) • New pedestrian lighting • New sidewalks and driveway aprons • Modification to existing traffic signals and streetlight circuit upgrades • Improvements to pedestrian accessibility. New Trees Currently, no street trees exist in the Cloverfield Boulevard project area. The proposed concept involves adding three species of tree: the Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia impetiginosa), Chinese. Fringe Tree (Chionanthus retusus) and Variegated Brisbane Box (Lophostemon confertus `Varigata'). The tree species were selected 8 by the project designer based on their suitability to the site, performance under the site conditions, and nursery availability. The recommended species were reviewed and accepted by the community and approved by the City's Community Forester for their appropriateness to the existing growing conditions. In several locations throughout the project area, the trees will be added to the landscaped portions of proposed "bump- outs" which will be placed in areas currently marked as red zones. In order to accommodate additional street trees that are to be placed in the existing narrow sidewalk, an innovative modular underground bio- retention system known as a "Silva Cell" is recommended. This subsurface system would be placed at up to sixteen locations, depending on the available construction funding, to support imposed pedestrian and vehicle loads, address sustainability, promote tree growth, reduce future sidewalk root damage and reduce urban runoff. The use of this system enhances the greenery of the street by increasing tree canopy without significantly reducing the amount of existing street parking. New Pedestrian Liphtinq and Sidewalk Replacement Improving the quality, character, and functionality of the streetscape requires updating and enhancing the sidewalk environment. Several upgrades are recommended in the final concept plan: • Pedestrian-Oriented .Lighting: new 13-17 foot pedestrian lighting poles are intended to encourage pedestrians and bicyclists to use the street in the evening. Sidewalk Replacement: portions of the existing sidewalks on both sides of the street do not comply with current pedestrian accessibility guidelines due to the sloped driveways. These driveways will be reconstructed to comply with current accessibility guidelines. 9 Modification of Professional Services Agreement An upgrade to the existing series streetlight circuit is necessary to provide enhanced lighting in the project area. Additionally, traffic signal equipment in the project area requires upgrades to be consistent with the future Citywide Advanced Traffic Management System. The traffic signals at the intersection of the I-10 off-ramp and 20th Street and the intersection of Pico Boulevard and 20th Street require complete upgrades. Minor traffic signal modifications are also required at the intersections of Delaware Avenue and 20th Street, I-10 on-ramp and Cloverfield Boulevard, and Virginia Avenue and Cloverfield Boulevard.. Streetlight circuit upgrades and traffic signal modifications were not part of the original scope of work for this project. Staff recommends modifying the professional services agreement with Ahbe Landscape Architects, in an amount not to exceed $175,000, for additional streetlight design services. Environmental Analysis The recommended. concepts are considered to be a minor alteration of an existing street in a three block area that will not result in any expansion of the existing use. Therefore, the improvements recommended for 20th Street and Cloverfield Boulevard are categorically exempt from the provisions of the. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301 [Existing Facilities], Class 1(c) of the CEQA Guidelines. Financial Impacts & Budget Actions The original budget for the project is $5,200,000 which includes all of the streetscape improvements mentioned in this report. Funds in the amount of $175,000 are available in account number 0010522.589000 (Feasibility & Prelim. Design 20th) for the amendment of the contract with Ahbe Landscape Architects for services associated with the design of street light conversions and traffic signal modifications for the project. Funds for the construction of the street light and traffic signal upgrades are available in existing capital improvement project accounts. 10 The next step is to develop the final design plans and prepare bid documents. During this phase,. staff will evaluate potential increased maintenance costs associated with the improvements. Prepared by: Peter D. James, Senior Planner Mark Cuneo, P.E., PrincipaLCivil Engineer Approved: Forwarded to Council: Rod Gould City Manager s~~~ Lee E. Swain, Director Department of Public Works Attachments: A. 20th Street -Conceptual Plan B. Cloverfield Boulevard -Conceptual Plan C. Notes from March 15th Community Meeting. D. Process for Requesting and Conducting Experimentations for New Traffic Control Devices ("Sharrows" and Bike Boxes) 11 Department Attachment A 20t" Street Conceptual Design SFlNTA MONICA FREEWAY Arbutus `Marina' 25'h x 20'w, evergreen, pink fall flowers. z~ rc Sa 20TH STREET Lagerstroemia indica `Muskogee' Stenocarpus sinuatus (Crape Myrtle) zsh x 1z•w, deciduous, (Firewheel Tree) so'r, x 1s'w, evergreen, scarlet-yellow fall flowers e ~~ '~ / ~~ d TREE COUNT IEGENG: EI(ISNNG TREES TD RE RENDVEO M EN159NG TREES i0 REAWN td NEW TREES i0 BE PUNTED ID] 1PFE HEREI£OFNP 3 ~AMMF kWL.._ I YPI P44!.. £m.u ~wrmrv. rvw wvme i~ma~~dn wwn vvA 1, ~.,~.~ ' W .~ Attachment B Cloverfield Boulevard Conceptual Design SANTA MONICA FREEWAY ~ 5~ i II I s s ~~ ';i _......... n-ti ' mee raerte,~aun: ' , raw rout n amuKy, u w u• tr A MO r4 S _ e. .uw Chionanthus retusus (Chinese Lophostemon confertus `Uariegata' Tabebuia ipe (Pink Trumpet "~ mGmw»"w~.~. ,~..,, M~.:r;.,.,~~ Fringe Tree) 2o~n x 2orw, deciduous, (Variegated Brisbane Box) ssn x zo~w, Tree) zs~n x zsw, deciduous, powers ~.~ ° •~°'°°.r°~°°° flowers In early summer evergreen, summerflowers PARKING.CDUNT LEGEND: ~~ 6 Attachment C Notes from March 15th Community Meeting 14 20th Street & Cloverfield Boulevard Street Improvement Project Update March 15, 2010 The following comments were recorded at the community workshop on the 20th and Cloverfield Streetscape Improvement projects. Comments on Bict~Cles: - Explore "sharrows" [sic] & other improvements - Safety is deterring biking - City should lead in encouraging bike use - Prefer bike access on 19th - Bike lane on 17th Street is a good alternative. Cyclists know where to go & how to navigate routes. Agree w/ sharrow alt. - Bike lanes encourage more cycling -make it easier /safer [either lane or sharrow] so that the mode shift happens - Bike facilities don't fit - sharrows don't take space -accidents are happening now -need to change the built env't - Like bike detection - Increase bike detection everywhere - Like Michigan bike connection. - Women's sense of safety cycling is good indicator of overall -ease of use - sharrows are good alt to bike lanes if there is opposition -motorists respond well to them - Bike lanes not supported by-bike use/ volume Comments on Landscaping and Street Improvements: - Lighten, not darken streets - Make streets bike friendly, walking friendly, trees -.landscaping -change the way we use our streets - Shave median @ CloverField / Pico - Likes added trees, not sure about lane removal -but continue to study to understand including future large project - Use tree species south of Pico -will e-mail - Evergreen on Cloverfield -mitigates noise and pollution - Use evergreen where landscape volume is lower - Some support for evergreen but concern about natural cycles of leafing. Also support for existing tree species - 20`h needs pavement upgrades soon - Coordinate street improvements w/ utilities so it is not. destroyed after construction Comments on Transportation Strategies: - Should consider bus traffic on the routes -concerned lane removal will impact bus - 20th Street will be a connection to Expo @ Memorial Park - Need to consider access to homes adj to Roads - Work w/ SMC to get students on transit - Reduce parking to reduce trips, like the concept -get it built soon - TDM structure is not effective - When was traffic study conducted? Should include SMC traffic [was done] - Keep traffic .lanes -why does bike lane stop before San Vicente? Prefer it to be marked - Smaller buses -encourage transit use - Red light detection - Cloverfield repetitive accidents & 20`h /Delaware - City should focus on putting improvements to shift ratio of cars /bikes - Portland, Copenhagen examples Miscellaneous Comments: - Cap development, coordinated with this project Attachment D Process for Requesting and Conducting Experimentations for New Traffic Control Devices Exampleof Process for Requesting and Conducting Experimentations for New Traffic Control Devicesin California Rgeded Approv Woulda~ctorecFaveapprovalfromtheFHWA First if it would reduce std. Requesti ng j uri sdi di on i nst~ I s exp~iment~ traffic control device Evaluate experimsit~traffic ___ Requestingjurisdidionprovides control device ----------- semi-annul report to CTCDC Requestingjurisdidionprovides CTCDC afin~ report I Ya Requesti ng j uri sdi di on submits ra7uest to CTCDC CTCDC will discuss& review during the Quaterl y meeti ng CTCDC reviews find report Further Experimentation required I No I CTCDC recommaids Caltrans to devil op a pol icy for the new traffic control device CTCDC accepts CTCDC rgeds find report find resort C~trans rq acts CTCDC recommendationsaid write bade to the CTCDC their justifications Juri sdi di on restores experiment stetooriginal condition C~trans develops the new traffic control de/icepolicy& bringsit bad< to the CTCDC for discusson in an open public / Caltransadopts~ the pol icy and post on the CA MUTCD websiteuntil the future update of theCA MUTCD , Reference Amended Contract No. 8581 (CCS).