sr-081010-8cCity Council Meeting: August 10, 2010
Agenda Item: ~G
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Susan Cline, Acting Director of Public Works
Subject: Pier Bridge Project
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council direct staff to proceed with the initiation of a project
to replace the Pier Bridge and prepare and submit an application for federal
transportation funding.
Executive Summary
The Pier Bridge is an existing concrete structure connecting Ocean Avenue to the
Municipal Pier. Constructed in 1939, the bridge is structurally and functionally deficient.
The Pier Bridge Widening .Project (Project) was initiated in 1995 to address the
deficiencies utilizing federal transportation funds and local matching funds. The Project
scope of work included widening and. rehabilitation to bring the existing structure to
current standards. Due to concerns over traffic circulation and Pier parking access,
bridge design alternatives were investigated connecting the Pier Bridge to the 1550
Pacific Coast Highway parking lot. A draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental
Assessment (EIR/EA) was prepared and circulated for public comment in 2006. Prior to
preparation of the final EIR, Caltrans indicated that the proposed project was not eligible
for federal funding.
This report recommends the initiation of afederally-funded project to replace the Pier
Bridge with a wider structure to improve pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular access to the
Pier. The proposed bridge replacement project is eligible for federal Highway Bridge
Program funding in the amount of approximately $7 million. The total project cost is
estimated to be $8 million, resulting in a net cost to the City of $1 million.
Background
On behalf of Caltrans, the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works performs
biennial bridge inspections for City bridges that are part of the National Bridge Inventory
and a report with maintenance recommendations is provided to the City. In the early
1990's, inspection reports indicated that the Pier Bridge was structurally and functionally
deficient. In 1995, staff initiated the Pier Bridge Widening Project to address structural
deficiencies, including lack of seismic reinforcement, and functional deficiencies,
including narrow sidewalks, travel lanes, and roadway shoulders. Federal funding was
anticipated from the Highway Bridge Program administered by Caltrans. On June 13,
1995, Council approved Contract Nos. 7147 and 7148 (CCS) with Wallace, Roberts &
Todd (WRT) for the design of the Beach Improvement Group Project that included the
Pier Bridge Widening Project.
In 1997, the Preliminary Engineering phase was authorized by Caltrans. This phase
included the preparation of conceptual designs and environmental clearance. During
the community outreach process, circulation of pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle traffic
from downtown to the Pier and the 1550 Parking Lot was a major concern. The scope
of the project was modified to investigate a connection from the Pier Bridge to the 1550
Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) parking lot and the Project was renamed to the Santa
Monica Pier Access Improvements Project. On November 28. 2000, Council approved
a First Modification to Contract No. 7148 (CCS) with WRT for the design of California
Incline Replacement and Pier Bridge Widening.
On October 23. 2001, Council approved Agreement No. 8022 _(CCS) with Rincon
Consultants, Inc. for the preparation of an EIR/EA for the Santa Monica Pier Access
Improvements Project. Several design alternatives were developed to address parking
access and circulation issues. In 2006, a .draft EIR/EA (Volume 1 and Volume 2)
analyzing five alternatives was publically circulated. All alternatives included
rehabilitation of the existing structure. A replacement alternative was not studied. Prior
to preparation of the final EIR/EA, Caltrans informed staff that rehabilitation of the
existing structure was not cost effective and the proposed project was not eligible for
federal funding. Staff placed further environmental work on hold. Caltrans indicated
that the City must re-apply for federal funding for replacement of the Pier Bridge and
prepare new environmental documents as the scope of the project has changed.
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In February 2010, the Pier Restoration Corporation (PRC) Operations Committee
requested staff to provide an update on the Santa Monica Pier Access Improvements
Project. Following the discussion, the Operations Committee recommended that the
PRC Board consider rescinding their previous position requesting that the project
include a connection to the 1550 PCH parking lot and support an application for federal
funding to replace the existing structure. The PRC Board considered and approved this
recommendation at the March 2010 Board meeting.
Discussion
The Pier Bridge is structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. Recent bridge
inspection reports indicate that the sufficiency rating of the structure is 30.6 out of 100.
Bridges with a sufficiency rating less than 50 are eligible for federal funding for a portion
of the replacement cost through the Highway Bridge Program (HBP): The HBP is a
safety program that provides federal aid to local agencies to replace and rehabilitate
deficient locally-owned public highway bridges when the State and the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) determine that a bridge is significantly important and is unsafe
because of structural deficiencies, physical deterioration, or functional obsolescence.
The current federal reimbursement rate is 88.53% of the eligible participating project
costs. Unusual architectural treatments are generally not participating costs. The HBP
may participate in funding bridge widening to accommodate bicycle facilities.
Staff identified two options for addressing the deficiencies of the Pier Bridge. The
options are either a complete replacement or rehabilitation of the existing bridge.. Both
options would involve a widened structure. A replacement structure would have an
estimated useful life of at least 75 years, while a retrofitted structure would have an
estimated useful life of 40 to 50 years. The estimated construction cost of replacement
is $8 million and the project delivery timeframe is estimated to be 42 months from
initiation, due to the Caltrans and FHWA review and approval process and federal
environmental clearance. The replacement project is eligible for approximately $7
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million in federal funding, resulting in a projected $1 million cost to the City.
Additionally, initiating the federally-funded project at this time would allow for completion
of the bridge at the same time as the completion of the Palisades Garden Walk and
Town Square, the Expo Light Rail project, and the planned improvements to Colorado
Avenue adjacent to the Pier Bridge. The estimated construction cost of rehabilitation
and widening is $7 million, which has to be fully funded by the City, and the project
delivery timeframe is estimated to be 29 months from initiation.
Staff recommends replacing the bridge with a wider structure as this option provides a
longer useful life of at least 75 years versus the 40 to 50 years with a rehabilitated
bridge while the likely cost to the City is significantly less. If staff is directed to proceed
with the replacement option for the Pier Bridge project, the next step is to prepare and
submit an application to Caltrans to initiate HBP participation. Staff will also begin
preparation of a new set of environmental documents to meet regulatory requirements
and work with various regulatory agencies and stakeholders to maximize pedestrian
and bicycle access.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There is no immediate budget/financial impact to the recommended action.. However,
proceeding with the replacement option for the Pier Bridge project will require a one-
time project cost 'of approximately $8 million, of which $7 million would be provided by
the federal funded Highway Bridge Program based on project readiness and other
Caltrans district priorities. The City will have to provide the funding for the remaining $1
million, of which $700,000 is available at account numbers 0010655.589000 and
0300655.589000 from existing appropriations. Additional appropriation by Council for
the balance of $300,000 is needed prior to construction, estimated to be during the
FY2012-13 budget cycle at the earliest.
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In the highly unlikely event that federal funding is denied, the City must use another
funding source to fund the project and Council will have to establish funding priority with
other competing projects.
Prepared by: Eric Bailey, P. E, Civil Engineer
Approved:
sa e
Acting Director of Public Works
Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
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