SR 09-27-2011 3P19
City of City Council Report
Santa Honica
City Council Meeting: September 27, 2011
Agenda Item: 3 — F
To: Mayor and City Council
From: David Martin, Director Planning and Community Development
Subject: Bicycle Technology Demonstration Grant Contract Award
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City. Manager to negotiate and
execute a professional services agreement with Alta Planning + Design, a Portland,
Oregon -based company, in an amount not to exceed $138,750 to provide grant- funded
design, data collection and evaluation services for the Bicycle Technology
Demonstration project.
Executive Summary
The City was awarded a $399,000 grant by Metro in 2007 to install and evaluate various
intersection treatments for bicycles. The intersection treatments would be evaluated and
turned into a toolkit for use by the City of Santa Monica and other Westside Cities. This
contract would fund the design of bicycle boxes, one of the types of intersection
treatments to be evaluated, the collection of before and after data, evaluation of the
alternate treatments, and the creation of the toolkit. The cost of the contract will not
exceed $138,750. Of this total, the City would be reimbursed $111,000.
Background
The City was awarded a grant from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Authority
(Metro) to fund the Bicycle Technology Demonstration project. Co- sponsored by the
Westside Cities Council of Governments, the grant was awarded for the installation and
evaluation of various treatments for bicycles at intersections, including assessment of
the treatments, and preparation of a toolkit for local and regional use. Council was
notified of this grant award in an Information Item on Mav 18, 2007.
Among the treatments to be evaluated is a bicycle box, which is a type of advance stop
line that allows bicycles to move to the front of the queue during the red signal phase.
This makes cyclists more visible, allows them to correctly position themselves for
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turning movements and clears the curb lane for vehicles turning right. The bicycle box,
in addition to correctly positioning cyclists at the front of the queue, is advantageous for
pedestrians since it provides a buffer between vehicles and pedestrians crossing the
street. Bicycle boxes are currently considered an experimental traffic control device and
City staff has submitted a request to the Federal Highway Administration to experiment
with this treatment. Bicycle boxes are proposed to be demonstrated at the following
intersections:
a) Ocean Park Boulevard and Main Street (bicycle boxes on all four intersection
approaches) and
b) Lincoln Boulevard and Michigan Avenue (bicycle boxes on Michigan Avenue
approaches).
Rendering of a bicycle box. Courtesy of National Association of City Transportation Officials.
The project is consistent with the Land Use and Circulation Element and the Draft
Bicycle Action Plan. In addition to improving local bicycle facilities, this project has
RAI
regional significance, as the City will join Long Beach to be among the first in Los
Angeles County to install bicycle boxes.
Discussion
The proposed contract will cover the design of the bicycle boxes, before and after data
collection and analysis, and the creation of a toolkit for local and regional use. On May
13, 2011, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued, emphasizing the unique qualities
of the project. Responses to the RFP were reviewed by a selection panel of staff from
the Planning and Community Development Department. Evaluation of the submitted
materials was based on the following selection criteria:
• Experience with bicycle facility improvements in a similar municipal setting.
• Understanding of the project.
• Qualifications and ability of staff.
• Innovative approach and ability to foresee and avoid problems.
• Familiarity with state and federal procedures.
• Capacity to perform the contract on- schedule and within budget.
Although awarded by Metro, the grant is being managed by the California Department
of Transportation (Caltrans). Firms were evaluated on qualifications and past work
experience as required by the Caltrans Local Assistance Procedures Manual, and
therefore cost proposals were not a factor in the selection process. However, the
proposed contract is within the amount budgeted for this phase of the project.
A total of four teams responded to the RFP. The selection panel unanimously
recommends Alta Planning + Design (Alta) to be the consultant for the design, analysis,
and toolkit development phase of this project.
Alta is a multi -modal transportation planning firm, with an emphasis on bicycle and
pedestrian planning. They were the lead consultant for the study of shared -lane
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markings (also known as "sharrows ") in San Francisco that resulted in the treatment
being adopted for statewide use. Furthermore, Alta was the prime consultant for the
Cities for Cycling Urban Bikeway Design Guide, which is based on the best national and
international practices. The firm also has an extensive background in data collection
and analysis.
Next Steps
Following execution of the agreement with Alta, the consultant would begin data
collection and preparation of the bicycle box design. The project includes a public
outreach campaign to notify cyclists and motorists how to use the bicycle boxes
correctly. The installation of the bicycle boxes would be part of the next phase of the
Metro grant, which would also include the installation of 100 bicycle racks in commercial
corridors and the installation of bicycle detection technologies at three intersections.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The contract to be awarded to Alta Planning + Design is $138,750. Funds are available
in account C207029.589000. This project is funded by a Metro grant, which will be used
to reimburse the City $111,000 of the $138,750 total cost.
Prepared by: Jason Kligier, Transportation Planning Associate
Approved: Forwarded to Council:
David Martin Rod Gould
Director City Manager
Planning and Community Development
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Reference Contract No.
9478 (CCS).