SR 09-27-2011 4ACity Council Meeting: September 27, 2011
Agenda Item: 4A
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Gigi Decavalles- Hughes, Acting Finance Director
Edward King, Director of Transit Services
David Martin, Director of Planning and Community Development
Subject: Coordinated Planning and Implementation of Circulation Improvements
in the Downtown and Light Rail Station Areas.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Review and comment on the planning and implementation of circulation
improvements in the Downtown area; and
2. Provide direction on additional efforts to coordinate Downtown circulation and
enhance transit connections to Expo stations.
Executive Summary
An integrated circulation system is critical to the continued success of the Downtown.
The LUCE implements the community's vision recognizing the importance of
sustainable transportation for a successful future. LUCE policies link land use and
circulation for a no net new trip community, optimizing functionality by balancing vehicle,
pedestrian, cyclists and transit riders. The Light Rail will bring many additional
pedestrians to the City, and particularly the Downtown, who will work, ride, shop and
enjoy themselves. City staff is already preparing for ways to accommodate these
additional pedestrians, while providing for more effective cycling opportunities and
continuing to support the best possible vehicle and transit function. Considering the
integrated circulation vision with each transportation and development decision, now
and in the future, will allow for the continued success of the Downtown.
Downtown Santa Monica is the location of multiple immediate, ongoing and longer term
transportation initiatives. This report inventories the integrated transportation
improvements anticipated both before service begins and once service begins on Expo
Light Rail service, and discusses comprehensive strategies to be explored as part of the
Downtown Specific Plan.
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Background
This study session will focus on transportation both before and after the opening of
Expo Light Rail service, anticipated in 2015. The Council has indicated the following
circulation priorities in their decisions to date:
• Pedestrian orientation and comfort
• Complete streets
• Improved parking accessibility
• Completing a full bicycle network
• Supporting multi modal choices for travel
• No net new trips in the PM peak hour
• Connections to the Civic Center
• Supporting the sustainability, economic and environmental for the Downtown into
the future
• Balancing modes of transport to maintain sustainability
This report is a continuation of discussions regarding Downtown including the review of
an integrated framework to coordinate the planning, urban design and circulation
improvements for the Downtown Expo Light Rail Station and Civic Center CIP projects
that was provided to City Council on March 24, 2009. This preceded the July 6 2010
adoption of the General Plan Land Use and Circulation Element which solidified the
policy of linking and integrating land use and transportation decisions in order to
achieve congestion management, sustainable transportation and substantially increase
pedestrian, bicycle and transit usage. Staff returned to the Council on February 1, 2011
to present the coordinated planning, management, construction phasing and
communications for approved and proposed projects in both the Civic Center and the
Downtown Area. That session affirmed the City's approach to continually communicate
the most current information to the public and coordinate the phasing plans for
construction with continuous refinement as project schedules become final.
Significant progress has been underway to integrate multiple city decisions into a
cohesive vision for transportation in Downtown. Those efforts include:
• Interim parking plan implementation
Civic Center /Downtown shared use parking study
• Draft Bike Action Plan
• Expo Station Linkages and Betterments
• Colorado Esplanade
• Integration of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) with development
projects
• Initiating specific and area planning surrounding Expo stations
• Zoning Ordinance and Interim Zoning updates
Council held a study session addressing circulation connections between Downtown
and the Civic Center on April 12, 2011. That session identified the importance of the
Colorado Esplanade to create a strong gateway knitting together the Downtown, Pier
and Civic Center, with pedestrian and bicycle connections to Expo Light Rail while
supporting critical vehicle access. The Council also discussed longer term priorities,
including realigning the 4th Street off -ramp for improved vehicle movements, and
widening the 4th Street bridge sidewalk to provide better pedestrian and bike
connections across the freeway.
It is helpful to analyze Downtown as the center of a network that connects Santa Monica
and surrounding communities to the Expo Terminal station on 4th Street. The Big Blue
Bus presented its line -by -line analysis to the City Council on May 10 2011, which
included Preliminary Alternatives Analysis for High Capacity, Short Distance Transit
Connections featuring options for new feeder transit service to all three of the Santa
Monica Expo stations. This approach will ensure that service to the light rail stations will
be addressed through a network approach rather than focusing on each station
individually.
This report describes the significant progress on implementing Council's direction by
outlining how City staff is coordinating immediate, ongoing and longer -term Downtown
transportation initiatives.
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Discussion
Downtown Santa Monica, bordered by Ocean Avenue, Wilshire Boulevard, Lincoln
Boulevard and the Santa Monica Freeway, has long been a major destination for Santa
Monica residents, visitors and employees. Past plans yielded lasting changes in the
landscape such as the creation of the Third Street Promenade, the construction of the
Downtown parking structure system, the creation of the Downtown transit mall and the
recent reconfiguration of Santa Monica Place. Other features were implemented, but
were revised based on updated planning, including the 1979 redesign of Broadway and
5th Street as one -way streets, and their restoration as two -way streets in 1998.
Downtown continues to be the daily destination for the employees who work there, a
weekly destination for 80% of City residents, a draw for regional visitors, and a top
choice for international travellers, as well as home for over 4500 Downtown residents.
The 2010 Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) envisions Downtown as a:
"...thriving, mixed -use environment for people to live, work, be
entertained and be culturally enriched. The area has the greatest
concentration of activity in the City, anchored by the core commercial
district, including the Third Street Promenade and a revitalized Santa
Monica Place open -air mall. Downtown continues to expand as a
residential area, with a diversity of residential types, forms and sizes..."
The LUCE specifies the following goals related to transportation and the long term well-
being of Downtown:
• Maintain Downtown's competitive advantage as a premier local and regional
shopping, dining and entertainment destination, and support its evolution in order
to respond to changing market conditions
• Maximize place- making opportunities associated with the Expo Light Rail station
to create a vibrant Downtown gateway
• Ensure high - quality implementation of transit - oriented development adjacent to
the station
• Prioritize transit connections to the Expo Light Rail station
• Create convenient pedestrian linkages to the Expo Light Rail station
• Create convenient and comfortable bicycle linkages to the Expo Light Rail station
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• Enhance the quality and character of the streetscape and urban pattern in the
Downtown
• Integrate and interconnect the Downtown, the Civic Center, and the Oceanfront
with open space linkages and opportunities for shared parking and circulation
improvements
• Address parking needs comprehensively, identifying shared parking opportunities
• Ensure circulation for the Downtown, Civic Center and Beach and Oceanfront
Districts is interconnected
• Provide flexible and functional event strategies to capitalize on related pedestrian
shopping and dining opportunities as well as maximizing shared parking
• Prepare a Downtown Specific Plan that replaces the existing Bayside District
Specific Plan and incorporates the relevant goals and policies of the LUCE,
addresses ongoing issues in the Downtown and encompasses the expanded
boundaries of the Downtown.
A fundamental construct of the LUCE was to integrate the land use and circulation
decisions made on specific private property entitlements, city investments and specific
policies to achieve no net new trips. This is a coordinated citywide effort to reduce
existing automobile trips and minimize new automobile trips by increasing the amount of
trips made by walking, cycling and transit.
Achieving Goals and Coordinating Investments
The City of Santa Monica, other public agencies and private property owners are
currently developing a broad variety of investments in and around the Downtown.
Some of these projects are currently underway, while others are still in the planning
stages. This staff report summarizes the circulation initiatives to accommodate all of
these projects, while achieving the goals of the LUCE and Downtown stakeholders.
Although the circulation projects described in the next section are organized by
transportation mode, each of them works together in order to achieve an integrated
system. They are being coordinated with the following principles:
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Focus on the Customer
All of the investments discussed below are being designed with the customer in mind,
whether that customer is a Downtown shopper, visitor, resident, or employee. Access
to and around the Downtown by all modes of transportation should be convenient, easy
and fun. For example, the City is currently investing in better way - finding for the
Downtown parking structures, providing motorists with real -time information about
parking availability not only at the garages themselves, but also at all the main arrival
points Downtown, so that if one parking facility is full, the motorist will know where to
find the nearest available parking. Similarly, bikeway investments and bicycle programs
will also focus on the quality of user experiences, creating a more comfortable, delightful
experience for cyclists.
Make Efficient Use of Existing Resources
Over the past decades, the City has invested heavily in Downtown parking, roadway,
sidewalk, transit, and bikeway investments. Strategic use and maintenance of
resources maximizes the efficiency of these resources. The parking way - finding
program is intended not only to make it easier for customers to find parking but also to
take better advantage of underutilized parking supply, such as the spaces at the Library
garage. Speed, reliability and quality improvements for Big Blue Bus will make the
City's major investment in transit more productive.
Capitalize on Others' Investments
Expo Light Rail will provide new regional access to Santa Monica's Downtown,
delivering hundreds of passengers to the corner of 4th Street and Colorado Avenue with
the arrival of each train. Possibilities abound as to how Santa Monica can best capture
the value of Metro's investment in Expo. Parking on private property is not being used to
its full capacity and with a coordinated effort can meet needs of other properties in the
area. Parking resources on the beach and the rebuilding of the Pier bridge can be
evaluated in coordination with the goal to create a bike connection between Downtown
and the Beach Bike Path. The City is currently looking at a broad array of opportunities
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to shape others' investments for the good of all citizens, as well as leverage small
amounts of public funds to achieve outside funding for a larger benefit that would not be
possible were the City acting alone.
Make it More Uniquely Santa Monica
Most Santa Monicans visit Downtown at least once a week, making it a frequent
destination for useful goods and services for all residents in addition to regional
shopping and tourist destination. The Downtown's unique character that capitalizes on
its ocean -side location of extraordinary natural beauty contributes to its retail success in
the competitive marketplace. The City's investments seek to build upon Downtown's
unique character.
Recognize Limits
The overall street grid in the Downtown is highly adaptable and efficient, yet the network
as a whole has a fixed bandwidth, which regulates vehicle capacity. While there are
some opportunities to expand vehicle capacity, some of these measures - like on- street
parking removal — require finding a balance with other important goals such as
pedestrian comfort or customer convenience. Accommodating future planned
development in the Downtown without an increase in vehicle trips requires a fairly small
shift in modes —about 10 %. Since the majority of trips to the Downtown are short —less
than two miles — it is reasonable that some of these trips could be accommodated with
the walking, bicycling and Big Blue Bus improvements being planned, as well as from
the two other Expo Rail line stations in Santa Monica. More of the longer trips may be
accommodated through Big Blue Bus, Expo Light Rail and by carpools, vanpools and
express bus service. Some drivers may adapt their travel behavior to take advantage of
the substantial improvements made to alternative modes and resulting ease of use,
freeing up roadway and parking capacity for new visitors. The large majority of people
currently driving to Downtown will continue to be accommodated even as the Downtown
grows and adapts to change.
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Anticipate the Future
To continue to build upon its success, the Downtown must continually adapt to changing
demographics, retail demands, economic trends, and other forces outside its control.
Through the Downtown Specific Plan process, these current trends will be investigated,
and the planned circulation investments will be designed for resiliency and adaptability.
The following section discusses Downtown circulation initiatives that are:
1. Underway and planned to be implemented before operation of Expo Light Rail in
2015
2. Planned to be implemented once Light Rail operations begin
3. Anticipated for future phasing in response to future conditions.
Projects Underway: 2011 -2015
Achieving the access and circulation to support the future vision for vitality, economic
health and mixed uses in the Downtown involves a series of projects and initiatives to
serve the motorist, cyclist, pedestrian and transit rider. The initial period will focus on
construction of the Expo Light Rail starting in Fall 2011. Some additional construction
during this period will also include the development of Palisades Garden Walk, Parking
Structure 6, Colorado Esplanade and private property development. Wherever possible,
these projects will be phased and organized so that impacts to traffic are minimized;
however, the Light Rail construction will be the dominant activity affecting transportation
in Downtown and beyond.
Parking
Interim Parking Plan: Parking Structure 6 Construction
In keeping with the Downtown parking plan recommendations, Parking Structure 6, on
Second Street between Broadway and Santa Monica Boulevard, will be rebuilt, with
demolition anticipated in February or March of 2012 and completion by the end of 2013.
During this time, replacement parking for automobiles will be accommodated with
implementation of the Interim Parking Plan. The Interim Parking plan, presented to
Council on March 8, 2011, focuses on relocating long -term monthly parkers to the Civic
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Center, reducing the number of day -time reserved spaces in Parking Structures 2 and
4, technology improvements, and the use of a temporary 130 space lot at a parcel on
the corner of Arizona Avenue and Fifth Street. Updates to the plan were highlighted in
an Information Item on August 24, 2011; 100 monthly permit holders have been
relocated to the Civic Structure to date. The Downtown Ride has been in service since
August 29, 2011 and provides transit service to those who park their vehicles in the
Civic Center and are destined for Downtown, with built -in incentives for holders of
monthly parking passes. Long term parking needs are discussed below in New Parking
Resources.
Parking Pricing
Staffs focus is on managing the City's parking resources as a complete system, using
pricing and other incentives to encourage use of underutilized perimeter parking
facilities in the Civic Center and South Beach locations. Parking pricing will need to be
evaluated on a frequent basis, calibrating demand and supply for this resource and
adjusting prices accordingly. Following a request for proposals process, staff is in the
process of selecting a consultant to complete a citywide parking rate analysis building
on the previous efforts that were focused on the Downtown. Staff is also working
towards amending Municipal Code sections related to parking. These two strategies will
result in the ability to better manage the City's parking resources.
In -Lieu Fee Parking Program
City staff is initiating the review of the Downtown's parking in -lieu fee program. Its long-
time formula of $1.50 per square foot per year (initiated in 1986) is below the cost of
providing structured parking. New recommendations for establishing an in -lieu fee
structure and assessment formula for new development in relation to the LUCE-
established boundaries are expected in early 2012. The goal is to provide a parking
fund which is commensurate with the current cost of constructing new shared parking to
serve the area; funding for other transportation services, such as transportation demand
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management services, pedestrian improvements, bicycling encouragement and transit,
is being explored as part of this effort as well
Finding Parking
Dynamic way- finding and updated parking availability signage in the Downtown will also
be implemented during this time period. Signage displaying the number of available
parking spaces and directions to the next available facility, when full, is anticipated to be
relocated from the sidewalks to signs similar to those located on Parking Structures 7
and 8 in FY 2011 -12. Dynamic message signs, located at freeway exits to direct
vehicles to available beach and Downtown parking, therefore maximizing the existing
automobile infrastructure, anticipated to be installed in summer 2012.
The City has encouraged private parking lots to be open to the public at market rates
during evenings and weekends. Thus far, seven Downtown garages participate by
displaying City - issued signs when they offer public parking. The City is exploring how to
address concerns about sharing parking, maintenance, liability and staffing the parking
facilities to improve this opportunity. The Downtown Specific Plan will evaluate options
such as universal valet parking, recently implemented in West Hollywood, to address
opportunities to better utilize private parking.
Curb Space
There are many multiple and competing demands for curb space in Downtown.
® Bus Stops and Layover Zones: There is a need to designate curbside space for
Big Blue Bus and Metro stops, and in certain locations, for bus layover zones; if
transit services increase in downtown more space for these needs may be
required. Conceivably, space on streets not used by transit may also be
affected.
• Taxis: Ongoing challenges include the appropriate locations for taxis to queue for
passengers. Taxi loading zones are currently distributed throughout Downtown
on Arizona Avenue, Wilshire Boulevard, and Ocean Avenue. Staff is evaluating
the need for more taxi zones throughout Downtown, and is balancing the needs
for designated taxi loading zones with the need for public on- street parking.
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• Tour buses: Tour buses currently load and unload passengers at locations
generally surrounding the Third Street Promenade, on Ocean Avenue,
Broadway, and Wilshire Boulevard; this important activity will continue to be
needed in the Downtown as valuable curb space is allocated.
• Passenger Loading: Staff has also observed that passenger loading occurs with
individual automobiles blocking traffic or stopping at red curbs to drop off or pick
up passengers; locations are being contemplated to provide designated locations
for these activities at key locations with high demands for passenger loading.
• Valet Parking: Many Downtown businesses also offer curbside valet parking to
their customers which need to be balanced with other needs for curb space.
The greatest challenge is balancing the desires of individual businesses and the needs
of the greater Downtown community, particularly in the use of highly sought -after on-
street curbside space.
New Parking Resources
The City continues to implement the Downtown Parking Program, adopted in 2006,
which identified a long term approach to building City parking in response to anticipated
demand. The program called for a series of upgrades and replacement of existing
structures. The program also calls for an ongoing monitoring program, so demand can
be evaluated and construction of new parking is matched to additional demand. The
replacement of Parking Structure 6 with approximately 350 additional parking spaces is
scheduled to be completed in 2013, and the visioning process for the 4th /5th and
Arizona site calls for a minimum of 339 additional public spaces at this site as a
community benefit to be included in the new development. Staff is engaged in the
process of evaluating the appropriate number of potential additional public spaces for
the 4th /5th and Arizona site based on economic feasibility, other desired community
benefits, current and future demand assumptions, constructability and circulation
analysis. The Downtown Specific Plan will identify other opportunity sites for additional
shared parking should demand increase.
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Perimeter Parking: The Civic Center, Pier and Beach Parking
Since 2010, the City has been managing the available parking in downtown, the Civic
Center, Pier and beach facilities as one resource. On March 8, 2011, the Council
discussed a Civic Center /Downtown Parking Assessment to determine the priority of
building additional parking at the Civic Center. The discussion included the important
role that the Civic Center parking structure serves as an interim resource for Downtown
while Parking Structure 6 is under construction, and that current Civic Center demand
can be met with the existing supply until demand increases due to future build -out of
Civic Center uses that would replace the existing Civic Center surface parking lot. The
study recommended:
• Decisions about future parking in the Civic Center area be evaluated as a
comprehensive shared parking supply with coordinated event planning,
• Additional demand studies be conducted once the light rail and the re- purposed
Civic Auditorium are operational.
In response to requests from the Pier tenants and Pier Restoration Corporation, the
Civic Center /Downtown Parking Assessment is currently being expanded to include a
specific analysis of current Pier parking demand. Nelson /Nygaard, working with the Pier
community, is conducting an additional research effort to evaluate demand for parking
at the Pier and recommend near term shared parking improvements that can address
needs in advance of the Pier master planning process. Decisions arising from that
research will continue to inform potential improvements to Pier and beach parking.
Pedestrian Improvements
The City is currently conducting a study of pedestrian issues throughout Downtown.
The goal of this study will be to evaluate the effectiveness of existing pedestrian
elements (e.g., crosswalk treatments, sidewalk widths), identify potential issues
affecting pedestrian mobility, and provide recommendations for improving pedestrian
mobility throughout the study area. The study will provide a range of potential
recommendations with a variety of costs to address the identified concerns.
Recommendations will also focus on non - capital solutions and the development of a
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"toolkit" of solutions that could be implemented. This "toolkit" will be reviewed with
stakeholders prior to identifying final recommendations.
Pedestrian improvements are an immediate priority. A number of initiatives are being
pursued simultaneously, including wider sidewalks in new developments, requiring
pedestrian oriented design at the ground floor and investigating connection
improvements across the freeway and intersections with the greatest pedestrian
volumes. The decision to invest in the Colorado Esplanade is a powerful statement of
the important role pedestrians have in the area. Pedestrian circulation will be a key
component of the Downtown Specific Plan.
As such, staff has gathered quantitative data about pedestrian patterns in the
Downtown. A pedestrian -only traffic signal phasing, also known as a `ped scramble',
allowing time at a signalized intersections where pedestrians only can cross the street in
any direction, was tested in November and December 2010. The test was inconclusive
as to the benefit of an all -way pedestrian phase. Some pedestrians made use of the
diagonal crossing component, and the test appeared beneficial to pedestrians in terms
of providing more crossing opportunities. A review of intersection operations indicates
that the all -way pedestrian phase degraded peak hour operations for vehicles.
Furthermore, an analysis of the total throughput of vehicles and pedestrians indicates
the all -way pedestrian phase resulted in slightly less throughput than normal
intersection operations. For future consideration, the performance of all -way pedestrian
phase intersections may be enhanced through the following measures:
• Increased signage
• Conversion of more intersections to all -way pedestrian phase intersections (to
increase awareness for Downtown pedestrians)
• Implementation of permanent pedestrian phases on all Downtown traffic signals
(to remove pedestrian push buttons and educate pedestrians to observe "Walk"
and "Don't Walk" indications)
• Increased markings on- street to indicate modifications to the intersection.
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Bicycles
Bicycle use continues to grow in popularity for people traveling within and to Santa
Monica. Immediate changes to the bicycling landscape include the opening this Fall of
the Downtown Bike Center in Parking Structures 7 and 8. The Bike Center will provide
260 secure bike parking spaces, bike repair facilities, showers, lockers, and bike
rentals. It will also offer programs including bike share for local employees, bicycle
education, maintenance workshops, and supporting retail. New directional signage
approaching the Center and some restriping of the intersections of Broadway /2nd Street
will be installed to accommodate bicyclists arriving at these corners.
The draft Bicycle Action Plan, released on August 5, also calls for better
accommodations for bicycles in the Downtown. Major Downtown recommendations
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• Redesigning 2nd Street in the next five years to create green buffered bike lanes
resulting in a configuration similar to Main Street
• Adding bike facilities to the Colorado Esplanade
• Enhancing Broadway with green lanes and buffer zones to provide space
between cyclists and parked cars, from 6th Street eastwards on this primary east -
west street
• Improving the existing Arizona Avenue and Broadway bike lanes with buffered
bike lanes
• Improving the existing Ocean Avenue and Main Street bike lanes with buffered
bike lanes
• Improving and extending the existing 6th and 7th Street bike lanes, and
• Creating a high quality bikeway in the 17th Street corridor, allowing for a better
bike connection to Sunset Park, and improving the bicycle connection between
Ocean Avenue and the regional bike path.
Transit
Most of the Big Blue Bus lines originate in or pass through Downtown and connect this
core destination with virtually every part of Santa Monica as well as with surrounding
communities that are the source of many of the most frequent visitors and commuters to
Downtown. While the routes using the transit mall benefit from bus only lanes, buses
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travelling north -south struggle with slow travel speeds and the need to bring riders as
close to their destinations as possible. Challenges include the need for layover zones
for bus service that ends and starts in Downtown Santa Monica and the multiple
demands for space adjacent to Downtown's curbs.
New bus stop amenities will be installed at Downtown bus stop locations, as part of the
upgrade of 360 citywide bus stops, providing both shade units and seating for bus riders
and increased visibility for bus service in general. Ninety -six of the stops with the
highest boarding volumes will feature real time signage. The stops on Broadway and
Santa Monica Boulevard that are within the Transit Mall and feature the long shelters
and arbors will remain unchanged.
During the reconstruction of Parking Structure 6, anticipated through fall 2013, the
temporary Downtown Ride will connect people parking in the Civic Center with
Downtown destinations. The Downtown Ride supplements existing Big Blue Bus and
Metro bus service during this time period. Connecting the concentration of employees
on Wilshire Boulevard through shuttle service would also reinforce the concept of
having people already in Downtown stay in Downtown for activities, such as lunch or
shopping. A permanent future Tide Ride /hotel transit replacement is being considered,
and could take the form of a Downtown circulator. Although the Tide Ride is no longer in
operation, outreach has been conducted with the funding hotels, Downtown business
interests, and other stakeholders on possible replacement services. Planning efforts
for a replacement service will continue as Downtown circulation alternatives are
developed in more detail.
Coordination and Cooperation
Construction Coordination
Circulation for all modes of travel will be carefully considered during the phasing and
traffic control of pending construction projects on privately owned property as well as
city projects. Staff from all City departments is closely coordinating to anticipate
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potential construction impacts and make adjustments to schedules, mitigation
requirements and traffic routing as necessary. In addition, a coordinated team is
involved in the Be Excited, Be Prepared public information campaign to ensure that the
community has the most up to date information at all times.
Construction of the Expo rail line will require detours for pedestrians, bicycles, buses,
general traffic and deliveries that will have to be periodically modified as work proceeds
along the right -of way through various stages during the multi -year construction
phase. During construction it is anticipated that transit services will be detoured for
varying lengths of time and appropriate outreach and notification procedures will be
followed to keep customers and the community at large informed. Line 5 which
operates on Colorado Avenue will be the most susceptible to frequent or extended
detours and, if necessary, the service can be re- routed using Broadway. A permanent
solution for Metro Rapid buses that currently travel on Colorado between 4th and Streets
to reach their layover location on 5th Street between Olympic and Colorado will have to
be found early in the construction process.
Communication
Careful management and coordination with area partners and employers is of the
utmost importance. Downtown Santa Monica Inc. continues to hold monthly
Access /Parking /Circulation subcommittee meetings attended by staff. Working closely
with the Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau, Santa Monica
College, area hospitals and the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District will ensure
the greatest possible success.
Transportation Management Associations
Trip reduction tools outlined in the LUCE included the formation of Transportation
Management
Associations (TMA). The
Planning and Community
Development
Department,
along with stakeholders in
the Downtown are currently
exploring the
formation of
a TMA in the Downtown.
TMAs are organizations that
include local
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employers, public sector representatives, transportation providers, and others to employ
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies to mitigate congestion through
the provision of services such as:
• Marketing the area's mobility options to businesses and visitors to spur
economic development
• Promoting strategies to reduce auto use by employees, residents and visitors
• Generating new resources for transportation in the area and leveraging City and
Metro resources
• Coordinating TDM activities such as rideshare incentive and matching programs,
vanpooling, bikesharing and shuttle programs
• Organizing and participating in events to promote use of alternative modes
• Responding to residential and business concerns regarding transportation and
parking issues
• Providing assistance to businesses and developers in complying with City trip
reduction regulations
• Implementing special projects to address traffic and parking concerns, such as
for special events.
TMAs aggregate these services creating efficiencies and economies of scale while also
allowing smaller employers to provide commute trip- reduction services comparable with
those offered by larger companies. The City has begun working with a consultant,
Advisory Group, Downtown Santa Monica Inc. and stakeholders to determine the level
feasibility of forming a TMA. The process will continue into the fall and if deemed
feasible the city will work to support the formation of an Association per the
recommendations of the Advisory Group.
Future Proiects: Expo Light Rail in Service
The initiation of service on the Expo Light Rail, anticipated in 2015, will begin a new era
of transportation in Santa Monica and will mark a new way of travelling to Downtown
Santa Monica. New travel patterns will appear— some that are anticipated, and others
that will emerge — as people choose how to access the stations. Planning for the people
who will be driving, walking, bicycling and taking transit to Downtown Santa Monica in
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this new era has begun and will be integrated into the greater Downtown vision in the
anticipated Downtown Specific Plan.
Pedestrian traffic will be dramatically different with Expo Light Rail service. A great
concentration of pedestrians will originate from the station as each train arrives while a
more continuous flow will head to the station to depart.
Colorado Esplanade
The Colorado Esplanade process is underway with project completion scheduled to
precede the opening of the Downtown Station. This streetscape improvement will create
a clear pedestrian and bicycle experience from the station to the Pier along Colorado
Avenue. The pedestrian connections will include improved pedestrian access to
Palisades Garden Walk Park at Ocean Avenue and Main Street. In addition to the
pedestrian amenities of wider sidewalks, landscaping, and street trees, the Esplanade
will provide a bicycle facility leading to both the Pier and the new Bike Center in Parking
Structure 7. The internationally renowned landscape firm, Peter Walker Partners (PWP)
has been engaged to design the Esplanade, with the direction to create an exemplary
and beautiful place that balances all modes of travel and links the Downtown and Civic
Center with both vital infrastructure and a memorable arrival point. The PWP contract
also includes concept and schematic design for the station plaza so that the arrival and
dispersal of pedestrians throughout the Downtown can be seamlessly orchestrated to
prevent conflicts with transit and vehicles. Outreach and initial design is underway. The
Planning Commission received a report on the progress and stakeholder outreach at its
September 14th meeting.
Crossing the Freeway
The April 12, 2011 Council meeting included a discussion about the Phase One
Connections and Linkages Study of freeway capping findings to better connect the civic
center and Downtown. One of the recommendations from the report is to widen the
sidewalks on the 4th Street bridge to allow for some permanent amenities that would
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improve this critical pedestrian connection between the Civic Center uses and the Expo
Light Rail Downtown terminus. Because this walk is not currently appealing it
contributes to the perception that the Civic Center is a longer walk from the Station
Terminus and Downtown than it really is. The Freeway Capping Feasibility Study may
identify additional projects that would increase connectivity and could be accomplished
with public - private partnerships and or /or significant funding from outside sources. As
identified on April 12th, funding the design and construction of this connection will need
to be a future priority.
Other improvements including previously mentioned projects and initiatives, such as the
Downtown pedestrian study and tests of new traffic signal timing approaches regarding
pedestrian mobility, will need to be considered in all future planning.
Bicycling
Bicycling will continue to be a growing component of accessing Downtown and the Expo
Light Rail station. Many station riders are anticipated to access the station by bicycle.
Pending final track alignment, access to the immediate station area will be encouraged
via improved facilities on both 5th Street and 4th Court. Additional facilities suggested in
the 20 year outlook of the draft Bike Action Plan that will aid in better access to
Downtown include:
• Creating a new bike path alongside Olympic Drive, and a neighborhood
greenway along Michigan Avenue, allowing for better bike connections between
the Pico Neighborhood and Downtown
• Creating a neighborhood greenway along 6th Street, allowing for a better bike
connection to the Ocean Park Neighborhood
• A high quality bikeway in the 17th Street corridor, along for a better bike
connection to Sunset Park.
Parking
Many of the previously discussed measures, such as parking pricing, will need to be
revisited strategically to reflect changes in the Downtown and best serve the objectives
of the City. Similarly, as businesses change, change will occur adjacent to the curbs in
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front of them, with valet, tour buses and taxi zones being reviewed and monitored over
time. Centralized valet parking, either seasonally or year -round may also be appropriate
to evaluate.
The amount of parking available at different times and for different users will be
monitored and policy may change over time to reflect Downtown's needs. Decisions
regarding the retrofit of existing and construction of new parking structures will continue
to be a priority. Other opportunities may present themselves, such as joint partnerships
with private development. While the interim zoning ordinance creates a process for
properties to share parking in the Downtown, the Downtown Specific Plan will analyze
different shared parking requirements for this area, compared to other areas in the City,
both in terms of amount of parking and access to parking.
The ongoing goal is to provide just the right amount of parking at just the right time.
Providing too much parking can have as much of a negative impact as having too little,
as construction of spaces that are under - utilized diverts financial and physical resources
without achieving the required revenue to balance the outlay, thus delaying or
preventing other important community benefit investments in the area.
Transit Connections to Downtown Expo Light Rail Station
The greatest systemic change to existing transportation will likely occur with the
provision of enhanced transit connections to Santa Monica's Light Rail stations. While
seven Big Blue Bus lines already serve the future terminal location on 4th Street, the
routing of other existing services such as Line 1 will need to be reconsidered to ensure
that all communities in the catchment area of the station have a direct transit
connection. Work is underway to not only connect the bus service to the Light Rail in a
convenient and efficient manner but to also provide a gracious experience for bus
passengers, pedestrians and bicyclists at the station.
all
Bus service to the Bergamot and 17th Street stations continues to be pursued with the
Preliminary Alternatives Analysis. Reconfiguring of the existing Crosstown Ride is being
contemplated to serve 17th Street and a detailed analysis is underway as to how best
connect riders to the Bergamot station. For some residents, the Expo station at Bundy
Drive just beyond the Santa Monica City limits will be the most convenient station and
Big Blue Bus improvements are being planned in that area as well. Bus interface at
each of the Expo stations is being carefully considered and pursued by the City with the
Exposition Light Rail Construction Authority and Metro.
The Big Blue Bus has undertaken a Preliminary Alternatives Analysis, evaluating higher
capacity transit access to Santa Monica's three planned Expo Light Rail stations. A new
service to the Downtown station is envisioned with:
• Simple, easy to understand alignment: serves a variety of different needs of
residents, employees and visitors,
• Higher capacity than a standard Big Blue Bus
• High frequency: scheduled to meet each train arrival and departure
• Seamless fare structure or media to facilitate transfers to /from Big Blue Bus or
Metro services
• Serve Downtown parking: facilitating 'park once' strategy, and
• Cost - effective service: any new service must support the financial sustainability
of the Big Blue Bus network.
Options include extensions of the alignment for a Downtown and Civic Center circulator
currently under study. This new service could operate with existing lines on a new north-
south "Quality Bus Corridor" similar to the Transit Mail.
A transit service differentiated from standard bus service, such as a streetcar, could
serve as a Downtown circulator, potentially knitting together Downtown, and perimeter
parking resources, the Main Street and Montana Avenue commercial areas, hotels and
the Pier. The service would provide predictability on a simple axis routing to visitors and
infrequent transit riders, clearly indicating where stops can be found. Many communities
use circulators as a tool to engage visitors who enjoy the activity of taking a ride once
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arriving at a destination. The experience of other cities indicates that implementing a
permanent circulator route can also be a viable economic development tool for many of
the same reasons; development investors have more certainty when they are planning
in conjunction with a permanent transit route.
Next Steps in Downtown Circulation Coming to Council
The City Council will receive regular updates on transportation projects that will impact
the Downtown. Individual projects will come before the Council, including information
regarding the development of the Downtown Specific Plan.
Downtown Specific Plan
Preparation of the Downtown Specific Plan is underway. Approval of a contract for a
consultant team is on the September 27, 2011 Council Agenda. Initial outreach with
stakeholders and community meetings is scheduled for the fall, with the intent that
alternatives for discussion will be prepared in 2012. A critical component will be a
circulation plan for the Downtown that presents phased options to anticipate change
over time. The first phase of recommended circulation changes will be timed to
anticipate the opening of the Expo Line, and expected development projects.
The transportation philosophy of the Specific Plan is anticipated to mirror the
transportation concerns of Downtown, namely:
• Focusing on the customer: approaching the needs of all who travel in Downtown
and that they have a choice about whether they choose to travel to Downtown
Santa Monica or not, this will include a focus on creating a streetscape that
encourages walking and bicycling and ensuring that development proposals
include bike and pedestrian amenities and a smooth transit interface
• Making the most efficient use of existing resources: inventorying and utilizing the
rich investments that have already been made in Downtown
• Capitalizing on others' investments: incorporating decisions and interests of
others to ensure more than coordination but mutual success
• Making it more uniquely Santa Monica: consciously pursuing ideas that reinforce
the character of Santa Monica
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• Recognizing limits: limits exist both physically and fiscally, reserving existing
physical capacity for growth, and fiscal capacity by pursuing grant funding of
public improvements and private funding opportunities
• Anticipating the future: adapting to future change while recognizing the past
decisions of Downtown Santa Monica.
The project will include multiple efforts to plan for future transportation in Downtown
Santa Monica, both critical small efforts and possible major investments and decisions.
Efforts will be focused on creating additional vehicle gateways to the district to disperse
traffic during peak hours. Critical to this effort will be an improvement to the functioning
of the Lincoln Boulevard off ramp and major intersections north of the freeway. The
circulation component of the Downtown Specific Plan will identify appropriate options
and phasing. The Downtown Specific Plan is an opportunity to unify all of these
components for the entirety of Downtown.
Future anticipated discussion items for the Council include:
• Endorsement of initial design concepts of the Colorado Esplanade,
• Adoption of the Bike Action Plan, including changes to Downtown streets,
• Creation of north -south transit priority measures to support existing and novel
transit services to the Expo Light Rail station,
• Supporting the creation of a Pier Bicycle Ramp, including direction on
including a bicycle ramp connection from the Pier to Beach Bike Path as part
of the Pier Bridge replacement,
• Widening the 41h Street Bridge by developing a concept and initiating a
process to comply with Caltrans requirements,
• Forming a Transportation Management Association Downtown, and
• Continued implementation of the parking plan, with discussions on
• Parking Pricing
• Parking In Lieu fees
• Parking assessments
As Downtown Santa Monica evolves, so will its transportation needs. Strategies will
need to be adaptable to changing conditions, with a framework that can be proactive
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and nimble integrating the myriad of solutions necessary to achieve a vibrant Downtown
that is both sustainable and economically healthy.
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Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There is no immediate budget /financial impact to the recommendation presented in this
report. Funding for the proposed improvements to the Downtown transportation system
will come from a variety of sources, including Redevelopment Agency funds.
Prepared by: Beth Rolandson, AICP, Principal Transportation Planner
Sarah Lejeune, Principal Planner
Sam Morrissey, PE, Principal Transportation Engineer
Paul Casey, Senior Transit Programs Analyst
Don Patterson, Assistant Director of Finance
Approved:
Forwarded to Council:
;cavalles -H s Rod Gould
Director, Finance City Manager
Approved:
Edward King,'
Director, Big Blue
Approved:
David Martin,
Director, Planning and Community
Development
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