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c;cy or City Council Report
Santa Monica
City Council Meeting: June 12, 2012
Agenda Item: 3 x
To: Mayor and City Council
From: David Martin, Director, Planning & Community Development Department
Subject: Contract Amendment for Consultant Services to Complete the 1440/1550
Pacific Coast Highway Traffic Signal Study
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a fourth modification to Professional Services Agreement #1874 in the amount
of $105,820 with Crain and Associates, a California -based company, to provide
complete engineering design and construction support services for a potential new
traffic signal on Pacific Coast Highway in the vicinity of Beach Lot 1 N. This will result in
a total agreement amount of $174,820.
Executive Summary
The City has contracted with .Crain and Associates to prepare traffic signal warrant
analyses and needs studies for a proposed new signal at the egress to the 1440/1550
Pacific Coast Highway lot (Beach Lot IN). Since 2009, Crain and Associates has
worked with the City and Caltrans to evaluate potential traffic signal solutions. In the
past year, the evaluation has focused on a potential signal at the 1150 Pacific Coast
Highway lot (Lot 3N), and Caltrans staff have indicated that some level of signalization
at this location may be acceptable. A traffic signal at this location would improve access
to Lot 3N, and would also ensure adequate gaps in southbound Pacific Coast Highway
traffic to improve egress from Lot 1 N, particularly during busy Beach periods. The Crain
and Associates amendment is for an amount not -to- exceed $105,820, bringing the total
not -to- exceed agreement amount to $174,820. This amendment would provide for
complete engineering design and construction support services to take the potential
new traffic signal from conceptual approval through Caltrans design approval and
Coastal Development permit approval.
Background
Crain and Associates, a firm with extensive experience in traffic signal needs studies,
design, and particularly signal installation along Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), was
selected in May 2009 to complete an initial traffic signal needs study for the 1440/1550
PCH egress.
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Discussion
To -date Crain and Associates has completed detailed analyses of traffic circulation and
operation along PCH at both the 144011550 PCH (Lot 1 N) egress and at the 1150 PCH
(Lot 3N) entrance /egress. Initially Crain and Associates focused their analyses on
locating a "half' traffic signal at the 1440/1550 PCH (Lot. 1 N) egress, with the goal of
regulating southbound PCH traffic flows to allow for adequate breaks in traffic to
improve and facilitate vehicular egress from Lot 1N. This concept was presented to
Caltrans. Caltrans requested further evaluation of a full signal to address concerns with
westbound 1 -10 /northbound PCH vehicles desiring to access Lot 1N. Crain and
Associates performed additional analyses, including detailed origin and destination
surveys, and completed a revised traffic signal needs study and warrant analysis in late
2010.
In early 2011, the City, Crain and Associates, and Caltrans staff met to discuss the
revised analyses. At that meeting, it was mutually agreed that a full traffic signal at the
1440/1550 PCH (Lot 1 N) egress would present operational challenges for northbound
traffic, given its proximity to the McClure tunnel. Caltrans staff then directed the City to
investigate a potential traffic signal further north on PCH, near the 1150 PCH parking lot
(Lot 3N). Caltrans is also interested in a potential opportunity to facilitate "U" turns at
this location.
Through the summer and fall of 2011, Crain and Associates performed additional data
collection and analyses. The analysis focused on origin and destination counts of
vehicles along PCH in both directions, and determined that significant numbers of
vehicles enter Lot 1 N from both southbound PCH and by making U -turns from
northbound PCH (via westbound 1 -10). In early 2012 a new signal needs study and
warrant analysis, along with conceptual design plans, was presented to the City. At this
stage, Crain and Associates have nearly exhausted previous contract scopes of
services and allocated budgets. Staff is requesting a contract modification in order to
move this project towards completion.
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Contractor /Consultant Selection
City staff typically contract out for traffic signal design and planning services, particularly
those that require extensive evaluation, needs assessments, and Caltrans coordination.
In April 2009 the City released an RFP for the completion of a traffic signal needs study
at the 1440/1550 PCH lot egress. Crain and Associates was selected based on their
extensive experience in the evaluation, planning, and design of new traffic signals,
particularly new traffic signals along PCH in Los Angeles and Malibu. The initial
agreement was less than $70,000, and therefore was not subject to Council approval
according to the City's purchasing requirements. Subsequent contract modifications to
address additional analysis requests from Caltrans resulted in a cumulative agreement
of less than $70,000, and therefore were not subject to Council approval according to
the City's purchasing requirements.
Next Steps
Within the next six months, Crain and Associates would present the results of its most
recent traffic signal needs assessment and warrant analysis for a new signal at the
1150 PCH lot entrance /egress, and prepare conceptual design plans for Caltrans
approval. Following Caltrans approval, Crain and Associates would proceed with the
design and permitting process for traffic signal construction.
The scope of work for this proposed contract amendment includes a full spectrum of
services to carry the project through the Caltrans environmental and design approval
process, and the issuance of a Coastal Development Permit. The entire process to
develop construction -ready design plans is anticipated to require approximately 18
months, and the proposed contract amendment would ensure that all consultant
services are provided through and up to construction, Once the design has been
approved by Caltrans and a Coastal Development Permit issued, the City will be well -
positioned to construct the new proposed signal, pending Council authorization of
construction funds. The approved design will remain valid for a number of years, as it is
highly unlikely that there will be changes to the roadway geometric configuration of PCH
and /or Caltrans standards and specifications that would require design modifications.
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Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The agreement modification to be awarded to Crain & Associates is $105,820, for a new
agreement total of $174,820. Funds are available in the FY 2011 -13 budget at account
P017013.589000. Budget authority for construction will be requested in the FY 2014-
16 CIP cycle for Council approval. Construction funding is contingent upon Council
approval.
Prepared by: Sam Morrissey, P.E., City Traffic Engineer
Approved:
Forwarded to Council:
David Martin Rod Gould
Director, Planning and Community City Manager
Development Department
S
Reference Contract No.
9602 (CCS).