SR-03-24-2015-3CAgenda Item: 3—r�
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Karen Ginsberg, Community and Cultural Services Director
Susan Cline, Interim Director of Public Works
Subject: Beach Bike Trail Sweeping
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1) Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a cooperation
agreement with Los Angeles County for the City to sweep the Beach Bike
Trail within Santa Monica, whereby the County would reimburse the City
$30,000 annually, adjusted by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
2) Authorize the Purchasing Services Manager to issue a purchase order with
Tennant Company, a Minnesota -based company, for one heavy -duty outdoor
sweeper. This is a sole source purchase in an amount not to exceed
$199,540.
3) Authorize the budget changes outlined in the Financial Impacts and Budget
Actions section of this report.
Executive Summary
The City has proposed taking over the sweeping of the Beach Bike Trail from Los
Angeles (LA) County to increase frequency from two or three days to five days per week
to improve public safety and accessibility. The annual ongoing cost to the Beach Fund
is $88,723 for additional staff, which will be offset by an annual $30,000 reimbursement
from LA County. The annual ongoing costs and revenues would be included in the FY
2015 -17 biennial budget. A one -time appropriation from the Beach Fund to the Vehicle
Management Fund in the amount of $226,436 for the purchase of a sweeper and first
year of depreciation is recommended now to enable the program to begin on July 1,
2015.
Los Angeles County built the 19 mile continuous bicycle trail, currently known as the
Marvin Braude Bike Trail (Bike Trail) in 1972, beginning at California Avenue in Santa
Monica and extending southward to Via Rivera in Torrance. The City of Santa Monica
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extended the bike trail to the northern City limits in 1989. The County has had
responsibility for maintaining and repairing the bike trail since it was built
The County's schedule for sweeping the bike trail is twice a week during the winter
months and three times a week during the summer. Since the County is responsible for
sweeping the entire bike trail, and may run into delays along its length due to starting in
areas south of Santa Monica, the schedule is not always met, causing sand to build up
on the trail. While Beach Maintenance staff does not have the heavy equipment to clear
the bike trail, staff use push brooms to remove sand when the County misses a day, or
when sand covers the trail between the scheduled days. In addition, the equipment
used by the County to clear the trail scrapes the pavement and has damaged the
recently installed trail guidance markings. In response to these issues, staff initiated
discussions with LA County Department of Public Works to transfer responsibility for
sweeping the 2.9 mile portion of the bike trail in Santa Monica to the City.
Discussion
The proposed Cooperation Agreement would enable the City to assume responsibility
for sweeping the 2.9 mile portion for a period of ten years, with the option to extend the
agreement. The County would reimburse the City $30,000 annually, adjusted by the
Consumer Price Index (CPI). The reimbursement amount is based on the amount of
Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds from the State that are provided to the
County for sweeping the Santa Monica portion of the bike trail.
The Santa Monica section is one of the most heavily traveled parts of the bike trail.
Staff has analyzed the County's sweeping schedule and is recommending a more
frequent sweeping program due to the high usage of the bike trail and the large amount
of sand that is blown or tracked onto the trail. The proposed schedule is as follows:
® Entire Bike Trail: Five times a week (Monday to Friday)
® Hot Spots along Bike Trail /Ocean Front Walk: Three times a week (Monday,
Wednesday and Thursday) — as needed
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The hot spots include sections of the bike trail that are most heavily used and often
covered in sand, such as the area around the 1550 lot, as well as the pedestrian path
north and south of the Pier, and Ocean Front Walk, which are not currently swept by the
County.
The City's takeover of the sweeping function would require additional staff and
equipment. Staff proposes to add one small, heavy -duty sweeper to the City's fleet
through the Vehicle Management Fund and to hire an Equipment Operator II for the
Beach Maintenance Section to operate the sweeper. There is currently no available
staff within the Section to fulfill this function. The shift to a five -day a week schedule with
dedicated personnel would provide additional opportunities for improved sweeping of
Ocean Front Walk and hard to reach areas of the beach parking lots. Ocean Front Walk
is not currently swept by the County. These areas are swept by City staff with push
brooms, as time permits.
The additional expense for staff and equipment to increase the sweeping frequency is
recommended to improve safety and access. Sand build up reduces lane capacity and
may create a slippery surface. Use of the bike trail has grown steadily as a year -round
recreation activity and transportation mode. The expansion of year -round activity at
Santa Monica State Beach has also increased parking and concession revenues in the
Beach Fund, making additional financial resources available to preserve and promote
access to the beach including investing in the sweeping of the bike trail as proposed.
The total annual ongoing cost for an Equipment Operator II is $88,723. This would be
partially offset each year by the $30,000 reimbursement from the County. The
expenditures and revenues for the sweeping would come from and to the Beach Fund.
The one -time cost of the sweeper along with the first year of depreciation is $226,436.
The funds for the Equipment Operator II and the revenues from the County
reimbursement would be included in the proposed FY 2015 -17 budget.
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Vendor Selection
Staff recommends Tennant Company to furnish and deliver one Sentinal heavy -duty
sweeper on a sole source basis. The purchase is economically available from a single
source because the compatibility of the sweeper is of paramount consideration to this
application. The recommended sweeper is a small, heavy -duty, outdoor, dust -free
sweeper that is the width of one lane of the bike trail. The full length glass doors and
windshield glass provide the operator a clear view to maximize safety. Although there
are other types of sweepers available, Beach Maintenance staff has tested the unit for
functionality against two other sweeper units and says it is uniquely fitted for this
application due to the reasons noted above, which increase safety along the busy bike
trail. The other types of sweepers are too large for the application and would cost
several thousand dollars more to purchase. There are no other comparable units on the
market that match this unit.
Alternatives
The Council could forego authorizing the City Manager to enter into a cooperation
agreement with the County and continue to have the County sweep the bike trail on the
current limited schedule. The Council could also deny the appropriation of funds for the
sweeper, which would prevent the City from taking over the sweeping of the path. Both
of these alternatives would maintain the current level of service for sweeping the bike
trail.
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Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The cooperation agreement will cost $88,723 annually and will generate revenues of
$30,000, for a net impact of $58,723 to the Beach Fund. Funding for these ongoing
costs will be requested during the FY 2015 -17 biennial budget process. Implementation
of the program requires the following FY2014 -15 budget actions to allow the Beach
Fund to purchase the sweeper:
1) Increase the revenue budget in account 54459.405760 (Vehicle Enhancement
Purchases) by $199,540;
2) Appropriate $199,540 for the purchase of one sweeper to account
0540167.589100, Vehicle Enhancement Purchases;
3) Increase the revenue budget at account 54459.402660 (Future Vehicle
Replacement) by $26,896;
4) Appropriate $26,896 to account IS110167.589000.
The purchase order for the sweeper will be charged to 0540167.589100.
Prepared by: Judith Meister, Beach Administrator
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Karen Ginsberg
Director, Community and Cultural
Services Department
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Susan Aline
Interim Director, Public Works
Department
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Forwarded to Council:
Elaine M. Polachek
Interim City Manager
Reference:
Agreement No. 10042
(CCS)