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Title:
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Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Submit a Grant Application through the Baldwin Hills Conservancy’s Proposition 84 Grant Program for Design of a Ramp from the Higuera Bridge to the Ballona Creek Bike Path.
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City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City
Manager to submit a grant application to design a ramp from the Higuera Bridge
to the Ballona Creek Bike Path through the Baldwin Hills Conservancy’s (BHC)
Proposition 84 Grant Program.
BACKGROUND:
California voters passed Proposition 84 on November 7, 2006. Proposition 84
allocated $10 million to the BHC for the protection of the Ballona Creek
Watershed and the Baldwin Hills Parklands, a portion of which has been made
available for a grant program. The purpose of this grant program is to provide
funds for planning and capital improvement projects that benefit the Ballona
Creek Watershed and Baldwin Hills Conservancy territory by:
1) Protecting or preventing contamination and degradation of coastal waters
and watersheds
2) Protecting and restoring the natural habitat values of coastal waters and
lands
3) Promoting access to and enjoyment of the coastal resources of the state
There is a rolling deadline for this grant opportunity. In June 2011, the City was
successful in securing a grant through this source for improvements such as a
traffic signal, sidewalks, curb extensions, and bike lanes near Jefferson
Boulevard and Hetzler Road. Staff is now proposing to seek another grant to
Meeting Date: 02/13/2012 Item Number: C-5
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the City
Manager to Submit a Grant Application through the Baldwin Hills
Conservancy’s Proposition 84 Grant Program for Design of a Ramp from the
Higuera Bridge to the Ballona Creek Bike Path.
Contact Person/Dept.: Helen Kerstein/PW Phone Number: (310) 253-5618
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: ________________
Public Notification: (E-mail) Agenda and Meetings – City Council (02/08/12); (E-mail)
Baldwin Hills Conservancy (01/30/12)
Department Approval:
Charles D. Herbertson (02/02/12)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (02/08/12)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (02/08/12)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (02/09/12) City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
fund the design of a ramp from the Higuera Bridge to the Ballona Creek Bike
Path.
DISCUSSION:
Designing a ramp from the Higuera Bridge to the Ballona Creek Bike Path will
achieve the grant purpose by promoting access to and enjoyment of the coastal
resources of the state. Currently, there is roughly a 1.1 mile distance between
the existing ramps to the Ballona Creek Bike Path at National Boulevard and
Duquesne Avenue. The design and eventual construction of a ramp at Higuera
Street will create an intermediate access point that will improve connectivity to
the Ballona Creek Bike Path and ultimately to the Beach Bike Path and Pacific
Ocean.
This access point will also provide an improved link from nearby destinations
such as the Hayden Tract and the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook to the Ballona
Creek Bike Path. This connection will be facilitated by the planned installation of
bike lanes along Jefferson Boulevard from approximately Higuera Street to
Duquesne Avenue as part of the previously approved BHC grant-funded project
(referenced previously) and the anticipated addition of bike lanes on the Higuera
Bridge as part of the planned Higuera Bridge replacement (described further
below). This grant application is consistent with the City’s adopted Bicycle and
Pedestrian Master Plan, which specifically calls out the pursuit of grant funding
for the design and construction of a ramp at the Higuera Bridge to the Ballona
Creek Bike Path as an action item.
A preliminary engineering study has been completed for the Higuera Street
Bridge Replacement/Rehabilitation Project, P-553. This study recommends the
replacement of the existing “functionally obsolete” bridge with a wider one that
accommodates two traffic lanes in each direction, bike lanes in each direction
and sidewalks and standard guardrails. The detailed design work for this
replacement bridge is expected to commence this year. Securing funding for the
design of a ramp to this bridge at this time will allow the design of the bridge and
ramp to be completed simultaneously, thus ensuring that the designs are
complementary and facilitating the potential inclusion of the ramp in the
construction of the project, pending funding availability.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
There is a 25 percent matching requirement for this grant. The design costs for
the ramp are anticipated to be approximately $80,000. If the grant is approved City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
by the BHC and accepted by the City, roughly $20,000 in matching funds are
anticipated to be required for the design. Staff is proposing using Gas Tax funds
as well as in-kind staff time as the project match. There is sufficient funding in
the Gas Tax account (Fund 419) to cover the $20,000 match. Upon completion
of the design, staff anticipates seeking additional grant funds to construct the
ramp. Additional matching funds may be required at that time. Once constructed,
the ramp will require some on-going maintenance, but the exact cost of this
maintenance is unknown at this time.
ATTTACHMENT:
1. Proposed Resolution
MOTIONS:
That the City Council
1. Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit a grant
application through the Baldwin Hills Conservancy’s Proposition 84 Grant
Program for design of a ramp from the Higuera Bridge to the Ballona
Creek Bike Path; and
2. Approve acceptance and implementation of the grant, if awarded.
3. Approve the appropriation on $20,000 in Gas Tax funds for the grant
match, if awarded.
4. Approve the appropriation of the grant funding, if awarded.
MEETING DATE: 02/13/2012
AGENDA ITEM: Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Submit a
Grant Application through the Baldwin Hills Conservancy’s
Proposition 84 Grant Program for Design of a Ramp from the
Higuera Bridge to the Ballona Creek Bike Path.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
1 Resolution 1-2