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CC - Authorization of the Release of a Request for Proposals for the Development of a Cloud-Based Citywide Sign Inventory and Management System and Citywide Sign Retroreflectivity Assessment.
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Contact Person/Dept: Gabe Garcia / Public Works
Phone Number: (310) 253-5633
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Commission Name:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (12/10/15)
Department Approval: Charles D. Herbertson, Public Works Director/City
Engineer (11/30/15)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of a cloud-based Citywide sign inventory and management system and Citywide sign retroreflectivity assessment.
BACKGROUND
Federal and State legislation has set minimum standards of retroreflectivity (the quality of a sign reflecting light back to approaching drivers) for signs in the public right-of-way. The quantity of light that is reflected back determines if the sign can be seen by approaching drivers. In order to determine which signs comply with the adopted standards, a citywide daytime and nighttime sign assessment and survey is necessary. To perform such assessment and survey, the professional services of engineers and technicians and the use of specialized equipment and training are required.
The Federal and State deadline by when all the signs in the public right-of-way must comply with the minimum retroreflectivity standards is January 2018.
DISCUSSION
While it would be valuable to obtain a list of signs and their retroreflectivity rating as a deliverable, staff proposes to leverage the efforts required by the retroreflectivity sign assessment and create a citywide sign inventory and cloud-based sign management system. To this end, staff requests authorization to release an RFP for a citywide sign inventory to be performed concurrently with the citywide assessment of sign retroreflectivity and the development of a cloud-based sign management system. This provides greater value and benefit to the City and takes advantage of the economies of scale.
The benefits of a cloud-based digital sign database would introduce efficiencies presently unavailable. Currently, when questions arise about signage, staff may be required to go to the location and investigate the sign content, placement, orientation, quality, and the interval of installation of similar signs. By having access to a complete cloud-based citywide sign inventory, staff’s time will be used with greater efficiency.
Also, the proposed new cloud-based system would make it possible to answer questions from the public about signage in a more time-efficient manner. Retroreflectivity information is presently unavailable, but in the future, with information available in a cloud-based system, the information will be used to ensure compliance with State and Federal sign retroreflectivity requirements, as well as the formulation of budgetary recommendations regarding signage.
Among the attributes staff proposes to be captured for every sign in the public right-of-way, are the following:
• GPS Longitude and Latitude, plus sequential order and position of each sign;
• Date when the assessment and the GPS coordinates were captured for every sign;
• Assignment of a unique sign identification number;
• Identification of direction in which every sign is facing (N, NE, NW, etc.)
• Assignment of a unique identification number to each post;
• Identification of each sign with its California or Federal Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) designation or custom designation for specialized signs;
• Identification of the post type for every post or pole on which signs are installed (square-tube, round, u-channel, wood, light pole, etc.);
• Capture of a digital photo of every sign;
• Linking of every photo to a consultant-provided cloud-based database;
• Geo-reference every photo to establish the sign’s position in a digital map;
• Identify sign size;
• Rating of each sign for physical condition;
• Daytime and nighttime retroreflectivity assessment of every sign in the public right-of-way (except speed-related signs on arterial streets, which were already assessed in 2013).
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is sufficient funding in the City Council Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2015/2016 in PS-002 City Traffic Sign Retroreflectivity CIP to pay for the proposed citywide retroreflectivity sign assessment and cloud-based citywide sign inventory and management system.
Based on the findings of the retroreflectivity assessment and the sign inventory, staff will request funding over the next two fiscal years to replace non-compliant signs and ensure the City meets the State and Federal minimum retroreflectivity standards.
ATTACHMENTS
None
RECOMMENDED MOTIONS
That the City Council:
Authorize the release of a Request for Proposals for the development of a new cloud-based citywide sign inventory and management system and citywide sign retroreflectivity assessment.