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MTP - ACTION ITEM: (1) Receive a Status Update on the Robertson Boulevard Complete Street Project; and (2) Provide Direction to Staff.
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Meeting Date: October 16, 2024
Contact Person: Andrew Maximous, Mobility & Traffic Engineering Manager
Public Works Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-5628
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [ ] General Fund: Yes [ ] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No [ ]
Public Notification: E-Mail via GovDelivery (10/11/2024): Meetings and Agendas - Mobility, Traffic & Parking Subcommittee; Notify Me - Construction, Street Maintenance and Closures; Stay Informed - Bicycle & Pedestrian / Culver CityBus / Construction, Street Maintenance and Closures
Department Approval: Yanni Demitri, Public Works Director/City Engineer (10/09/2024)
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BACKGROUND
On January 20, 2021, the City received confirmation from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) that Culver City’s Metro Active Transportation (MAT) application for pedestrian and bicycle improvements around the Culver City E Line station was selected for funding (Project). The Project scope incudes:
• Class IV separated bikeway along Robertson Boulevard between Venice Boulevard and Washington Boulevard;
• Bus only lanes along Robertson Boulevard;
• Establishment of bus boarding islands; and
• Pedestrian improvements including lighting, sidewalks, crosswalks, ADA compliant curb ramps, canopy trees, and street furniture.
On August 8, 2022, the MAT grant Funding Agreement was fully executed between the City and Metro to complete the Project along Robertson Boulevard.
Design of the project began in January 2024. Five conceptual plans have been developed with various bike and bus lane configurations. The concepts are intended to show what configurations can fit within the current roadway.
On April 11, 2024, the Project was presented to the Mobility, Traffic & Parking (MTP) Subcommittee. The Subcommittee provided feedback regarding the bike lane configuration, potential loss of parking, and the center turn lane. The Subcommittee instructed staff to reach out to the affected businesses.
On April 18, 2024, the Project was presented to the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC). The Committee provided feedback regarding the various bike lane configuration concepts. The committee was in support of the directional protected bike lanes with bus bays.
DISCUSSION
Staff proceeded with the design plans according to the feedback received from the MTP Subcommittee and BPAC. The plans attached to this report incorporate the feedback received.
Bike Lane Along East Side
The bike lane along the east side of Robertson Boulevard will be a 4’ wide raised lane at sidewalk level along with the proposed bus bays. A strip of colored concrete, “baked” into the concrete, will denote the bike lane along with crosswalk markings at areas near the front door of a parked bus. This is instead of painting the color on top of the concrete which tends to chip away and fade over time. The color of the concrete is to be determined during the final stages of the design.
From initial research, utilizing a green color would result in a lighter green color than what is typically seen on an asphalt roadway. The City of Austin, TX recently installed a raised bike lane using a red color after doing similar research. Staff seeks feedback and direction regarding this choice.
Bike Lane Along West Side
The bike lane along the west side of Robertson Boulevard will be 6’ wide, in the street adjacent to the existing curb, and protected by a 2.5’ wide concrete median. Green conflict markings are shown at each of the five driveways along with signs warning motorist of the presence of cyclists and pedestrians.
On-Street Parking and Center Turn Lane
Along the west side of Robertson Boulevard there are nine on-street metered parking spaces. Seven of them allow for 10-hour parking and two of them allow for 30-minute parking. Robertson Boulevard currently has a center turn lane within the Project area.
With roadway space allocated to the bus bays and bike lanes, there is not enough remaining space to keep both the on-street parking and the center turn lane. There is space to have one or the other. The plan attached to the staff report shows the removal of the nine spaces and keeping the center turn lane. Staff reached out to the businesses in the area and received feedback and concern regarding the removal of on-street parking.
The Project can proceed in one of three ways:
1. The center turn lane can be removed to allow for parking adjacent to the bike lane concrete barrier. Approximately two parking spaces would still need to be removed in this configuration.
2. The center turn lane can remain, and all nine spaces are removed as shown on the attachment. Staff would adjust some or all the parking meters at the Willat/Hoke surface parking lot to allow for short term parking meters.
3. Given options 1 and 2 above only affect the lane lines on the west side of Robertson Boulevard, we can change from one to the other after an initial period of observation.
Next Steps
After receiving direction at this meeting, staff will work to finalize the design plans and bring them to an upcoming City Council meeting (Nov 2024 or Jan 2025) for final approval and authorization to proceed with inviting construction bids.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Based on the engineer’s latest estimate, there are enough grant funds to cover the construction costs.
ATTACHMENTS
• 2024-10-16-MTP-Mtg-ATT-Robertson Blvd Complete Street