City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 1/28/13 Item Number: A-4
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Approval of Closures of Steller Drive between
Eastham Avenue and Hayden Avenue, Warner Drive between Eastham Avenue and
Hayden Avenue, Hayden Avenue between Warner Drive and Steller Drive, and
Eastham Avenue between Warner Drive and Eastham Avenue, for the Bicycle
Special Event to be Hosted by the University of Southern California Cycling Team,
on Sunday, February 17, 2013.
Contact Person/Dept.: Gabe Garcia/PW Phone Number: (310) 253-5633
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Agenda and Meetings – City Council (01/23/2013)
Department Approval:
Charles D. Herbertson (01/18/13)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (01/22/13)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (01/23/13)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (01/23/13)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council approve the closure of Steller Drive between
Eastham Avenue and Hayden Avenue, Warner Drive between Eastham Avenue and
Hayden Avenue, Hayden Avenue between Warner Drive and Steller Drive, and
Eastham Avenue between Warner Drive and Eastham Avenue for a bicycle special
event to be hosted by the University of Southern California Cycling Team (USC
Cycling Team) on February 17, 2013.
BACKGROUND:
On Sunday, February 17, 2013, the USC Cycling Team is proposing to host their
first annual Culver City Criterium and Bicycle Event. A “criterium” is a bicycle lap
race held on a short course and is typically held on closed city streets. The event
would consist of 1) races for collegiate cyclists; 2) a bicycle exposition in a nearby
parking lot; 3) a bicycle rodeo to teach children safe bicycle riding habits; and 4)
gourmet lunch trucks. The event is proposed to occur, from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., in a
portion of the Hayden Tract.
On July 26, 2012, staff had a conference call with the representatives of the USC
Cycling Team to discuss their proposal for a bicycle race event in the Hayden Tract.
Staff provided information on traffic control requirements, public notification, and
Special Event permit processing. Subsequently, in October 2012, the USC Cycling
Team representative submitted a draft traffic control plan for staff’s preliminary
review. Staff provided comments, and a revised traffic control plan was submitted in
November 2012. Due to other priority projects, staff was unable to review the draft City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
traffic control plan until January 7
th
, 2013, and further revisions were made and the
plan was finalized.
On January 7
th
, staff made the decision to present this request for full street closures
to the City Council, because staff does not currently have the authority to permit full
street closures. (Note: Staff is currently in the process of preparing a draft policy for
presentation to the City Council that would propose changes in the special events
permit process that, under certain circumstances, would allow administrative
approval of certain street closure requests_).
DISCUSSION:
A 0.6-mile loop is proposed by closing several streets in the Hayden Tract: Steller
Drive between Eastham Avenue and Hayden Avenue, Warner Drive between
Eastham Avenue and Hayden Avenue, Hayden Avenue between Warner Drive and
Steller Drive, and Eastham Avenue between Warner Drive and Eastham Avenue.
(See the map on the following page.)
At the request of staff, representatives of the USC Cycling Team conducted an
outreach campaign in October 2012, to every business in the Hayden Tract in order
to inform them of the proposed special event. The USC Cycling Team told staff that
the business community did not express any concerns regarding the proposed
event. Also the representatives of USC Cycling Team indicated that they will do a
second identical outreach to the business community on January 28, 2013.
Should the City Council approve this request, for the safety of participants and
spectators, the segments of streets composing the proposed route will be closed to
through traffic with standard traffic control equipment. The event organizer will
implement the street closures based on a City-approved traffic control plan.
Additionally, a “soft closure” would be required on the segments of Hayden Avenue
and Eastham Drive that are not part of the event but that lead to the event perimeter
– a soft closure allows access only to local traffic. Event staff would be at each soft
closure point to control access (Hayden Avenue/National Boulevard, Higuera
Street/Hayden Avenue, Eastham Drive/National Boulevard, and Eastham
Drive/Higuera Street).
In addition to the traffic control equipment, such as barricades, cones, and signs,
that would be used to accomplish the closure of the event perimeter, motor vehicles
would be parked at the boundary of the event to secure the perimeter against
vehicle intrusions, similar to the how the Farmers’ Market is secured on Culver
Boulevard at Main Street.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
All the residences, businesses, and property owners in the Hayden Tract and in the
Rancho Higuera neighborhood will be notified by mail prior to the event. The event
organizer will be required to reimburse the City for the cost of the notification.
As with all events in the public right-of-way, staff from Public Works Department will
be present at the event to provide supervision of the traffic control and provide
refuse and recycling services. Additionally, staff has worked with the Police
Department special events representative, and plans have been discussed for
Culver City Police Officers to be deployed to the event perimeter in a number to be
determined by the Police Department.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The event organizer will pay for all City staff and services necessary to hold the
event. Rates for staff will be for salary, and reimbursed services will include refuse
and recycling collections. There will be no fiscal impact to the City.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Proposal from USC Cycling Team for the Special Event
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
MOTION:
That the City Council:
Approve the closure of Steller Drive between Eastham Avenue and Hayden
Avenue, Warner Drive between Eastham Avenue and Hayden Avenue, Hayden
Avenue between Warner Drive and Steller Drive, and Eastham Avenue between
Warner Drive and Eastham Avenue, for a bicycle special event, to be hosted by
the University of Southern California Cycling Team on February 17, 2013.
.
MEETING DATE: 01/28/13
AGENDA ITEM: Approval of Closures of Steller Drive between Eastham
Avenue and Hayden Avenue, Warner Drive between
Eastham Avenue and Hayden Avenue, Hayden
Avenue between Warner Drive and Steller Drive, and
Eastham Avenue between Warner Drive and Eastham
Avenue, for the Bicycle Special Event to be Hosted by
the University of Southern California Cycling Team, on
Sunday, February 17, 2013.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
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Culver City Criterium and Bicycle Event Narrative
Hayden Tract Notice Distributed 10/29/12
Hayden Tract Notice Distributed on 01/21/13
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USC Cycling Team
City Council meeting of January 28, 2012
Culver City Criterium and Bicycle Event
Temporary Traffic Control and Detour Plan Report
Prepared by Karl Tingwald – tingwald@usc.edu (510) 384-9670
1. Introduction
The University of Southern California Cycling Team (USC Cycling) discussed a proposal to
host a criterium race and bicycle event, with PW/Engineering in July, 2012. A “criterium” is
a bicycle lap race held on a short course and is typically held on closed city streets. The
event is proposed to take place in the Hayden Tract business neighborhood. Such an event
would require some street closures and detours in the Hayden Tract.
2. The Event and Road Closures
The Culver City Criterium and Bicycle Event would consist of several separate activities
taking place in the Hayden Tract neighborhood on Sunday February 17, 2013. From 7:00am
to 12:30pm, collegiate cyclists from all over California would race in a criterium event. A
small bicycle exposition would take place in an unoccupied parking lot near the race. Food
trucks would provide a gourmet lunch and USC Cycling will host a bicycle rodeo – an event
that teaches children how to safely ride their bike – from 9:30am to 10:30am between
races. Total time of road closure would be 6:00am to 1:00pm.
For the safety of the participants of the criterium race, full hard closure of the race
course is necessary – cars would not be allowed to park within the race course. The closure
will be accomplished in compliance with the CA MUTCD, under the approval and
supervision of the PW/Engineering Division.
The course is a 0.6-mile loop of Hayden Ave, Warner Dr, Eastham Ave, and Steller Dr.
Soft closures would be implemented on the portions of these streets not part of the race
course, where local access is permitted but through traffic is prohibited.
3. Detour Plan
For the small volume of through traffic that travels from Higuera Street onto Hayden
and Eastham on Sunday mornings, a detour will be furnished, in coordination with Culver
City Police Department, that will route such light traffic onto Hayden Place and Hayden
Avenue, where a U-turn will be permitted at the end of the raised medians, to minimize
their inconvenience. Detour signage will be posted on Higuera St and National Blvd at
Hayden Avenue-Place, and at Eastham Drive, and at Jefferson and Rodeo, per MUTCD
specifications to direct motorists to this alternate route.
Through traffic on National Boulevard will not be allowed to turn onto Hayden Avenue
and Eastham Drive, but local traffic will be permitted access to the segments that are not
part of the race course.
1 USC Cycling Team
City Council meeting of January 28, 2012
4. Temporary Traffic Control Plan – Hard Closures
Hard closures will be implemented for the portions of Hayden Ave and Eastham Ave
that are part of the race course, in addition to the entirety of Warner Dr and Steller Dr.
Within the race course, no motorists or parked vehicles permitted during the event.
This hard closure will consist of type 2 barricades at all four intersections on the course
with sign R11-2 "Road Closed” mounted on the barricade facing outward from the closure.
A civilian volunteer with safety vest and radio will be positioned at each corner to help
ensure the safety of race participants. In addition, vehicles will be parked perpendicular to
the direction of travel at each closure point to secure the perimeter.
4.1. Soft Closures
Soft closures will be implemented on the portions of Hayden Ave and Eastham Ave that
are not part of the race course. Local traffic will be allowed in and out of these segments,
and parking will not be affected by the event. At the intersections of Hayden/National,
Hayden/Higuera, Eastham/National and Eastham/Higuera, type 2 barricades will be placed
across the street to limit motorist access. The center barricade will have a R11-4 “Road
Closed to Through Traffic” sign in addition to any necessary detour signage.
Every soft closure point will have a civilian volunteer with safety vest and radio to help
ensure the safety of race participants. Culver City Police Officers will also be stationed at
locations determined by Culver City Police.
4.2. Other Signage
To ensure that road users have sufficient warning of these temporary traffic measures,
sign SC-5 (CA) “Special Event Ahead” will be placed 500 feet in advance of any other traffic
control measures mounted on a type 1 barricade and placed to the right of the edge of
traveled way with 3 traffic cones in advance of each barricade per MUTCD specifications.
Locations for this sign are National Blvd in both directions and Higuera St in both directions.
4.3. Parking Restrictions and Signage
Parking will not be permitted on the race course. 48-hours in advance, temporary no
parking signs, per City of Culver City standard, will be placed around the course, and where
necessary to facilitate traffic flow of the detour routes.
5. Public Notification
Notices were distributed to the whole of Hayden Tract business neighborhood on
10/29/12, advising of the proposed event, and asking for input. No input was received.
Subsequently, on Tuesday, January 22, 2013, a second notice was hand-delivered to the
whole of Hayden Tract business neighborhood, advising that the event would be consider
by the City Council on Monday, January 28, 2013, and inviting the public to give their input.
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Distributed 1/22/13