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CC - (1) Consideration of the Culver City Bike Share Feasibility Study; (2) Direction to the City Manager to Pursue an Agreement with Metro and the City of Los Angeles to Facilitate the Joint Implementation of the Recommended 620-Bike Metro Bike Share System with Smart Bike Technology; and (3) Set a Goal of System Launch in Time for Bike Month in May 2018.
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Meeting Date: June 26, 2017
Contact Person/Dept: Eric Bruins/Public Works Department
Phone Number: 310-253-5616
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [X] No [] Date: 03/16/17
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (06/21/17);
Department Approval: Charles D. Herbertson, Public Works Director/City Engineer (06/14/17)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) receive and file the Culver City Bike Share Feasibility Study; (2) direct staff to pursue an agreement with Metro and the City of Los Angeles to facilitate the joint implementation of the recommended 620-bike Metro Bike Share system with smart bike technology; and (3) set a goal of system launch in time for Bike Month in May 2018.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
On March 10, 2017, the City released a Bike Share Feasibility Study evaluating the costs and benefits of bringing bike share to Culver City (Attachment No. 1). The report recommends partnering with Metro and the City of Los Angeles to implement a smart bike system throughout Culver City and the nearby Los Angeles neighborhoods of Palms, Mar Vista, Del Rey, and Playa Vista. The recommended 620-bike system would serve 140,000 residents and 100,000 employees in a 12.2-square-mile service area spanning from Lincoln Boulevard to La Cienega Boulevard.
The feasibility study, conducted by Sam Schwartz Engineering, was a six-month process that involved extensive coordination with stakeholders, potential bike share operators, and peer cities. The Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) deliberated on the topic at three different meetings. At their inaugural meeting on September 8, 2016, the BPAC provided staff with a list of potential goals & objectives for the system, including serving all areas of the city, connecting to regional destinations in the greater Culver City area, and integrating with transit and nearby other bike share systems. At their November 17, 2016 meeting, the BPAC revisited the goals & objectives and provided input on the draft service area and system size. The BPAC determined that the best way to provide meaningful service to all areas of Culver City was to extend the boundary of the system well beyond Culver City’s borders into the City of Los Angeles, so that Culver City residents would be able to ride to nearby destinations in Los Angeles and vice versa.
The consultant then conducted a financial analysis using information provided by potential operators and data from comparable systems in peer cities. The draft results of the financial analysis were shared directly with each operator to provide an opportunity for each operator to confirm their cost and revenue scenarios and provide a “best and final” offer for inclusion in the study. The consultant and staff reviewed these supplemental proposals for accuracy and consistency with the study’s projections.
On March 16, 2017, the BPAC received a presentation on the final study from Sam Schwartz Engineering. Additionally, representatives from Metro, Bicycle Transit Systems (BTS), and B-Cycle were in attendance to answer questions and provide more information about the proposed system. The BPAC considered public comments submitted via email, including a letter of support from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), as well as verbal comments.
At the BPAC meeting, a letter was received from CycleHop, the operator of the Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and West Hollywood bike share systems. In the letter, CycleHop offered a discounted price and requested that the City defer a decision and go through a different evaluation process than the feasibility study. The CycleHop letter did not include the information requested by staff that would be necessary to evaluate the new offer’s consistency with the goals & objectives described in the feasibility study. The BPAC reviewed the letter and considered public comment from CycleHop representatives. Ultimately, the BPAC determined that the new information from CycleHop was insufficient to warrant additional review and that the City should proceed with the Metro Bike Share system recommended by the feasibility study.
The recommended action to partner with Metro and the City of Los Angeles on a joint implementation strategy was unanimously approved by the BPAC. As identified in the study, benefits of joining the Metro Bike Share system compared to the alternative systems considered include: seamless connectivity with the Los Angeles neighborhoods surrounding Culver City, shared financial participation by Metro and the City of Los Angeles, an integrated regional fare structure including TAP interoperability, and the lowest overall cost to Culver City.
Since the BPAC’s recommendation in March, staff has continued conversations with LADOT and Metro about a joint implementation strategy for the greater Culver City area. Later this summer, LADOT intends to recommend that the Los Angeles City Council approve their participation in a coordinated expansion using smart bike technology. Additional discussions are needed to agree upon a shared launch timeline and potential phasing plan.
The full Bike Share Feasibility Study report is attached for City Council’s consideration.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Under the Metro system, participating cities contribute 50% of the capital costs and 65% of ongoing net operations. The projected cost to Culver City of the recommended system is $1.18 million over five years. This cost includes an up-front capital cost of $700,000 for equipment and station siting in Fiscal Year 2017/18, plus $115,000 for operations in this first year. Culver City will only be responsible for costs within its municipal boundaries.
The Department requested that $800,000 (including contingencies) be budgeted in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for equipment and station siting and $160,000 be budgeted for first year operations (conservatively assuming no revenue in the first year from operations). In the proposed FY 2017/18 budget, these startup costs would be spread out over two years using Measure M Local Return.
The projected ongoing cost to the City for operations and maintenance is approximately $90,000 per year.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Bike Share Feasibility Study
2. BPAC Presentation
3. LADOT Comment
4. BikeCulverCity/LACBC Comment
5. Public Comment 1
6. Public Comment 2
7. Public Comment 3
8. CycleHop Letter
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Receive and file the Culver City Bike Share Feasibility Study;
2. Direct staff to pursue an agreement with Metro and the City of Los Angeles to facilitate the joint implementation of the recommended 620-bike Metro Bike Share system with smart bike technology; and
3. Set a goal of system launch in time for Bike Month in May 2018.