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CC - Adoption of a Resolution Approving an Application for Grant Funds through the Caltrans Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 4 for Bicycle Safety Infrastructure along Washington, Robertson and Culver Boulevards for the Expo to Downtown Bicycle Connector Project.
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Meeting Date: July 23, 2018
Contact Person/Dept: Sanjana Mada
Phone Number: (310) 253-5616
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (07/18/18);
Department Approval: Charles D. Herbertson (07/13/18)
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RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Culver City approving an application for grant funds through the Caltrans Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 4 for bicycle safety infrastructure along Washington Boulevard between Helms Avenue and Culver Boulevard, Robertson Boulevard between Venice Boulevard and Washington Boulevard and Culver Boulevard between Washington Boulevard and Duquesne Avenue for the Expo to Downtown Bicycle Connector project.
BACKGROUND:
The City was a successful applicant for the ATP Grant Cycle II which is funding the Safe Routes to School Infrastructure improvements in the vicinity of La Ballona Elementary School, including two pedestrian signalized crossings (yellow flashing beacons), one adjacent to the King Fahad Mosque on Washington Boulevard and a second on Washington Place at Bentley Avenue to provide better pedestrian access to Tellefson Park, as well as Culver City’s first Class IV separated two-way cycle track on Elenda Street, connecting the Culver Boulevard Bike Path to the La Ballona Elementary School. Additionally, the grant also includes improvements at more than 20 intersections in the vicinity of La Ballona Elementary School, including high visibility crosswalks at all of them, and curb extensions at most of these intersections. The project will provide approximately 100 new trees in the neighborhood, as well as pedestrian-level lighting on Elenda Street.
Over the last decade, Culver City has taken positive steps in building, improving and expanding its Bicycle infrastructure. The City has successfully implemented more than 90% of the Culver City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, which was adopted by the City Council in 2010. The Public Works Department is currently drafting the Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan, an expansion of the 2010 plan, and the public comment period for existing conditions was recently concluded. This action plan identifies three opportunity corridors intended to be quick action projects that will have the most widespread impact on the community, one of which is Downtown Culver City.
Downtown Culver City, connected to Los Angeles City and Santa Monica by the Metro Expo line station, is quickly transforming into an important destination in the region. With several developments nearing completion in the next four years, the city is anticipating an influx of people traveling into the city for jobs, entertainment, and recreation. Connecting these people as well as the residents of Culver City to these destinations, without impacting the quality of life and health of the City’s residents in the long term, will require alternative transportation options being made available and safe infrastructure to use it. The City is already working towards providing these mobility options through bike share and scooter share services. However, safe active transportation infrastructure in Downtown Culver City remains a challenge due to the heavily travelled arterial streets and complex intersections. Of the three opportunity corridors proposed by the Action Plan, Downtown Culver City will require the most complex and expensive infrastructure to implement, yet without it, the Bicycle network in Culver City will remain incomplete as the route through downtown is the primary connection to the Metro Expo Line station from many parts of the City
Currently, funding is available through the Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle IV, which was created by Federal legislation and funded through the State, for active transportation infrastructure, non-infrastructure, and planning projects. This program consolidates several active transportation programs, including the Safe Routes Program, into one Active Transportation Program. However, for Cycle IV the grant has been modified to a four-year cycle (previously two years) and funding is available for the following project categories:
• Large Infrastructure (and Combo Infrastructure/NonInfrastructure) : Above 7.5 million
• Medium Infrastructure (and Combo Infrastructure/NonInfrastructure) : 7.5 - 1.5 million
• Small Infrastructure (and Combo Infrastructure/NonInfrastructure) : Below 1.5 million
• Non-Infrastructure
• Plan
The Public Works Department is developing a conceptual plan for the Active Transportation Program grant large infrastructure project application that will connect the Arts District, Downtown Culver City, and surrounding neighborhoods and schools to the Metro Expo Line Station. Previous planning efforts, including input from local stakeholder engagement, will be used to develop the application. These previous and current projects/plans for the area include the Transit Orientated Development (TOD) District Visioning Study, 2010 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, 2017 CicLAvia Go Human Demonstration, Bicycle Pedestrian Action Plan, Vision Zero, and the Expo to Downtown Connector Feasibility Study. During the engineering plan development stage of the project local stakeholders will be further engaged to refine this initial concept for downtown into the final design for construction.
The City has contracted Alta Planning and Design to assist staff in preparing the grant application based on this conceptual plan...
DISCUSSION:
The ATP Grant application proposal has the following extents:
• Washington Boulevard: Helms Avenue to Culver Boulevard
• Robertson Boulevard: Venice Boulevard to Washington Boulevard
• Culver Boulevard: Washington Boulevard to Duquesne Avenue.
All three streets are major arterial streets that run East-West across Culver City connecting the Arts District, Metro Expo station, Downtown Culver City and Duquesne Avenue bicycle facility.
A street-grade (two-way) cycle track with three-foot concrete curb barrier is envisioned for these streets as per the TOD visioning study. The cycle track, which will actually be a multi-use path for various forms of active transportation including bicycles and electric scooters, will cut through up to 14 intersections and have bicycle infrastructure like Bicycle signals, signage, and bicycle and pedestrian counters to aid safety and ease of use.
With City Council approval of this project concept and application, staff will commence an RFP process to obtain project development and design services. It is anticipated that this work will take place over the next year and will be completed shortly before the construction money from this grant would become available.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The amount being requested from the grant is $8,747,937 to cover the cost of construction of physical improvements. The matching amount will be satisfied through Measure M funds and Developer fees, much of which will be spent on project development and design.
Estimated Project Costs:
Construction: $ 8,152,343
Grant Funding Requested: $ 8,152,343
Culver City Matching Monetary Contribution (26%): $ 2,090,000
Total Project Cost: $ 10,242,343
ATTACHMENT:
1. Proposed Resolution
2. Proposed Improvements Presentation (with maps)
MOTIONS:
That the City Council
Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Culver City approving an application for grant funds through Caltrans Active Transportation Program for the Expo to Downtown Connector along Washington Boulevard, Robertson Boulevard and Culver Boulevard.