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La Ballona Elementary Safe Routes To School Project
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Meeting Date: May 5, 2019
Contact Person/Dept: Sanjana Mada/Public Works Admin
Phone Number: (310) 253-5616
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [x] General Fund: Yes [] No [x]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Bicycle and Pedestrian (05/01/2019);
Department Approval: Charles Herbertson, Public Works Director/City Engineer ()
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff requests that the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) provide input on the 90% design for the La Ballona Elementary Safe Routes to School Project.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
In 2015, the City was awarded a $2.8 million California Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 2 grant to construct pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements in the vicinity of La Ballona Elementary School. The project area and proposed improvements were selected based on collision data, school attendance boundaries, and community meetings held in the spring of 2014 and 2015. The project consists of curb extensions and crosswalk improvements in the neighborhood north of the school, newly enhanced crosswalks across Washington Boulevard and Washington Place, and a new two-way protected bike lane on Elenda Street connecting the school to the bike path along Culver Boulevard.
As with all ATP projects, grant recipients must adhere to a tight timeline for implementation. Funding for construction must be allocated by the California Transportation Commission by the end of the current fiscal year, which means design must be completed by early spring. The City’s goal is to break ground during the summer when school is not in session in order to minimize construction impacts on travel to school.
There was substantial community outreach leading up to and after the grant application. Three meetings were held in April and May 2014, two meetings were in April 2015, and three additional meetings were held in November 2015. The City conducted two open houses after the release of the preliminary plans. These open houses were promoted via the City’s website, email distribution lists (3,500+ emails), NextDoor, and social media. Additionally, City staff walked door-to-door along Elenda Street from Washington to Culver leaving flyers for the upcoming open houses and talking with residents who were home.
As a result of the community input, parking studies were done on Elenda St. to understand the impact of the project on local residents, leading to the revision of the designs for the two-way protected cycle track on Elenda St. The infrastructure was moved from the west to the east side of the street. The September 8, 2018, Open House documented feedback regarding the new designs. It was demonstrated as a part of the Go Human Campaign by SCAG from September 15-22, 2018. The project consultants documented feedback from the participants of the kick-off event on September 15, 2018. Photo simulations of 18 intersections were on display on site on A-frame boards, with a hotline number for feedback, from September 15 - October 15 2018. The City also was accepting feedback via email to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator. These open houses and demonstrations were promoted via the City’s website, email distribution lists (5,000+ emails), NextDoor, and social media.
The City has incorporated the feedback received during the feedback month of the Go Human demonstration (September 15 - October 15. 2018) in the 90% design plans for the project.
The City presented the revised designs to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee in the January 2019 Committee meeting. The department made note of concerns and issues raised by the committee and community members. A public Open House was organized on March 16, 2019 to further solicit feedback from the community followed by week long online survey to document the community’s concerns.
On May 4, 2019 the Public Works Department presented the changes made to the design since the survey in response to the concerns and issues raised by the community before the Public Works Department at a special Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting at La Ballona Elementary School.
The Department is coming back to request the Committee to recommend the project for construction to the City Council.
MOTION
Recommend to the City Council the La Ballona Elementary Safe Routes to School Project for construction in the 2019-20 FY.