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CC - (1) Approval of the 90% Completed Plans and Specifications for the MOVE Culver City - Downtown Corridor Project PS017 (Project) and Authorization to Publish a Notice Inviting Bids; and, (2) Adoption of a Resolution Certifying the Project will be Completed by a Skilled and Trained Workforce and Granting Exemptions from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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Meeting Date: March 22, 2021
Contact Person/Dept: Diana Chang / Transportation Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6566
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (03/18/2021)
Department Approval: Rolando Cruz (03/15/2020)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) approve the 90% completed permit plans and specifications for the MOVE Culver City - Downtown Corridor Project PS017 (Project) and authorize the publication of a Notice Inviting Bids; and, (2) adopt a resolution certifying the Project will be completed by a skilled and trained workforce and granting exemptions from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Attachment 1).
BACKGROUND
On May 18, 2020, during the City’s FY21 Budget Study Session, City Council directed City Transportation Department to capitalize on reduced traffic as a result of the pandemic by reclaiming space on the street and installing dedicated bus lanes to improve mobility throughout the City. Subsequently, Staff conducted the research and planning work and returned to the City Council on July 13, 2020 with a recommended plan to implement quick-build mobility lane pilots on three major transit and access arterials (Culver and Washington Boulevards, Sepulveda Boulevard, and Jefferson Boulevard) that can bring positive and impactful changes to mobility throughout the City.
On July 13, 2020, City Council directed staff to move forward with procuring consultant services to plan, design, and implement quick-build mobility lane (bus/bike lane) pilot projects to test and demonstrate the benefits of such infrastructure in maximizing the use of roadways and improving movement to, through and from Culver City. Through repurposing travel lanes for multi-modal transportation, the City aims to facilitate the efficient movement of people and to raise public awareness and acceptance of dedicated transit lanes, improve transit travel time and reliability, and improve access for cyclists and scooter riders. These pilot projects will also serve as an opportunity for the City to learn how the permanent infrastructure improvements would work.
Consistent with the City Council’s direction, Staff conducted a Request for Proposal process to procure such consultant services and, on September 29, 2020, City Council approved the professional services agreement with Sam Schwartz to plan, design, and implement quick-build mobility lane pilot projects.
The overall project has been branded as the MOVE Culver City Project as this project’s intent is to reimagine mobility in the City. The MOVE Culver City Project website <http://moveculvercity.com/> was immediately established to provide the public with detailed information on the project. The MOVE Culver City Project is dynamic, and is constantly evolving, with staff striving to implement the guiding principles set forth in the City’s TOD Visioning Plan (adopted in 2017) and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan (adopted in 2010 and updated in 2020) to design and construct holistic transportation options for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders. In concert with the recommendations of these plans, the MOVE Culver City Project prioritizes moving people over cars in the design of the street and envisions a reimagining of our streets as public spaces. Through implementing these mobility lanes, bus riders, cyclists, and emergency vehicles will all benefit from increased speeds, ease of travel, and reliability of sustainable connections to key destinations and regional transit network, thus enhancing overall mobility throughout the City.
The MOVE Culver City Project is being performed through a quick-build pilot implementation process which includes a condensed schedule, temporary materials, and a best-in-class community engagement approach. The quick-build implementation process was adopted as it allows for a nimble and agile approach. Designs can be piloted and monitored prior to permanent implementation to test the efficacy of these improvements and the impacts on mobility throughout the corridor and adjacent neighborhoods. This approach will also allow for adjustments to address potential issues once implemented.
MOVE Culver City includes three corridors: Downtown/E Line/Arts District corridor on Culver and Washington Boulevards (Downtown Corridor), Sepulveda Boulevard, and Jefferson Boulevard. The City’s Transportation Department, in coordination with Department of Public Works, Community Development and other City departments, has been implementing Corridor 1: Downtown Corridor since October 2020. The Sepulveda and Jefferson corridors will be implemented in a future phase of the project.
The Downtown Corridor Project (herein after referred to as “the Project”) will build mobility lanes in the 1.3-mile stretch of Culver Boulevard and Washington Boulevard between Culver Boulevard at Duquesne Avenue and Washington Boulevard at La Cienega Avenue. This corridor will connect Downtown Culver City with Arts District and the Metro E Line Culver City Station, supporting major commercial and job centers. The Project will also fold in the following efforts to enhance the mobility infrastructure and services within the Project corridor: 1) Bus stop improvements and the creation of three gateway mobility stops; and 2) Implementation of a Circulator Service.
On February 1, 2021, the City Council approved the Project design documents and directed Staff to return to the City Council with the Project plans and specification and a resolution granting an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act.
DISCUSSION
Downtown Corridor Mobility Lane Permit Plans and Specifications
Since the February 1, 2021 City Council meeting, Staff have been developing permit plan documents in preparation of the bid to construct the Project. Staff is bringing the 90% completed plans and specifications (Link to Project Plans and Specifications <https://www.dropbox.com/s/r1w6ry16a53tc9f/Culver%20City%20Permit%20Set%2090%25.pdf?dl=0>) to the City Council for approval prior to publication of the Notice Inviting Bids (anticipated end of March/beginning of April). Staff will then fully complete the plans and specifications and will release the bid package to include the 100% final plans and specifications. Concurrently, the Project will conduct procurements on the custom bus/bike platforms and other construction materials in preparation of the construction. Staff anticipates returning to the City Council to seek approval on the 100% final plans and specifications and the construction contract award within the next 60 days. Staff anticipates the construction/installation to occur in July, with the construction being completed and the Project going live in July/August.
Public Engagement
The Project has included a robust public engagement process. The Project maintained a direct connection to the City Council through the guidance of the standing Mobility, Traffic, and Parking Subcommittee (Mobility Subcommittee). The Project engaged community stakeholders and received regular design feedback with the creation of the Community Project Advisory Committee (CPAC).
The CPAC included community stakeholder group representatives from the four residential neighborhoods in the corridor, the three business associations that have members in the corridor, several special interest groups like Bike Culver City and Culver City Unified School District, and city residents from other City committees such as Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), Disability Advisory Committee, and the Cultural Affairs Commission. The CPAC was engaged with biweekly meetings to assist with design, public outreach, and implementation of the Project.
Throughout the process, the team created multiple virtual public meetings to meet with the residential and business communities, which included the following:
• Community Workshops were scheduled regularly to get input from residents and specials interest groups. The meetings included an introduction of the project, a meeting to seek individuals design preferences, review and feedback for multiple designs and will continue with input needed for the final design and implementation of the project.
• Business Roundtable - the Business Roundtable group included representatives from small businesses, major employers, and representatives from the Downtown Business Association.
The Project team engaged this group monthly to provide status updates and present and seek feedback on the project designs. Throughout the first three months, the team conducted multiple field surveys and scheduled field meetings to understand the specific challenges of our local businesses and residents. In addition, multiple one-on-one meetings were held at the request of stakeholders, five public Design Studio
Hours were held, and the project team attended existing committee meetings (such as the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and Cultural Affairs Commission meetings).
There were 33 total public engagements in the 70-day design phase. During this process (October 22, 2020 - January 1, 2021), the project team received 328 public comments via meetings/website/e-mail and 90+ individuals provided comments. In addition, thousands of people were reached through GovDelivery, social media, postcards, fliers, and emails during the design phase. Since January 1, 2021, the project has conducted 13 additional public engagements. Through these public engagements and communications via various project outreach channels mentioned previously, the Project provide project updates, work with the community on the final design and various other project components such as the art-inspired street treatments.
CEQA Exemption
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a resolution certifying the Project will be completed by a skilled and trained workforce, and granting the following exemptions from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): (1) Class 1 - Existing Facilities Categorical Exemption, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines (14 CCR § 15301); and (2) statutory exemption, pursuant to Public Recourses Code Section 21080.25.
The Project is consistent with a Class 1 Categorical Exemption, as it consists of improvements on existing highways and streets where there is negligible or no expansion of use and the addition of bicycle facilities, including bicycle-share facilities and bicycle lanes, transit improvements such as bus lanes, pedestrian crossing, street trees and other similar alterations that do not create additional automobile lanes.
Further, the Project qualifies for a statutory exemption under PRC Section 21080.25, as it includes (1) the installation of pedestrian and bicycle facilities, which includes bike lanes, either as separated bike lanes or shared bus/bike lanes; (2) the installation of a transit prioritization project, which involves the installation of dedicated transit or very high occupancy vehicle lanes, and shared turning lanes; and (3) the conversion of one general purpose lane to a bus lane. The Project also meets the additional criteria required to assert the exemption under PRC Section 21080.25, as it is located in an urbanized area, is located within existing public right-of-way, does not add physical infrastructure that increases automobile capacity, does not require demolition of affordable housing units, and will be carried out by a skilled and trained workforce. There are other requirements for projects greater than $100,000,000 which do not apply in this case because the Project does not exceed that threshold.
Based on the foregoing, Staff has prepared a Notice of Exemption for the Project. Upon City Council’s adoption of the resolution certifying the Project will be completed by a skilled and trained workforce and granting CEQA exemptions, Staff will file the Notice of Exemption for the Project with the Office of Planning and Research and the Los Angeles County Clerk’s Office.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The proposed actions will not result in any fiscal impacts to the City. Staff will return to the City Council in the future for approval on the final 100% plans and specification and the construction contract award and will provide fiscal analysis associated with Project construction at that time.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2021-03-22_ATT_Resoution Certifying Skilled Workforce and Granting CEQA Exemptions
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Approve the 90% completed plans and specifications for the MOVE Culver City - Downtown Corridor Project PS017 and authorize the publication of a Notice Inviting Bids; and
2. Adopt a Resolution certifying the Project will be completed by a skilled and trained workforce and granting exemptions from CEQA.