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CC- Approval of Final Plans and Specifications for the MOVE Culver City- Downtown Corridor Project (PS017) Westbound Culver Boulevard Design.
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Meeting Date: September 13, 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 (09/08/2021)
Department Approval: Rolando Cruz (08/31/2021) Charles Herbertson (09/01/2021)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve the final plans and specifications for the MOVE Culver City- Downtown Corridor Project (PS017) Westbound Culver Boulevard design.
BACKGROUND
On May 18, 2020, 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. This project, known as the MOVE Culver City Project, includes three corridors: Downtown/E Line/Arts District corridor on Culver and Washington Boulevards (Downtown Corridor), Sepulveda Boulevard, and Jefferson Boulevard. The first phase of this project has focused on the Downtown Corridor.
The design development of the Downtown Corridor Project was split into developing two sets of plans, one for the overall corridor project (excluding WB Culver Blvd in Downtown) and one for the westbound segment of Culver Boulevard in Downtown, where some street space has been allocated for outdoor dining during the pandemic.
On March 22, 2021, the City Council approved the 90% complete Downtown Corridor Project plans and specifications; and, adopted 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 (CEQA Resolution). On May 10, 2021, City Council approved the 100% plans for the overall project corridor (excluding WB Culver Blvd in Downtown).
Staff engaged with the Community Project Advisory Committee, the Downtown Business Association, and the Mobility Subcommittee from April through May to evaluate design options for the Westbound Culver Boulevard design and presented the options to the City Council at the May 24, 2021 Council meeting. The City Council directed Staff to move forward with designing Option 1 (Mirror Version 4 plans) for the Westbound segment of Culver Boulevard in Downtown, which includes one bus lane, one bike lane, and one general traffic lane. City Council further directed staff to retain existing outdoor dining until Labor Day and prepare Option 1 design plans for approval in a future City Council meeting.
On July 12, 2021, City Council awarded construction contracts for the implementation of the MOVE Culver City Downtown Corridor Project PS017.
On August 9, 2021, City Council approved the 90% Design Plans for westbound Culver Boulevard design and authorized staff to construct westbound Culver Boulevard per the approved plans. Per discussion at the August 9th meeting, staff was to return to the City Council at a future meeting for approval of the final plans and specifications.
No new information has become available and no material changes to the Project have been made since the City Council adopted the Class 1 and statutory exemptions described above; therefore, no additional environmental analysis is required.
DISCUSSION
Since the August 9th City Council meeting, staff has finalized permit plan documents for the westbound Culver Boulevard segment in preparation for the overall Project construction. Staff is seeking the City Council approval on the final plans and specifications (available at <http://moveculvercity.com/>, under “Click here for 100% Permit Plans for WB Culver Blvd in Downtown”).
Per the City Council direction, staff has folded the construction of the westbound Culver Boulevard in Downtown into the overall project construction. Pending the actual arrival of the construction material and signal equipment, staff has aligned the construction schedule for the complete Downtown Project corridor (including westbound Culver Boulevard) to start at the end of September or the beginning of October 2021, with the Go Live for the Downtown Corridor targeted for November 20, 2021. This construction schedule will allow for Culver Boulevard (downtown segment) on-street dining to remain until the end of October; the construction for westbound Culver Boulevard is scheduled to occur on or after November 1st.
As a result of the direction to schedule westbound Culver Boulevard construction after October, the work on asphalt art has to be split into two phases due to contract sequencing and consultant availability. The asphalt art for eastbound Culver Boulevard and both directions of Washington Boulevard will be done at the end of October; the asphalt art for westbound Culver will be done in November. Staff is working with the consultants to potentially consolidate all the asphalt art to be implemented in a single phase before the targeted project Go Live date. Additionally, staff is currently negotiating amendments to the professional services agreement resulting from further delay of the Go Live and will bring budget adjustment and authorization to the City Council in the future.
During the August 24th Mobility Subcommittee, a dialogue ensued about the future of Main Street which, in accordance with previously approved plans, is to be reopened to two-way traffic coincident with the construction of the westbound Move Culver City project. During this dialogue, the opportunity for closing Main Street on a scheduled or permanent basis was discussed. Although Main Street is not part of the Move Culver City Project, staff is researching and will be presenting some options to the Mobility Subcommittee for further discussion and consideration at a future meeting.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Funding for the MOVE Culver City-Downtown Corridor Project was approved at the Council Meeting held July 12, 2021 (Report 22-47). All activities are being financed though Capital Project PS017 and other sources as outlined in the July report. The approval of final plans and specifications in this report have no effect on previously established budget and contract authorities.
As stated in the previous section of the staff report, we are currently negotiating professional services contract change orders resulting from further delay of the Go Live and will bring budget adjustment and authorization to the City Council in the future.
MOTION
That the City Council:
Approve the final plans and specifications for the MOVE Culver City Downtown Corridor Project (PS017) Westbound Culver Boulevard design.