Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council Regular Meeting of May 28, 2019
Title
INSTALLATION OF BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE AS
IDENTIFIED IN THE CITY’S ADOPTED GENERAL PLAN
AND BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
(Acting Director of Public Works Lucho Rodriguez)
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council accept the Public Works Commission recommendation to:
1. Approve the concept designs for the installation of bicycle infrastructure along Pier Avenue, Ardmore Avenue, and Manhattan Avenue based on the adopted Bicycle Master Plan and the General Plan; and
2. Prioritize the implementation of new bicycle facilities at this time based on the available funding for CIP Project 14-168 of $20,000.
Body
Executive Summary:
The Public Works Department has designed bicycle facilities within the available budget of $20,000 for CIP 14-168 Bike Friendly Street Improvements and is requesting City Council provide direction to implement the selected street segments based on the recommendation of the Public Works Commission. Should City Council not recommend implementation of any of the three identified facilities at this time, Staff recommends using the funds to refresh/restripe the existing sharrows on Monterey Boulevard.
Background:
At the October 2010 Public Works Commission Meeting, Staff recommended the Public Work Commission receive public comment and make recommendations to the City Council on installation of sharrows as identified in the Bicycle Master Plan.
At the March 2014 Public Works Commission meeting, Staff recommended the expansion of sharrows as identified in the Bicycle Master Plan on 1) Valley Drive from Pier Avenue to Herondo Avenue; and 2) Ardmore Avenue from Pier Avenue to the North City Boundary.
On August 22, 2017, City Council adopted the City-wide General Plan titled “PLAN Hermosa” which included figure 3.9 Intended Bicycle and Multi-Use Facilities, designating which street segments of the City should have bicycle infrastructure installed when financially feasible. (see Attachment 1)
On May 15, 2019, the Public Works Commission supported the three (3) striping concepts recommended by staff shown in Attachments 2, 3 and 4 and recommended prioritizing the use of available funds from CIP 14-168 Bike Friendly Street for the implementation of these new facilities over the refresh/restripe of previously installed sharrows on Monterey Boulevard.
Analysis:
City Council approved $20,000 in the 2018-19 Fiscal Year Budget for the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for project 14-168 Bike Friendly Street Improvements to install bicycle infrastructure as designated in the Bicycle Master Plan and the General Plan.
The City’s Traffic Engineer has assisted Staff in the design of three (3) new bicycle facilities based on the Bicycle Master Plan, General Plan, and recent bikeway improvements in neighboring cities. Staff is requesting City Council approve the concept designs for the installation of bicycle infrastructure along the following routes:
Since street restriping is typically done following the completion of pavement rehabilitation projects, Staff has reviewed the Pavement Management Program and determined that at this time there are not current or near-term plans to repave street segments A or B. Street segment C was recently repaved as part of the Manhattan and Highland Avenues pavement rehabilitation project that was completed in June 2018. Therefore, the three street segments are prime candidates for installation in the near-term with CIP 14-168 funds.
Manhattan Avenue - In May 2018, the City of Manhattan Beach repaved Manhattan Avenue from 8th Street to their south city limit of Neptune Avenue/1st Street. Bike lanes were implemented on Manhattan Avenue in Manhattan Beach as part of the cooperative pavement project as an alternative to sharrows along Highland Avenue and designation of Manhattan Avenue as a Bicycle Friendly Street that were identified in the Bicycle Master Plan. As a result of the modification to the Bicycle Master Plan by Manhattan Beach, the Hermosa Beach’s Traffic Engineer and Staff believe that extending the Bike lanes one block to 35th Street would be beneficial to maintain traffic flow connectivity between the City boundaries and link to the bicycle infrastructure (sharrows) on 35th Street. The proposed bike lanes would provide infrastructure for a cyclist to travel up 35th Street from the Strand/Hermosa Avenue onto Manhattan Avenue leading to the City of Manhattan Beach. The Traffic Engineer from the City of Manhattan Beach is in support of the concept layout presented herein as Attachment 4. Given that this half-block facility along Manhattan Avenue is not currently identified in the General Plan, staff recommends that the next amendment to the General Plan incorporate this proposed change of facilities.
On May 15, 2019, the Public Works Commission approved a recommendation to City Council to proceed with the installation of sharrows for segments A and B, the installation of bike lanes on segment C, and to prioritize the use of available funds on the installation of new facilities over upgrading existing sharrows along Monterey Blvd. The proposed material for all facilities would be a more durable thermoplastic material which typically has a longer useful life than paint.
Should City Council not recommend implementation of all three identified facilities at this time, staff recommends that remaining available funding be used to refresh/restripe the previously installed sharrows on Monterey Boulevard from Herondo Street to its terminus at the Strand as shown in Attachment 5. The approximate cost for the refreshing/restriping of the existing sharrows is $10,000.
General Plan Consistency:
This report and associated recommendations have been evaluated for their consistency with the City’s General Plan. Relevant policies are listed below:
3.1.1 Consider all Modes. Require the planning, design, and construction of all new and existing transportation projects to consider the needs of all modes of travel to create safe, livable and inviting environments for all users of the system.
3.2.2 Prioritize public rights-of-way. Prioritize improvements of public right-of-way that provide heightened levels of safe, comfortable and attractive public spaces for all non-motorized travelers while balancing the needs of efficient vehicular circulation.
3.3.1 Enhance public right-of-way. Where right-of-way clearance allows, enhance public right-of-way to improve connectivity for pedestrians, bicyclists, disable persons, and public transit stops.
3.6.1 Regional Network. Work with government agencies and private sector companies to develop a comprehensive, regionally integrated transportation network that connects the community to surrounding cities.
Fiscal Impact:
The implementation of the striping by a licensed striping contractor will be paid from the Bike Friendly Street Improvements CIP Project budget of $20,000 (Measure R Fund Account No. 147-8168-4201).
Attachments:
1. Figure 3.9 Intended Bicycle and Multi-Use Facilities
2. Pier Avenue sharrow concept layout
3. Ardmore Avenue sharrow concept layout
4. Manhattan Avenue bike lane concept layout
5. Monterey Boulevard sharrow concept layout
Respectfully Submitted by: Fabio M. Macias, E.I.T, Assistant Engineer
Concur: Leeanne Singleton, AICP, Environmental Analyst
Concur: Lucho Rodriguez, P.E., Acting Director of Public Works
Noted for Fiscal Impact: Viki Copeland, Finance Director
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager