Council Meeting: September 13, 2005
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Adding
to the Municipal Code relating to parking and traffic restrictions along
Introduction
The attached proposed ordinance
would create parking and traffic
restrictions allowing for the creation of peak-hour bus-only lanes on
Background
The number of automobiles using the Lincoln
corridor, future development, and limited roadway width indicate the need for a
new, more effective transit service on Lincoln Boulevard as a viable
alternative to auto use. Average vehicle speed during the evening rush
hour is six miles per hour between Pico and Washington Boulevards. This
issue was studied by the Lincoln Corridor Task Force comprised of staff from Caltrans,
City of
On June 27, 2005, the Big Blue Bus (BBB)
began a new type of public transportation service known as Bus Rapid Transit
(BRT), called Rapid 3. The line operates primarily on
National and local studies concur that
people are more likely to use transit if service is frequent and at least as
fast as auto travel. The Rapid 3
utilizes bus rapid transit features including limited stops, low floor buses, signal
priority and new bus shelters that all lead to faster service. Bus-only
lanes are the single most important factor in creating the speed and
reliability that attracts riders to this kind of service and are vital to
success. Bus-only lanes are the only means of providing the public with a
reliable travel time along a corridor characterized by highly unpredictable
levels of traffic congestion.
A peak-hour exclusive lane for buses on
Discussion
Implementation of a bus-only lane requires
an ordinance to prohibit parking and stopping on the northbound side of Lincoln
Boulevard from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. between the south municipal boundary and Grant
Street, and on the southbound side of the street from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. between
Pico Boulevard and the south municipal boundary. The ordinance would designate the lane
adjacent to the curb, including the marked parking spaces, as a bus lane during
the hours of parking prohibition. The
ordinance would also specify that transit buses, City and County dial-a-ride
vans, and CPUC registered passenger carriers would be the only vehicles
authorized to use the lane.
With BBB operating every 7 ½ minutes in each
direction, there will be capacity on the lane for additional high occupancy
vehicles in these categories which include the Santa Monica/WISE Dial-a-Ride
and airport shuttle vans operated by private companies. An advantage of
including CPUC vehicles is that they make pre-arranged passenger pick-ups and
are authorized to take multiple fare rather than individual fare parties,
ensuring that the lane will be highly productive in terms of the total number
of people and the diversity of travel markets served. Standardized exterior
identification makes these vehicles readily identifiable to law enforcement
officers. Adequate vehicle capacity on the lane will be reserved in the event
that funding becomes available to operate more frequent BBB service.
Signs alerting motorists of the bus lane
will be posted prior to the beginning of the bus lane, and pavement decals and
mounted signs in each block will notify motorists that use of the lane is for
transit and CPUC vehicles only. Posted
signs on each block and individual signs on all parking meters will specify the
days and hours of the parking prohibition.
A solid white line on the pavement will delineate the lane. The ordinance would include a provision for
non-authorized vehicles to use the lane to make right turns. A dashed white
line at the approach to an intersection will notify motorists where they are
permitted to begin a right turn maneuver.
Parking enforcement, towing of parked vehicles, and the issuance of
moving violation citations will be managed by the Police Department.
The segment of
An extensive research
and public outreach campaign was undertaken by Big Blue Bus and Planning and
Community Development staff to obtain
community input on establishing the bus-only lanes. The elements of the
campaign and results are as follows:
·
A
detailed parking utilization survey was conducted evaluating the effect of the
proposed parking restrictions. The findings show that with the restrictions in
place ample parking at metered spaces in commercial areas would be available on
adjacent cross streets.
·
A mailing
announcing three community meetings was sent to 1,200 businesses and residents most
affected by the proposed change. From the mailing, five responses were received, all of them supportive of the
bus-only lane; and three people attended the community meetings, all supportive
of the project.
·
Individual
outreach to businesses along
·
A
second mailing to over 3,600 residents and businesses announced two additional
public meetings. Ten business owners and residents attended these two meetings
on July 14th and the majority was supportive of the project. Three
business owners voiced a complaint about the proposal; Transportation
Management and BBB staff are working on mitigation efforts with them in the
near future.
·
Individual
outreach to the businesses most affected by the parking changes began July
28th. 96 businesses have been contacted by the outreach specialist.
25% of them voiced support for the project, 19% voiced concern over the project
but had no specific issue to be resolved, 48% did not respond to calls, 5% said
they were neutral on the issue, and 3% (two businesses) had specific concerns
that are being mitigated.
·
Letters
of support from businesses, individuals, and community groups have been
received and include letters from Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau,
Caltrans,
Budget/Financial Impact
Caltrans has agreed to install
the necessary street signs at no cost to the City of
Recommendation
It is respectfully recommended that the attached ordinance be introduced for first reading.
Prepared by: Marsha Moutrie, City Attorney
Joe Stitcher, Assistant Director of Transit Services
Attachment: Ordinance