City Council Meeting: August 11, 2009

Agenda Item: 1-P

To: Mayor and City Council

From: Eileen Fogarty, Director, Planning & Community Development

Subject: Contract with Fehr & Peers for Downtown/Civic Center Circulation Study

Recommended Action

Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract not to exceed $89,100 with Fehr & Peers, including a 10% contingency, to analyze proposed circulation alternatives to accommodate the light rail transit station at Colorado Avenue and 4^th Street.

Executive Summary

The Exposition Light Rail station located at 4^th Street and Colorado Avenue in Downtown will increase pedestrian activity and change the pattern of bicycle, transit and vehicular traffic in the area. While the future Exposition Light Rail line is an exciting opportunity for the City, it is critical that the additional circulation demands are proactively addressed. Earlier this year City Council reviewed a proposed integrated circulation concept to address the future light rail station within the context of the Downtown/Civic Center area. The circulation alternatives are proposed to address the increased pedestrian and bicycle presence at the terminus station and the need to preserve travel time for transit on 4^th Street. City Council recently designated Redevelopment funds for infrastructure to support circulation improvements to serve the station and the Downtown/Civic Center area. This circulation analysis is a necessary next step in testing the feasibility and potential effectiveness of proposed infrastructure improvements and other circulation measures.

Fehr & Peers has developed a dynamic multi-modal travel demand model for the City that will be utilized for the analysis of the above alternatives in this study. The firm of Fehr & Peers is recommended because the City has not yet taken ownership of the final model for its own use as a tool for evaluating circulation. The travel demand model is the best tool available for testing assumptions and the alternatives in a manner that dynamically integrates this study location with the surrounding Downtown and Civic Center area. This study was anticipated as part of the Downtown/Civic Center Planning Process and is included in its budget. Funding in the amount of $89,100 is available in Account # C010820: Civic Center Planning and Design.

Background

At the March 24, 2009 City Council discussion on integrating planning for the Light Rail terminus station with the Downtown/Civic Center area, circulation improvements to address pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and vehicular connections were identified as a priority. At a subsequent meeting in June, City Council recognized the need to proactively address circulation demands to serve the station and the Downtown/Civic Center area and designated Redevelopment funds for “Expo Green Streets and Pathways” infrastructure improvements. Planning for the station area and the Downtown/Civic Center area is dependent on the results of this circulation analysis, making it important to move forward, especially since the Redevelopment funds have a tight spending time frame and the Exposition Construction Authority is working on an ambitious schedule to bring the light rail to Downtown Santa Monica. The circulation analysis is a necessary next step in testing the feasibility and potential effectiveness of possible infrastructure and other circulation measures. The focused circulation study will advance the planning and design effort for CIP projects in the entire Downtown/Civic Center area by testing assumptions and alternatives.

City Council has recognized the need to evaluate the Downtown/Civic Center area comprehensively and has already authorized a shared parking study that is currently underway. Staff has also issued an RFP to address the engineering feasibility of several proposed projects that would bridge the freeway.

Discussion

The study will analyze a range of circulation alternatives developed to address the future presence of the light rail station in the Downtown/Civic Center area. These circulation alternatives will address the increased pedestrian presence at the terminus station and the need to preserve travel time for transit on 4^th Street. Some of the options to be analyzed include:

· Diverting traffic away from the Colorado Avenue and 4^th Street intersection through the creation of a new street from the 4^th Street I-10 west-bound off-ramp over the I-10 Freeway through the existing City Hall North parking lot to Main Street;

· Alternative circulation approaches that are less infrastructure intensive;

· Variations for a proposed pedestrian “Green Street” along Colorado Avenue from the light rail station at 4^th Street to Ocean Avenue and the Santa Monica Pier. Configurations that include wider sidewalks to address the increased pedestrian volumes generated by the light rail station and reduced travel lanes will be analyzed; and

· Limitations on Colorado between 4^th and 5^th Street, including possible one-way east or westbound traffic.

Contractor/Consultant Selection

The firm of Fehr & Peers currently retains possession of the city-wide travel demand model that will be used for this study. The travel demand model is the best tool available for testing assumptions and the alternatives in a manner that dynamically integrates this study location with the surrounding Downtown and Civic Center area. At this point in time, the circulation analysis using the travel demand model is recommended for sole source with Fehr & Peers. Once the City takes ownership of the model, staff will be able to run the model in-house and the City will be able to competitively bid this type of circulation study.

Financial Impacts & Budget Actions

Funding in the amount of $89,100 for the proposed contract is available in Account #C010820: Civic Center Planning.

Prepared by: Elizabeth Bar-El, AICP, Senior Planner

Approved:	Forwarded to Council:
Eileen Fogarty Director, Planning & Community Development	P. Lamont Ewell City Manager