HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-07-27 City Council (16)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING
July 27, 1998 CMR:258:98
RESIDENTIAL ARTERIAL STREETS TRAFFIC CALMING
PROJECT, PHASE 1 - STATUS REPORT
This is an imC’ormational report. No Council action is required.
BACKGROUND ~ ~
The 1997-98 CIP includes $125,000 for planning, feasibility, and schematic design Work for
developing traffic calming measures for Embarcadero Road. This multi-year project would
develop, design, and construct physical changes to five medal roads (Embarcadero Road,
Middlefield Road, University Avenue, Charleston Road, and Arastradero Road). The
purpose of the project is to implement physical changes and street improvements to reduce
the impact of traffic and improve the quality of life along the residential medal streets. The
intent of the project is to reduce traffic speed, calm traffic, improve bicycle and pedestrian
safety, and enhance the aesthetic character of the streets, without appreciably affecting
current traffic patterns and volumes. Improvements could include landscaped medians,
gateways, intersection treatments, traffic signal changes and visual variations.
DISCUSSION
Staffhas initiated a process to retain a consultant to complete the necessary schematic design
work for Embarcadero Road. Staff has formed a Project Advisory Committee (PAC) to
assist with consultant selection, to review and comment on the consultant’s work, and ensure
that the community members have an appropriate opportunity to understand the issues and
participate in the development of alternatives, and to give the City Council a basis for
assessing community support. The PAC consists of the following members:
1.Ruth Lizak
2.Yoriko Kishimoto
3.Doug Mueller
4.Bob Peterson
5.Alan Wachtel
6.- Rosemary Bednar
7.Phyllis Cassel
Resident of Embarcadero Road
Resident of Embarcadero Road
Resident of Embarcadero Road
Architectural Review Board
Palo Alto Bicycle Advisory Committee
Palo Alto Unified School District
Planning Commission
CMR:258:98 Page 1 of 2
Alternate members named to date are:
1.Joseph Bellomo
2.Richard Swent
3.Natalie Wells
Architectural Review Board
Palo Alto Bicycle Advisory Committee
Public Arts Commission
Staff participating includes: Ashok Aggarwal, Transportation Division; Jim Gilliland,
Planning Division; Karen Bengard, Public Works Department; and Leon Kaplan, Arts and
Culture.
During its review of the 1997-98 list of proposed consultant services over 25,000, neither the
Policy and Services Committee nor the Finance Committee requested the opportunity to
review the scope of services prior to staff beginning the consultant selection process. Staff
met with the PAC in March 1998 to review the draft scope of work and its comments were
incorporated into the final document. Staffissued the Request for Proposals (RFP) May 13,
1998, and the RFP closed June 9, 1998. Of the eight firms mailed the RFP, five submitted
proposals. The PAC reviewed the proposals submitted on June 25, 1998, and selected three
firms for oral interviews, which were held July 8, 1998. The consultant selected by the PAC
is sebastian and Associates. The agreement with Sebastian and Associates will come before
the full Council for review and approval in September 1998.
PREPARED BY: Ashok Aggarwal, Acting Chief Transportation Oftieial
DEPARTMENT HEAD:~
ANNE CRONIN MOORE
Interim Director of Planning and
Community Environment
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
cc: Project Advisory Committee
Assistant City Manager
CMR:258:98 Page 2 of 2