HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-09-14 City Council (9)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS
DATE:SEPTEMBER 14, 1998 CMR:350:98
SUBJECT:IMPROVEMENT PLANS FOR MIRANDA AVENUE IN
CONJUNCTION WITH IMPROVEMENT OF PALO ALTO
VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER
This is an informational report, and no Council action is requested.
BACKGROUND
In 1993, plans for replacing the earthquake damaged Veterans Affairs (VA) Building were
submitted to the Planning Department. On March 31, 1993, Palo Alto Mayor. Jean McCown
sent a letter to VA representatives regarding the Environmental Assessment and the finding
of No Significant Impact for the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center Project. The City
supported the finding, provided that the VA committed to construction of Certain
improvements on Miranda Avenue along the frontage of the VA facility. In August 1998,
City staff was informed that the VA would proceed to construct street improvements along
its Miranda Avenue frontage.
Every development project in the City is typically required to upgrade the public facilities
along the development’s frontage, including improvements to curb, gutter, sidewalk,
pavement widening, drainage, landscape strip, and lighting. As this project is under the
jurisdiction of the Federal government, review of building plans by the City of Palo Alto is
not mandatory. However, review of street improvement projects is required by City
Ordinance (Title 12, Chapter 12.08). Street improvement plans have been submitted to the
City for approval and will be reviewed by Public Works Engineering, the Planning
Department, and the Utilities Department. It is anticipated that plans will be approved by
September.
DISCUSSION
In accordance with the proposals for the site, approximately one half mile of street widening
will take place in order to accommodate a new curb and gutter system, sidewalk, landscape
strip, and paved bike lanes. The new sidewalk and bike lanes will provide
pedestrian/bicyclist connections to the City’s sidewalk and bike lane systems to the north and
CMR:350:98 Page 1 of 2
sOuth, thus facilitating.commuting and recreation. The new curb and gutter system will
replace the existing inadequate swales ithat tend to overflow in the rainy seasom By
providing these improvements, public safety will be enhanced. The visual appearance of the
VA’s entire remodeled site will be complemented by the new landscaping strip and the
general clean-up of the area to be provided by the frontage improvements.
Construction is expected to begin in September 1998. The majority of the work is on the
shoulder of the road, therefore, it is unlikely that the street will be closed during the
construction of the street widening improvements. At the conclusion of construction, a slurry
seal application will be applied to the entire street surface as shown on the attached location
map. During the slurry seal operation (curb to curb), it will be necessary to allow, only one-
way traffic access to Miranda Avenue. The contractor will be required to submit a logistics
plan to ensure that the street improvements impact to the public is minimized. Items that will
be addressed in the logistics plan will include pedestrian and traffic control measures, truck
route requirements, project schedule, and public notification.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
There are no policy implications regarding the improvement plans for Miranda Avenue,
ATTACHMENTS
Location Map
PREPARED BY: Jim Harrin
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
GLENN S, ROBERTS
Director of Public Works
~EMILY HARRISON
Assistant City Manager
CMR:350:98 Page 2 of 2
ALMA
EL CAMINO REAL
PALO ALTO
VETERANS AFFAIRS
MEDICAL CENTER
PORTER DRIVE
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VICINI.TY,AP