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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 6706 City of Palo Alto (ID # 6706) City Council Staff Report Report Type: Consent Calendar Meeting Date: 3/28/2016 Summary Title: Contract Amendment for Alta Planning + Design, Inc. for Bicycle Boulevard Concept Planning Title: Approval of Amendment Number Two to Contract Number C14151917 With Alta Planning + Design, Inc. to Extend the Term of the Contract for Planning, Community Outreach, Conceptual Design, Preliminary Environmental Assessment for Bicycle Boulevard Projects to March 8, 2017 From: City Manager Lead Department: Planning and Community Environment Recommendation Staff recommends that Council approve Amendment Two to Contract No. C14151917 with Alta Planning + Design, Inc. (Amendment 2) to extend the term of the contract for planning, community outreach, conceptual design, preliminary environmental assessment for bicycle boulevard projects through March 8, 2017, at no additional cost to the City. Executive Summary In March 2014, Council awarded an 18-month contract to Alta Planning + Design, Inc. for planning and preliminary environmental assessment of the Bryant Street bicycle boulevard update, Greer Road bicycle boulevard, Moreno Avenue-Amarillo Avenue bicycle boulevard, Ross Road bicycle boulevard, and Homer Avenue-Channing Avenue enhanced bikeway. In December 2015, Amendment One was executed, which extended the term of the contract until March 2016. Significant work has occurred under the contract since March 2014, and Staff anticipates advancing concept plans and environmental documentation for the Bryant Street bicycle boulevard update, Moreno Avenue-Amarillo Avenue bicycle boulevard, and Ross Road bicycle boulevard for approval by Council in April 2016. Due to challenges around community engagement, traffic circulation, and on-street parking, it is anticipated that concept plans and environmental documentation for the Greer Road bicycle boulevard and Homer Avenue- Channing Avenue enhanced bikeway will be brought to Council for approval in mid to late 2016. City of Palo Alto Page 1 The current contract expired on March 8, 2016 and will need to be extended to March 8, 2017 in order to complete the planning, community outreach, conceptual design, and preliminary environmental assessment for the bicycle boulevard projects. Background and Discussion The Bicycle + Pedestrian Transportation Plan was adopted by Council on July 9, 2012. The Plan includes a proposed bikeway network of off-street multi-use paths, bicycle boulevards, bicycle lanes, and enhanced bikeway facilities. The Plan has stated goals of increasing bicycle traffic for local and total work commutes by 100% by 2020 by providing improved facilities along the proposed bike network, which facilitates both north-south and east-west connectivity throughout the City. Implementation of the Plan started in 2013 with Council authorization of up to $1.2 million per year over five years as part of the Capital Improvement Program. With this commitment of funds, 18 projects are currently being planned and designed. The City released the Palo Alto Bicycle Boulevards RFP on October 1, 2013. The RFP scope included ten bicycle boulevards and enhanced bikeway projects. On March 17, 2014, Council awarded an 18-month contract to Alta Planning + Design, Inc. in the amount of $400,000 for planning and preliminary environmental assessment of the Bryant Street bicycle boulevard update (from Palo Alto Avenue to 100 feet north of East Meadow Drive); the Greer Road bicycle boulevard (from Edgewood Drive to Louis Road); the Moreno Avenue-Amarillo Avenue bicycle boulevard (from Middlefield Road to West Bayshore Road); the Ross Road bicycle boulevard (from North California Avenue to Louis Road); and the Homer Avenue-Channing Avenue enhanced bikeway (from Alma Street to Guinda Avenue). On December 28, 2015, Amendment One was executed, which extended the term of the contract until March 8, 2016. The amended contract expired on March 8, 2016 and will need to be extended to March 8, 2017 in order to complete the planning, community outreach, conceptual design, and preliminary environmental assessment for the bicycle boulevard projects. Brief updates on the status of the projects included in this contract are listed below. Bryant Street Bicycle Boulevard Update The Bryant Street Bicycle Boulevard Update project includes upgrades to the existing bicycle boulevard segment between Palo Alto Avenue and East Meadow Drive. The Bryant Street Bicycle Boulevard is the country’s first bicycle boulevard facility. Conditions have changed, especially downtown, and an update is needed. Based on extensive community input, Staff has rethought the proposed treatments for the Downtown section between Lytton Avenue and Addison Avenue and will return to Council in the future with a recommendation to advance improvements on this section of Bryant Street as part of a greater Downtown circulation plan. City of Palo Alto Page 2 North of Downtown, within the Old Palo Alto segment of Bryant Street, and south of Oregon Expressway to East Meadow Drive, final concept plans have been developed following the community workshop held in April 2015. Based on community input, the high-visibility green sharrow markings have been removed from the concept plans for Bryant Street and other corridors. Many residents requested that the City limit use of intensive green pavement markings due to their aesthetic impacts. Staff has also reduced the number of high-visibility white crosswalks proposed on Bryant Street, based on resident feedback. Crosswalks are still included on school commute routes. Based on community input and analysis of the current operation of the intersection, staff recommends a new traffic circle with all-way YIELD traffic control at the Bryant Street and North California Avenue. This intersection is currently controlled by an all-way STOP. Additional outreach to the neighboring church and others in the vicinity is required, as well as a parking utilization survey in order to identify and mitigate any potential on-street parking impacts. The final concept plan presentation to Council will include this information. Staff is conducting additional community and stakeholder outreach and hosting a neighborhood meeting on March 29, 2016 to finalize concept plans for this project and several others. Staff anticipates bringing Concept Plans for approval to the Planning and Transportation Commission and City Council in April 2016. Greer Road Bicycle Boulevard The current Concept Plan for the Greer Road Bicycle Boulevard project includes minor traffic calming measures including the installation of speed humps and shared-lane pavement markings to highlight bicycles path of travel on the street. Select intersections include traffic circle improvements with enhanced crosswalk markings or bulb-out improvements to reduce crossing distances including the intersections of North California Avenue, Amarillo Avenue, Moreno Avenue, Colorado Avenue, Maddux Drive, and Loma Verde Avenue. On Greer Road through the Midtown neighborhood the installation of short landscape median islands is also recommended to visually reduce the width of the roadway in efforts to encourage lower vehicle speeds. Beginning in summer 2016, Staff plans to conduct additional community and stakeholder outreach and host a neighborhood meeting to finalize concept plans for this project and several others. Staff anticipates bringing Concept Plans for approval to the Planning and Transportation Commission and City Council in mid to late 2016. Homer Avenue-Channing Avenue Enhanced Bikeway The Homer Avenue-Channing Avenue Enhanced Bikeway was conceived as a means of providing safe bicycle access between the Homer Tunnel at Alma Street and downtown. Currently, eastbound bicyclists exiting the tunnel who wish to travel to downtown and points east use an existing one-block-long contraflow bicycle lane along Homer Street, turn right onto High Street, which is one-way southbound, turn left onto Channing Avenue and then head City of Palo Alto Page 3 north via Emerson Street, Ramona Street or Bryant Street. This awkward diversion encourages many bicyclists to ride the wrong way down either High Street or Homer Avenue. The current Concept Plan for the Homer Avenue-Channing Avenue Enhanced Bikeway includes the extension of the contraflow bicycle lane east to Emerson Street and the conversion of the existing right lanes on Homer Avenue and Channing Avenue to right-turn only at intersections, with bicycles exempted. On-street parking would remain, but traffic operations may be negatively impacted. This would create a semi-dedicated east-west bikeway from the tunnel at Alma Street to Guinda Street. Based on the magnitude of the proposed changes and the lack of community input from residents and property owners along Homer Avenue and Channing Avenue, Staff is currently rethinking this project. Beginning in summer 2016, Staff plans to conduct additional community and stakeholder outreach and host a neighborhood meeting to finalize concept plans for this project and several others. Staff anticipates bringing Concept Plans for approval to the Planning and Transportation Commission and City Council in mid to late 2016. Moreno Avenue-Amarillo Avenue Bicycle Boulevard The Moreno Avenue-Amarillo Avenue Bicycle Boulevard provides an east-west connection route across the northern periphery of the Midtown neighborhood. The current Concept Plan starts at West Bayshore Road and includes traffic calming measures to moderate motor vehicle speeds entering the residential neighborhood. At Ohlone School the Concept Plan includes a new raised crosswalk and sidewalk widening from the school to Louis Road. At Louis Road, the Concept Plan includes a raised intersection treatment between Moreno Avenue and Amarillo Avenue. Shared lane pavement markings along the corridor are recommended to highlight the bicycle route with focused intersection improvements at Ross Road and Greer Road where intersecting Bicycle Boulevards meet. Staff is conducting additional community and stakeholder outreach and hosting a neighborhood meeting on March 29, 2016 to finalize concept plans for this project and several others. Staff anticipates bringing Concept Plans for approval to the Planning and Transportation Commission and City Council in April 2016. Ross Road Bicycle Boulevard Ross Road has some existing traffic calming measures, including speed humps between Oregon Expressway and Colorado Avenue. The current Concept Plan includes sharrows and new slotted speed humps south of Colorado Avenue. Pedestrian safety is a big concern for local residents so new crosswalk markings parallel to Ross Road are included in the current Concept Plan, along with curb extensions and focused intersection improvements at Colorado Avenue, Clara Drive, Loma Verde Avenue, Talisman Drive, East Meadow Drive, and Louis Road. The current Concept Plan includes traffic circles with yield controls and pedestrian crosswalks at both Moreno Avenue and East Meadow Drive. City of Palo Alto Page 4 Early implementation of this project started in 2014 with the construction of a new bicycle- priority traffic signal at Oregon Expressway. The traffic signal allows bicyclists to travel across Oregon Expressway while automobiles are forced to turn right. Staff is conducting additional community and stakeholder outreach and hosting a neighborhood meeting on March 29, 2016 to finalize concept plans for this project and several others. Staff anticipates bringing Concept Plans for approval to the Planning and Transportation Commission and City Council in April 2016. Resource Impact This is an extension of time only. No tasks are added to this contract. There are sufficient resources in CIP PL-04010 to fund this contract. There is no additional resource impact by extending the term of the contract through Amendment Two at no additional cost to the City. Policy Implications The approval of Amendment Two, extending the term of the contract through March 2017 is consistent with existing City policies, including the Council approved Bicycle + Pedestrian Transportation Plan goals and objectives. Environmental Review Approval of Amendment Two itself does not require review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not meet the definition of a “project” pursuant to California Public Resources Code Section 21065. The contract contemplates environmental review of those projects requiring review under CEQA. Attachments:  Attachment A: C14151917 Alta Planning Amendment 2 (PDF) City of Palo Alto Page 5 1 Revision April 28, 2014 AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO CONTRACT NO. C14151917 BETWEEN THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AND ALTA PLANNING + DESIGN This Amendment No. 2 to Contract No. C14151917 (“Contract”) is entered into March 28, 2016, by and between the CITY OF PALO ALTO, a California chartered municipal corporation (“CITY”), and ALTA PLANNING + DESIGN, a California corporation, located at 100 Webster Street, Suite 300, Oakland, California, 94607, Telephone Number (510)540-5008 ("CONSULTANT"). R E C I T A L S A. The Contract was entered into between the parties for the provision of the engagement of a consultant to provide planning, community outreach, conceptual design, and preliminary environmental assessment for the Bicycle Boulevards project. B. CITY intends to extend the TERM to March 8, 2017 C. The parties wish to amend the Contract. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants, terms, conditions, and provisions of this Amendment, the parties agree: SECTION 1. Section 2 TERM is hereby amended to read as follows: SECTION 2. TERM. The term of this Agreement shall be from March 10, 2014 through March 8, 2017 unless terminated earlier pursuant to Section 19 of this Agreement.” SECTION 2. Except as herein modified, all other provisions of the Contract, including any exhibits and subsequent amendments thereto, shall remain in full force and effect. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have by their duly authorized representatives executed this Amendment on the date first above written. CITY OF PALO ALTO APPROVED AS TO FORM: ALTA PLANNING + DESIGN DocuSign Envelope ID: E108E9B1-CD0C-477D-8283-4F0A11303F39 Principal ATTACHMENT A - “