HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 6838
City of Palo Alto (ID # 6838)
City Council Staff Report
Report Type: Consent Calendar Meeting Date: 6/20/2016
City of Palo Alto Page 1
Summary Title: Concept Plan for Quarry Road and Transit Center Bicycle and
Pedestrian Improvements
Title: Review and Approval of Concept Plans for Quarry Road and Transit
Center Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements Consistent With the Stanford
University Medical Center Development Agreement
From: City Manager
Lead Department: Planning and Community Environment
Recommendation
Staff recommends that Council approve the Concept Plans (Attachment A) for the Quarry Road
Improvement & Transit Center Access Project (PL-16000), authorizing staff to proceed with final
design and preparation of bid documents.
Background
The August 2011 Development Agreement between Stanford Hospital and Clinics, the Lucile
Salter Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford
Junior University and the City of Palo Alto obligated the City to design and construct
enhancements of various pedestrian and bicycle connections between the Palo Alto Intermodal
Transit Center and the Stanford University Medical Campus (SUMC). Stanford provided funds
for these projects. Specifically, the agreement called for:
1) Improvements to and within the public right of way to enhance the pedestrian and
bicycle connection from the west side of El Camino Real to Welch Road, including urban
design elements and way finding, wider bicycle lanes, as necessary on Quarry Road,
enhanced transit nodes for bus and/or shuttle stops, and prominent bicycle facilities;
and
2) Improvements to Enhance the Pedestrian and Bicycle Connection from the Palo Alto
Intermodal Transit Center to the existing intersection at El Camino Real and Quarry
Road, including development of an attractive, landscaped passive park/green space with
a clearly marked and lighted pedestrian pathway, benches and flower borders.
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The project site and vicinity lies within the City of Palo Alto and the project would primarily
affect land that is owned by the City and by Stanford University. El Camino Real is a State
Highway (Caltrans) facility, and would be not be affected by the project.
The improvements in items 1 and 2 are being proposed to implement the required mitigation
specified in the Development Agreement to provide for an improved connection to the Transit
Center for pedestrians and bicyclists as the hospital uses intensify. The improvements in item 2
are considered “temporary” although they may be in place for five years or more. They are
moving forward now in order to meet a timing commitment in the Development Agreement
and would use a small portion of the Stanford funds set aside for this purpose. These
“temporary” improvements are intended to be in place until more permanent improvements
can be designed and permitted. The more permanent improvements will use the remaining
funds and may include, but are not limited to, changes to the Transit Center access/egress
configuration, another pedestrian/bicycle undercrossing of Caltrain, and modifications to the
intersection of El Camino Real and Quarry Road to allow for another crosswalk. Cost for the
permanent project has not been identified, although Stanford funds are available for
construction.
On January 11, 2016, Council approved a contract (ID 6398) with Siegfried Engineering for
design services for the Quarry Road Improvements Project. The scope of work included design,
permitting and construction document preparation in order to be constructed prior to the
Hospital Occupancy Permit in Spring 2017.
Discussion
Staff has been working with the consultant, Siegfried Engineering to develop the proposed
concept plans (Attachment A) for the connection from the intersection of Quarry Road and El
Camino Real and the Transit Center and the addition of bicycle lanes on Quarry Road, from El
Camino Real to Welch Road.
The purpose of the pedestrian and bicycle connection path to the transit center is to provide a
safe, clear, and directly connected pathway system for travel by both bicyclists and pedestrians
from the Transit Center to Quarry Road. The park area is a connection point between the
crosswalk at El Camino Real and Quarry Road, El Camino Park, University Circle, and the Transit
Center. The existing asphalt pathway is uneven and has insufficient transitional space between
bicyclists and pedestrians at the El Camino Real/Quarry Road intersection crosswalk.
Following notice to proceed, the consultants began preparing two concept plans for the bicycle
and pedestrian connection path to the Transit Center. One concept proposed to keep the
existing alignment, and the second alternative provided for a separate paved 8 foot asphalt
path for bicyclists and another 4 foot wide decomposed granite path for pedestrians. These
plans were submitted to the Palo Alto Bicycle Advisory Committee, the Parks and Recreation
Commission (PARC) on April 26 and again on May 31, 2016, and to Stanford for their review and
comment. Both PARC and Stanford preferred the concept plan that utilizes the existing
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alignment. Additional comments made were to make sure the path design addresses
pedestrian safety needs, as well as bicyclists. The attached proposed project concept plans
address all comments staff has received to date, which includes new lighting along the path,
benches, signage and low level, drought tolerant landscape planting.
The proposed design consists of a Class 1, 8 foot wide striped asphalt bike path with 2 foot
decomposed granite fines paths on both sides, for a total width of 12 feet. The alignment of
the path provides a smooth and direct transition between the existing El Camino Park bike
path, the crosswalk area, and the direct connection to the Transit Center. The proposed bike
path is also consistent with the recently completed bike path at El Camino Park.
Bicyclists and pedestrians are provided new and updated visible wayfinding signage at key
transition nodes to help them navigate to their desired destinations. The entire pathway
system is to be lit by LED pathway lights to meet the minimum safety standards. The fixtures
will match the recently installed park light fixtures and poles at El Camino Park. Landscape
planting and recycled mulch will be used sparingly due to maintenance concerns. If utilized, it
will be installed with the goal of improving the aesthetics at the street frontage and pathway
intersections. The plant material will be harmonious and compatible with the newly installed
plants located at the adjacent El Camino Park. The plants will be drought tolerant and irrigated
with a drip system. The layout will be low accent shrubs and groundcovers. The views into the
area and along the path will be clear, unobstructed, and not create safety concerns or places to
hide. The remainder of the area that may be disturbed during construction will be redressed
with a 4” thick recycled mulch layer, which is what currently exists now.
The park path plans have also been submitted for staff level Architectural Review for review for
input on the planting palette and lighting, both of which are consistent with the recently
complete El Camino Park Plans.
Improvements to the public right of way portion along Quarry Road include striping
modifications to enhance the pedestrian and bicycle connection from the west side of El
Camino Real to Welch Road. Improvements include but are not limited to wayfinding signs,
wider bicycle lanes, as necessary, enhanced transit nodes for bus and/or shuttle stops, and
prominent bicycle facilities. The proposed plans incorporate these elements along Quarry Road
by providing additional striping and green bicycle lanes to help identify the buffered bicycle
lanes and to highlight any potential conflict areas between vehicles, transit and bicyclists along
the corridor. In addition, striped crosswalks are also added at each intersection to highlight
high pedestrian activity in the area.
Timeline
Upon Council approval, Consultants will be expediting the completion of the construction
documents in order to go out to bid late Summer 2016. Construction is tentatively scheduled
to begin early Fall 2016 with construction completion of Spring 2017, prior to issuance of the
Hospital Occupancy Permit.
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Staff will return to Council late summer 2016 with the award of the construction contract.
Resource Impact
The cost estimate for the temporary park connection is estimated to be $350,000 and the cost
of the Quarry Road improvements is estimated to be $400,000. These costs will be updated as
the design is advanced and construction documents are prepared. The Fiscal Year 2017
Adopted Capital Improvement Budget includes a budget of $800,000 for construction. If
construction costs exceed the budgeted amount, staff will request an additional transfer from
Stanford University Medical Center funds designated for Improvements to Enhance Pedestrian
and Bicycle Connection from Intermodal Transit Center to El Camino Real/Quarry Road
Intersection, provided in the agreement.
Policy Implications
The following Comprehensive Plan goals and policies support the Quarry Road Improvements &
Transit Center Access Project:
Goal T-3: Facilities, Services, and Programs that encourage and promote walking and
bicycling.
Goal T-4: An efficient roadway network for all users.
Policy T-14: Improve pedestrian and bicycle access to and between local destination,
including public facilities, schools, parks, open space, employments district,
shopping centers, and mulit modal transit stations.
Policy T-29: Make effective use of the traffic-carrying ability of Palo Alto’s major street
network without compromising the need of pedestrians and bicyclists also using
this network.
Environmental Review
This project was identified as a mitigation measure as part of the Stanford University Medical
Center expansion Final Environmental Impact Report and consists of minor improvements
within and adjacent to existing public streets, which fall within the Class One (Existing Facilities)
exemption provided in Section 15301 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Guidelines. No additional environmental review is required for approval of this project.
Attachments:
Attachment A: Proposed Quarry Road/Park Path Concept Plans (PDF)
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City of Palo Alto
City Project Number
PL-16000
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ARB 5
SITE & PAVING PLAN
EL CAMINO PARK / TRANSIT CENTER
MULTI-USE PATH
8'-0" Wide asphalt path, two-way traffic, centerline striped,
2'-0" wide clear shoulders each side.
EXISTING DECOMPOSED GRANITE PATH
Existing El Camino Park pedestrian path adjacent to and
Connected to proposed improvements.
EXISTING TREES
Existing trees to remain and be protected during
construction.
LANDSCAPE ACCENT PLANTING
Areas to be planted with low, drought tolerant plant
material. Pathway and directional signage accent.
See planting plan ARB 13 for more details.
DECOMPOSED GRANITE PATH SHOULDER
2'-0" wide pedestrian shoulder edge, Decomposed granite
fines with stabilizer. Redwood header installed. 2'-0"
unobstructed clearance.
PATH SECURITY LIGHTS (8)
14' fixture height. Pole with railroad strap smooth mount to
match El Camino Park lights.
CONCRETE PAVEMENT
Sidewalk replacement area at bike/pedestiran path
connection & bench pads.
PALO ALTO
TRANSIT CENTER
EXISTING
PARKING
LOTEXISTING
OLYMPIC
REDWOOD
GROVE
EL CAMINO
PARK
EXISTING AC PATH TO BE REMOVED
See Demolition Plan ARB 4.
BENCH (3)
6 foot long backless bench with center armrest. Product to
match benches installed at El Camino Park. DUMOR
103-60PL 6' bench or equal. Recycled plastic Redwood
color. Black powder coated frame. Embedment Installation
on concrete pad.
BARK MULCH
Recycled chip mulch. 4" thick layer minimum. Landscape
areas within the project site to receive City-supplied
recycled chipped bark mulch.
DIRECTIONAL SIGN LOCATIONS (3)
PALO ALTO
TRANSIT CENTER
ATTACHMENT A
City of Palo Alto
City Project Number
PL-16000
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SIGNAGE AND STRIPING PLAN
WELCH ROAD TO MALL PARKING DRIVEWAY
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GENERAL NOTES:
SCALE: 1"=40'
80'40'0
LEGEND
City of Palo Alto
City Project Number
PL-16000
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GENERAL NOTES:
LEGEND
SIGNAGE AND STRIPING PLAN
MALL PARKING DRIVEWAY TO EL CAMINO REAL
SCALE: 1"=40'
80'40'0