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Home My WebLink About0365.091, - .- July 1B, 1991 ~ ___ ':-_~;' f THE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL ",.,.- Palo Alto, California ~ ... Alma Street/Me2ldo .... Driye Int.ersection Improvements elf 19073 - Status Report Members of the council: Report in Brief This is a status report regarding intersection and adjacent street improvements at Alma Street/Meadow Drive. No action is required by Council. Background In ~987, the City-wide Land Use and Transportation Study identified approximately 40 street intersections in Palo Alto in need of capacity and operational improvement. Funding of $100,000 was included in the F"i 1989-90 CIP budget to develop a preliminary design and cost estimate for 7 of the 40 intersections and a tinal design for bot,h the AlmalMeado*, and Alma/Charleston intersections. This 'Vas accomplished under a cone.ultant agreement with .er-ia-n Kangas Foulk awarded by council on December 1~, ~989 (CMR:522:9)4 As part of the 1990-95 Capital Improvement Program council au-thorized $500,000 for Alma/Meadow interse'Ction construction .. The City's initial objective was to construct all of the i~provements to the Alma str-eet/Meadow Drive intersection prior to the first day of school (September 4, 1991)~ This has net been possible because of the long lead time required by southern Pacific Transpor-tation company (Southern Pacific) to acquire and install new signal systems, and the difficulty city staff has enCOI.l..'i.tered in obtaininq the necessary agreements with the California Department of Transportation (Ca,ltrans) and Southern Pacific. Four different aqree~ents are required ~ith Southern Pacific and Caltrans before proceeding with construction. staff has been working 'With these agencies for nine 1!',onths to receive the necessary approvals and has encountered delays due to Southern -1- Q!R:365:91 L o Pacific understaffing. It is anticipated that these approvals will be obtained ~ithin three months. Due to these delays, tbe project has been broken into three parts. Tne followinq phasing will provide the most efficient, cost effective and saf~st ~eans of completing construction. PHASE I: Before School Starts (construction which can be done without Southern pacific and Caltrans approval) Work to be done by City through existing cor-tracts includes: • tempora~ restripinq to provide all bicycle lanes • side~alk handicap ra~ps and median island openings PRASE II: Within Three Months After School Starts (construction which C3nnot be completed without Southern Pacific and Caltrans approval) Work to be done by City includes: • ne .. traffic signals at the Alma/Meade.,; intersection • new sidewalk in Southern Pacific right-or-way • resurfacing • permanent restriping includinq bicycle lanes • bus duck-out and drainage improvements along Alma Street Work to be done by Southern Pacific includes: PHASE II1: • rubberized surface railroad crossing • track and bedding improvements Beyond 'Three Mcnths After School dependant upon fabrication/assembly Southern p~cific) Work to be ~one by Southern Pacific includes: • pedestrian gates • cantilever signals • new vehicular gates Discussion of communj_.tLJ~,_f21ated Actions Starts (timing of signals by In order to obtain feedback and provide as much information a.s possible to the community, city staff held t~o public meetings and met 'With the Palo Alto Bicycle Advisory Committee, city School Traffic safety Committee, and the principal of Stanford Middle School~ -2- 0lR:l65:91 --_._---- L - -. I _ '" rl " "," •• ,~., -- - , ! I j I I - In qeneral, the community is comfortable with the project and ~ould like to see certain imp=ovements constructed as soon as possiDle vhich include removing all sid-z .... alk. obstructions along Meadow Orive, nev striping to complete the bicycle l~ne corridor on Meadow Drive, insta~ling the pedestrian gates and placing the rubberized surface railroad c~osGin9. Residents in the immedi3te area of the project express~d concern that the removal of 19 feet o~ center median on ~est Meadow Drive at Park street ~ould encou~aqe more -U" turns. Staff has agreed to examine alternatives and, if feasible, make changes to the plans. ~ussion of Safety Concerns Because of the importance of maintaining safety during constructivn efter school begins, staff ~ill be taking the following actions: 1. Provide key project personnel • a full time Southern Pacific flag person for City work • a part time southern Pacific inspector • a part time City inspect~r • adequate pedestrian monitoring durlng construction 2. Control construction hours • limit/control work during heavy school commute ti~es • perforl!l selected work durin"3' weekends 3. AdVance noticing • notice schools • provide an informational insert in the August: school bulletin mailed to pare~ts. • notice the neighborhood • place advance vehicle pedestrian signs In addition, construction of Phase II City improvements will not begin until October to give sufficient time for children to become familiar with their new commute pattern. Summary Although all of the Alma/Meadow work will not be completed prior to the start of school, it will be accomplished on a phasgd timeline schedule as quickly and effiCiently as possible. staff will ensure that all improvements are constructed safely and th4t every precaution will be taken to facilitate the safe movement of students to and from school. -3- CMR: 365:91 f '. : j 1 o o Staff ~111 return to Council within the next three months with a recommendation to approve tho;: necessary agreements with other agencies and award a construction contract tor Phase II City work. Respectfully sl.lbmi tted, I;-r.~ f?. -;;'E6;;~}E BAG~ Assistant Director of Public Works C~~cJ,G.~~ DAVID G. ADAMS , .,...., ~ •.. ,. ~N stant City Kan~ Attachment: Community Meeting Notic~s Related CMR: 522:9 CCt Jim Mat~iott, Principal, JLS Middle School Bill White, Principal. Fairmeadow School City School Traffic Safety Cc~ittee JLS Hiddl e S<:hool PTA -4- CHR:365:91 , I I -, . -,._, -.,' -0 '. NOTICE ALMA STREET/ I!EAJX)W DRIVE STREET IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT THE PALO ALTO PUBLIC 'WORKS ENGINEER.ING DIVISION WILL HOLD A NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC MEETING" TO MAKE A PRESENTATION ON THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS TO THE' RAILROAD CROSSING AT ALMA STREET AND :MEAOO-~ AVENUE DURING THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, MEETING PLACE~ JANE LATHROP STANFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL .( 8 0 E. MEAOOW DRIVE ROOM 30 DATE: MARCH 12" 1991 TIME: 7 PM PLEASE DIRECT QUESTIONS TO PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING, KRYSTYNA STADNIK @ 329-24B2. • \ 1 , - o ... , '~ , T' '";"'\. , .. r ,. .. "" -""! .-1., ..... .. , ~.~, ....... ' June 14, 1991 NOTICE OF PL'1!UC MaIING JUDO la, 1991 PlACE ANP TIME; Mitchell Park Community Center, 3800 Middlefield Road 7:00 p.m, Wednesday, June 26, 1991 ~: AlmaIMeadow l'llproverneuts Project BACKGROUND: This notice is to advise you that City staff nas developed plans to improve the safety conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists at the intersection of Alma Street and West Meadow Drive between Alma Street and Second StreeL These plans were developed as a result of concerns raised by the Planni"g Commission and the City Council about \he safety of students commuting to school along this corridor during their review of the Crtywide land Use and Transportation Study, A3 a result of subsequent field studies and consultation wlth ether agencies., the following improvements ore proposed at this location; o Installation of bike lanes on West Meadow between Alma ~,d Second street which will complete the bikeways on Alma. This will lequire proh!biti:ug parking on a segment of Meadow west of Pork Blvd o o Modification of the median island on West Meadow at Park to facilitate emergency vehlcle and bike access across Meadow. An opening in the median would be created in a manner consistent with the City's current standard design for traffic barriers. Motor vehicle traffic would not be affe C1:ed under this plan. Construction of a bus duckout at the soLlth west corner OD Alma, with a new sidewalk leading te; the intersection. o Improvement of the sidewaIk facilities in the vicinity of the ral1road tracks. including new bandicapped lamps at aD four comers of the Alma/M"eadow intersection and relocation of signs and posts that currently block t.ie sidev.'3Iks. o Installation of new rubberized ra:O.road crossing, and improved railroad warning signals and new crossing arms for pedestrians on the sidewalks at the tracks. A drawing of the proposed improvements is provided on the back ot this~ Dotice for your reference. The detailed plans will be presented at the meeting and are also available for viewiitg in the Department of Public Works Departrnen~ Sixth Floor, City HalL !fyou have any questions or concerns, please contact Scott Wahl at 329-2160 or Pat Stone at 329~2636, -:-""":I:"J -. -.. "'''' ....... ''' .. ..-'.>, •• ,--... --, • , I i i I :~ '. l i I I 0',. ,- I '; i'\ '-I I I , , j I i . , , f..: <) ~ ~ ~ . I , ~~ .-' - ATH\~H 11 y~ ~I iJ i ~ I t ~ " ~ • • t 1 ) P~o"..,)E~ "iEW .~ Ll~\".s r:I WOFl.K. {IV? No I RLl&o1'.(j"tr r .. r~PAA"'~. 1 l. RI1' su~ t; NeW --'-'t .. ~.fs(-r d " " . ----dl -. "~". ~ ~r-4bt1W' -I-:x: -I . I.L. .. ••. 4. ...... ::::- , t-~DrD$c-() ~ N.W /l.R.. x-Jill&. Nv P.4 '0<'1 role \ ARN< I'of{ Pos. (tIl) PA(JPD)f~ Dr£NI"'~ i,.., r~; MECiAN II I , ' .. ;: 1f -- ~- .1. , ~ .-~ ... ~ ~~ • >: \ . 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