Title
Recommendation to Authorize the Interim City Manager, or Designee, to Proceed with the Grand Street Resurfacing and Safety Improvement Project Final Concept, Including Preparation of Final Design and Construction Documents, Consistent with the Recommended Final Concept Plan. (Public Works 31041520)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Grand Street Resurfacing and Safety Improvement Project is a plan to improve the condition and operations on a 0.7 mile segment of Grand Street in central City of Alameda (City). The project goals are to improve safety for all users, improve mobility for all modes, including AC Transit buses; and improve pavement condition for enhanced street operations and user experience. The corridor is identified as a high-injury corridor in the City’s Vision Zero Plan.
On May 25, 2022, the Transportation Commission unanimously recommended that the City Council proceed with the staff recommended resurfacing and restriping plan.
On June 21, 2022 City Council voted 3-2 to direct staff to continue to develop the concept to further address a short list of remaining concerns and design changes. Staff has completed the work on the remaining concerns and design changes and is recommending approval of the final concept plan, included as Exhibit 1.
The final concept plans are available for review on the project webpage at www.alamedaca.gov/GrandStreet <http://www.alamedaca.gov/GrandStreet>
BACKGROUND
City staff is working with NCE and Fehr & Peers to develop improvement plans for the Grand Street Resurfacing and Safety Improvement Project, which is partially funded by the One Bay Area Grant (OBAG 2) program, administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), which distributes federal transportation funding from the Federal Highway Administration to projects and programs throughout the Bay Area. This project is included in the State Transportation Improvement Program, with $827,000 in federal funds for construction in Federal Fiscal Year 2022-23. The City will need to expend the federal funds by October 2023 to receive reimbursement for project expenses. The project limits are Grand Street from Shore Line Drive (just north of the intersection) to Encinal Avenue (just south of the intersection), and excluding the concrete bridge deck between Otis Drive and Palmera Court. The intersection of Grand Street and Encinal Avenue will be resurfaced with a Caltrans project expected to begin in 2023.
Grand Street between Shore Line Drive and Encinal Avenue has been identified as a high priority for safety and mobility improvements. The Grand Street segment is approximately 0.7 miles long and is a major north-south multimodal corridor. Wood Middle School, Rittler Park and the Alameda shoreline are adjacent to Grand Street, and Franklin Elementary School, Franklin Park, and St. Joseph’s School are within ¼ mile of Grand Street. Grand Street connects with existing bicycle facilities on Shore Line Drive and Otis Drive and will connect with future bike lanes on Encinal Avenue that Caltrans will install in the next year. AC Transit currently serves Grand Street between Shore Line Drive and Otis Drive.
The City's Vision Zero Action Plan and General Plan identifies Grand Street as a Tier 1 high-injury corridor between Encinal Avenue and Otis Drive and as a Tier 2 high-injury corridor between Otis Drive and Shore Line Drive, with high crash intersections at Otis Drive and at Shore Line Drive. According to the data used to identify the high-injury corridors, due to crashes on Grand Street from Encinal to Shore Line (full 0.7-mile project corridor) from 2009-2018:
• A total of 55 people were injured or killed
• 2 people died (1 pedestrian and 1 bicyclist)
• 3 people were severely injured (all pedestrians)
• 9 people suffered other visible injuries (5 bicyclists and 4 pedestrians)
• 41 people complained of pain (8 bicyclists, 3 pedestrians, 1 motorcyclist, and 29 people in motor vehicles)
Due to crashes on Grand Street from San Antonio to Dayton (northern 0.2-mile segment of the project corridor) from 2009-2018:
• A total of 24 people were injured or killed
• 1 person died (bicyclist)
• 5 people suffered other visible injuries (4 bicyclists - 3 of whom were age 14 or younger - and 1 pedestrian)
• 18 people complained of pain (2 bicyclists, 1 pedestrian, 1 motorcyclist, 14 people in motor vehicles)
Note that this data originates with police reports, so it does not include crashes that were not reported to police. Because the data was used to create the High Injury Corridor maps and inform the Vision Zero Action Plan, it only includes injury crashes - property-damage-only crashes are excluded.
According to data collected in March 2022, vehicle speeds on Grand Street routinely exceed the 25 miles per hour (mph) posted speed limit, with 32 mph for 85th percentile speed. Approximately 55 percent of children cyclists were observed riding on the sidewalk or in the parking shoulder, indicating that the existing bike lanes are not a low stress, all-ages facility. Observed parking occupancy was approximately 30 percent of capacity.
DISCUSSION
On June 21, 2022 City Council held a public hearing to consider the proposed street configuration plan for Grand Street. Approximately 32 people spoke in favor of the recommended restriping plan and 11 people spoke in opposition. The City Council also received written comments in support and opposition to the plans, including a petition recommending changes to the proposal, and information on Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) case law related to bikeway and on-street parking impacts.
Upon considering all the testimony, the City Council voted 3-2 to endorse the recommended restriping plan provided that staff return to City Council with a plan to address the following items:
1. Add separation for bike lane in the southbound direction between Otis Drive and Shore Line Drive
2. Ensure project is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities
3. Conduct a public safety review of the project
4. Add features for slowing speeds and improving pedestrian crossings, such as all-way stops, speed humps, reduced speed limits, electronic speed monitoring and feedback signs, and rectangular rapid flash beacons (RRFBs).
The revised final concept plans are included as Exhibit 1.
1. Add Separated bike lanes between Otis Drive and Shore Line Drive
The layout plans have been modified to improve safety for bicyclists between Otis Drive and Shoreline Drive. The plans now include a two-way separated bikeway on the east side of Grand Street between Otis Drive and Shore Line Drive. This layout provides bicycle access to Rittler Park, Wood Middle School and to the Shore Line Drive cycletrack. A new ramp will be provided north of the Wood Middle School driveway to enable access between the bikeway and campus. At the intersection of Grand Street and Otis Drive, southbound cyclists would use the protected intersection and traffic signals at Grand Street and Otis Drive to make a two-stage crossing to enter the separated bikeway. At the intersection of Grand Street and Shore Line, cyclists would cross between the two bikeways at the existing all-way stop. Striping and signage will be provided to direct all users how to navigate the intersection safely.
In addition to enhancing connectivity for school and park users, the two-way separated bikeway preserves parking on the west side of the street. The two-way separated bikeway will require the removal of seven [7] additional parking spaces on the east side of the street compared to the previous concept plan.
2. Ensure project is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities
The revised plans provide for the mobility needs of people with disabilities. The design provides a variety of accessibility improvements, including: two new transit islands for bus boardings with ADA-compliant crossings and curb ramps, high visibility crosswalks with minimal cross slopes to facilitate usage by people with limited mobility or using wheelchairs, upgraded truncated domes/detectable warnings at street corners to guide people with visual impairments, shorter pedestrian crossings to reduce exposure to motor vehicles, flashing beacons with accessible features by Wood School, Grand Street/San Jose Avenue and Grand Street/San Antonio Avenue, and seven [7] designated accessible on-street parking spaces on Grand Street or adjacent side streets. Where the designated accessible on-street parking spaces are located adjacent to the separated bikeway, a marked accessible path and curb ramp is provided to the sidewalk. At other locations, the designated accessible on-street parking spaces are located as close as possible to an accessible curb ramp. Since the previous concept plan, five designated on-street accessible parking spaces were added to the project between Encinal Avenue and Palmera Court. The final concept plan has two accessible spaces on Grand Street south of Otis Drive that were also included in the previous plan.
The City’s consultant that is developing the citywide ADA transition plan provided an expert review of the Grand Street project and information regarding best practices for access for people with disabilities based the ADA, case law and guidance from the Department of Justice, U.S. Access Board, Caltrans and other sources. In particular, the consultant reviewed the designated on-street accessible parking proposed in the project area. Their findings showed that at least six [6] accessible parking spaces are needed on or adjacent to Grand Street in the project area. Where the parking spaces are added adjacent to the bicycle lane, adequate separation must be provided to keep bicycles from entering the access aisle, and detectible warnings are needed to keep a visually impaired individual from accidentally entering the bicycle lanes. Where there is not enough space to separate the access aisle and the bicycle lane, placing the accessible parking in the first parking space of a side street is acceptable because it makes the accessible parking easier to use by those who need it. As part of future projects and through implementation of the City’s ADA transition plan, more accessible parking spaces should be added and distributed throughout the city blocks along this section of Grand Street and citywide.
3. Conduct a public safety review of the project
Alameda Fire Department staff reviewed the project to ensure adequate access for emergency response. The project provides lanes widths and geometry to accommodate emergency vehicles and access to adjacent buildings. Frequent intersections north of Otis Drive provide additional opportunities for motorists to clear a path for emergency vehicles besides pulling to the side. Emergency vehicle preemption (activating green traffic signals for emergency vehicles) are possible in the future with upgrades to traffic signal controllers and fire department equipment.
All project features, including lane shifts, tapers and delineation between bike lanes and travel lanes will be designed pursuant to best practice guidance, including the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD).
4. Add features for slowing speeds and improving pedestrian crossings
The project will slow vehicles on Grand Street and provide safe pedestrian crossings by updating the lane striping, installing high visibility crosswalks, adding red curbs to improve intersection visibility, and installing three RRFB systems near school crossings: at the mid-block crossing for Wood Middle School and at the San Jose and San Antonio intersections. The RRFB system at San Jose was added to the project since the previous concept plan. The lane shifts associated with alternating parking between Encinal Avenue and Dayton Avenue will also have a traffic calming effect.
Staff will conduct a post-project assessment of the corridor to confirm the efficacy of the proposed project. If additional speed reduction is needed, additional traffic calming measures can be implemented as a separate project. At this time, additional measures such as new all-way stops, speed cushions, reduced speed limits, electronic speed monitoring and feedback signs, and more RRFBs are not recommended.
If speed cushions are added at a future date, they will be designed to allow emergency vehicles to avoid the vertical deflection intended to slow passenger vehicles. Speed cushions are generally placed approximately mid-block in advance of 2-way stop-controlled intersections, where there is evidence of higher vehicle speeds. Speed cushions can be constructed from asphalt concrete and can also be made from surface-mounted rubber interlocking units, with differences in durability, cost, and maintenance that need to be considered.
Conclusions
Staff believes the recommended design will reduce injuries, reduce automobile speeding, and increase the comfort and convenience for pedestrians and bicyclists of all ages, which in turn supports the City’s climate action, Vision Zero, and mode shift goals.
The City Council has already approved the expenditure of funds for the Grand Street Project. Staff requests authorizing the Interim City Manager, or designee, to proceed with the Grand Street Resurfacing and Safety Improvement Project, including preparation of final design and construction documents, consistent with the recommended final concept plan.
ALTERNATIVES
The City Council may consider a range of alternatives:
• Approve the recommended concept for the Grand Street Resurfacing and Safety Improvement Project with separated bike lanes and authorize the Interim City Manager to proceed with design and construction, consistent with the staff recommendation. Once the project is constructed, the project will be evaluated, and additional features may be added or modified with a future project.
• Provide direction to staff to modify the final concept and authorize the Interim City Manager to proceed with design and construction. Minor modifications can be accommodated within the funding deadline. However, major changes to the project scope would impact the project schedule and likely result in the City losing the Federal funding earmarked for these improvements, and Grand Street would not be resurfaced in the near future.
• Stop Work. Given the time limits for the use of the outside funding for the project, if the City Council declines to approve the final concept or direct changes, the City will likely to lose the Federal funding earmarked for these improvements and Grand Street would not be resurfaced. At some future date, a majority of the City Council could approve a restriping and improvement plan, however, it would also require a renewed process to re-secure the necessary funding from outside agencies. Given these cost and time constraints, staff would not recommend proceeding with construction and bid documents for either option pending a future decision by the City Council.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The Grand Street Resurfacing and Safety Improvements Project (C11000) is funded by Measures B/BB, Alameda County’s transportation sales tax, which is administered by the Alameda County Transportation Commission. Additional funding is provided by the second round of the One Bay Area Grant (OBAG 2) program, administered by the MTC, which distributes federal transportation funding from the Federal Highway Administration to projects and programs throughout the Bay Area.
The expected project costs are as follows:
|
Project Phase |
Estimated Cost |
|
Environmental Clearance and Design |
$335,600 |
|
Construction (including 20% contingency) |
$2,500,000 |
|
Construction management and staff costs |
$250,000 |
|
Total Project Cost |
$3,085,600 |
The OBAG 2 federal grant funding is expected to contribute $827,000 to the project cost, with the remaining funds provided by local sources, including Measure B/BB.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
As described above, the Grand Street Resurfacing and Safety Improvements Project is consistent with the General Plan (2021) citywide mobility goals, which are:
• Equity: Provide for the mobility needs of all Alameda residents, workers, and visitors regardless of income, age, ability, or neighborhood.
• Safety: Eliminate fatalities and severe injuries on Alameda’s streets, sidewalks, crosswalks and trails by 2035.
• Choices: Expand and improve alternatives to low occupancy automobile trips to incentivize mode shift to more environmentally sustainable modes of transportation while recognizing the diverse needs for mobility.
• Sustainability: Reduce the impacts of transportation systems on the environment, and transition to a more resilient transportation system to address the impacts of climate change.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The project team submitted required environmental clearance documentation to Caltrans and received a signed California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Exemption/ National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) Categorical Exclusion Determination Form in September 2021. Caltrans determined that this project has no significant impacts on the environment as defined by NEPA. As such, the project is categorically excluded from the requirements to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under NEPA.
Additionally, the Grand Street Resurfacing and Safety Improvements Project is categorically exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15301(c) (Existing Facilities - minor alterations to existing facilities including bicycle facilities) and Section 15304(h) (Minor Alterations to Land and the creation of bicycle lanes on existing public rights of way).
CLIMATE IMPACT
Since vehicle miles traveled in Alameda is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Alameda, City staff is expecting that the proposed improvements to Grand Street would have a positive climate impact. The concept is being developed to make it safer and more convenient to ride a bicycle, use the bus and walk and to reduce congestion and idling motor vehicles.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the Interim City Manager, or Designee, to Proceed with the Grand Street Resurfacing and Safety Improvement Project, including preparation of final design and construction documents, consistent with the recommended final concept plan.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Vance, Public Works Deputy Director/City Engineer
Andrew Thomas, Director of Planning, Building and Transportation
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Proposed Final Concept Plan
cc: Nancy Bronstein, Interim City Manager
Erin Smith, Public Works Director