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Home My WebLink About3/17/2020 Item 15, Stanwyck Council Agenda Correspondence City of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum DATE: March 13, 2020 TO: City Council CC: Active Transportation Committee FROM: Shelly Stanwyck, Assistant City Manager Community Services VIA:Derek Johnson, City Manager DJ PREPARED BY:Luke Schwartz, Transportation Manager Adam Fukushima, Active Transportation Manager SUBJECT:Item #15. Response to Questions Regarding Quick Build Bicycle/Pedestrian Improvements Question Staff has received several questionsfrom the community and Council on the topic of “quick build” bicycle and pedestrian safety projects and expenditures as they relate to the Financial Plan for 2019-21.The purpose of this correspondence is to provide a brief discussion of three ways that staff has integrated quick build strategies into the City’s capital improvement program for 2019- 21. Definition of Quick Build Projects Quick build projects are infrastructure improvements related to pedestrian and bicycle safetythat can be built quickly. They oftenusestriping and lower-cost materialsto serve as interim improvements until more costly permanent improvements can be funded.Some common examples include protected bike lanes byusing striping and plastic flex postsin lieu of concrete medians, installation of corner bulb outsusing paint in lieu of concrete, and so forth.It is important to note that while quick builds construction costs may belower costthan permanent installations, they are not necessarily “cheap builds”. For example, installation of protected bike lanes, or “cycle tracks”, can cost $1-2 million per mile for permanent installation with raised concrete barriers separating bicyclists, while quick build installations accomplished through striping and low-cost flex posts canstill require $200,000-$400,000 per mile.For more information on quick build projects, an informative guide published by People for Bikes can be found here: https://b.3cdn.net/bikes/675cdae66d727f8833_kzm6ikutu.pdf. Three Ways Quick Builds are Currently Integrated into City Plans and/or Projects 1.Active Transportation Plan.The City is in the process of developing its first Active Transportation Plan (ATP), which will be presented to the City Council for adoption later in 2020.The Draft ATP includesrecommendations to prioritize quick build strategiesto implement bicycle and pedestrian safety projectsusing interim materialswhere feasible to allowsafety and mobility benefits to be realized in the short term. Parallelto that effort is File Path -https://slocitycloud.sharepoint.com/sites/SLOHub/Administration/Council Memos/Documents/Council Memo Quick Build Projects.docx Quick Build Bicycle/Pedestrian ImprovementsPage 2 planning for and fundinglonger-term permanent installationsover time.The ATP will identify a Tier 1 list of the highest-priority projectsand highlight which of these projects could potentially be implemented first as quick build installationsthis Fall. 2.Quick Build Projects in Current Capital Improvement Programtotal over $740,000. There are numerous examples of quick build transportation improvements that have already been completed or are planned to be constructedas part of the City’s current FY2019-21 Capital Improvement Program(CIP).Notably,several of these work efforts are reflected in proposed mid-year adjustments to the CIP, which will be presented in detail th to theCouncil on April 7.Attachment Ato this memoprovides a summary of the quick build projects completed or in progress as part of the current transportation work program. In total, approximately $740,000 is proposed to beallocated to projects that include quick build pedestrian and bicycle safety improvementsto be completed by mid-year 2021. 3.Capital Reserve.At the March 17 Council meeting, Item 15 includes consideration of a Resolution for the Use of Undesignated Fund Balance.A total of $213,000 is presently proposed to go to the Capital Reserveto address volatility and cost uncertainty in the construction market.If the Council is so inclined, the $213,000 couldpotentially be allocated to more urgent quick buildprojectsbyfundingconsultant design services and construction for a potential quick build installation.In light of the current economic volatility, Staff continues to recommend an allocation to the Capital Reserve. If you have any questions on this topic, please feel free to contact Transportation Manager, Luke Schwartz (lschwartz@slocity.org) or Active Transportation Manager, Adam Fukushima (afukushima@slocity.org). Quick Build Bicycle/Pedestrian ImprovementsPage 3 ATTACHMENT A: Quick Build Transportation Projects Completed/In Progress 2020 Roadway Sealing Project --$150,000 As part of the summer 2020 roadway paving project, several active transportation projects will be constructed which feature Quick-Build elements including: 2+ miles of new neighborhood greenway installations, with unique pavement markings and signage to convey priority Two-way cycle track to facilitate High Street offset street crossing along King/Nipomo Greenway Hi-vis “ladder style” crosswalk markings at 24 crosswalks Upgrading Chorro Street quick build traffic circle, and filling in corner islands with decorative pavers Pismo Street right sizing (Santa Rosa to Broad), reducing street from two to one motor vehicle travel lane, providing width for buffered bike lanes Install painted bulb outsalong neighborhood greenways, along High Street, and at intersections near Hawthorne Elementary. Bulb outsalong neighborhood greenways to include public artwork (Morro, King-Nipomo, Islay). Examples of painted bulb outusing QuickBuild materials Quick Build Bicycle/Pedestrian ImprovementsPage 4 Bicycle & Pedestrian Crossing Improvements --$230,000 In addition to the summer 2020 roadway paving project, the current workplan will continue to add to the City’s inventory of enhanced crossings for bicycle and pedestrian use including: Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacon (RRFB) systems at multiple intersections: South/King (King-Nipomo Greenway) High/Hutton (King-Nipomo Greenway) Islay/Broad (Islay Greenway) Islay/Osos (Islay Greenway) Ramona Mid-Block Crossing (Replace Existing Beacons) Monterey/Buena Vista Johnson/Sydney (Upgrade Existing Safe Route to School Crossing) Tank Farm/Poinsettia Install bike ramp from King Street cul-de-sac to access Meadow Park and new neighborhood greenways Install in-roadway pedestrian yield signs to improve visibility at existing uncontrolled pedestrian crossings. This is in addition to the in-roadway pedestrian yield signs installed in February 2020. Examples ofRRFBcrossing andin-roadway pedestrian yield signs Quick Build Bicycle/Pedestrian ImprovementsPage 5 Advance Planning for 2021 Roadway Sealing Project Quick Builds–$140,000 In anticipation of the 2021 paving project of the downtown, funding will be allocated for feasibility analysis, traffic modeling, planning, and preliminary design for potential quick build sustainable transportation projects to be constructed. A key component of this study will be the feasibility of quick build concepts based on recommendations from the Downtown Concept Plan. Quick Build Bicycle/Pedestrian ImprovementsPage 6 Traffic Safety/Vision Zero Implementation –$220,000 As recommended in the City’s annual Traffic Safety Program and VisionZero goals, efforts will continue to provide opportunity for quick-build safety improvements, including painted bulb outs, green bike lanes, improved bikeway signing/striping, traffic signal modifications, and other enhancements.