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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/17/2024 Item 6c, Horn, Nelson, Schwartz, Nguyen – Staff Agenda CorrespondenceCity of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum City of San Luis Obispo Council Agenda Correspondence DATE: September 17, 2024 TO: Mayor and Council FROM: Matt Horn, Public Works Director Prepared By: Brian Nelson, Deputy Director of Public Works Luke Schwartz, Transportation Manager Hai Nguyen, Senior Civil Engineer VIA: Whitney McDonald, City Manager SUBJECT: ITEM 6C. AUTHORIZATION TO ADVERTISE CALIFORNIA BOULEVARD AND TAFT STREET WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT, SPECIFICATION NO. 2000545 Staff received the following questions, regarding the California Boulevard and Taft Street Water Main Replacement project (Water Main Replacement Project). The questions are below with staff’s response shown in italics: 1) As identified in the staff report, the City is moving forward with this project now because of the delay in constructing the Taft/California roundabout and that this was initially slated to happen as part of that project. Do we have any better estimate of when that project will be able to commence? Construction of the California/Taft Roundabout project has been delayed due to challenges with right-of-way acquisition. Assuming the City acquires the right-of- way, construction funding for the California/Taft Roundabout is planned to be included with the 2025-27 Financial Plan for Council’s consideration. The earliest that construction could begin is summer of 2026. Staff plans to provide an update to the Council in early 2025 on status of right-of-way negotiations and potential next steps if unsuccessful in acquiring the necessary right-of-way. 2) There have been intermittent desires expressed by community members for a safer way to get across California Boulevard while we wait for the roundabout. There is really no way for pedestrians to get safely across California Boulevard unless going all the way down to Foothill. Would there be any possibility of adding an “additive alternative” to this RFP for putting in a “quick build” crossing of California as part of this project between Taft and Foothill? Staff does not recommend pursuing an additive alternative to the Water Main Replacement Project to add a pedestrian crossing, as this would delay the Water Main Replacement Project, which is otherwise funded and shovel-ready, by an Item 6c. California Blvd. to Taft St. Water Main Replacement Page 2 indeterminate amount of time. Currently, there is no design prepared for a pedestrian crossing improvement, nor funding available to advance design or construction of this improvement. If the Council desires that staff prioritize work on a new pedestrian crossing on California, staff would need to fund an outside traffic engineering consultant to conduct the planning and design for this project. While this design work is underway, staff would also need to identify construction funding to advance this pedestrian crossing. On a high-speed arterial roadway, like California Boulevard, additional features beyond a striped crosswalk would likely be warranted, such as presence of streetlighting, flashing beacon systems, ADA-compliant curb ramps, and potentially measures such as corner extensions (i.e. bulbouts) and/or median refuges to reduce crossing exposure and increase driver yield compliance. Quick-build tactics and materials may be appropriate for some features of a pedestrian crossing (i.e. pavement markings, signs, solar beacon systems), but may not be viable depending on the crossing design details—for example, if ADA curb ramp upgrades, new streetlighting, or a fully controlled crossing device, such as a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon, are warranted, these features could require more than a year to for design, PG&E coordination, equipment procurement and construction. Because the engineering studies required to determine the appropriate location and design details of a new pedestrian crossing have not yet been prepared, it is difficult to confirm the design complexity and cost of these improvements at this time, nor if these improvements would need to be removed/reconstructed as part of the ultimate roundabout project. If Council desires that staff prioritize work on advancing a new pedestrian crossing on California Boulevard, staff recommends that Council direct that staff return at another date in the near future with more specific details on design approach, potential costs, funding strategies, and timeline for implementation. As noted above, staff will return to Council in early 2025 with an update on right-of-way acquisition for the roundabout project—that would be an ideal opportunity to provide additional direction on whether to pursue an interim pedestrian crossing improvement ahead of the roundabout construction.