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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8a - Grand Avenue Paving Project Study Session Item 8a Department: Public Works Cost Center: 5010 For Agenda of: 10/6/2026 Placement: Study Session Estimated Time: 90 min FROM: Aaron Floyd, Public Works & Utilities Director Prepared By: Luke Schwartz, Transportation Manager Dana Murray, Transportation Planner-Engineer SUBJECT: GRAND AVENUE PAVING PROJECT STUDY SESSION RECOMMENDATION 1. Receive an update on the Grand Avenue Paving Project; and 2. Provide feedback on the Preliminary Grand Avenue Paving Project Design Concepts. REPORT-IN-BRIEF Grand Avenue is scheduled for repaving in summer/fall of 2027 as part of the City’s biennial recurring paving maintenance project. The 2027 Grand Avenue Paving Project (the “Project”), which may also be referred to in other documents as the “2027 Paving Project”, will combine essential maintenance elements (pavement reconstruction, ADA curb ramp upgrades, and permanent roadway markings ) with additional safety and complete streets improvements to support the City’s adopted safety and multimodal transportation goals, as funding allows. The Project builds on the quick-build improvements installed along Grand Avenue in late 2024/early 2025, which were advanced as a temporary pilot project in response to a history of injury collisions, including a fatal bicycle collision in 2023. City staff monitored the Grand Avenue pilot project performance by reviewing pre- and post-pilot traffic data, crash history, field observations, and feedback from key stakeholders and community members. Overall, monitoring indicates that the pilot has improved conditions for people walking and bicycling and has generally been supported by community members who provided feedback. The monitoring also identified several locations where additional refinements or improvements may be warranted. The purpose of this study session is to (a) present the findings of the Grand Avenue Pilot Project Performance Monitoring and (b) receive City Council direction regarding preliminary design recommendations for the Project, which will be used to guide more detailed project plans and specifications. Page 247 of 274 Item 8a POLICY CONTEXT The Grand Avenue Paving Project is intended to advance essential road maintenance, as guided by the City’s Pavement Management Plan, while also supporting the City’s goals to advance road safety, multimodal transportation infrastructure, climate action and sustainability objectives. The Project directly supports the City’s Major City Goal of Infrastructure and Sustainable Transportation. Active Transportation Plan Policy Context The Grand Avenue corridor is identified as a Tier 2 (medium priority) project in the City’s 2021 Active Transportation Plan (ATP). The ATP calls for protected bike lanes on Grand Avenue from Monterey Street to Slack Street, as well as minor bicycle and pedestrian crossing improvements at the intersections of Grand/McCollum Street and Grand/Mill Street. The ATP also identif ies potential for a major bicycle and pedestrian crossing improvement at the Grand Avenue/Monterey Street intersection, with consideration for dedicated bicycle/pedestrian signal phases and/or bicycle protected intersection features. In addition, the ATP includes a priority action to continue implementing new streetlights, prioritizing locations with higher pedestrian and bicycle activity or with a history of crashes. Vision Zero – Safe Streets Action Plan Recommendations Grand Avenue is designated as part of the City’s High Injury Network per the City’s Vision Zero - Safe Streets Action Plan (page 66). The High Injury Network comprises 11% of City roadways where 80% of fatal and severe injuries have occurred. The Safe Streets Action Plan identifies a range of street design recommendations aimed at improving safety along Grand Avenue, including pursuing permanent improvements informed by the Grand Avenue Pilot Project Monitoring Study and community input. Key recommendations from the Action Plan include: 1. Explore strategies to reduce posted speed limits and increase visibility and awareness of posted speed limits as allowed per the California Vehicle Code, prioritizing high-speed arterials on the High Injury Network. 2. Retain the five-lane to three-lane road reconfiguration for portions of Grand between Monterey and Slack Street. 3. Advance pedestrian crossing enhancements, including corner bulbouts, sidewalk widening, median refuges, and centerline hardening, where appropriate. 4. Explore improvements to the Grand Avenue/US 101 Undercrossing, including widened sidewalks, sidewalk-level protected bike lanes, lighting, and public artwork (including input from City Parks and Recreation and community members on potential aesthetic features). 5. Explore intersection upgrades at the Grand/Loomis/US 101 and Grand/Slack intersections, which could include roundabout(s) or signal control. Page 248 of 274 Item 8a 6. Upgrade street lighting to current City Engineering Standards and consider pedestrian-scale lighting midblock between intersections. City Engineering Standards City Engineering Standards (Chapter 1010, Section 3.1.3), establish a target speed of 30 mph for residential arterial streets that have been designated as part of the High Injury Network or where there is a documented history of higher-than-average collision frequency or severity, which would apply to Grand Avenue. DISCUSSION Background In early 2025, low-cost, quick-build safety improvements were completed on Grand Avenue between Slack Street and Monterey Street as part of the 2024 Roadway Sealing Project. These measures were recommended in response to a pattern of injury collisions along the corridor, including a fatal collision involving a cyclist in 2023. These improvements were installed as a pilot project using temporary materials, including striping and flexible delineator posts, rather than permanent concrete or other fixed improvements, to test design features and gather community feedback before advancing permanent improvements as part of the next repaving of Grand Avenue, which is now scheduled for summer/fall of 2027. Guided by the City’s Pavement Management Plan, the Grand Avenue Paving Project will include essential road maintenance, such as pavement reconstruction, ADA curb r amp upgrades, and installation of permanent road markings. The project also provides an opportunity to incorporate additional safety and multimodal improvements, as funding allows. Final design recommendations for Grand Avenue will be guided by the pilot p roject monitoring results, the City’s Active Transportation Plan, Safe Streets Action Plan, input from community members and stakeholders (i.e. Cal Poly, transit and emergency service providers), the Active Transportation Committee, and ultimately directi on from the City Council. As part of the pilot project evaluation, City staff reviewed traffic data, collision history, field conditions, and community and stakeholder feedback to assess the performance of the pilot improvements. The results of this evalu ation are presented in the following section and helped inform staff’s preliminary recommendations for the 2027 Paving Project and potential longer-term improvements. The purpose of this study session is to present the results of the Grand Avenue Pilot Project monitoring study and receive feedback on the preliminary corridor design concepts for the 2027 Paving Project, as well as long-term recommendations for the corridor. Page 249 of 274 Item 8a Pilot Project Performance Monitoring Study Results The Grand Avenue Pilot Project monitoring study included a review of traffic data (volumes, speeds, collision history, and intersection operations), in -person observations, and feedback from the general community and key stakeholders, including emergency service and transit providers, City Maintenance staff, representatives of Cal Poly, and local schools and childcare facilities located along Grand Avenue. Overall, monitoring indicates that the pilot has generally improved conditions for people walking and bicycling, while also identifying several locations where further refinement or additional safety improvements may be warranted. Key findings are summarized below, while additional detail is provided in the full Grand Avenue Pilot Project Monitoring Summary Report. Traffic Operations and Roadway Configuration Motor vehicle volumes increased between pre-pilot conditions (2022) and post-pilot conditions (2026), increasing from approximately 10,200 vehicles/day to 13,800 vehicles/day on the highest volume segment between US 101 and Slack Street. Despite this increase, the current three-lane configuration continues to operate within the range identified by the Federal Highway Administration as generally suitable for roadways with one travel lane in each direction and a center left-turn lane (up to approximately 18,000 vehicles per day preferred, and up to 25,000 vehicles per day under certain conditions). Following initial concerns about northbound queuing on Grand Avenue spilling back to the US 101 intersections during the morning peak period after the pilot was installed, staff made striping modifications to increase northbound queueing capacity. City Council approved the modifications on October 21, 2025, and construction was completed in January 2026. Following these modifications, queues and traffic delays entering the Cal Poly campus have been substantially reduced, as observed by City staff and reported by Cal Poly representatives. Queues typically extend no farther than the McCollum intersection and dissolve quickly following the brief morning peak. During large special events, such as move-in, Open House, and graduation, Cal Poly continues to use temporary traffic control strategies to manage traffic. Cal Poly typically uses flaggers at the Grand/Slack intersection to facilitate more efficient operat ions and temporarily removes some of the flex posts installed as part of the pilot project to provide two northbound traffic lanes between Loomis Street and Slack Street. Vehicle Speeds The pilot project did not result in a significant change in vehicle s peeds on Grand Avenue. When staff compared speeds before and after the pilot, typical vehicle speeds remained around 35 mph. There was, however, a small decrease in the number of drivers traveling 10 mph or more over the speed limit. Page 250 of 274 Item 8a Since this data was collected, the City lowered the speed limit on Grand Avenue from 35 mph to 30 mph in August 2026. The lower speed limit is intended to further reduce vehicle speeds and bring speeds closer to the City’s 30-mph target for Grand Avenue. Collision Data Analysis The available data does not show a clear increase or decrease in collisions since the pilot project was installed. When compared with the five years immediately before the pilot (2020-2024), the post- pilot average annual number of total collisions was 88% higher, while the average annual number of fatal and severe injury collisions was 67% higher. However, that comparison period includes the COVID-19 pandemic years, when traffic volumes and collisions were unusually low throughout the City. When compared with the five years before the pandemic (2015-2019), which reflected more typical traffic volumes, the post-pilot average annual number of total collisions was 4% lower, while the post-pilot average annual number of fatal and severe injury collisions was 33% lower. One location continues to be a particular concern: the Grand/Loomis/US 101 Southbound On-Ramp intersection. Collision trends and reported close calls indicate that this intersection would benefit from additional safety improvements. As further discussed later in this report, improvements proposed for this location as part of the Project include constructing a concrete bulbout to reduce turning speeds, installation of additional streetlighting and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs ), while a roundabout is identified as a potential long-term improvement. See the sections below for additional details on these recommendations. Bicycle and Pedestrian Conditions Pedestrian and bicycle volumes have increased compared to pre-pilot conditions and community feedback has generally been supportive of the buffered and protected bicycle facilities and pedestrian improvements, including the new crosswalk with Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at Grand/McCollum. The monitoring study and community feedback also identified opportunities to: a) Refine striping to avoid horizontal shifts in bike lane alignment (where the bike lane moves to the left or right rather than continuing in a straight line) and maintain a more direct path for cyclists, to the extent feasible. b) Evaluate opportunities to improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities at the Fredericks, US 101 Southbound On-Ramp/Loomis, and Monterey intersections to reduce conflicts with turning motor vehicles. c) Provide additional crossing opportunities (particularly at Mill Street where recent counts indicate clear crossing demand). d) Improve bicycle and pedestrian conditions within the US 101 undercrossing. Page 251 of 274 Item 8a Community & Stakeholder Feedback The City launched a public engagement effort in spring 2026 to gather community input on the Grand Avenue Paving Project and the pilot improvements. The primary engagement tool was an online survey, which received 229 comments. The City also issued a news release, established a project website and email list, and conducted targeted outreach to Cal Poly representatives, nearby schools and childcare facilities, transit and emergency service providers, and other stakeholders. Additional outreach included sidewalk decals within the project area, posters on SLO Transit buses, and flyers distributed on the Cal Poly campus in partnership with the Cal Poly Urbanists group. Community and stakeholder feedback was generally supportive of the pilot improvements. Feedback also identified several areas for further consideration, including vehicle speeds, bicycle and pedestrian facilities at intersections, lighting, the visibility and clarity of roadway markings and delineation, and congestion during peak periods and special events. Additional feedback from the City’s Active Transportation Committee is summarized in a later section of this report. Emergency Evacuation Analysis The San Luis Obispo County Fire Safe Council was commissioned to evaluate how the Grand Avenue pilot project may affect emergency evacuation. The study compared evacuation conditions before the pilot project with conditions under the current pilot configuration, including the five-lane-to-three-lane roadway lane configuration and turn restrictions at the Grand Avenue/US 101 Southbound On-Ramp/Loomis intersection. The study evaluated two emergency scenarios: a fast-moving wildfire and a severe storm causing localized flooding. It also considered two evacuation areas: one involving the neighborhoods immediately surrounding Grand Avenue and a larger scenario that also included the Cal Poly campus. The study estimated that the pilot project would increase evacuation clearance times by approximately 10 minutes for the smaller evacuation area (from approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes) and approximately 20 minutes for the larger evacuation area that includes the Cal Poly campus (from approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes). These estimates apply to both the wildfire and flooding scenarios. Despite the increase in evacuation time, all modeled scenarios remained within the City’s two-hour benchmark used for evacuation planning. The study therefore concluded that, under the conditions modeled, the pilot project did not present a significant impediment to evacuating the surrounding area. The Grand Avenue Pilot Project Monitoring Summary Report, included as an attachment to the monitoring report, provides detailed information on the evacuation study. Page 252 of 274 Item 8a Preliminary Grand Avenue Paving Project Design Concepts Based on the results of the pilot project monitoring study, staff developed the Preliminary Grand Avenue Paving Project Design Concepts (Attachment A) for community and stakeholder review and feedback. Final design recommendations will be informed by additional community engagement, input from the City’s Active Transportation Committee, and City Council direction. The preliminary recommendations for permanent improvements to Grand Avenue as part of the Project, in addition to essential pavement maintenance and accessibility improvements are as follows: 1. Retain Roadway Lane Configuration: Retain the current three-lane roadway configuration within the existing pilot project limits, with minor striping refinements to provide a longer transition for the southbound merge from two lanes to one lane near the Cal Poly campus, south of Slack Street. Retain the ability to temporarily provide two northbound lanes on Grand Avenue between Loomis Street and Slack Street during large Cal Poly special events using temporary traffic control. See Figure 1 below for a map illustrating the Grand Avenue roadway lane configuration. 2. Retain Protected Bike Lanes: Retain the existing protected bike lanes within the current pilot project limits, using flex posts as the vertical separation between the bike lanes and vehicle travel lanes, consistent with the City Fire Department’s request. See Figure 2 below for a map illustrating the Grand Avenue bicycle facilities. 3. Refine Bike Lane Striping: Refine the bike lane striping, where feasible, to provide a more direct and consistent path for people bicycling and reduce horizontal shifts in the bike lane. 4. Improve Roadway Markings and Delineation: Improve the visibility and clarity of roadway markings and vertical delineation. Where feasible, reduce the number of flex posts while maintaining appropriate separation and visibility, and improve the visibility of flex posts and other vertical features that remain. 5. Improve Lighting: Pursue additional streetlighting, particularly at the Grand/Loomis/US 101 Southbound On -Ramp intersection and within the Grand/US 101 Undercrossing. Additional streetlighting will require coordination with Caltrans and PG&E. 6. Make Quick-Build Bulbouts Permanent: Where feasible and subject to funding and site constraints, replace the existing quick-build bulbouts, which currently use striping and flex posts, with permanent concrete bulbouts. 7. Grand/Fredericks Intersection: Pursue design elements to slow turning vehicle speeds and improve visibility for people walking and bicycling at the Grand/Fredericks intersection, including a raised crosswalk if feasible. 8. Grand/US 101 Southbound On-Ramp/Loomis Intersection: Pursue design elements to improve visibility and reduce conflicts between turning vehicles and people walking and bicycling at the Grand/US 101 Southbound On -Ramp intersection, including Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs). Page 253 of 274 Item 8a Improvements within the US 101/Grand Avenue Inter change will require Caltrans coordination. 9. Manage Vehicle Speeds: Pursue design elements intended to encourage lower vehicle speeds and support a 30 -mph corridor-wide target speed, including additional speed limit signage, speed limit pavement markings, and radar speed feedback signs. 10. Grand/Mill Intersection: Pursue an enhanced pedestrian and bicycle crossing at the Grand/Mill intersection, including features such as high-visibility crosswalk markings, RRFBs, and corner bulbouts, where feasible. Figure 1: Grand Avenue Motor Vehicle Lane Configuration Page 254 of 274 Item 8a Figure 2: Grand Avenue Bicycle Facilities Long-Term Improvements Recommended for Future Consideration In addition to the improvements proposed for the 2027 Paving Project, staff identified several longer-term improvements that are worthy of consideration but are not proposed as part of the 2027 project due to funding limitations, right -of-way needs, agency coordination, or other design and implementation constraints. These improvements could be considered in future years as funding and other resources become available. Attachment B illustrates these potential long-term improvements. Key recommendations include: 1. Grand Avenue/Slack Street Intersection: Explore a future roundabout, which would require coordination with Cal Poly and may require off -site right-of-way acquisition. This location does not currently meet warrants for installation of a traffic signal. 2. Grand Avenue/US 101 Southbound On-Ramp/Loomis Street Intersection: Explore a future roundabout, which would require coordination with Caltrans and may require off-site right-of-way acquisition. This location does not currently meet warrants for installation of a traffic signal. 3. US 101 Undercrossing: Consider additional lighting, public art, sidewalk widening, and slope stabilization to reduce debris on the sidewalk and bikeway. Improvements at the US 101 undercrossing would require coordination with Caltrans, including both short-term improvements planned with the 2027 Paving Project and any long-term modifications. 4. Sidewalk-Level Protected Bike Lanes: Explore the potential to convert street-level Page 255 of 274 Item 8a protected bike lanes to sidewalk-level facilities, subject to further analysis of drainage, utility, and emergency vehicle impacts. 5. Permanent Bulbouts: Explore additional permanent bulbouts at locations not currently shown in the Preliminary Design Concepts (Attachment A) for the 2027 Paving Project. 12 total permanent bulbouts are currently shown in the concept plans at priority locations, where other locations (15 total) are currently shown with flex posts and striping only due to budget constraints. These 15 locations are recommended for permanent bulbouts and could be considered for in the future, subject to future funding and site constraints. 6. Corridor Lighting: Explore additional intersection lighting and pedestrian-scale lighting at mid-block locations along the corridor. Additional streetlighting will require coordination with PG&E. 7. Bus Boarding Islands: Evaluate opportunities to route bikeways behind bus boarding platforms to reduce conflicts between bicyclists and buses. This may require off-site right-of-way acquisition or modifications to existing raised center medians to maintain required emergency vehicle clearance. 8. Sidewalks and Landscaping: Explore opportunities to widen sidewalks, add street trees, improve landscaping along sidewalk parkways and center medians, and incorporate stormwater treatment features. Frequently Asked Questions To help guide Council’s review of this item, staff has provided answers to the following frequently asked questions, which represent common inquiries received through public input and previous conversations regarding Grand Avenue. Question #1: Can protected bike lanes be extended along the full stretch of G rand Avenue, as contemplated in the ATP? Answer: If supported by the Council, the limits of protected bike lanes along Grand Avenue could be expanded; however, the majority of existing on -street parking would need to be removed to accomplish this. Staff e xplored the feasibility of retaining on- street parking by shifting the parking lane between the bike lane and moving traffic lane, similar to the existing parking-protected bike lanes on portions of Marsh and Higuera Streets downtown. However, where raised center medians exist—which applies to nearly all of Grand Avenue—there is insufficient space to do this while retaining the minimum clearances required for emergency vehicles. Question #2: Are there more robust intersection improvements that can be advanced sooner at key intersections, such as the Grand/Loomis/US 101 Southbound Ramp or Grand/Slack intersection to improve safety and reduce traffic delays? Answer: Improvements that are realistically feasible at this time are proposed in the current Preliminary Design Concepts (Attachment A). At the Grand/Loomis/US 101 Southbound Ramp intersection, this includes additional streetlighting, concrete bulbouts to reduce turning speeds, RRFB beacons to increase visibility of bike/ped Page 256 of 274 Item 8a crossing conflicts, and measures to “harden” the Loomis left turn restrictions to discourage illegal maneuvers. As described in further detail in the Pilot Project Monitoring Summary Report, staff evaluated the potential to convert the Grand/Loomis/US 101 Southbound Ramp and Grand/Slack intersections to signalized or roundabout control. Neither intersection meets standard engineering warrants for installation of a traffic signal. While both intersections could be good candidates for future roundabouts, as shown in the Recommended Long-Term Improvements in Attachment B, this would not be feasible as part of the current paving project, as this would require significant additional funding, potential off-site right-of-way acquisition, and additional time for planning, design, coordination with utility providers and Caltrans. Funding to advance further planning and feasibility studies could be pursued in a future City Financial Plan. Question #3: Can more robust vertical features be added for protected bike lanes, such as concrete barriers? Answer: While the Council could direct staff to explore potential for more rigid protected bike lane features, such as concrete barriers, at this time, the City Fire and Police Departments have requested that only flex posts be used if protected bike lanes are to remain on Grand Avenue, as this improves the ability for vehicles to clear to the side of the road and out of the path of emergency vehicles during more routine emergency events, as well as in the case of a large -scale evacuation event. The projected evaluation clearance times presented herein and in the Pilot Project Monitoring Study conservatively assume only one lane of vehicle traffic is provided where protected bike lanes are proposed—this analysis does not directly reflect potential increase or decrease in response/evacuation times for rigid vs. flexible bikeway barriers; however, local emergency response providers have been clear in their preference for flex posts at these locations. Question #4: Can more streetlighting be added along Grand Avenue? Answer: As shown in Preliminary Design Concepts (Attachment A), staff is recommending additional lighting at the Grand/US 101 Southbound On -Ramp, along the Grand/US 101 Underpass, and at the Grand/Monterey intersection —these locations were prioritized based on crash history and community feedback. Additional opportunities for streetlighting could be explored, if requested by the Council; however, to account for this additional cost, staff would need to reduce other project elements, such as the number of permanent corner bulbouts, or assume an even higher project budget will be available. All new streetlights will require coordination with PG&E for electrical service. Additional streetlighting beyond what is currently proposed would add project complexity and could increase the potential for schedule delays. Page 257 of 274 Item 8a Question #5: Can speed tables or other physical traffic calming measures be used to reduce speeding on Grand Avenue? Answer: Physical traffic calming measures with vertical deflection, such as speed humps/tables, are generally not recommended for higher-traffic arterial streets that serve as primary emergency response routes, such as Grand Avenue. Several traffic calming strategies that are more appropriate for this street type are proposed with the Paving Project, as shown in Attachment A, including retaining the three-lane roadway lane configuration, using narrow traffic lane widths, features such as bulbouts and protected bike lanes to visually narrow the roadway width, radar speed feedback signs, and speed limit pavement markings. As discussed above, the future addition of roundabouts along Grand Avenue could also help reduce traffic speeds along the corridor. Question #6: Where flex posts are proposed to remain along Grand Avenue, what can be done to increase their visibility? Answer: While the typical flex posts that have been used in recent years have performed well in terms of durability and ongoing maintenance, there are other types of flex posts that could be considered to increase visibility for road users. Staff is happy to discuss options in further detail, but the images below provide a few examples. Final selection of street design materials will also be vetted with City maintenance staff during final design, but staff welcomes Council input on this topic. Photo of Flex Post Type Used with Grand Avenue Pilot Page 258 of 274 Item 8a Example Photos of Higher-Visibility Flex Post Options Question #7: Does the proposed streetlighting require PG&E coordination and could that be a potential source of project delays? Answer: Yes, the proposed streetlighting will require new electrical service and coordination with PG&E. While staff will endeavor to initiate this coordination as early as possible during design and believes there is still adequate time to properly accommodate this process within the current project schedule, there is always some possibility that could be a source of potential project delays. Similarly, any work near the Grand Avenue/US 101 interchange will require design approval and encroachment permit issuance by Caltrans. Early coordination with both PG&E and Caltrans will be a critical path as the project proceeds into detailed design. Previous Council or Advisory Body Action Previous Active Transportation Committee Action Prior to construction, the Grand Avenue Pilot Project was presented to the Active Transportation Committee (ATC) on February 29, 2024 as part of the 2024 Roadway Sealing Project. At that meeting, the ATC provided comments and recommendations to guide the final project designs. Staff presented an update to the ATC on proposed minor striping modifications to the pilot project on March 20, 2025. At its May 20, 2026 meeting, the ATC provided preliminary feedback on the performance of the Grand Avenue Pilot Project, where the committee generally viewed the pilot project positively, citing the pedestrian and bicyclist improvements as a net benefit. At its September 17, 2026, meeting, the committee conducted a more detailed review of the Pilot Project Performance Monitoring Results and Preliminary Design Concepts. The committee generally supported the safety and active transportation improvements proposed in the Grand Avenue Paving Project Preliminary Design Concepts while providing the following feedback: Page 259 of 274 Item 8a a) Pursue more robust vertical protection for protected bike lanes: The ATC made a motion to pursue more rigid protected bikeway separation features, such as concrete barriers. Prefabricated concrete curbs for protected bikeway separation, similar to those proposed along sections of Higuera Street as part of the Higuera Complete Streets Project, are estimated to add approximately $100,000 to the project cost. This recommendation conflicts with the City Fire and Police Department’s request to retain flex posts as the vertical separation treatment. b) Provide the ability for a bicyclist approaching on the Mill Street Greenway to activate the proposed RRFB crosswalk system at the Grand/Mill enhanced crossing. Previous City Council Action The City Council approved the Grand Avenue pilot improvements as part of the 2024 Roadway Sealing Project on May 21, 2024. Following implementation of the pilot improvements, staff monitored traffic operations and safety conditions and identified several areas where short-term striping modifications were warranted. The City Council approved these modifications on October 21, 2025. Public Engagement As documented in the May 21, 2024 City Council Agenda Report, significant public engagement activities were conducted prior to installation of the Grand Avenue pilot project, including an in-person public workshop, project website, direct postcard notices to properties in the project vicinity, and several public hearings. The City launched a new public engagement effort in the spring of 2026 to gather community input on the pilot project potential permanent improvement strategies for the Project. As described previously, an online community input survey was created to solicit public input, which received a total of 229 comments. To encourage participation and increase awareness of the survey and the forthcoming Paving Project, the City issued a news release, established a project website and email list, provided targeted notifications to Cal Poly student and administrative representatives, nearby schools and childcare facilities, transit and emergency service providers, installed sidewalk decals within the project area, placed posters on SLO Transit buses, and partnered with the Cal Poly Urbanists group to distribute flyers on the Cal Poly campus. In September 2026, direct mailers were sent to properties along the Grand Avenue corridor, and a citywide news release was issued to provide notice of the forthcoming September ATC meeting and this Council Study Session as opportunities for public feedback on the 2027 Paving Project. City staff also provided a presentation on the project to the Cal Poly Student-Community Liaison Committee (SCLC) in early September 2026. Primary feedback provided from the SCLC included support for additional streetlighting and interest in closely coordinating project construction traffic handling to minimize impacts to Cal Poly Move-In and day-to-day campus peak traffic demands. Page 260 of 274 Item 8a Community and stakeholder feedback provided through the survey and directly to staff has generally been supportive of the pilot project improvements, while also identifying concerns related to vehicle speeds, bicycle facilities at intersections, lighting, visibility and clarity of roadway markings and delineation, and congestion during peak periods and special events. CONCURRENCE Transportation staff have solicited feedback on the pilot project and reviewed the preliminary design concepts for the 2027 Grand Avenue Paving Project with City emergency services staff from the San Luis Obispo Fire and Police Departments. As summarized in earlier sections of this report and the Pilot Pro ject Monitoring Summary Report, the Fire and Police Departments have not identified significant operational concerns associated with the traffic lane reductions or other pilot project features. The Fire Department has requested that flex posts be retained as the form of vertical protected bikeway delineation rather than adding more rigid concrete barriers. Flex posts provide greater flexibility for emergency vehicles to move to the side of the roadway and clear the path of emergency vehicles when necessary. In addition, corner bulbouts and other vertical design elements are being designed to avoid impediments to turning maneuvers for City fire trucks and other large commercial vehicles. Final designs will be shared with both the City Fire and Police Departments for input before advancing the 2027 Paving Project to construction. This staff report has also been reviewed by the City Attorney’s Office, Finance Department, and City Administration for concurrence. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW This study session is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because Council is being asked to receive information and provide direction on preliminary design concepts; no project approval or authorization to construct improvements is requested at this time. Formal CEQA review will be prepared for the 2027 Paving Project once final project designs and scope have been further refined and will be discussed further when staff returns with a request for Council to approve the final project plans and specificati ons. As with most of the City’s annual paving projects, staff expect that the Project will qualify for an Exemption to CEQA pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 Class 1 (Existing Facilities) and 15302 Class 2 (Replacement or Reconstruction). Page 261 of 274 Item 8a FISCAL IMPACT Budgeted: Yes Budget Year: 2027-28 Funding Identified: Yes Fiscal Analysis: Funding Sources Total Budget Available Current Funding Request Remaining Balance Annual Ongoing Cost General Fund $ $ $ $ State Federal Fees Other: Total $ $ $ $ There is no immediate fiscal impact attributed to the recommendations in this report; however, the options presented and resulting Council feedback will affect the total cost of the Grand Avenue Paving Project. The following provides a preliminary summary of anticipated project funding and cost estimates based on early design concepts. The total budget for the 2027 Paving Project has not yet been finalized, as project funds will be programmed for Fiscal Year 2027-28, Year 1 of the City’s next two-year Financial Plan. For the purposes of guiding Preliminary Design Concepts (Attachment A), an estimated project budget of $8.5 million was assumed—this is in line with the total budget for the recent 2025 Paving Project on Sacramento Drive and Tank Farm Road, which cost approximately $9 million. The $8.5 million estimated project budget includes costs of approximately $7 million for essential maintenance (paving, required ADA ramp upgrades, new striping), and a reasonable level of complete street and safety “betterments” of approximately $1.5 million to improve pedestrian/bicycle facilities and overall safety. The final project budget is pending refinement with development of the 2027-29 Financial Plan, and final project design details could change based on (a) funding availability, (b) unforeseen constraints revealed through further design work, or (c) new information revealed through coordination with outside parties, such as PG&E for new electrical work and Caltrans, who must approve any work near the Grand/US 101 interchange. While staff has already prioritized the scope of “betterment” elements currently contemplated based on greatest benefit to safety and per the results of the pilot project monitoring, the scope of improvements beyond essential maintenance could be scaled back further if there is less funding ultimately available. Page 262 of 274 Item 8a Project Elements for Grand Avenue Preliminary Cost Estimate Essential Maintenance Work (paving, ADA curb ramps, utility adjustments, restriping, temporary traffic control, etc.) $5,400,000 Additional Complete Street Elements: Concrete Bulbouts & Median Modifications $ 800,000 Additional Lighting $ 250,000 RRFBs at Grand/Mill and Grand/US 101 Southbound Ramp $ 75,000 Other Costs (Contingency, Construction Management, Materials Testing, etc.) $1,975,000 TOTAL $ 8,500,000 As described in Alternative #2 below, the Council could pre-emptively direct staff to continue work on the Project assuming a lower amount of available funding, prioritizing limited funding towards essential maintenance work and perhaps a smaller scope of complete street “betterments”. Under this scenario, staff would request Council and community input on prioritization of improvements, while staff would recommend prioritizing improvements at the Grand Avenue/Loomis/US 101 SB Ramp intersection, where feasible. It should be noted that staff did evaluate outside grant programs as potential funding opportunities to support his project. However, the programs that would best align with the proposed scope of this project, such as the State Active Transportation Program (ATP), Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) programs did not have application cycle that aligned with the schedule for this project. The next application cycles for ATP and HSIP grant programs are anticipated to be in 2028, which could align with City projects targeted for construction in 2029 or beyond. ALTERNATIVES 1. Council could direct staff to modify the proposed Project designs, assuming a similar level of Project funding as currently contemplated. Council could direct staff to pursue other design elements or priorities than those currently reflected in the preliminary concepts, assuming a similar level of Project funding as currently contemplated. This could include:  Restore the pre-pilot configuration of Grand Avenue with two traffic lanes in each direction, removing protected bike lanes, bulbouts, or other pilot features as necessary.  Remove the turn restrictions at the Grand/Loomis intersection.  Reduce or remove quick-build striped bulbouts, flex posts, or other temporary design features.  Prioritize additional streetlighting, which may require increasing the project budget or reducing other project scope.  Pursue permanent corner bulbouts at other locations not shown in the Preliminary Design Concepts Page 263 of 274 Item 8a  Reduce or eliminate green bike lane coloring.  Expand the limits of the protected bike lanes, consistent with Active Transportation Plan recommendations, which would require additional on - street parking removal and further review with emergency services.  Pursue more rigid separation between the protected bike lanes and vehicle travel lanes, although this would be inconsistent with the City Fire Department's recommendation to retain flexible posts for emergency access. 2. Council could direct staff to reduce the scope of improvements proposed with the Project to reduce costs, prioritizing essential paving and only the highest- priority safety improvements that could be funded assuming a more modest budget. Under this alternative, staff would continue with the 2027 Grand Avenue Paving Project with the assumption that less funding will be available. Accordingly, designs would be refined to prioritize pavement rehabilitation, required ADA improvements, and a reduced scope of “betterments”, focusing on a reduced scope of the highest- priority safety improvements identified through pilot monitoring results. Other improvements could be reduced, modified, or deferred to remain within a more modest budget. This approach would allow the City to address the condition of Grand Avenue while focusing available funding on the improvements with the greatest safety and operational benefit, such as improvements to the Grand/Loomis/US 101 SB Ramp intersection. 3. Council could direct staff not to proceed with permanent improvements as part of the 2027 Paving Project, or delay the project. Council could direct staff to defer permanent improvements on Grand Avenue and prioritize other streets for pavement maintenance. Deferring the project would allow additional time to explore the feasibility, funding, and design of more substantial improvements, such as roundabouts at the Grand/Slack and/or Grand/US 101 Southbound On-Ramp/Loomis intersection, additional bulbouts or streetlighting. If this alternative is selected, some maintenance work would likely still need to be advanced on Grand Avenue in the short term to refresh faded pavement markings and address the most severe areas of pavement deterioration. If the Council is interested in pursuing a roundabout at Grand/Slack or Grand/US 101, staff expects that these improvements could require $6 million to $10 million each in additional construction funding, and would require at least three (3) years for additio nal planning, environmental review and design work. Challenges with off -site property acquisition, utility and Caltrans coordination could increase the costs and schedule beyond these estimates. ATTACHMENTS A - Preliminary Grand Avenue Paving Project Design Concepts B - Grand Avenue Improvements Recommended for Future Consideration Page 264 of 274 Page 265 of 274 Page 266 of 274 Page 267 of 274 Page 268 of 274 Page 269 of 274 Page 270 of 274 Page 271 of 274 Page 272 of 274 Page 273 of 274 Page 274 of 274