HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/17/2001, C1 - DOWNTOWN STREET SIGNING PROJECT-NO. 90162 1\ '
councit r&mh,Date July 17,2001
j agenda Repoat ' 1�Nuni6� c i
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
FROM: Michael McCluskey,Director of Public Works�)K
Prepared By: Greg Walker,Project Coordinator
SUBJECT: DOWNTOWN STREET.SIGNING PROJECT—NO. 90162
CAO RECOMMENDATION
1. Approve Plans and Specifications for bidding Downtown Street Signing Project—No.
90162
2. Authorize the staff to advertise the project for bids
3. Authorize the CAO to Award the project if bids received are less than the Engineer's
estimate of$42,000
4. Adopt a Resolution approving proposed changes to City Standard 7250 — Street Name
Sign
DISCUSSION
Background. On April 18, 2000 the City Council adopted new street name sign standards,
approved a street sign implementation plan, and budgeted funds for installation of new signs in the
downtown. Project 90162 is a result of that action. This project is being brought forward later than
anticipated 1)because the downtown is a complex network of various types of signalized and non
signalized intersections, and 2) fitting the new standards to the downtown was an arduous task.
Because every intersection in the downtown is unique, staff anticipated preparing plans and
specifications by using digital photographs of each leg of each intersection then graphically
overlaying the needed signage with its location. Although this method proved overly time
consuming and ultimately was not used, early results showed that, in staff s opinion, the adopted
sign standards for corner post mounted signs are out-of-scale with regard to size in the downtown
and difficult to place. As a result, staff is recommending more appropriately sized signs for Project
90162.
What is wrong with the new standards? The original premise of the new street name sign standard
was to provide larger signage that is easier for pedestrians and motorists to read. To that end, the
City's 6" high sign standard was increased to 8". Also, a new higher reflective coating was
specified. These changes resulted in a much better sign as evidenced by the positive feedback
received from Council members and the public.
The new street name sign standard also addressed signage along arterial streets where traffic moves
at a faster speed. The Council sub-committee and staff, after much discussion, ended up
recommending that signs larger than 8"in height would be necessary to improve the readability of
the street signs, thus the sign height standard was increased to 10" for arterial streets. Both the 8"
sign and 10" sign were designated to include not only the street name but also the block number
and direction of street numbering.
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Council Agenda Report—Downtown Street Signing
Page 2
Since the adoption of the street.name sign standard, several issues have arisen to make staff
reconsider the original 10"recommendation.
1. Adding all the information, in the correct size of print, makes the 10"sign not only very tall
but also potentially very long. Using the 10" high street name sign could result in a sign over 8'
long.
2. The physical ability to mount and sustain.a. 10" sign on a single standard mounting pole is
questionable. The City's standard sign pole is a 2" square or round pole with a small clamping
device on the top to hold the sign. It is doubtful that the clamping device with its 1" clamp can
successfully hold a 10" wide x up to 8'4" long sign in even slightly windy conditions, much less
withstand juveniles hanging from it or someone trying to steal it. Common sense says that the only
way to hang such a big sign would be to provide two mounting poles per sign. This necessitates
one pole on either side of the sidewalk. Given the successful results of the 8" signs already
installed in a few areas of town, staff feels that the problems of vandalism, unsightly signing over
sidewalks, and the need for extra sign poles far outweigh the increased visibility provided by the
10"street name sign. Staff feels the new,higher reflectivity 8" signs are adequate everywhere a 10"
sign has been approved for use.
3. The 10"sign is out of scale with the rest of the nearby environment. The scale of signs and
all other street furniture should be in harmony with the nearby environment. The 18" sign
designated for mounting from the mast arms at signalized intersections is acceptable because it
hangs some 15 feet in the air and the scale of its message is readable without being overwhelming.
The 10" sign, however, is currently approved for installation at a height of 10 feet and directly in
the pedestrian environment. Given the size of the sign and its close proximity to the top of most
everyone's head,the 10"sign appears far too large for the pedestrian environment. It is out of scale
with the rest of the environment — other nearby signs and signing on buildings, etc. The current
standard calls for two sets of 10" signs at each intersection downtown and one set at every cross
street along every arterial in town. Staff feels this standard would overwhelm the downtown and its
sense of balance. Staff feels that the 8"sign will meet the goal of better downtown signage.
Given these problem areas, staff recommends the elimination of the 10" sign from the City
standard. Staff feels the 8"high sign standard will meet all Council goals for better, easier to read,
signage. Changing to a single street name sign size also decreases the overall cost to replace signs
throughout the City and makes installation more uniform and consistent. Staff has therefore
prepared a Revised City Standard No. 7250(Exhibit A)to replace the current standard(Attachment
2)and a Council Resolution(Attachment 1), adopting the new standard.
Assuming that Council concurs with the revised City Standard No. 7250, staff has prepared plans
and specifications that will direct the installation of street name signs in the downtown per previous
Council action. Approval of the plans and specifications will allow the project to go out to bid and
be awarded if the bids received are within budget. Installation should be complete in early fall
2001.
To assure consistency of hardware systems and to allow the city to develop a small maintenance
inventory, the City is following CalTrans lead in acquiring and supplying to the contractor the
hanger for the mast arm mounted signs and the colored posts. Both of these items are unique and it
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Council Agenda Report—Downtown Street Signing
Page 3
is in the interest of the City to supply them to the contractor.
CONCURRENCES
Staff reviewed the proposed changes with Council member Schwartz, the lone remaining council
member of the original council sub-committee on street name signs and he concurs with the
changes. The Community Development Department agrees that a 10" sign located so near to
pedestrians would be out of scale with the pedestrian environment. As a maintenance project, this
project is categorically exempt from CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Project is funded in the 2001-2002 budget.
Est. Cost of Downtown Street Amount Budgeted for All
Signing Project Signing Projects
Construction Cost Estimate $427000
Construction contingencies 4,200
Total Budget Required $46400
Downtown Budget $23,000
Arterial Budget 97,000
Total.Budget - $120,000
The existing budget is a combination of $23,000 originally budgeted for downtown signs and
$97,000 budgeted for arterial signs for a total budget of$120,000. The original downtown budget
estimates included replacement of 6"signs with 8"signs but did not include the 18"mast arm signs
that contributed to a higher project estimate of$42,000. Since the remaining arterial street sign
budget estimates assumed 18" mast arm signs and 10 signs rather than 8" signs (as currently
proposed in the revised standard), the extra cost of the downtown project (adding 18" mast arm
signs) should be offset by savings from the use of the smaller signs for the remaining arterial
project.
ALTERNATIVES
The Council could decide to keep the 10" signs as a part of the standard.. This would increase the
cost of installation (larger signs and more posts). Staff would return with a revised budget, plans
and specifications for bidding the project using the current street name sign standard.
Attachments
Attachment 1: Resolution Adopting Revised City Standard 7250.
Attachment 2: Existing City Standard No. 7250
Complete Plans and Specifications are available in the Council Reading File
1:\CAR\downtown street signing project 90162 -
C 1-3
ATTACHMENT 1
RESOLUTION NO. (2001 Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
ADOPTING NEW STANDARDS FOR STREET NAME
WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes that street name signs serve the public; and
WHEREAS, street name signs are an important part of the streetscape of the City; and
WHEREAS, the Council has studies the various alternative designs of street name signs;
and
WHEREAS, the Council has determined the appropriate street name sign design.
NOW,BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows:
The Street Name Sign Standard Drawing#7250 attached hereto, marked"Exhibit A", is
hereby adopted, as revised in July, 2001.
On motion of , seconded by
and on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted this day of , 2001.
ATTEST:
Lee Price, City Clerk Mayor Allen Settle
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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.tren�bty Attorney
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�Xh-cl�rt A
D G D R
B C (min.) C (min.)
E
F1114- J;D o H
�a E
A C (min.) CENTER OVER
NUMBER AND ARROW
W
INTERSECTION SIGNALIZED WITH MAST ARM MOUNTS POLE MOUNTS
TYPE
Arterial/Arterial Downtown and All Other All
Material See CalTrans Std ES 70 Single blade aluminum-5052 H38.156 double-faced
A NA 13 None
B NA 13 10
C Center name in frame Center name in frame 10
D 75 min. 75 min. 50-75
E NA NA 50
F 200 200 100
H NA 450 200
W NA 750-2500 max. 750-2500 max.
R NA 50 25
G NA NA 75
NOTES:
1. Mast Arm signs display street name only, one sign per travel direction.
2. Color. Brown (Avery Brown#3109 or approved equal) background, reflective white letters and
arrow. All non-internally illuminated signs to be prepared with reverse screening. Reflective
white lettering shall be 700-candle power, "VIP"sheeting. All pole mounted signs shall have
anti-grafitti clear coating. (Avery AL 1000 or approved equal)
3. Font: Libra(letter height=tall letters/short letters)
4. Arrow on pole mount signs points in the direction that addresses increase.
5. All dimensions noted are in millimeters.
6. Mounting: See Engineering Standard#7210 for mounting on poles. See CalTrans Standard
ES 70 and ES 7D for mast arm mounting and clearance requirements.
7. Sign width "W"to be 750 min. and increased as required in 150mm increments to 2500mm max.
8. "C" is measured to top and/or bottom of tall letters.
9. Mast arm signs are additive to pole mount signs at signalized locations.
10. One set of pole mounts per intersection except two in central business district when no signal present.
REVISIONS BY APP DATE JJ"''w
r
Notes 9 & 10: mounts JDL WAP 5—Ol Iu��I�IiI1I�IIIIl�ll SREVISED'
Replaces #7240 JDL WAP 7-00 • u LUIS STREET NAME SIGN
New Standard JDL WAP 7-00
STANDARD CURRENT AS OF: July 2001 OBISPO 7250
Cl� S
ATTACHMENT -2
D D D R
B C (min.) C (min.)
NE
E
F D)JI
E H
�O o
A C(min.) CENTER OVER
NUMBER AND ARROW
W
INTERSECTION MAST ARM MOUNTS POLE MOUNTS
TYPE Arterial/Arterial Arterial/Other Arterial/Other All Others
Signalized Signalized Not Signalized Not Signalized
Material See CalTrans Std ES 70 Single blade aluminum-5052 H-H .156 double-faced
A NA 13 10 None
B NA 13 10 10
C Center name in frame Center name in frame 10 10
D Center name in frame Center name in frame 50-75 50-75
E NA NA 75 50
F 200 200 1751150 125/100
H NA 450 _ 250 197
W NA 750-2500 max. 750-2500 max. 750-2500 max.
R NA 50 37 25
NOTES:
1. Mast Arm signs display street name only.
2. Color: Brown (Avery Brown#3109 or approved equal) background, reflective white letters and
arrow. All non-internally illuminated signs to be prepared with reverse screening. Reflective
white lettering shall be 700-candle power, "VIP"sheeting. All pole mounted signs shall have
anti-grafitti clear coating. (AL 1000 or approved equal)
3. Font: Libra (letter height=tall letters/short letters)
4. Arrow on pole mount signs points in the direction that addresses increase.
5. All dimensions noted are in millimeters.
6. Mounting: See Engineering Standard#7210 for mounting on poles. See Carrrans Standard
ES 70 for mast arm mounting.
7. Sign widthW to be 750 min. and increased as required in 150mm increments to max. 2500mm.
8. "C" is measured to top and/or bottom of tall letters.
REVISIONS BY ITE Cy(ti/ Of
New Sta�rdard JDL 00 ���'p''JJsan °EXISTING°
Replaces //7240 JDL 00 A
a �luls STREET NAME SIGN
STANDARD CURRENT AS OF: July 2000 0B1SrO 1 7250