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CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTING THE BIKE LANES ON BROADWAY FEASIBILITY STUDY
RESOLUTION NO. 2016-023 OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA ADOPTING THE BIKE LANES ON BROADWAY FEASIBILITY STUDY AND AUTHORIZING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS AS FUNDING ALLOWS THROUGH FUTURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROJECTS
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommended Action
Council adopt the resolution.
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SUMMARY
During the preparation of the updated 2011 Bikeway Master Plan, the cycling community’s most frequently requested facilities were bike lanes on Broadway. The City has hired a consultant to analyze and document the feasibility and impacts of implementing a Class II bike facility on Broadway from C Street to Main Street. Two series of public meetings have been held. On January 6, 2016, the report was presented to the Safety Commission and approved.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Environmental Notice
Environmental Notice
The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
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Environmental Determination
The Director of Development Services has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and it has been determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is required.
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
The draft report was presented to the Safety Commission on January 6, 2016. The vote was 4-0-3 (three commissioners absent) to accept the staff report and recommend that Council adopt the Bike Lanes on Broadway Feasibility Study and authorize the implementation of study recommendations as funding allows (Attachment 1).
DISCUSSION
In the 2005 Bikeway Master Plan, the section of Broadway between C Street and Palomar Street was not indicated as a bike way. Due to the higher volume of traffic on Broadway, staff hoped to encourage cyclists to travel on parallel routes with less traffic, such as Fifth Avenue (designated as a Class III Bike Route). However, this approach did not meet the need of cyclists. Bicyclists continue to travel on Broadway, since it is a direct route through the city and has many commercial and retail destinations.
Years later, during the preparation of the updated 2011 Bikeway Master Plan, staff held several public meetings. The most frequent request received was to install class II bike lanes on Broadway. Bike lanes would also be consistent with the ultimate long-range planning for Broadway in the Urban Core Specific Plan (UCSP), which narrows vehicle lanes, adds a raised median and provides for bicycle lanes. The UCSP covers the northwesterly portion of Chula Vista and includes Broadway from C Street to L Street. Since additional studies would be needed to evaluate the feasibility of installing bike lanes and the impact on street parking, the approved 2011 Bikeway Master Plan ended up showing a Class III Bike Route. Bike Route signage and pavement markings called “sharrows” were installed.
In 2011, the City also received a grant from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy that paid for a high level evaluation of the potential for bicycle facilities along Broadway. The evaluation recommended that bike lanes were feasible and could be installed along Broadway (Attachment 2). The evaluation noted no convenient and continuous parallel routes that would provide a more direct and easy access to the many destinations for cyclists along Broadway. Also noted was the probable need to remove parking south of L Street, due to the existing median, in order to accommodate bike lanes. This study had very minimal outreach to the public and business owners.
Bike Lanes on Broadway Feasibility Study
During Fiscal Year 2014-15, Council approved funding the Bike Lanes on Broadway Feasibility Study to develop viable alternatives and configurations for bike lanes along Broadway. The study would also include robust outreach to the public, businesses and interested parties.
Chen Ryan & Associates was selected as the consultant to prepare this study in April 2015. The Consultant performed bicycle counts and investigated traffic accidents involving bicyclists and traffic volumes. The bicycle counts indicated that about 2/3rds of cyclists are riding on the sidewalk instead of the roadway. Bicycle accident reports indicated that the two most frequent causes of accidents were when bicyclists are riding on the wrong side of the road and making improper turns.
Since some of the options include the elimination of on-street parking, the Consultant conducted a parking study. The study indicates that the street segment between F Street and L Street had the highest utilization of on-street parking. The study also determined that the following three segments had the most limitations for off-street parking:
• D Street to Davidson Street (0.37 miles)
• E Street to F Street (0.25 miles)
• I Street to J Street (0.25 miles)
Two sets of three public meetings were held on this project. The first three public meetings were held in the Council Chambers and were intended to solicit general comments regarding bicycle facilities along Broadway. Local and regional organizations and community groups were contacted and notified of the meetings. Additionally, approximately 1700 meeting notices were sent to property and business owners along the route. The Consultant provided a large aerial photograph of the properties along Broadway and participants were invited to make comments along the route.
The second set of three public meetings included the presentation of two or three alternatives for each of the three street segments. Some of the alternatives involved either the elimination of parking or a “road diet” (fewer and/or narrower travel and parking lanes). In order to obtain a greater variety of attendees, staff contacted the press and held the meetings in various locations - one meeting in the Council Chambers, one in the South Chula Vista Library, and a presentation to the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce.
Participants were invited to vote on their favorite alternative. The following were the results:
• C Street to F Street: Buffered bike lanes, on-street parking on both sides, and reduction of the number of travel lanes from four through lanes to two through lanes.
• F Street to L Street: Bike lanes, on-street parking on both sides, a center two-way left turn lane, and four travel lanes. All vehicle lanes are at a reduced width to accommodate the bike lanes.
• L Street to Main Street: This was almost evenly divided between the option that eliminated on-street parking and one that reduced the number of travel lanes. Due to the high traffic volumes, a minimum of four travel lanes are needed south of L Street.
Recommendations
The report prepared by Chen Ryan & Associates is attached (Attachment 2). The recommendations are shown in Part 5 and based on dividing Broadway into three segments. The segmenting is based on traffic volumes and the center of the roadway use (a two-way left turn lane or a raised median).
C Street to G Street (curb to curb width = 70 feet to F Street)
Due to the lower traffic volumes (less than 25,000 Average Daily Trips (ADT) per the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)), a road diet that would reduce the number of through lanes from four to two is appropriate until such time that the volumes exceed the two-lane roadway capacity. As southbound Broadway approaches G Street, the roadway striping would transition from the “road diet” (two lanes) to a four lane cross-section at a point south of Park Way. In the northbound direction Broadway transitions from a four-lane road to a two-lane road north of the G Street intersection. The recommended alternative includes the following:
• A five-foot bike lane with a three-foot bike lane buffer area on each side
• A single 12-foot vehicle travel lane in each direction
• A 14-foot center two-way left turn lane (TWLTL)
• Retaining 8-foot wide parking lanes on each side
G Street to L Street (curb to curb width = 80 feet)
This segment is approximately 80-feet wide and does not have a full width raised median. The daily traffic volumes are higher than the northern segment of Broadway. The recommended alternative includes the following:
• A five foot bike lane on each side (includes a northbound buffer between H and I Streets)
• Two minimum 11-foot travel lanes in each direction
• A 10-foot center two-way left turn lane (TWLTL)
• Retaining 8-foot wide parking lanes on each side
L Street to Main Street (curb to curb width = 82 feet)
This segment has the highest traffic volumes, which are generally over 25,000 ADT. Caltrans recommends that streets with over 20,000 ADT have four travel lanes. Removing and/or modifying the existing raised median is more costly than restriping. Much of this segment today is lined with large on-site parking lots and there are some areas already where on-street parking is prohibited. Therefore, the recommended alternative includes the following:
• A five-foot bike lane with a four-foot buffer on each side of the street
• Two minimum 11-foot wide travel lanes in each direction
• Retaining existing raised median with left turn pockets
• Prohibiting on-street parking
Conclusion
Staff is recommending that Council accept the consultant’s report titled “Bike Lanes on Broadway Feasibility Study” (Attachment 3) and pursue implementation of these recommendations in future Capital Improvement Programs (CIPs).
DECISION-MAKER CONFLICT
Staff has reviewed the property holdings of the City Council members and has found no property holdings within 500 feet of the boundaries of the property which is the subject of this action. Consequently, this item does not present a disqualifying real property-related financial conflict of interest under California Code of Regulations Title 2, section 18702.2(a)(11), for purposes of the Political Reform Act (Cal. Gov’t Code §87100,et seq.).
Staff is not independently aware, and has not been informed by any City Council member, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision maker conflict of interest in this matter.
LINK TO STRATEGIC GOALS
The City’s Strategic Plan has five major goals: Operational Excellence, Economic Vitality, Healthy Community, Strong and Secure Neighborhoods and a Connected Community. The goal of the Bike Lanes on Broadway Feasibility Study is to support the Strong and Secure Neighborhood Strategy. The goal of the study is to find ways of providing a safer environment on Broadway for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers.
CURRENT YEAR FISCAL IMPACT
Adoption of this report will have no fiscal impact to the General Fund, TransNet or Gas Tax Funds in the current year.
ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT
Since the improvements are generally limited to striping, markings and signage, the most cost effective way to implement these alterations will be in conjunction with the next pavement resurfacing CIP projects for each segment. Projects will be proposed for funding in the Fiscal Year 2016/17 CIP process.
Funding recommendations for the projects will come from TransNet or Gas Tax funds. Staff would continue to seek other funding (grants, etc.) to accelerate the schedule. Once installed, the bike lanes will require routine maintenance.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Safety Commission Action
2. Rails to Trails Conservancy Memorandum
3. Bike Lanes on Broadway Feasibility Study
Staff Contact: Elizabeth Chopp, Senior Civil Engineer