Title
Staff Report for a Resolution of Project Compliance for Regional Measure 2 (RM 2) Implementing Agency for the Downtown San Leandro BART Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Project
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended that the City Council approve the Resolution of Project Compliance for RM 2 for the Downtown San Leandro BART Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Project. This action will allow the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to allocate $40,000 of the approved RM 2 grant funding (total grant funding is $400,000.) for the design and environmental phase of the subject project. It will also assure that the City will comply with the MTC‘s RM 2 policy provisions, approve the Initial Project Report attached to the resolution and assure the City’s completion of the project.
BACKGROUND
In March 2004, Bay Area voters approved Regional Measure 2 (RM 2), which included program funding known as Safe Routes to Transit (SR2T). RM 2 raised bridge tolls to provide for the SR2T program to improve pedestrian and bicycle access to transit. The City in partnership with the San Leandro BART area developers were awarded a SR2T grant in December 2009 that provided for improved bicycle-pedestrian access to the San Leandro BART station. The proposed improvements included:
1. West of the BART Station
a. Relocate West Estudillo Avenue pedestrian railroad crossing north to be aligned with BART fare gates
b. Public Bike/Pedestrian Paseo from relocated pedestrian railroad crossing to Alvarado Street
c. New bike/pedestrian pathway within the BART parking lot from the relocated pedestrian railroad crossing to the BART fare gates
2. At the BART Station
a. Electronic bicycle lockers
b. Bicycle racks
c. Bicycle shelter
3. East of the BART Station
a. Sidewalk bulb-outs and enhanced crosswalk treatments along West Juana Avenue at the intersections of Carpentier, Clarke and Hays Streets
b. West Juana Avenue narrowed by four feet and southern sidewalk widened between San Leandro Boulevard and Carpentier Street
The San Leandro BART area developers were to provide engineering, project management, construction and matching funds for the SR2T project; however, the developers’ projects have been delayed, which has hindered the SR2T project’s completion. To move the SR2T project forward, a revised project to be completed entirely by the City was proposed to the MTC for approval.
The revised SR2T includes the following improvements:
1. At the BART Station
a. Electronic bicycle lockers
b. Bicycle racks
c. Bicycle shelter
2. East of the BART Station
a. Sidewalk bulb-outs and enhanced crosswalk treatments along West Juana Avenue at the intersections of Carpentier, Clarke and Hays Streets
b. West Juana Avenue narrowed by four feet and southern sidewalk widened between San Leandro Boulevard and Carpentier Street
The revised SR2T eliminates the following improvements:
1. West of the BART Station
a. Relocated West Estudillo Avenue pedestrian railroad crossing for alignment with BART fare gates
b. Public Bike/Pedestrian Paseo from relocated pedestrian railroad crossing to Alvarado Street
c. New bike/pedestrian pathway within the BART parking lot from the relocated pedestrian railroad crossing to the BART fare gates
The MTC approved these proposed modifications to the SR2T project to allow the project to proceed.
Recently, the City was awarded Measure B Bicycle-Pedestrian Discretionary grant funds to partially fund the proposed pedestrian improvements along West Juana Avenue. The combination of SR2T and the Measure B Discretionary grant funds will allow the City to complete the West Juana pedestrian improvements, along with the bicycle lockers, racks and a shelter independent of private developer support.
Analysis
The SR2T grant will provide $400,000 and the Measure B Discretionary grant will provide $346,000 for a total of $746,000 in grant funding. The City will provide $85,000 in Measure B Pass-Thru Bicycle and Pedestrian funds to complete the funding for the revised project cost of approximately $831,000 for the Downtown San Leandro BART Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Project.
This action will approve the Resolution of Project Compliance for RM 2 for the Downtown San Leandro BART Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Project. This resolution will: 1) allow the MTC to allocate $40,000 of RM 2 funding for the design and environmental phase of the subject project; 2) assure that the City will comply with the MTC‘s RM 2 policy provisions; 3) approve the Initial Project Report attached to the resolution; and 4) assure the City’s completion of the project. The City will designate $18,000 of Measure B Bicycle-Pedestrian Pass-Thru funds and $34,000 of Measure B Bicycle-Pedestrian Discretionary Grant funds to provide a total of $92,000 for this phase of the work. At the completion of the design phase, the City will submit an updated Resolution of Project Compliance for RM 2 along with a revised Project Report for the construction funds for the project.
The Project’s intent is to improve connections between the San Leandro BART Station and the Downtown area through renovations to the east-west pedestrian connection along West Juana Avenue, and provide bicycle parking facilities at the BART station. This project is identified in the San Leandro Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan as a high priority project.
The project will provide for the design and construction of sidewalk bulb-outs and enhanced crosswalk treatments along West Juana Avenue at the intersections of Carpentier, Clarke and Hays Streets. West Juana Avenue will be narrowed by four feet and the sidewalk between San Leandro Boulevard and Carpentier Street will be widened. New bicycle lockers, bicycle racks and bicycle shelters will be installed at the San Leandro BART Station. These enhancements will improve the pedestrian experience and usability for those that have difficulty crossing busy streets and provide needed bicycle parking improvements that facilitate using the station.
Previous Actions
• On June 17, 2013, by Resolution No. 2013-087, the City Council authorized the City Manager’s Execution of a Grant Funding Agreement for Funding and Committing Necessary Matching Funds and Stating the Assurance to Complete the West Juana Pedestrian Improvements Project
• On April 15, 2013, by Resolution No. 2013-049, the City Council adopted a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to file an application for OneBayArea Grant Funding through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for the San Leandro Boulevard Reconstruction Project
• On February 4, 2013, by Resolution No. 2013-018, the City Council adopted a resolution for a Complete Streets Policy for regional and county funding requirements
Applicable General Plan Policies
• 14.04 Accommodation of Bicycles and Pedestrians
• 16.03 Street Maintenance
• 18.05 Funding
• 19.01 Street and Building Design
Environmental Review
Environmental clearance will be filed for this project before construction is scheduled to commence.
Fiscal Impacts
The estimated project cost is $831,000. The RM 2 SR2T program will provide $40,000 for the design and environmental phase and $360,000 for the construction phase of the project. The Measure B Bicycle/Pedestrian Countywide Discretionary Funds will provide $346,000 toward the project. The required matching funds of $85,000 will be provided from the City’s Measure B Pass-Thru Funds and will be appropriated during a Budget Adjustment process.
Budget Authority
This project was included in the 2010-11 Budget with sufficient grant funds appropriated in account 150-36-294 and Measure B - Bicycle and Pedestrian Fund account 144-36-294 for the design phase of the project. The appropriation of grant funds and Measure B - Bicycle and Pedestrian funds will be revised with a Budget Adjustment for the future allocation for the construction phase of the project.
PREPARED BY: Keith R. Cooke, Principal Engineer, Engineering and Transportation Department