To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ANDREW WINJE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
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APPROVE A DESIGN MODIFICATION TO THE BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT, JOB NO 40510 TO REMOVE THE INSTALLATION OF CLASS III BIKE ROUTE MARKINGS ON CERTAIN STREETS INCLUDING THOSE WITH A SPEED LIMIT OF MORE THAN 30 MILES PER HOUR FROM THE PROJECT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SENATE BILL 1216 THAT TAKES EFFECT ON JANUARY 1, 2025
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council awarded the Bicycle Transportation Plan Project, Job No. 40510 (Project) on March 19, 2024, which intends to install Class 2 bicycle lanes and Class 3 bike routes to approximately 11 miles of City streets, furthering the implementation of the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan (Master Plan) within the City boundaries. The Project is currently underway, but recent developments have led staff to reconsider the appropriateness of Class 3 bike route installation on higher speed streets.
In September 2024, Senate Bill (SB) 1216 was signed into law prohibiting the installation of new bicycle sharrows on streets with posted speed limits above 30 miles per hour, except in a few specific cases. In response to the upcoming law change, and given evolving thinking on the appropriate placement of sharrows, staff believes it is in the City’s best interest to delete the installation of sharrows on non-residential streets from the Project’s scope of work.
Approximately 3.9 miles of Class 3 bike routes are intended for installation on streets with speed limits on corridors greater than 30 miles per hour with designed areas to be marked with sharrows. These street segments include approximately 2.5 miles on Prospect Avenue (Hermosa Boundary to PCH), 0.9 miles on Camino Real (Torrance Bl to City Boundary), and 0.1 mile on Catalina Avenue (Avenue H to Avenue I). There is also 0.6 miles on Palos Verdes Blvd that required a design change. While the speed limit in this section does not exceed 30 miles per hour, it features four lanes and a high volume of traffic, which both warrant reconsideration of the appropriateness of Class 3 facilities. Therefore, staff recommends the Council approve proposed design modification and direct staff to remove the installation of sharrows from the portions of the project discussed above.
BACKGROUND
The Project is a key advancement in implementation of the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan, which was approved by the City in 2011 and identifies preferred routes and bike facility types (Class 2, Class 3, etc.) for the City to implement over time. Design for the Project began several years ago, but was delayed in implementation due to a number of factors. In the intervening period the use of sharrows on higher volume, and higher speed streets is now being discouraged, leading to the recommended changes to the Project.
SB 1216 was signed into law earlier this year and goes into effect on January 1, 2025. It prohibits the installation of new bicycle sharrows on streets with posted speed limits above 30 mph, except at or near an intersection for the purpose of connecting a Class 1, Class 2, or Class 4 bikeway through the intersection. Sharrows are pavement markings used to inform road users that bicyclists might occupy the travel lane, which they are legally allowed to do in absence of a dedicated bicycle lane or path. Sharrow pavement markings and “BIKE ROUTE” signage are typical features of a Class 3 bicycle route. Recent research has found sharrows, or shared lane markings, to be largely ineffective at improving safety for those riding bicycles. In fact, some studies found that solely installing sharrows as bicycle infrastructure was considered less safe than installing no bicycle facilities at all since sharrows, on their own, may create a false sense of safety for bicyclists on higher speed streets.
There is interest from the local biking community to add protection to Class 2 bike lanes, either by horizontal separation or vertical barriers between bicycle lanes and vehicle travel lanes. These are often referred to as buffered Class 2 and Class 4 facilities, respectively. This desire is reflected in letters recently received from two bicycle user groups urging the City to refrain from installing sharrows on select streets as designed in the current Project and, instead, replace them with upgraded bicycle facilities. Staff agrees with the removal of sharrows and is asking Council to approve the suggested design changes on the identified streets and to accordingly reduce the Project’s scope of awarded contract work. It should be noted that roadway width for the addition of corridor long Class 2, buffered Class 2 or Class 4 facilities on these streets is not available without reduction in either parking or travel lanes and staff is not recommending those changes at this time. Further study and public engagement would be needed before staff would recommend more robust bicycling infrastructure to build out these portions of the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan.
The Project design and scope changes being recommended at this time include removal of sharrows from the following street segments (including the posted speed limit):
• Prospect Blvd. - PCH to northern City boundary - 35 mph
• Camino Real - Torrance Blvd. to S. Juanita - 30 mph
• Camino Real - S. Juanita to eastern City boundary - 35 mph
• Catalina Ave. - Avenue I to Avenue H - 35 mph
• Palos Verdes Blvd. - PCH to S. Irena - 30 mph
Staff also recommends the deletion of a quarter mile of Class 2 bike lanes on the eastern portion of Palos Verdes Blvd, from Irena to the City boundary with Torrance, as there are no bike facilities on this street continuing eastward into Torrance. In the future, a more appropriate solution for the entire Palos Verdes Blvd corridor may be determined that could improve implementation of the Master Plan.
COORDINATION
This report was prepared by the Public Works Department.
FISCAL IMPACT
The full cost of the proposed Project has already been appropriated through previous Council action. The removal of sharrows will yield some (but not significant) project savings, due to reduced striping costs.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• South Bay Bicycle Coalition Plus Letter
• South Bay Forward Letter