To: PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION
From: Department of Public Works
TITLE
title
SOUTH BAY BICYCLE MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION - STATUS UPDATE
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RECOMMENDATION
Receive and file this update on the City’s implementation of the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan (SBBMP).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Public Works Commission (PWC) has occasionally asked for updates on implementation of certain proposed bicycle facilities identified in the SBBMP, to which Staff has provided available information. In addition, City Council asked staff to provide an update on implementation of the entire SBBMP as part of the budget discussion and motion to approve the FY2020-21 budget in June 2020. In response to these requests, and the ever-enthusiastic interest of certain members of the PWC, staff is presenting this report to provide an opportunity for awareness and comments towards staff’s future presentation to the City Council.
BACKGROUND
The South Bay Bicycle Master Plan (see <http://www.southbaybicyclecoalition.org/south-bay-bike-masterplan/become-an-expert-the-south-bay-bicycle-master-plan-presentation/>) was developed by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and the South Bay Bicycle Coalition in partnership with the City. Over an 18-month process involving 14 community workshops in seven cities, the SBBMP was adopted by the City Council via Resolution CC-1110-525 in 2011. See Attachment 1. The SBBMP provides an overall discussion of the benefits of expanding, connecting and otherwise improving the bicycle network in the South Bay cities, including increased ridership for commuting and recreational purposes, reduction in pollution, and promotion of healthier lifestyles. The CEQA document associated with the adoption of the SBBMP identifies the document as a planning document for developing bicycle facilities on existing rights-of-way and that “the proposed project consists of a planning study for possible future actions that are not yet approved, adopted or funded by the City.” Adoption of the SBBMP made the City eligible to receive outside funding from certain Caltrans programs.
The SBBMP recognizes the three (at the time) Caltrans identified classes of bike facilities, Class I Bike Path, Class II Bike Lane and Class III Bike Route, and a fourth category known as a Bike Friendly Street. Since the SBBMP was developed, Caltrans has identified a fourth standard for bike facilities called a Class IV - Protected Bike Lane, but there are no proposed Class IV facilities in the SBBMP. By Council direction, staff is evaluating SBBMP identified Class II proposed facilities for Class IV feasibility. A brief description of each type facility is included in SBBMP.
The SBBMP also provided, both in list and map form, locations for the proposed installation of these various types of bike facility on city streets and State highways in the South Bay. The SBBMP maps and lists of street segments showing the proposed facilities for Redondo Beach are included as Attachment 2. Per the SBBMP, the proposed buildout of the plan for Redondo Beach will encompass 38.1 miles of new bicycle facilities. This represents, a 24-mile increase over the stand-alone Redondo Beach bike master plan that existed at the time. The 38.1 miles of facilities are spread over the following categories:
• Class I - 0.8 miles
• Class II - 18.9 miles
• Class III - 7.5 miles
• BFS - 10.9 miles
• Total - 38.1 miles
Since adoption of the SBBMP by the Redondo Beach City Council, staff has been seeking opportunities to install the proposed facilities primarily on the City’s arterial and collector streets. The City has applied for and received several grants for projects that involve pavement resurfacing and restriping to consider adding new bicycle lane striping and signage installation as part of their scope. However, as discussed below, implementation of the SBBMP has proven to be more difficult than anticipated. A number of locations have been rejected during the public process and others have been infeasible due to limited road way and right-of-way widths, or other technical reasons. Staff estimates about 2.3 miles of the proposed plan have been rendered infeasible unless and until the City Council provides direction to escalate the effort through right of way acquisition and/or rebuilding of the roadway infrastructure, (curbs, medians, sidewalks, etc.), a move beyond the intent of the SBBMP. This number is higher if only the proposed facility is considered. In some cases, a Class II facility is not feasible but Class III is being considered in planning/design or on the list to be studied in the future.
To date, only about 5 miles of the 38.1 total miles envisioned have been installed. However, on an encouraging note, another 22.5 miles worth are in active planning or design phase and will be brought to the City Council for approval in the next couple of years. That means a total of 29.8 miles of the 38.1 miles proposed, or 78%, have been addressed (completed, in planning/design or considered infeasible). See Attachment 3 for the detail that supports this analysis.
Barriers to more robust implementation of the SBBMP are rooted in the competing interests of cyclists, motorists, parking and pedestrians for use of the existing right of way. Redondo Beach’s street layout was developed in another time, in some locations over a century ago. While modes of transportation have evolved in that time, prevalence of the automobile in the latter parts of the 20th century have long dictated the use of streets. Both through-traffic efficiency and the availability of on-street parking have dominated the layout of Redondo Beach streets and platting of private property. The high relative value of coastal property biases development toward buildings being close to property lines. Changing laws including those dictating requirements for accessibility and providing for multiple uses adds to the competition. Today, Redondo Beach is faced with challenges to implement the SBBMP on nearly every arterial and collector.
Many CIP projects are underway that will provide detailed design of bicycle facilities at locations identified in the SBBMP. They include the Manhattan Beach Blvd. Rehabilitation Project, the Torrance Blvd. Rehabilitation Project, the upcoming Residential Street Rehabilitation Program projects and Citywide Slurry Seal projects, Beryl Street project. Others are programmed in out years in the CIP, such as Artesia Blvd Rehabilitation Project, Aviation Blvd. Rehabilitation Project and Rindge Lane Resurfacing Project. Staff has also engaged a consultant project manager, DBE, to assist with implementation of one of the City’s existing grant funded bicycle network improvement projects. DBE has also developed a presentation for tonight’s meeting to discuss some of the barriers and to identify the critical tradeoffs that must be addresses when considering implementation of the SBBMP, as shown in Attachment 4.
As previously mentioned, staff will be taking an item to the City Council to discuss the implementation of the SBBMP on the City’s arterials and collectors. The item is currently scheduled for the October 20, 2020 City Council meeting. Staff recommends a “receive and file” of this report and welcomes input from the Commissioners and public regarding that presentation.
APPROVED BY:
Ted Semaan, Public Works Director
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 - Resolution CC-1110-525
Attachment 2 - Maps and Lists of SBBMP Proposed Facilities for Redondo Beach
Attachment 3 - List of Addressed Facilities for Redondo Beach
Attachment 4 - Memo and Presentation Slides from DBE