TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute an Implementation Agreement with the Gateway Cities Council of Governments to perform the Lakewood Rosemead Boulevard Corridor Complete Streets Evaluation and Master Plan for an amount not to exceed $50,647. (Districts 4,5)
DISCUSSION
Lakewood Boulevard is a major arterial that carries a significant amount of traffic, relieving heavy traffic volumes from the 405 and SR 91 freeways, and is a signature entry corridor into Long Beach and the Long Beach Airport. Running north-south, Lakewood Boulevard traverses the Gateway Cities of Long Beach, Lakewood, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, Pico Rivera and the County of Los Angeles. Given the importance of the efficient operation of this arterial for all modes of transportation and its effect on the quality of life for surrounding neighborhoods, these Gateway Cities would like to develop a Lakewood Boulevard Complete Street Evaluation and Master Plan.
A component of the Gateway Cities Strategic Transportation Plan will be the development of a Master Plan for Arterial Highways that incorporates the “Complete Streets” concept, under which streets are designed to maximize the efficiency for not only automobile, truck, and bus traffic, but also for bicycle and pedestrian traffic, making the corridor a more walkable, bikeable, drivable, and aesthetically pleasing street. Included is the idea of “First Mile and Last Mile,” by which strategies are developed to encourage non-motorized access to and from transit facilities for the first mile of a trip, as well as the last mile of a trip.
The Lakewood Boulevard Corridor Study is the second arterial corridor study being advanced under this program; the Artesia Boulevard Corridor Study was previously approved. The Lakewood Boulevard corridor is a major north-south travel corridor through the entire length of the Gateway Cities sub region. The staff of these agencies have held two meetings at the GCCOG to discuss advancing a study of the Lakewood Boulevard corridor as a “Complete Street,” subject to local conditions and preferences, but with the idea of developing a plan that would put the corridor in line for construction funding opportunities that individual cities, or a consortium of cities along the corridor, could pursue.
The “Complete Street” analysis will be used to study and evaluate the Lakewood/Rosemead corridor beginning in the City of Long Beach and traversing north to the City of Pico Rivera.
The GCCOG proposes to complete the Lakewood Boulevard Corridor Complete Street Evaluation and Master Plan for approximately $259,024, which includes GCCOG consultant staff time and overhead GCCOG expenses. The cost breakdown is based on linear mile for each jurisdiction. For this study, the portion of Lakewood Boulevard runs for three and one-half miles within City of Long Beach boundaries, resulting in a cost of $50,647. In order to fund this cost, three funding sources will be utilized: General Fund resources from the Public Works Department and the City Manager Department; the Fifth Council District’s non-recurring infrastructure funds; and the Fourth Council District’s non-recurring infrastructure funds
In addition to contributing financially, the Lakewood Boulevard Corridor Study Implementation Agreement (Agreement) requires participating jurisdictions to staff two committees. The Lakewood Boulevard Corridor Cities Committee will be staffed by an elected member of each participating jurisdiction’s legislative body to provide policy guidance and direction. Lakewood Boulevard lies within the boundaries of the Fourth and Fifth Council Districts; therefore, a Councilmember must be designated to represent the City on this committee. The Agreement specifies that membership for the Lakewood Boulevard Corridor Technical Advisory Committee will consist of the Public Works Director or equivalent from each jurisdiction. The City of Long Beach Public Works Director, or his designee, will staff the Technical Advisory Committee. The Technical Advisory Committee will report to and receive direction from the Lakewood Boulevard Corridor Cities Committee.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy R. Webber on September 28, 2015 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on September 24, 2015.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on October 13, 2015 in order to proceed with the project.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City’s share of the Agreement is not to exceed $50,647. The Agreement will be funded by the Fourth Council District’s non-recurring funds in the amount of $4,100 for the .85 linear miles within the District, as well as the Fifth Council District’s non-recurring funds in the amount of $12,782 for the 2.65 linear miles within the District. Each Council District’s non-recurring funds are appropriated in the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Public Works Department (PW). Additionally, the Public Works Department and the City Manager Department will each fund $16,882 from existing resources currently budgeted in the General Fund (GF) in each department. There is no local job impact associated with the recommended action.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
ARA MALOYAN, PE
DIRECTOR OF PUBIC WORKS
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER