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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-04-03; Traffic Safety Commission; ; Submit projects to the Regional Bicycle Facilities Coordinating Committee (BFCC) for consideration of receiving funding from the Transportation Development ActCITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: April 3, 1995 LOCATION: Citywide INITIATED BY: Transportation Di vision ITEM NO. 6A REQUESTED ACTION: Submit projects to the Regional Bicycle Facilities Coordinating Committee (BFCC) for consideration of receiving funding from the Transportation Development Act/TransNet Funding Program. BACKGROUND: Each year, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) administers a funding program of approximately $2.2 million to aid in the planning and construction of non- motorized facilities throughout San Diego County. This program permits local agencies to compete for funding via Transportation Development Act (TOA) and TransNet (Proposition A) monies for non-motorized projects such as bicycle lanes/paths, sidewalks, etc., based upon need. Projects selected for funding are recommended by the Regional Bicycle Facilities Coordinating Committee (BFCC). This Committee is represented by each local agency, CAL TRANS and the County of San Diego. Presentations are made to the BFCC by each agency requesting funding for their projects. Members of the Committee vote on the list of projects requested to receive funding. The recommended funding list is then prioritized by the Committee and presented to the SANDAG Board of Directors for final approval and authorization of funding. Funds would be available after July 1, 1995. DATA: The TDA/TransNet program allocates approximately $2.2 million annually to be shared by local agencies in San Diego County. In the past, annual project submittal requests by all agencies combined have been in excess of $6 million. Due to the limited availability of funds, success of obtaining money for a given project sometimes depends on moderate funding requests by the agency. The Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee is recommending that the following four projects be submitted for consideration of receiving funding in the 1995 TDA/TransNet program: CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: April 3, 1995 (continued) Sidewalk Construction ITEMNO. 6A Completion of the Sidewalk Inventory Report in 1991 resulted in 78 sidewalk segments being prioritized as locations in need of sidewalk. Prioritized locations 1 through 28 have been scheduled for construction through a five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) with the City contributing approximately $300,000 annually towards the sidewalk construction. The construction cost estimate to build prioritized sidewalk locations is about $9.8 million in 1991 dollars. However, inflation combined with other fiscal uncertainties may result in a shortfall of buildout funding for sidewalks. As a result, funding from other sources such as Traffic Impact Fees, developer contributions, etc. will be necessary to complete the sidewalk construction program and is being pursued. Since 1990, the City of Carlsbad has been successful in receiving a total of $120,000 in TDA/TransNet grants to construct sidewalks. The City of Carlsbad 1995-96 TDA grant application is requesting an additional $228,000 for construction of the next phase of the sidewalk program. La Costa A venue/Interstate 5 Bridge Bike Lane The La Costa A venue/Interstate 5 bridge is used by both commuter and recreational bicyclists as a major thoroughfare to various recreational areas and employment centers. This bridge carries traffic over Interstate 5 and provides east-west access to the coastal bicycle route on Carlsbad Boulevard, various State beaches, the Poinsettia Commuter Rail/Transit Station located on A venida Encinas, in addition to a number of commercial, industrial and government offices. In the future, residential, commercial and industrial development in the southern portion of Carlsbad east of Interstate 5 will result in commuter bicycling to be expected to become more popular as vehicular traffic volumes increase. Because of the existing narrow lane configuration across the La Costa A venue/1-5 bridge and continued increasing congestion, bicycle/vehicular conflicts can also be expected to increase if improvements and widening of the roadway segment does not occur. A substantial safety improvement for bicycles will be achieved by widening this bridge and including a bicycle lane on each side of the bridge. The construction cost for the bicycle lane portion of the widening of the La Costa Avenue/1-5 bridge to provide two bicycle lanes is estimated at $207,125. CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: April 3, 1995 (continued) Alga Road between Mimosa Drive and El Camino Real ITEM NO. 6A Alga Road, within the referenced segment, currently has two westbound lanes, one eastbound lane and a bicycle lane on the north side. The addition of the eastbound bicycle lane will complete the last missing portion of a four mile bicycle lane corridor connecting the Pacific Ocean and the City's eastern boundary at Rancho Santa Fe Road. Additionally, this bike lane will provide a safer route from the predominantly residential development to the east with the commercial businesses, State parks and beaches to the west. Construction of this bicycle link also provides an increased benefit as a connection to the Poinsettia Commuter Rail Station located on A venida Encinas. In conjunction with building the eastbound bicycle lane, one additional eastbound traffic lane will be constructed. The costs for the construction of a bicycle lane on Alga Road between Mimosa Drive and El Camino Real is estimated at $28, 630. Olivenhain Road Olivenhain Road is classified as a prime arterial roadway in the City of Carlsbad General Plan and connects two North County regional roadways: El Camino Real and Rancho Santa Fe Road. Since this roadway also serves as the boundary between the Cities of Carlsbad and Encinitas, the project development has been a joint effort between both cities. Accordingly, the 1995/1996 TDA funding request is a joint application to construct sidewalks and bike lanes along this road segment. The General Plan for both cities has identified future land uses for the undeveloped areas which will generate traffic volumes that will impact Olivenhain Road. The area east of this project is predominantly residential development. The El Camino Real corridor is the major commercial center which accommodates the needs of citizens in the area. Three major commercial developments will create a need to provide a safe bicycle and pedestrian link to the residential areas: ► Home Depot ► Green Valley ► Ecke Ranch Buildout traffic volumes on this portion of Olivenhain Road are projected at approximately 49,000 Average Daily Trips (ADT) per the City of Encinitas. Future traffic volumes and the potential for vehicular/pedestrian conflicts justifies the need for safe bicycle and pedestrian improvements along this corridor. CITY OF CARLSBAD TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT COMMISSION MEETING OF: April 3, 1995 (continued) ITEMNO. 6A The U.S. Anny Corps of Engineers, through their regulatory permit process, has indicated that this project should have deleted from the plans the bicycle lane and sidewalk on the southerly side of the road due to construction impacts in the Encinitas Creek. City of Carlsbad staff has argued that a bicycle lane and a safer pedestrian link is necessary to connect the residential area with the existing and future commercial businesses on the El Camino Real corridor. In order to accommodate proposed improvements, the Corps is requiring mitigation for the impacts created on the Encinitas Creek. In the event that funds become short in supply, there would exist a potential to scale back the project and delete the bicycle lane and sidewalk on the south side of Olivenhain Road. The estimated project costs, including the mitigation to the Encinitas Creek, is estimated at $270,000. RECOMMENDATION: For the above reasons, the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee is recommending a funding request for FY95/96 TDA/TransNet funds in the amount of $733,755. NECESSARY CITY COUNCIL ACTION: A resolution by the City Council is required to be adopted authorizing submittal of the funding request to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG).