HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-08-27; Trail Connectivity to Tamarack State Beach Comparison Tunnel Compared to at Grade Crossing; |Barberio, Gary| Lancaster, Kyle|)
To the members of the:
1 C~r~OUNCIL , Date CA ✓cc ✓
CM __j_ ACM _j_ DCM{~) ./;
Council Memorandum
Aug. 27,2020
To:
From:
Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council
Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
Kyle Lancaster, Parks & Recreation Director
Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manager @ Via:
{city of
Carlsbad
Memo ID# 2020180
Re: Trail Connectivity to Tamarack State Beach -Tunnel Compared to At Grade Crossing .
This memorandum provides a comparative review of potential trail connectivity from the North
Shore Agua Hedionda Lagoon Trail to Tamarack State Beach, by way of a tunnel undercrossing of
Carlsbad Boulevard and by way of an at grade crossing through Carlsbad Boulevard.
Background
On July 21, 2020, staff presented a report to the City Council on the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) Beach Access Feasibility Study and the Trail Connectivity to Tamarack State Beach
Feasibility Study, including corresponding concept plans. The studies examined the feasibility of
constructing ADA-accessible ramps from Carlsbad Boulevard to the beach, as well as the
feasibility of an adjacent trail connection from the North Shore Agua Hedionda Lagoon Trail to
the Tamarack State Beach.
Subsequently, the City Council accepted the ADA Beach Access Feasibility Study and
corresponding plans and directed staff to prepare a request for proposals to pursue the
environmental review, agency permitting, engineering and construction documentation phases
of the project (Resolution No. 2020-161). The City Council did not accept the Trail Connectivity
to Tamarack State Beach Feasibility Study and corresponding plans and discussed the feasibility
of an at grade crossing. The city manager offered to provide a memorandum to the City Council
comparing the proposed undercrossing trail connectivity project to an at grade crossing.
Discussion
The Trail Connectivity to Tamarack State Beach Feasibility Study reviewed only undercrossing
alternatives (such as a cut and cover tunnel) of Carlsbad Boulevard, because the construction
plans for a separate Capital Improvement Program Project -the Tamarack Avenue Intersection
Improvements -already included an at grade crossing of Carlsbad Boulevard -in the vicinity of
the subject trail. Staff's consideration of an undercrossing of Carlsbad Boulevard was in addition
to, rather than in-lieu of, an at grade crossing of Carlsbad Boulevard.
Community Services Branch
Parks & Recreation Department
799 Pine Avenue, Suite 200 I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 760-434-2826 t
Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council
Aug.27,2020
Page 2
On July 21, 2020, the City Council discussed the apparent pros and cons of an undercrossing and
. an at grade crossing for this location and inquired about differentials in the two types of
crossings, such as design and permitting time/costs, construction time/costs, maintenance costs,
security lighting, line of sight, path of travel, vehicle conflicts and tidal/sea level rise impacts. At
the conclusion of the City Council's discussion, the city manager offered to have staff prepare a
memorandum comparing the trail connectivity, by way of a cut and cover tunnel and by way of
an at grade crossing. The following table provides that comparative review.
TRAIL CONNECTIVITY TO TAMARACK STATE BEACH -COMPARATIVE REVIEW
Consideration Cut and Cover Tunnel At Grade Crossing
Design and Permitting Time ~Thirty months ~Five months
Design and Permitting Costs ~$2so,ooo ~$28,000
Construction Time ~Three months ~one month
Construction Costs ~$3,000,000 ~$200,000
Maintenance Costs ~$850 per month ~$100 per month
Security Lighting/Cameras Necessary inclusion Unnecessary inclusion
Line of Sight Hindered Clear
Capacity Greater multi-modal Lesser multi-modal
Path of Travel Continuous/unlikely conflicts Interrupted/potential conflicts
Tidal/Sea Level Rise Impacts Higher vulnerability Lower vulnerability
Either crossing alternative at this location would increase accessibility to the coast and would
likely increase active transportation demand for the area. In addition, a crossing at this location
would help address the existing heavy active transportation demand at the nearby intersection
of Tamarack Avenue and Carlsbad Boulevard and improve traffic operations at the intersection.
Next Steps
Staff will prepare a request for proposals to pursue the environmental review, agency permitting,
engineering and construction dowmentation phases of the ADA Beach Access project. Staff will
. also continue to prepare construction plans for the Tamarack Avenue Intersection Improvements
Project -which includes an at grade crossing of Carlsbad Boulevard -in the vicinity of the subject
trail. The estimated completion date of that project's construction plans is Fall 2021.
Should the City Council wish to pursue additional ADA access for trail connectivity in the future,
staff can return for forther consideration of the undercrossing alternative(s).
cc: Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Celia Brewer, City Attorney
Paz Gomez, Deputy City Manager, Public Works
Neil Gallucci, Police Chief
Tom Frank, Transportation Director