DATE: September 6, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Philip A. Wray, Deputy Director of Development Services/City Engineer
SUBJECT: REPORT, DISCUSSION, AND DIRECTION CONCERNING THE
BALDWIN AVENUE STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
Recommendation: Provide Direction
SUMMARY
At the June 7, 2022, City Council Meeting, the City Council discussed adding a project to the Capital Improvement Program to improve the Baldwin Avenue parkways between Huntington Drive and Camino Real Avenue. The City Council requested the preparation of a cost estimate for a three-phased improvement program for consideration. The cost estimate has been prepared and is provided as an attachment to the staff report. Total costs for all three phases and possible additions to the scope would exceed $3.6 million.
If the City Council is interested in pursuing a project, the next step would be to determine funding options from available sources. It is recommended that the City Council provide direction concerning further action on the Baldwin Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project.
BACKGROUND
In 2004, the City administered a project to improve the segment of Baldwin Avenue between Duarte Road and Naomi Avenue. This project was intended to restore and beautify this block fronting the Hub Center and was completed in cooperation with the owner of the Center, who granted the City an additional 10-foot dedication for street widening. The project included widening the west side of Baldwin Avenue to maintain parking on both sides of the street and add a raised center median, remove and replace sidewalks and street trees, and add a midblock crosswalk with bulb-outs, decorative seat planters, pilasters and benches similar to the streetscape amenities along portions of Huntington Drive. This project cost over $600,000 for the one block of Baldwin Avenue.
As part of the 2016-17 Fiscal Year Capital Improvement Program, the City Council approved the Baldwin Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project. This project was included at the City Council’s direction with a scope to remove and replace the street
Baldwin Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project
September 6, 2022
trees and damaged sidewalks, curbs and gutters. The budgeted amount was $650,000 in Capital Outlay Funds. The project was delayed for several years due to funding concerns through the budget process and then was ultimately suspended indefinitely at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic due to the uncertainty of City revenues in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Instead of the full Streetscape Improvements project, in 2021, the Development Services Department undertook a smaller project to make minor improvements to the Baldwin Avenue parkways to create their own identity and add some aesthetic value to the area at a minimal cost. The improvements include banners on streetlight poles, bike racks, painting traffic signal cabinets with artwork, removing old newspaper racks, and removing the most problematic Ficus trees. All improvements are complete except for the bike racks, which have been delivered and will be installed imminently.
As part of this work, eight of the most destructive Ficus trees were removed and sidewalk repairs were made on a short segment of parkway on the eastside of Baldwin Avenue just south of Huntington Drive. This segment was identified as a high priority for sidewalk repairs and was selected as a pilot project for a comprehensive repair approach. The work included removing and replacing two trees that had significantly uplifted and damaged the sidewalk, grinding the stumps, removing old news racks and benches, removing all old concrete and asphalt sidewalk and replacing it with new concrete. The work made a significant difference to aesthetics and safety.
At the 2022-23 Fiscal Year budget adoption hearing on June 7, 2022, the City Council discussed adding back a Baldwin Avenue Streetscape Improvement project to the budget. At that meeting, the City Council requested a cost estimate for a three-phased improvement plan as follows:
Phase 1
• Remove and replace all the trees
• Remove and replace the damaged sidewalks
Phase 2
• Install electrical lines in sidewalk to light the trees • Add benches
• Add trash receptacles
Phase 3
• Add bulb-outs similar to those on Huntington Drive
• Add decorative crosswalks at intersections
DISCUSSION
A full evaluation was conducted of the existing conditions along Baldwin Avenue and a scope of work was assembled to meet the improvement plan identified above. A comprehensive cost estimate was prepared for each item of work. The cost estimate is
Baldwin Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project
September 6, 2022
included as Attachment No. 1 to the Staff Report. Each of the proposed phases is explained in more detail below:
Phase 1 – Street tree removal and replacement and sidewalk removal and replacement
The cost for tree removal and replacement includes the following:
• Extensive root removal and stump grinding. From experience on previous tree removal projects like this, the roots tend to be very intrusive and conflict with underground utilities and drainpipes.
• Irrigation for the trees. Irrigation to each tree is included because it is nearly impossible to provide the necessary irrigation manually due to the time and staffing commitment involved and access constraints.
• New trees. The new trees will be provided at no cost per the County of Los Angeles, but there is a cost for installation
The cost for sidewalk removal and replacement includes the following:
• Protecting, raising, or removing and replacing the utility boxes • Cost to protect or replace under-sidewalk roof drains from adjacent buildings • Cost to remove and replace concrete curb and gutter uplifted by the trees • Cost to remove and replace all driveways to ADA accessible standards
It should be noted that most but not all sidewalks are estimated to be removed and replaced. There are a few segments that are in very good condition and consistent in appearance.
The estimated cost for Phase 1 is $1,626,575, including contingencies.
Phase 2 – Electrical lines to light the trees, and the addition of benches and trash receptacles
This phase includes installing conduit and electrical wiring under the sidewalk with pull boxes at strategic locations and at each tree well for future connections to each tree. If this is desired, it is recommended that it be included in Phase 1 instead of Phase 2 because the most cost-effective and least disruptive time to install the conduit is after the sidewalk is removed and before it is replaced, as opposed to trenching in the new sidewalk or the street at a later date.
The estimated cost for the Electrical installation is $334,000. The estimated cost for the remainder of Phase 2, adding 10 benches and Trash Receptacles, is $50,000. Therefore, the total estimated costs for Phase 2 projects would be $384,000.
Baldwin Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project
September 6, 2022
Phase 3 - Bulb-outs and Decorative Crosswalks
Bulb-outs are not recommended for Baldwin Avenue between Huntington Drive and Duarte Road. A portion of Baldwin Avenue is used annually for the Band Review and bulb-outs would reduce the usable width. Also, Baldwin Avenue is only 66 feet wide curb- to-curb and cannot accommodate four travel lanes, a center two-way left turn lane and parking on both sides. The current configuration has a no-parking lane on the west side and the travel lane is adjacent to the curb, so there is no room for bulb-outs. There are bulb-outs on Baldwin Avenue between Duarte Rd. and Naomi Avenue as mentioned above, but that is due to the widening of Baldwin Avenue for that segment. South of Naomi Avenue, Baldwin Avenue is relatively the same as north of Duarte Road and cannot accommodate bulb-outs without major impacts to the street.
The estimated cost for Phase 3 is $400,000, but this only involves the addition of decorative pavers at four Baldwin Avenue signalized intersections, at Fairview Avenue, Duarte Road, Naomi Avenue and Camino Real Avenue.
Taken together, the full cost of the three phases described above including contingencies is estimated at $2,459,118.
There are additional items that could be considered if the City Council wishes to explore improvements similar to those recently installed in Downtown Arcadia on Huntington Drive and First Avenue. These items include:
• Decorative Pedestrian lights (129 spaced every 50 feet): $993,300 • Lights installed in the trees: $204,000
• Undergrounding of the existing overhead street light wires: cost unknown, subject to SCE Cost estimate but expected to be significant
In total, if all phases and options were implemented, the total project cost would exceed $3.6 million.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
This project scope and cost estimate is not an approved and budgeted project yet. If the City Council decides to appropriate funding and direct staff to proceed with a project, the environmental analysis will be conducted at that time.
FISCAL IMPACT
Previous parkway and sidewalk projects were not eligible for use of streets and transportation funding, and thus were limited to primarily Capital Outlay (General Fund) funds. However, in recent years, County Measures R and M, each half-cent sales tax measures for transportation purposes, have been given broader eligibility requirements
Baldwin Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project
September 6, 2022
that include sidewalks and parkway improvements. The City receives annual local return funding from both Measures to spend on transportation projects.
Measure M is currently committed to streets and traffic signal projects with a current fund balance of approximately $250,000. The City initially earmarked its Measure R funding to support the cost of the Arcadia Transit system, but because the revenues have exceeded the additional transit expenses, there is a current fund balance of approximately $1.5 million that is expected to grow to over $2.5 million over the next five years.
In addition, there are over $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) funds unallocated at this time, which could be applied to this project if desired.
If the City Council is interested in pursuing a project, the next step will be to propose funding options to match the preferred scope of work and determine an appropriate mix of funding. Depending on the urgency and timing of this project and the available funds, other programmed projects may be impacted.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council provide direction concerning further action on the Baldwin Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project.
Attachment No.1: Baldwin Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project Cost Estimate
BALDWIN AVENUE STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT
COST SUMMARY
August 17, 2022
Phase 1 Costs
Remove and replace all the trees
48 remove and replace @ $4,400
8 installation only @ $500
Note: No cost for new trees through LA County
$215,200
Install irrigation to the trees $213,600
Remove and replace sidewalks – 54,600 SF @ $12/SF $655,200 Protect or replace damaged building roof drains – 635 LF @ $15/LF $9,525 Remove and replace uplifted curbs and gutters – 500 LF @ $50/LF $25,000 Repair or raise utility boxes – 88 @ $800 each $70,400
Remove and replace corner ADA access ramps – 17 total $77,000 SUB-TOTAL $1,265,925
Mobilization, Traffic Control, Erosion Control $105,000 Construction Estimate Total $1,370,925
15% Contingency $205,650
Design $50,000
Phase 1Total $1,626,575
Phase 1A Costs
Phase 1A – Install Electrical Conduit and pull boxes in sidewalk for future lighting
$334,000
Phase 2 Costs
Phase 2 – 10 sets of Bench and Trash Receptacles @ $5,000/set $50,000 Phase 3 Costs
Phase 3 – Decorative Paver Crosswalks
4 Signalized Intersections – all crossings
$400,000
Additional Considerations
Install Pedestrian Lighting $993,300
Install Tree Lights $201,100
Underground existing street light wires Needs SCE
Design
Total Costs – All Phases & Options
Total Costs (excluding Undergrounding costs) $3,604,975 Attachment No. 1