To the members of t he:
CITY CO UN CIL
Dat e iliili.±_ CA ✓ CC ✓
CM _L"ACM ~CM (3) ✓
January 11, 2024
Council Me morandum
{city of
Carlsbad
Memo ID# 2024003
To:
From:
Honorable Mayor Blackburn and Members of the City Council Paz Gomez, Deputy City Manager, Public Works
Via:
Re:
Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager~( yiunity Services
Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manage GJ"'
Chestnut Avenue Underpass Projec pdate (District 1)
This memorandum provides an update on the Chestnut Avenue Underpass Community Enhancement Project, which is starting construction next month.
Background
As part of the Build North Coast Corridor (NCC) Program, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the San Diego Association of Governments (SAN DAG) are completing several community enhancement projects along the Interstate 5 (1 -5) corridor. One of these, the Chestnut Avenue Underpass Community Enhancement Project, is scheduled to start construction in February.
In addition to making the underpass more invit ing for all modes of travel, the project includes a permanent public art component as part of the city's Art in Public Places program.
Discussion
On October 15, 2019, the City Council adopted a resolution selecting the Chestnut Avenue underpass as the preferred undercrossing location for a Build NCC community enhancement project. The Build NCC project team had proposed either the Chestnut Avenue underpass or the underpass at Carlsbad Village Drive. The Carlsbad Village Drive location would have been more complex to execute due to its location at a freeway on ramp and offramp, the nearby gas station, t raffic signals at the int ersections and the drainage system.
Enhancements to the Chestnut Avenue/I-5 undercrossing will include:
• Bike lanes and parking separated by a buffer
• Doubling the width of sidewalks
• Moving curbs to provide better pedestrian crossings
• Improved landscaping, with native shrubs, groundcovers and street trees • Enhanced landscaping facing Holiday Park
• New retaining walls (to make room for the widened sidewalks) • Additional fencing
Public Works Branch
Transportation Department
1635 Faraday Avenue I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 442-339-2730 t
Council Memo -Chest nut Avenue Underpass Project Update (District 1) January 11, 2024
• Shielded light-emitting diode (LED) street lighting fixtures • New lighting under the bridge
• Cobblestone paving
Construction schedule
The following construction schedule has been provided to city staff by Caltrans and SAN DAG:
Restripe and place K-rail
Pour wall
Install sidewalk
Asphalt paving (56 hours closure)
Complete work
North wall
Mid-Feb 2024
May 2024
Aug/Sept 2024
Sept/Oct 2024
South wall
Sept/Oct 2024
Nov/Dec 2024
March/ April 2025
May 2025
May/June 2025
The city's Communication & Engagement Department will work closely with SAN DAG to help ensure the community is aware of any temporary lane closures and other construction impacts.
Public art
Carlsbad Municipal Code 2.18.110 (Appropriation for arts) requires that a minimum of 1% of the cost of certain construction projects be dedicated to permanent public art. For the Chestnut Avenue Community Enhancement Project, the City Council has designated $400,000 from the General Capital Construction Fund for the permanent public art.
Two artists and one artist team responded to a limited call for artists issued by the city last fall.
The city sought application submissions from artists with experience working on major transportation infrastructure projects, due to their complexity, engineering requirements and strict timelines.
In late 2023, staff created a public art advisory subcommittee for this project, based on the Art in Public Places program. That subcommittee met on January 4, 2024, to interview two artists and an artist team who responded to the call for artists.
The interviews focused on the artists' qualifications only, not specific ideas or design concepts for this project. The subcommittee voted unanimously to select an artist team known as Greenmeme, which is a collaboration between artists Freyja Bardell and Brian Howe. They will work with the community to develop a vision for the artwork that reflects the history, heritage and identity of Carlsbad's Barrio and surrounding area.
Next Steps
City staff will work with SAN DAG to keep the community informed about the underpass construction. City staff will also execute a contract with the artist team selected. Community engagement for the public art is expected to begin this spring.
Council Memo -Chestnut Avenue Underpass Project Update (District 1) January 11, 2024
Attachment: A. Chestnut Avenue Underpass Community Enhancement Project cc: Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Cindie McMahon, City Attorney
Laura Rocha, Deputy City Manager, Administrative Services Tom Frank, Transportation Director/City Engineer
Zach Korach, Finance Director
Kristina Ray, Communication & Engagement Director
Suzanne Smithson, Library & Cultural Arts Director
Gina Herrera, Assistant City Attorney
Attachment A
Chestnut Avenue Underpass Community Enhancement Project View from Pio Pico Drive
**Final design subject to change.
~ Transportation art site
-The retaining wall exterior surface, cable railing, and the space between the back of the sidewalk and the wall is available for Transportation Art, subject to the artist interpretation and approval by Caltrans
.,..-
TO Exltllng M,1 Slaia
-·
10' 11' S'l:2' 12' S' 11' 10' -,----r-,,-(◄--►-... ,--Sidewalk Park and Bike EB Lan~ \'ID 1.Gne Bike Park and Sidewalk Bulfer Lan lane Buffer .,...-/. _i.-=O -~_e_t Retaining Wall ±7 ~.
Chestnut Ave. Undercrossing Facing West
Typical Cross Section
,o· I
Exbtlng Bridge
Conform toblitlng 1.s:1 Slope
PROflLE VIEW RETAJNll,G WALi. ·eo" ($o<lth Sidt)
CHESTI/UT AVl:NUE STREIIT IMPROVEMElffS -IUITAl!llllG WALL COIICEPTS (50\ITH SIOEJ PROFILE VIEW RETAINING WALL "!IO" (NoJ h Sid•]
Conceptual Site Plan (South Side}
**Final design subject to change.
CHESTNUT AV!oNI/E STREET IMPROVEMENTS• RETAINING WALL CONCEPTS (NORTH SIDE) Conceptual Site Plan (North Side)
**Final design subject to change.