BACKGROUND:
The City of Cathedral City performed a roadway and intersection safety analysis throughout the entire City, which was incorporated into the City’s Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) completed Fall 2021. While compiling data for the LRSP, the City applied for a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Cycle 10 Grant to improve safety for pedestrian crossings on Ramon Road.
On March 26, 2021, Cathedral City was awarded a $776,600 HSIP Cycle 10 Grant to install the proposed High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) crossing and respective median fencing. The funds for the Preliminary Engineering (PE) Phase ($138,300) were allocated by Caltrans on October 10, 2021.
At the February 23, 2022 City Council meeting, the City Council awarded a Professional Services Agreement with STC Traffic Inc. (STC) to prepare the plans, specifications, and environmental documents for this HSIP Cycle 10 Project.
At the June 22, 2022 Study Session meeting, City Staff provided City Council an update on the Project regarding project vicinity, existing conditions, and proposed optimal configuration of the crosswalk and signal.
On September 8, 2022, Caltrans approved Cathedral City’s scope change request to install a conventional pedestrian signal at the location of Ramon Road and Candlewood Drive, instead of a HAWK signal at Ramon Road and Avenida La Paloma.
DISCUSSION:
Ramon Road currently operates with a posted speed limit of 40 MPH within the project vicinity, with an Average Daily Traffic (ADT) of approximately 41,000 vehicles according to Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Traffic Data 2022. The roadway accommodates the two-way traffic with three lanes of travel in each direction separated by medians between Landau Boulevard and Whispering Palm Trails.
Sidewalks are provided along both sides of the roadway for the entire length of the study area.
The scope of this Project includes up to 1,225 linear feet (LF) of median fencing, which is approximately the distance of the medians along Ramon Road from Landau Boulevard to Whispering Palms Trail. The Grant allowance for the median fencing is $122,500. Accidents involving motor vehicles and pedestrians usually occur when pedestrians attempt to enter and cross the roadway at a non-designated crossing. The use of median fencing, also known as pedestrian fencing, restricts the access of pedestrians across roadways and guides their movements to safe crossing locations.
The location of median fencing is provided as an attachment to this Staff Report.
City Staff and consultants contacted various agencies and fencing manufacturers to provide City Council with safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing options for median fencing. Detail drawings of each median fencing option are provided as an attachment to this Staff Report. The median fencing options for discussion include:
•Three Standard Fencing Options (Attachment Detail A, B, C) •Cathedral City Peaks and Valleys, Date Palm and I-10 Bridge (Detail D) •Cathedral City Peaks and Valleys, inspired by La Quinta (Detail E) •Sedona, Arizona (Detail F)
•Las Vegas, Clark County (Detail G)
The table below shows the median fencing total cost estimates.
Median Fencing Cost Estimates
Detail Fencing Description
Unit
Price
($/Linear
Foot)
Total Cost
Cost Over
Grant
Allowance
A Standard Fencing
(Straight Picket) 125 $153,125.00 $30,625.00
B Standard Fencing
(Slanted Picket) 125 $153,125.00 $30,625.00
C
Standard Fencing
(Alternating Height
Picket)
125 $153,125.00 $30,625.00
D
Cathedral City Peaks
and Valleys (Date Palm
Bridge)
200 $245,000.00 $122,500.00
E
Cathedral City Peaks
and Valleys (inspired by
La Quinta)
250 $306,250.00 $183,750.00
F Sedona, Arizona 350 $428,750.00 $306,250.00
G Las Vegas, Clark
County 180 $220,500.00 $98,000.00
Due to the increased cost of median fencing materials and labor costs, even selecting the least expensive options (Detail A, B, or C) will require an additional $30,625. City Staff can submit an Additional Fund Request Form to Caltrans, to petition that the increase in costs of materials should be covered by this HSIP Grant. Caltrans typically approves additional funding for the cost increases for typical fencing standard designs.
Caltrans, historically, does not approve additional funding for custom fencing designs.
With this in mind, the custom designs will likely require additional funding to be covered by the City.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The HSIP Cycle 10 grant is a 100% grant with no local match required. This Project is listed in the FY 2021-22 and FY 2022-23 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) as account 331-100-150-156-8800-8802, Project C08753 with an overall budget amount of $776,600.00.
Note: The initial planning for this application was completed in 2020. Construction costs are increasing monthly, as contractor’s availability is limited, the costs for materials are increasing, and delivery times are being extended. Cost of materials and goods have increased approximately 20% within the past year. Once the construction costs are established after bids are received and these costs are over the Grant amount, Staff will solicit Caltrans to increase the Grant amount to cover the cost increases, all subject to Caltrans approval.