Item No.
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
BY: JASON CHACON, DIRECTOR OF PARKS & RECREATION
D ATE: AUGUST 13, 2024
SUBJECT: DISCUSSION REGARDING A PROPOSED CITYWIDE BUS SHELTER
PHASE I INSTALLATION PLAN
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council will discuss and consider providing staff with direction on moving forward with a proposed multi-year, citywide bus shelter installation plan. Currently, different bus shelters exist in the City and have various designs. The City plans to transition to a consistent branded design along major thoroughfares, where conditions allow, over the next three years.
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council:
Discuss and provide staff with direction regarding a proposed multi-year City wide bus shelter installation plan.
BACKGROUND
At the February 13, 2024, City Council meeting, staff was directed to return to a future meeting with a report discussing the current layout of bus shelters throughout the City and to provide options for a future bus shelter installation plan. The City currently has a variety of different bus shelter designs throughout the City that host multiple transit services, including LA Metro, Long Beach Transit, Downey Link, and Bellflower Transit.
This report will focus on the City of Downey branded bus shelters that were last updated in 2018. Currently, there are 14 Downey branded bus shelters that include a consistent design for shade cover, benches, and trash receptacles. The current branded shelters are mostly on Lakewood Blvd, north of Florence, and Firestone Blvd between Paramount and Lakewood Blvd, with a few exceptions. These shelters were installed as part of larger capital improvement projects that included roadway, sidewalk, and median improvements in these specific areas at the time.
DISCUSSION REGARDING CITYWIDE BUS SHELTER INSTALLATION PLAN AUGUST13, 2024
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AN ALYSIS
Staff began developing a Citywide bus shelter installation plan by first determining the number of bus stops throughout the City, which included shared stops (operated by multiple transit service providers) and city-branded locations. A total of 185 bus stops exist within City limits. Secondly, staff created a list that identified the types of amenities present at the locations. It is important to note that it was also determined that a number of locations could not be included in this project due to ADA requirements regarding path of travel. These specific locations shall remain unchanged.
Various transit services are provided in the City, including LA Metro, Downey Link, and Long Beach Transit. Given the various providers and ridership data, bus shelter locations are not consistently designed and often provide different amenities. Inconsistencies exist in shade coverings, bench styles, signage, and trash receptacles. To create a consistent design and to address unsightly conditions, staff recommends that the City branded design for bus shelter locations (Attachment A) along major thoroughfares be the standard implemented design. Using data from the LA Metro ridership reports, staff has identified which bus shelter locations are the most used within the City limits. Below is the top 10 LA Metro rider stops in Downey.
Stop Name Average
Ridership
Lakewood Blvd Station / East & West 1076
Lakewood Blvd Station / North & North 588
Firestone & Lakewood / West & East 328
Lakewood & Firestone / South 170
Florence & Lakewood / West 164
Lakewood & Firestone / North 124
Florence & Paramount / West 114
Florence & Lakewood / West 114
Lakewood & Telegraph / South 113
Firestone & Lakewood / East & West 94
Staff recommends a total of ten (10) shelters to be upgraded to the City's branded design in Phase I of the bus shelter installation plan, including six (6) of the most heavily utilized locations from the LA Metro ridership reports and four (4) placed along the City's main thoroughfares. Staff’s proposed locations include four (4) branded shelters at the intersection of Lakewood Blvd and Imperial Hwy. Four (4) branded shelters at the intersection of Firestone Blvd and Lakewood Blvd and two (2) branded shelters on Lakewood Blvd at the transportation station. Staff estimates there to be up to another 20 possible locations throughout the City for branded stops to be installed in Phases II and III in the future. A City bus shelter map is included in Attachment B.
Furthermore, as part of the proposed plan development, staff notified the County of Los Angeles that the City is considering a bus shelter installation plan to include upgrades to ten (10) locations identified as high-use. Staff prepared a Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget request for additional Proposition A (Prop A) funds. $250,000 in Prop A funds has been
DISCUSSION REGARDING CITYWIDE BUS SHELTER INSTALLATION PLAN AUGUST13, 2024
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requested to fund Phase I, year one of the installation plan. Should the request for funding through LA Metro be denied, staff will return to the City Council to discuss other funding sources that would help to move the project forward.
The estimated cost for manufacturing and installing one (1) City branded shelter is approximately $50,000. Phase I of the installation plan would be to install four (4) shelters each in year one and two. Year three would include the remaining two (2) shelters. There is an eight-week manufactory lead time, followed by a six (6) week installation.
For the remaining bus shelters that will not have the City of Downey branded bus shelters at this time, staff will be working closely with Public Works to ensure there is a consistency in site furnishings and maintenance of existing areas. This collaborative effort ensures that all bus shelters, regardless of their branding, will be well-maintained and contribute to the City's aesthetic appeal.
The goal of the citywide bus shelter installation plan is not just to provide a consistent design throughout the City, but also to create a vision for the future of public transportation. This plan will identify which locations are best suited for the installation of the City branded shelters, paving the way for a more efficient and visually appealing public transportation system. After the conclusion of the Phase I installation, staff will return to the Council to discuss and receive direction the next phase of work.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Quality of Life, Safety & Infrastructure
FISCAL IMPACT
At this time, there is no fiscal impact associated to authorize the development of the citywide bus shelter installation plan.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: City branded bus shelter design
Attachment B: City Bus Shelter Map Attachment
Attachment C: Proposed locations
ATTACHMENT A
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PARAMOUNT BLLAKEWOOD BLI-5
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TOLDRIVER SCHOOLRDI
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LAKEWOOD BLI-605 FWYF R E E WAY
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Shared Bus Stops 139
0 0.5 10.25 Miles
Metro Stops
New Branded Bus Stops
(10)
Branded Bus Stops (14)
Metro Bus Stops and Branded Shelters
CITY OF DOWNEY
Department of Public Works
ATTACHMENT B
ATTACHMENT C
LAKEWOOD & FIRESTONE
ATTACHMENT C
LAKEWOOD & IMPERIAL
ATTACHMENT C
LAKEWOOD STATION