Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: October 3, 2023
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: STEPHEN BISE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
PREPARED BY: STEPHEN BISE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
JEROME JOAQUIN, ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER
SUBJECT: 2023 ORANGE COUNTY COMPLETE STREETS PROGRAM APPLICATION AUTHORIZATION TO IMPROVE HARBOR BOULEVARD
SUMMARY
Staff is preparing an application to submit to Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) for a Complete Streets Grant for improvement on Harbor Boulevard from Valley View Drive to Bastanchury Road.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize staff to submit an application for Complete Street Grant through the Orange County Transportation Authority.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
The City Manager requests City Council authorization. We believe that this application being submitted would be competitive for the improvements included in the application for Harbor Boulevard.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statements:
Fiscal and Organizational Stability
Public Safety
Infrastructure and City Assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
The grant requires a minimum 12% City funds match. Staff developed a preliminary project cost estimate of at least $5 million. The City would need to provide at least $600,000 in matching funds toward this project, if awarded. Staff anticipates award of the Complete Streets Grant Program to selected applications at the end of Fiscal Year 2023-24. Staff would budget the project accordingly, including the local match, in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 CIP Budget, if awarded. Staff anticipates utilizing M2 Local Fair Share and / or other applicable local funds as the local matching funds.
DISCUSSION
This project, located on Harbor Boulevard between Valley View Drive / Brea Boulevard and Bastanchury Road, spans an approximately one-mile segment of Harbor Boulevard with a six-lane Primary Arterial and 50 mile per hour speed limit. Mid-block Class II bike lanes terminate prior to the intersections with discontinuous sidewalks on both sides of the roadway. Six bus stops service OCTA Route 143 from the Fullerton Transportation Center to the cities of Brea and La Habra. Adjacent land uses include various commercial, Golfers Paradise, Brea Dam Park and several medical facilities associated to Providence St. Jude Medical Center.
The proposed project includes lane reduction (six-lane to four-lane). Staff conducted a traffic study and concluded the lane reduction would not negatively affect existing or future traffic conditions. The lane reduction would provide additional space for enhanced bikeways (buffered Class II bike lanes and Class IV bikeways) and install continuous sidewalk on both sides of Harbor Boulevard. The project proposes a new signalized intersection at the Brea Dam Park entrance to benefit any future dog park and facilitate cyclists traversing the Fullerton Loop (local mountain bike trail). The project includes enhanced transit stops, ADA upgrades, new street lighting, new center medians, drought tolerant landscape and other complete streets features. The following illustrates the existing and proposed cross-sections. Staff notes details may change based on constructability review during final design.
Existing Conditions:
Proposed Conditions:
Community Input
Staff obtained letters of support from various agencies, including Providence St. Jude Medical Center, the largest stakeholder.
Staff completed community input as a grant application requirement, distributing an electronic survey to obtain general public sentiment. Staff received over 329 responses as of September 22, 2023. The survey closed on October 2, 2023. The survey has yielded a supportive consensus for the proposed scope of work, to date.
Staff presented the project to the Active Transportation Committee, Transportation and Circulation Commission and Infrastructure and Natural Resources Advisory Committee. All bodies generally support pursuit of the grant and proposed project improvements.
Expected Environmental Benefits
This project encourages a shift towards more sustainable transportation modes like biking, walking and public transit, reducing the overall number of vehicles on the road and decreasing traffic-related emissions. The smaller road footprints from lane reductions also free up space for green infrastructure, such as bike lanes, sidewalks and vegetation, enhancing urban biodiversity and mitigating heat island effects. Reduced lane capacity can lead to slower vehicle speeds, enhancing road safety and lowering the severity of accidents, which, in turn, reduces associated environmental and societal costs.
Expected Maintenance Impacts
This project would have road infrastructure maintenance implications. Fewer lanes to accommodate traffic and less road surface may create less wear and tear, potentially leading to reduced maintenance needs. Adding a raised median can result in increased utility cost and maintenance, depending on the hardscape / softscape installed. Staff would have a balanced approach to offset any long-term street maintenance savings with new utility and/or landscape and/or hardscape maintenance costs, if awarded. cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
2023 OC Complete Streets Project Application Authorization – Harbor Boulevard October 3, 2023 - Page 2