UNIVERSITY AVENUE
STREETSCAPE
Concept Plans
Discussion & Next Steps
Holly Boyd, Assistant Director of Public Works
Steve Guagliardo, Assistant to the City Manager
Megha Bansal, Senior Engineer Public Works
Robert Stevens, Project Manager, CSWST2
December 18, 2023 www.cityofpaloalto.org/UniversityAveStreetscape 2 PURPOSE & OVERVIEW
1. Discuss and confirm the preferred
concept plan for the University
Avenue Streetscape Improvements.
2. Direct the City Manager to negotiate
and prepare a scope of work for
future phases through a contract
amendment with CSW.
3 City Council Priority – Economic Recovery and Transition The 2023 City Council Priority of Economic
Recovery and Transition included a specific
objective for this work, discussed in November
Update.
4 Economic Development Strategy – Approved August 14, 2023 Recommendation #1: Upgrade...spaces to
promote district definition and encourage
activation
Action 1.1: Redesign University Avenue
streetscape to provide wider sidewalk
space for walking, gathering, and outdoor
dining through construction project to be
funded through property owners.
5 SCOPE OF STREETSCAPE STUDY
• Scope of work components approved by Council on September 13, 2021:
• Enhance retail environment
• Maximize pedestrian and bicycle use
• Maintain two-way vehicular access
• Enhance the overall appearance and activation of the street • Facilitate safe and convenient temporary closures to motor vehicles for special events
• Funding mechanism through an assessment district
6 STUDY AREA
• Along University Avenue between Alma Street and Middlefield Road • Streetscape improvements within the public right of way 7 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
• Between November 2022 and
November 2023, four Block
Ambassadors focus meetings
• March 1, 2023, Community
workshop
• March to April 2023,
Community on-line survey -
712 responses
• March 2022 to November
2023, three City department-
wide meetings and several
discipline focus meetings
8 STAKEHOLDER & COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
• Enhance economic activity including a
diverse array of retail and dining options
• Fun, lively and vibrant
• Clean, safe, and nature focused
• Simple and visually attractive
• Preserve on street parking
• Seek strategies for events at Civic Center
Plaza
Top 3 Concerns (On-line Survey)
#1: Business vacancies
#2: Decrease in retail operations
#3: Not enough social gathering areas
Top 3 Improvements (On-line Survey)
#1: Outdoor dining
#2: Expanded sidewalks and enhanced
pedestrian pathways
#3: Social gathering areas and seating nodes
9 COMPONENTS OF AN “IDEAL” STREETSCAPE
An “Ideal” Streetscape needs about 94 feet of right of way 10 EXISTING CONDITIONS
• Right-of-way 75 feet wide
• Sidewalks 12.5+/- feet wide
• London plane trees, majority in good
health
• Pavement in good condition
• Sidewalk and crosswalk need
improvement
11 DOWNTOWN PARKING
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
12:00 PM 3:00 PM 6:00 PM
Occupancy
Time of Day
Comparison of Parking Occupancy Downtown Palo Alto Pre and Post COVID-19
Weekend 2017 Weekday 2017
Weekday April 2023 Weekday October 2023
12 OPTION 1 - BIKEWAY
13 OPTION 2 - PASEO
14 OPTION 3 – ACTIVATION FLEX (PREFERRED)
15 OPTION 3 – ACTIVATION FLEX
16 OPTION 3 – ACTIVATION FLEX
17 OPTION 3 – ACTIVATION FLEX PARKING ANALYSIS
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
12:00 PM 3:00 PM 6:00 PM
Parking Occupancy
Time of Day
IMPACT OF ON STREET PARKING REMOVAL ON OFF STREET PARKING GARAGES - PRE COVID 19
2017 weekday % occupancy % garages occupancy accomodating additional 48 vehicles 18 STREETSCAPE SPECIAL EVENT SPACE
Opportunities to close University for special events
19 OPTION 3 – ACTIVATION FLEX OUTDOOR DINING
TITLE 40 FONT BOLD
Subtitle 32 font
Option 1: Bikeway Option 2: Paseo Option 3: Activation-Flex Preferred Concept
• Protected bicycle lanes
• Limited sidewalk space
• Removes on street parking
• Does not meet fire
clearance requirements
• $35 million to implement
• Grand sidewalk area
• Removes on street parking
• Potential for increased
vehicle speeds
• $43 million to implement
• Sidewalk allows for retail and
outdoor dining use
• Preserves 75% of street
parking.
• Accommodates needs of all
users given the site constraints
• $40 million to implement
STREETSCAPE OPTIONS SUMMARY
20 21
BUDGET AND FUNDING OPTIONS
• $40 million in 2030 dollars (hard and soft costs)
• City funds not programmed
• Likely to be funded through an assessment district,
development impact fees, and grants
• Special Assessment District:
• Apportionment of costs among properties
fronting the improvement area
• Three City owned properties within project area
• General versus specific benefits and Prop 218
• Additional costs to form assessment district
22 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
1. Enhanced Maintenance: $395,000 per year
• Weekly power washing
• Trash removal at least six times a week
• Preservation of street trees
• Maintenance of accent lighting
• Maintenance of landscaping and irrigation
2. District Management Entity – $250,000 per year for
concerts, movies, plays, etc.
23 NEXT STEPS AND TENTATIVE TIMELINE
Upon Council direction to proceed with the preferred concept plan:
1. Consultant Contract Amendment for Phase 2 services (early 2024)
2. Phase 2: Preliminary Design & Environmental Assessment (spring 2024 - summer 2025)* • Boards and Commissions meetings and additional outreach • Preliminary design, streetscape plan and cost estimate refinement • Environmental assessment consistent with CEQA
• Engineer’s report for assessment district planning
3. Phase 3: Final design, construction documents & bidding (summer 2025 - summer 2026)
4. Phase 4: Construction (anticipated to last two years) *City to retain a municipal bond counsel for the Assessment District planning, election and implementation with Phase 2.
24 RECOMMENDED MOTION
1. Confirm Option 3 - (Activation Flex) as the preferred concept plan for the University Avenue Streetscape Improvements.
2. Direct the City Manager to negotiate and prepare a scope of work for future phases through a contract amendment with CSW.
Holly Boyd, Assistant Director of Public Works; [email protected] Steve Guagliardo, Assistant to the City Manager; [email protected] Megha Bansal, Senior Engineer Public Works; [email protected] Robert Stevens, Project Manager, CSWST2;[email protected]