UNIVERSITY AVENUE
STREETSCAPE
City Council Meeting
December 9, 2024 www.cityofpaloalto.org/UniversityAveStreetscape Ashwini Kantak, Project Manager
Holly Boyd, Public Works Asst. Director
Casey Case, Landscape Architect
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AGENDA
• Downtown Updates and Stakeholder Engagement
• Proposed Streetscape Concept Plan
• Next Steps
• Staff Recommendation
3 DOWNTOWN UPDATES
AND
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
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UPDATES SINCE JUNE 2024 COUNCIL MEETING
Interim Improvements
• Downtown Garage Power Washing
o Garage Q (High/Alma), Civic Center and Garage S/L (Bryant/Lytton): Completed o Lot J (Cowper/Webster): Jan 2-4 & Jan 10-11; Garage R (Alma/High): Jan 30 - Feb 1 • Continued Enhanced Cleaning and Trash Pickup
• News racks
• 62 broken/unused removed in September; 119 remaining
• Staff to contact publishers/vendors regarding restoring, replacing or removing boxes • Anticipated consolidation of news racks on each block by Spring 2025 • Downtown Curb Ramp upgrades underway; Lytton Plaza Improvements • Ground Floor Retail Uses and Permit Streamlining
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UPDATES SINCE JUNE 2024 COUNCIL MEETING (contd.)
Stakeholder Engagement
• Per Council direction, re-initiated an inclusive public engagement process to inform project scope and concept plan
• Conducted outreach to downtown businesses, residents, and community partners to participate in a downtown working group
• Downtown Stakeholder Working Group (17 members) established in August 2024
• Stakeholder Group met in September and November 2024
• Community Survey conducted October-November 2024
6 Key Takeaways from Downtown Stakeholders and PA Community • Scope: Widened sidewalks between High and Cowper Streets; streetscape enhancements between High and Webster Streets with a budget of about $43 M preferred by 60% of downtown stakeholders • Sidewalk Corner Elements: Seating and Public Gathering Spaces, Landscaping, and Bike Parking • Gathering Spaces: Lytton Plaza, Historic Ramona Street, High Street Gateway, Centennial Alley • Highlighting Palo Alto as “Birthplace of Silicon Valley”: Interpretive history and technology exhibits/History walk, Murals, Special Events, and Gateway elements • Special events: Preferred venue between Ramona and Waverley Streets at a frequency of about 2-5 times a year; some stakeholders stated a preference for no road closures 7 PREFERRED STREETSCAPE CONCEPT
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LIMIT OF STREETSCAPE CONCEPT
PROJECT FULL SCOPE
`
PROJECT PARTIAL SCOPE
9 KEY STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS
• 17.5 wide sidewalkswith extended curbs at crosswalks across 7 blocks of University Avenue (High to Cowper)
• Decorative paving on sidewalks across 9 blocks of University Avenue (High to Webster) and in key gathering spaces
• Re-location of utilities and storm water improvements • Re-paving of the street between High and Webster streets • New landscaping; maintain existing street trees
• New streetlights, traffic signals, and wayfinding signage • New street amenities – bike racks, news racks, benches, waste/recycling receptacles • Interpretive elements to showcase Palo Alto history and “Birthplace of Silicon Valley” • Collaboration with Public Art program to install artwork at focal gathering spaces 10 CONCEPT PLAN: Typical Section between High and Cowper Streets 11 11
CONCEPT PLAN: Illustrating Various Streetscape Elements 12 12
CONCEPT PLAN: Between High and Emerson Streets
Item Number
Existing Parking 20
Proposed
Parking
16 Existing Parklets 0
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CONCEPT PLAN: Between Emerson and Ramona Streets
Item Number
Existing Parking 18
Proposed
Parking
16 Existing Parklets 1
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CONCEPT PLAN: Between Ramona and Bryant Streets
Item Number
Existing Parking 20
Proposed
Parking
16 Existing Parklets 2
15 CONCEPT PLAN: Between Bryant and Florence Streets
Item Number
Existing Parking 20
Proposed
Parking
16 Existing Parklets 1
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CONCEPT PLAN: Between Florence and Waverley Streets
Item Number
Existing Parking 19
Proposed
Parking
16 Existing Parklets 1
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CONCEPT PLAN: Between Waverley and Kipling Streets
Item Number
Existing Parking 19
Proposed
Parking
16 Existing Parklets 1
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CONCEPT PLAN: Between Kipling and Cowper Streets
Item Number
Existing Parking 18
Proposed
Parking
16 Existing Parklets 1
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STREETSCAPE ELEMENT EXAMPLES (Burlingame)
20 PROJECT COSTS
Assumptions
• Project Scope includes widened sidewalks and street enhancements between High and Cowper streets; street enhancements only, between Cowper and Webster streets • 25% contingency for design and construction.
• Assumes construction start in 2027 with annual inflation factor of 4%. • Cost estimate includes design, construction management, permit fees, formation of an assessment district, and all construction costs.
• Cost estimate does not include ongoing operations and maintenance costs.
Estimated at approximately $40 million; estimates are preliminary and will be refined during design
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CAR AND BICYCLE ACCESS
Vehicular Access and Parking Management Strategy
• Maintain two-way vehicular access with 10’ wide travel lanes • Automated parking and wayfinding to efficiently direct visitors to available parking; implementation currently underway
• Accessible and short-term parking on-street to support delivery, rideshare, and loading needs • New downtown garage, located at existing surface parking lot D (Hamilton/Waverley) • Ongoing parking studies
Bicycle Access
• University Avenue will continue to be a Class III facility; 3 feet buffer on each side of travel lane • Close coordination with Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan Update 22 TENTATIVE PROJECT TIMELINE
2024
Summer 2026 – Summer
2029
Spring 2025 –
Summer 2026June - December
• Confirm vision/goals
• Revised concepts and
ROM costs
Meetings:
Retail Committee,
March, April
Council, June
• Preferred concept
• Implementation plan
(funding, phasing, etc.)
Meetings:
Stakeholder Group,
September and November
Council, December
• Preliminary design, streetscape plan
& cost estimate
• Environmental assessment (CEQA)
• Engineer’s report for assessment
district planning
• City to retain a municipal bond
counsel for Assessment District
planning, election.
Meetings:
Stakeholder Group
BCCs
Council
• Final design, bid and
award – 1 year
• Construction - 2 years
March-June
2025 -2029
23 NEXT STEPS
• Consultant contract amendment for Council consideration in early 2025 • Begin preliminary design in spring 2025, based on Council feedback on preferred concept design
• Release RFP for an assessment district feasibility analysis in winter 2025, contract award in spring 2025
• Assessment district feasibility and environmental analysis for approved design (spring 2025 - summer 2026)
• Design and construction (summer 2026 – summer 2029)
24 RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council confirm the preferred concept plan for the University Avenue Streetscape Project (PE-21004) and direct staff to bring back a consultant contract amendment for Council approval, in order to proceed to the project’s design phase.