oF PASADENA
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Agenda Report
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September 19, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Municipal Services Committee (September 13, 2022) FROM: Department of Transportation
SUBJECT: SUBMITTAL OF PROJECT LIST TO THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY
METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (METRO) FOR
CONSIDERATION OF MEASURE R MOBILITY IMPROVEMENT
PROJECT (MIP) FUNDING IN LIEU OF THE CALIFORNIA BOULEVARD
GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that the following proposed action is exempt from review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b) (3); and
2. Authorize the Mayor to submit a project list to Metro on behalf of the City of Pasadena requesting Measure R Mobility Improvement Project (MIP) funding for projects within the City of Pasadena in lieu of the Metro L Line Grade Separation at California Boulevard.
MUNICIPAL SERVICES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
On September 13, 2022, the Municipal Services Committee unanimously approved a motion to accept the staff recommendation allowing this item to proceed to the full City Council for consideration.
The Committee also directed staff to follow up with two additional items:
• Develop a work plan and identify potential funding for an Arroyo Link feasibility study which considers options to reduce the potential project costs. • The work plan and funding options will be presented as part of the annual Capital Improvement Program development for FY2024.
09/19/2022 18
MEETING OF AGENDA ITEM NO..
Measure R MIP List in lieu of the California Boulevard Grade Separation September 19, 2022
• Develop a work plan to identify walkability enhancements and identify potential funding sources for the Metro L Line at grade crossings of California Boulevard and Del Mar Boulevard as well as the Metro L Line Fillmore Station and Del Mar Station.
• The work plan and funding options will be presented as part of the annual Capital Improvement Program development for FY2024.
TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
On August 24, 2022, the Transportation Advisory Commission (TAC) recommended that the City Council approve the attached Measure R Mobility Improvement Project (MIP) list, for potential projects in lieu of the Metro L Line Grade Separation at California Boulevard.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
City staff has identified projects to improve mobility for all modes of travel along the SR 710 corridor area. The projects build upon the Measure R 710 Early Action Project list previously approved by City Council on January 29, 2018 and have been updated based on technical work, feedback recently received through community outreach and the change in ownership of transportation infrastructure resulting from the relinquishment of the State Route (SR) 710 northern stub to the City of Pasadena.
The scope and cost estimates for those projects that were previously approved by City Council in 2018 were reviewed by City staff and updated to account for current conditions. Projects that were originally on the Early Action Project list, but have subsequently been funded, have been removed from this updated Measure R MIP list.
The relinquishment of the SR 710 Northern Stub transportation corridor to the City of Pasadena created an opportunity to identify a new set of multimodal projects. These new projects are consistent with the original project list approved by City Council, align with recent Metro Board direction allowing for multi-modal projects, and utilize the transportation infrastructure right-of-way made available through the relinquishment.
These proposed near term projects address modernization through multi-modal mobility, creating network efficiencies and enhance safety while not precluding any future long term community vision for the future land use of the corridor.
Nineteen projects have been identified with eleven proposed as priority projects to be carried out in-lieu of the Metro L Line California Boulevard Grade Separation Project, to significantly improve mobility in the region and enhance various modes of transportation.
The projects were chosen with the goal of improving safety for all road uses, including motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. Consistent with the purpose of the SR 710 Measure R MIP program, the proposed projects effectively and efficiently accommodate regional and local north south travel demands in the study area while providing bus infrastructure improvements, bikeway improvements and pedestrian improvements. Measure R MIP funding criteria requires that funding be used towards capital infrastructure enhancements consistent with the purpose and need of the 710 N Project, while Measure R MIP List in lieu of the California Boulevard Grade Separation September 19, 2022
providing multimodal capacity enhancements to allow for connectivity to the regional network.
The projects are separated into six categories listed below. The descriptions of each individual project, and the preliminary level cost estimate for each project, are provided as Attachment A.
• Multi Modal Mobility Improvements
Traffic Signals and Intelligent Transportation System Projects Pasadena Transit System Expansion for the SR 710 Corridor • Bicycle Transportation Action Plan Projects
• SR 710/SR 134/1-210 Ramp Modifications
• Mobility Hubs
While all projects provide important enhancements to the multimodal transportation network, adjacent to the SR 710, the list below prioritizes the top priority projects in order of importance.
• Pasadena Avenue and St John Avenue Roadway Network (Walnut Street to Columbia St): $75.1 million
• Avenue 64 Complete Street Program: $1.5 million
• Transportation Operations and Maintenance Facility: $62.4 million • Columbia St (from Orange Grove Boulevard to Fair Oaks Avenue): $9.9 million • Orange Grove Boulevard at Colorado Boulevard and Orange Grove Boulevard at Holly St: $4.5 million
• San Rafael Avenue (between Linda Vista Avenue and Colorado Boulevard): $4.8 million
• Metro L Line At-Grade Crossing Enhancements: $2.5 million • Continental Crosswalks: $6.8 million
• Orange Grove Mobility Improvement Program: $5.4 million • Greenways (Bike Boulevards): $12.0 million
• SR 710/SR 134/I-210 Ramp Modifications: $150+ million These projects were prioritized based on multimodal connectivity and safety, project need, proximity to SR 710 corridor and project readiness/implementation timeline.
BACKGROUND:
Three distinct yet interrelated programs and efforts provide the background that form the foundation on how this updated project list was created, and why it is needed. The three components are:
Measure R MIP Funding
• The Metro L Line Grade Separation at California Boulevard Project • The Caltrans Relinquishment of the SR 710 Northern Stub to the City of Pasadena Measure R MIP List in lieu of the California Boulevard Grade Separation September 19, 2022
The background on each component is included below.
Measure R Mobility Improvement Projects Funding
On May 25, 2017, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Board voted to adopt the Transportation System Management/Transportation Demand Management (TSM/TDM) Alternative as the Locally Preferred Alternative for the SR 710 North Project, allocate $105 million in remaining Measure R funds to the development and implementation of the projects listed in the TSM/TDM Alternative, and allocate the remaining Measure Rand other funding dedicated to the SR 710 North Mobility Improvement Projects (previously referred to as Early Action Projects) to alleviate traffic congestion on local arterials in the SR 710 N corridor.
In September of 2017, the City initiated a coordinated effort with neighboring Cities to ensure that projects submitted to Metro for Measure R funds were coordinated with neighboring cities. Pasadena contacted the City of Alhambra and the City of South Pasadena to develop a comprehensive approach towards maximizing the benefits of the available funding. Nelson/Nygaard provided a report outlining the City's mobility priorities and the list of projects for Pasadena's consideration. The project list was presented to the Pasadena Transportation Advisory Commission on the October 26, 2017 meeting to obtain feedback prior to submitting for City Council approval. On January 29, 2018, Pasadena City Council approved the following projects for funding consideration:
• Gold Line Grade Separation at California Boulevard;
• Modifications to the Interstate 210 (I-210) freeway access ramps to remove access to/from California Boulevard and make operational improvements to the access ramps at Del Mar Boulevard;
• Implement traffic calming/Complete Streets Programs for St. John Avenue/Pasadena Avenue/South Orange Grove Boulevard, Allen Avenue, Hill Street and Avenue 64;
• Implement Intelligent Transportation Systems projects that include performance monitoring and analytics for intersections near to the Gold Line crossings, automated data collection for pedestrians and bicycles, high resolution traffic signal data collection/broadcasting, Walnut Street corridor signal upgrades and expansion of the I-210 Connected Corridor project;
• Transit improvements that include rapid bus enhancements in the Fair Oaks/Atlantic and Rosemead corridors, Rose Bowl shuttles and college/university transit passes;
• Bicycle improvements, including unfunded projects identified in the adopted Bicycle Transportation Action Plan, the Arroyo Link and Bike Share expansion; and
• Mobility Hubs
On November 14, 2018, the Metro Board approved the first round of Measure R Mobility Improvement Projects (MIP) for funding. The Gold Line Grade Separation at California Measure R MIP List in lieu of the California Boulevard Grade Separation September 19, 2022
Boulevard was awarded $105,000,000 and was the only project funded in the City of Pasadena.
On September 26, 2019, the Metro Board approved funding for MIP Round 2. Five projects received funding, including an additional funding allocation in the amount of $125,500,000 for the L Line Grade Separation at California Boulevard.
In line with the funding criteria, all projects approved by the Metro Board for funding meet the criteria of alleviating traffic congestion while also enhancing the multimodal network through targeted improvements aimed at increasing pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, enhancing pedestrian and bicyclist safety, and providing accessibility for all users.
On February 24, 2022, the Metro Board clarified the types of Mobility Improvement Projects that are eligible for Measure R funding, including the funding of bus infrastructure improvements, bikeway improvements and pedestrian improvements.
Metro offered to agencies the opportunity to evaluate their funded projects to determine if any changes in project scope were needed. In addition, Metro asked that agencies with projects that needed to be redefined, submit a list of potential projects for consideration, with the understanding that no new funding is available and new projects submitted still needed to align with the initial funding criteria of addressing mobility challenges along the SR 710 corridor.
Metro L Line California Boulevard Grade Separation
As noted above, in November 2018 and September 2019, the Metro Board of Directors authorized programming funds for the Measure R MIP to jurisdictions along the SR 710 North corridor to fund capacity enhancement projects. These projects are intended to address mobility challenges that are the result of the 710N project not moving forward.
From these approved projects, Metro allocated a total of $230,500,000 to the City of Pasadena in Measure R MIP funds to be used to complete the environmental study, design, right-of-way (ROW) acquisitions, and construction of the Metro L (Gold) Line Grade Separation at California Boulevard. Following the award of this funding, City staff coordinated with Metro to review the feasibility of the potential grade separation project, analyze the potential alignment alternatives refine the conceptual level cost estimate. At the request of former Mayor Terry Tornek, the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority provided a peer review of Metro's assessment.
City staff reviewed the cost estimates, construction schedule, adjacent land use, and potential construction impacts to traffic circulation and adjacent neighborhoods during the construction period and determined that the recommended costs and potential impacts outweigh the benefits of constructing a grade separation on an active light-rail transit grade crossing at California Boulevard. Changes in the existing and proposed land use adjacent to this intersection played a role in this determination. When the grade separation project was initially identified, the land use along this corridor included vacant properties adjacent to the intersection. That vacant property is no longer available.
Measure R MIP List in lieu of the California Boulevard Grade Separation September 19, 2022
Within the past five years, the City has implemented various projects to enhance the safety and mobility of California Boulevard crossing the Metro L Line. Transit preemption time and corresponding traffic signal operations have been modified to reduce delay to motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Signalized intersections along California Boulevard, between Fair Oaks Avenue and Marengo Avenue now operate utilizing adaptive traffic control, which provides real time traffic signal timing adjustments in response to traffic conditions and L Line train activity. The adaptive traffic control system also extends north and south from Cordova Street on the north to Glenarm Street on the south along Fair Oaks Avenue, Raymond Avenue, Arroyo Parkway, and Marengo Ave. In addition, an extension to the adaptive traffic control system is currently in construction and will be completed this year, to extend the adaptive system on California Boulevard from Marengo Ave to Lake Avenue, further reducing delay along this corridor. While there continue to be opportunities to better address queuing during key travel times and motorist delay associated with Metro L Line train operations, the intersections on California Boulevard, adjacent to the at-grade crossing operates efficiently and do not demonstrate any safety concerns.
Based on staff evaluation of the Metro and Construction Authority analysis, as well as staff's assessment of the corridor mobility needs and challenges, staff has determined that other transportation solutions could more effectively address mobility needs, reduce intersection delay and address multimodal safety along the SR 710 North corridor and identified parallel streets, as well as cross streets such as California Boulevard providing links to the I-210 freeway.
On October 25, 2021, City Council directed the City Manager to identify potential projects to submit to Metro for consideration in lieu of the Metro L Line California Boulevard Grade Separation Project.
Caltrans Relinquishment of the SR 710 Northern Stub to the City of Pasadena In a parallel effort to the work described above, City staff was engaged in a collaborative effort with Caltrans to provide for the relinquishment of the SR 710 Norther Stub, between Union Street and Columbia Street, to the City of Pasadena. The City completed a Technical Feasibility Assessment to determine the technical feasibility of converting the existing SR 710/SR 134/1-210 freeway-to-freeway interchange into a local street network with connections to I-210 and SR 134. Following the Technical Feasibility Assessment the City completed a Supplemental Traffic Analysis, which focused on potential queue lengths and weaving operations for freeway off-ramps and connector roads. Caltrans concurred with the City that any potential future on-ramp or off-ramp closures as studied in the analyses would not create any safety or operations concerns for the SR 134 or Interstate 210 freeways. This concurrence allowed for the initiation of the formal relinquishment process resulting in a Relinquishment Approval Report that was presented to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) requesting the authority for Caltrans to execute a Relinquishment Agreement with the City of Pasadena.
Measure R MIP List in lieu of the California Boulevard Grade Separation September 19, 2022
On June 29, 2022, the California Transportation Commission approved the relinquishment to the City of Pasadena of the SR 710 Northern Stub from Union Street to Columbia Street, including all traffic signals and transportation infrastructure.
On August 15, 2022, the City officially took ownership of the transportation network identified as the SR 710 Northern Stub from Union Street to Columbia Street.
UPDATED MEASURE R MIP LIST FOR PROJECTS IN LIEU OF THE CALIFORNIA
BOULEVARD GRADE SEPARATION
City staff has identified projects to improve mobility for all modes of travel along the SR 710 corridor area. The recommended projects build upon the Measure R SR 710 Early Action Project list approved by City Council on January 29, 2018 and has been updated based on feedback received through recent community outreach and the change in ownership of transportation infrastructure resulting from the relinquishment of the SR 710 northern stub to the City of Pasadena. The project list is comprised of projects within several categories.
The scope and cost estimates for those projects that were previously approved by City Council in 2018 were reviewed by City staff and updated to account for current conditions. Projects that were originally on the Early Action Project list, but have subsequently been funded, have been removed from this updated Measure R MIP list.
The relinquishment of the SR 710 Northern Stub transportation corridor to the City of Pasadena created an opportunity to identify a new set of multimodal projects. These new projects are consistent with the original project list approved by City Council, align with recent Metro Board direction allowing for multi-modal projects, and utilize the transportation infrastructure right-of-way made available through the relinquishment.
These proposed near term projects address modernization through multi-modal mobility, creating network efficiencies and enhance safety while not precluding any future long term community vision for the future land use of the corridor. The development of these projects is described below.
SR 710 Northern Stub Near Term Projects
Multimodal projects along the relinquished SR 710 Northern Stub Area of Pasadena Avenue and St John Street, from Union Street to Columbia Street were identified through targeted public outreach along the corridor which built upon technical work that was carried out. Given the short window of time between the relinquishment of the SR-710 northern stub transportation corridor (approved by CTC on June 29, 2022) and the need to submit a project list to Metro for consideration of shifting Measure R MIP funding from the California Blvd by the end of September, outreach conducted focused on key corridor institutions, stakeholders and residents along the project area. The goal of the outreach effort was to solidify a project list that addresses safety and mobility needs as identified by the stakeholders, receive input on any projects that would not have support and Measure R MIP List in lieu of the California Boulevard Grade Separation September 19, 2022
identify any other projects that staff had not identified. All projects listed, should they be funded, would have additional engagement as part of the design process.
In line with the above approach, eight targeted stakeholder meetings were held, which included meetings with four schools, Arlington Garden, West Pasadena Residents Association, the Huntington Hospital, and the Transportation Advisory Commission Ad- hoc 710 Subcommittee. Following those meetings, initial project concepts were developed and presented to the public on August 9, 2022 at a community meeting held at Westridge School where approximately 100 residents attended. Based on the targeted stakeholder outreach and the feedback from the community, a list of potential multimodal projects for this area was developed and are included in this updated Measure R MIP project list.
These "near-term" projects along the SR 710 corridor are provided as a near-term step to beginning to modify the corridor prior to the long-term planning the City must undertake to create a lasting community driven vision for the northern stub of 710. The limits of the project area and proposed improvements extend from Walnut Street to the north to Columbia Street to the south. Pasadena Avenue and St John Avenue are the main roadways that run north to south. This corridor also includes east-west overcrossings and streets, including Union Street, Colorado Boulevard, Green Street, Del Mar Boulevard, California Boulevard, and others. The overall project corridor distance is approximately
1.8 miles. Additionally, intersections along Colorado Boulevard at the San Rafael Ave SR 134 on/off ramps and at Orange Grove Boulevard are also included in the list of improvement recommendations. Key parameters for developing these concepts include the premise that near-term projects shall not preclude future changes to land use, roadway networks, or other community development concepts that could be considered as part of future long-term planning effort. In addition these projects are consistent with the Metro Measure R MIP funding criteria of alleviating traffic congestion while also enhancing the multimodal network through targeted improvements aimed at increasing pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, enhancing pedestrian and bicyclist safety, and providing accessibility for all users. These projects address modernization through multi- modal mobility, creating network efficiencies and enhance safety while not precluding any future long term community vision for the future land use of the corridor. Should these projects be funded, staff will continue the outreach process to engage the residents, businesses and institutions along this corridor to refine the conceptual design prior to moving into final design.
Measure R MIP - Updated List
The following list summarizes the projects proposed in-lieu of the Metro L Line California Boulevard Grade Separation Project, to improve mobility in the region and enhance various modes of transportation. The projects were chosen with the goal of improving safety for all road uses, including motorists, transit customers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
Consistent with the purpose of the SR 710 MIP program, the proposed projects effectively and efficiently accommodate regional and local north south travel demands in the study area while providing bus infrastructure improvements, bikeway improvements Measure R MIP List in lieu of the California Boulevard Grade Separation September 19, 2022
and pedestrian improvements. The descriptions of each individual project, and the preliminary level cost estimate for each project, are provided as Attachment A. • Multi Modal Mobility Improvements
Pasadena Avenue and St John Avenue Roadway Network (Walnut Street to Columbia St)
Columbia St (from Orange Grove Boulevard to Fair Oaks Avenue) Orange Grove Mobility Improvement Program
San Rafael Avenue (between Linda Vista Avenue and Colorado Boulevard) Avenue 64 Complete Street Program
• Continental Crosswalks
• Traffic Signals and Intelligent Transportation System Projects • Orange Grove Boulevard at Colorado Boulevard and Orange Grove Boulevard at Holly St
Metro L Line At-Grade Crossing Enhancements
Holly Street, from Fair Oaks Avenue to Marengo Avenue
Pedestrian and Bicyclist Automated Data Collection
High-Resolution Traffic Signal Data
• I-210 Connected Corridors Expansion
• Pasadena Transit System Expansion for the SR 710 Corridor • Transportation Operations and Maintenance Facility
• Zero Emission Buses (11) and Charging Infrastructure
• Bus Stop Enhancements
• Bicycle Transportation Action Plan Projects
• Greenways (Bike Boulevards)
• Wilson Avenue
• El Molino Avenue
• Sierra Bonita Avenue, and
• Craig Avenue
• Arroyo Link
• SR 710/SR 134/l-210 Ramp Modifications
• Mobility Hubs
While all projects provide important enhancements to the multimodal transportation network, adjacent to the SR 710, the list below identifies the top priority projects as those most closely aligned with the project selection criteria. • Pasadena Avenue and St John Avenue Roadway Network (Walnut Street to Columbia St): $75.1 million
• Avenue 64 Complete Street Program: $1.5 million
Transportation Operations and Maintenance Facility: $62.4 million • Columbia St (from Orange Grove Boulevard to Fair Oaks Avenue): $9.9 million • Orange Grove Boulevard at Colorado Boulevard and Orange Grove Boulevard at Holly St: $4.5 million
Measure R MIP List in lieu of the California Boulevard Grade Separation September 19, 2022
• San Rafael Avenue (between Linda Vista Avenue and Colorado Boulevard): $4.8 million
• Metro L Line At-Grade Crossing Enhancements: $2.5 million • Continental Crosswalks: $6.8 million
• Orange Grove Mobility Improvement Program: $5.4 million • Greenways (Bike Boulevards): $12.0 million
• SR 710/SR 134/1-210 Ramp Modifications: $150+ million These projects were prioritized based on multimodal connectivity and safety, project need, proximity to SR 710 corridor and project readiness/implementation timeline. The proposed top priority projects are estimated to cost $335 million, exceeding the $230.5 approved for the California Boulevard Grade Separation project. However, most of the top priority projects are scalable, and as such components can be re-scoped at a lower project cost.
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
This proposed action is consistent with General Plan Mobility Element policies to enhance livability, and encourage walking, biking, transit, and other alternatives to motor vehicles. This program is also consistent with the City's goals to improve, maintain, and enhance public facilities and infrastructure and to improve mobility and accessibility in the City.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The project has been reviewed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and is exempt per Section 15061 (b) (3). The project is covered by the general rule that CEQA only applies to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. It is anticipated that any projects selected for funding through the Measure R MIP list, will undergo environmental review at the time they are funded for design.
Measure R MIP List in lieu of the California Boulevard Grade Separation September 19, 2022
FISCAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with this action are minor and include ongoing staff work to prepare the transmittal letter for the Measure R MIP project list, in lieu of the California Boulevard Grade Separation project. Until Metro selects the projects and defines the terms under which the projects will be funded, it is not possible to determine the fiscal impact. It is anticipated that Metro will address each project or category of projects through a tunding agreement with the City of Pasadena, at which time, the fiscal impact of each project agreement will be known. Measure R MIP funding may be distributed for up to ten years.
Should projects be funded, City staff will coordinate project schedule and implementation plans with Metro prior to executing a funding agreement.
Respectfully, submitted,
LAURA RUBIO-CORNEJO
Director
Department of Transportation
Prepared by:
Conquin f. Siques, T.E
Deputy Director of Transportation
Approved by:
siel it
City Manager
Attachment:
Attachment A - List of Projects Proposed for Measure R - Mobility Improvement Project (MIP) Funding in lieu of the Metro L Line California Boulevard Grade Separation Project