STAFF REPORT MEETING DATE: May 3, 2016 TO: FROM: City Council Russell Thompson, Public Works Director Gosia Woodfin, Assistant Engineer 922 Machin Avenue Novato, CA 94945 415/ 899-8900 FAX 415/ 899-8213 www.novato.org PRESENTER: Russell Thompson, Public Works Director SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE BID ADVERTISEMENT FOR OLIVE AVENUE CLASS 2 BIKE LANES HSIP, CIP PROJECT NO. 13-009 REQUEST Consider approving plans and specifications and authorizing bid advertisement for the Olive Avenue Class II Bike Lanes project (CIP Project Number 13-009). RECOMMENDATION Approve project plans and specifications and authorize for bidding. DISCUSSION The Olive Avenue Class II Bike Lane Project includes widening and re-striping of Olive Avenue between Samrose Drive and the eastern city limits to accommodate Class II bike lanes on both sides of the road. The roadway cross-section after widening will consist of 11-foot wide travel lanes and 5-foot wide Class II bike lanes in each direction. The current width of the paved roadway is as narrow as 24.5 feet at some locations. To accommodate the proposed pavement width of 32 feet it will be necessary to use the existing gravel shoulders and relocate the centerline of the roadway at some locations. The widening will take place on the south side of the road. Pavement rehabilitation will consist of rejuvenating scrub seal and micro-surfacing. Prior to pavement treatment the existing striping will be removed, and after pavement rehabilitation new striping will be installed. This project is funded under the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). On November 20, 2015 Caltrans obligated $423,700 in federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds and granted the City authorization to proceed with construction and construction management. cc16_054 1 1
PUBLIC OUTREACH The project has been previously presented to the Novato City Council at the following meetings: July 17, 2012: Application for a Highway Safety Improvement Program Grant December 11, 2012: Create Project and Fund Preliminary Engineering October 15, 2013: Authorize City Manager to Execute Program Supplement Agreement for Preliminary Engineering November 18, 2014: Prohibition of Excavation January 12, 2016: Authorize City Manager to Execute Program Supplement Agreement for Construction and Construction Management There was one public workshop held on April 8, 2015 with 6 attendees. The workshop introduced the project to property owners and residents in the vicinity of the project. The workshop was held jointly with the County of Marin who has a similar project scheduled on the County portion of Olive Avenue immediately east of the City s project. Staff also provided answers to questions from attendees. The workshops minutes are attached for reference. The workshop presentation is available on the City of Novato website: http://novato.org/home/showdocument?id=13488. Class II bike lanes along Olive Avenue from Samrose Drive to easterly city limits are recommended for construction by the City of Novato Bicycle/ Pedestrian Plan (2015). ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT The project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act based on the following: Section 15304(a) - CEQA Guidelines Section 15304(a) exempts projects involving minor grading on land with a slope of less than ten-percent, which does not include grading in a waterway, wetland, officially mapped scenic area, or Alquist Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone. The Olive Avenue Bicycle Lane Project does not involve grading on land with a slope exceeding tenpercent or grading within a waterway, wetland, officially mapped scenic area, or Alquist Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone. (Section 15304(h) - CEQA Guidelines Section 15304(h) exempts the creation of bicycle lanes on existing rights-of-way. The purpose of the Olive Avenue Bicycle Lane Project is to add Class II bicycle lanes within the existing Olive Avenue right-of-way between Samrose Drive and the corporate limits of the city of Novato to the east. FISCAL IMPACT The project is included in the City of Novato Adopted Capital Improvement Program Budget for 2015/2016. The project is funded by Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds and Gas Tax (10% local match required by the grant). The engineer s estimate for construction cost is within the budgeted amounts. ALTERNATIVES Take no action at this time and direct staff as to disposition of this project. 2 2
ATTACHMENTS 1. Location Map 2. Workshop Minutes 3. CIP Budget Excerpt 4. Project Construction Plans are available online at: http://cms6ftp.visioninternet.com/novato/agendas/pdfstaffreports/cc050316_f-2.4.pdf 5. Project Specifications are available online at: http://cms6ftp.visioninternet.com/novato/agendas/pdfstaffreports/cc050316_f-2.5.pdf 3 3
GRAPHIC SCALE PROJECT LOCATION PROJECT NAME: OLIVE AVENUE CLASS II BIKE LANES-HSIP PROJECT LOCATION: OLIVE AVENUE FROM SAMROSE TO CITY LIMITS PROJECT NUMBER: 13-009 LOCATION MAP 4
WELCOME/SIGN-IN SHEET CITY OF NOVATO & COUNTY OF MARIN OLIVE AVENUE CLASS II BIKE LANES PROJECTS PUBLIC WORKSHOP Wednesday, April 8, 2015 7:00 p.m. to 9 p.m. City of Novato Administrative Offices 922 Machin Avenue Womack Conference Room MINUTES Meeting started at 7:05 and Gosia asked the attendees to hold any questions they may have till the end of the presentation. STAFF INTRODUCTIONS In attendance were- From Marin County Department of Public Works: Ernest Klock, Principal Civil Engineer Eric Miller, Associate Civil Engineer James Edson, Junior Engineer From City of Novato: Julian Skinner, Engineering Manager Gosia Woodfin, Engineer I PRESENTATION OF THE PROJECT PROJECT OBJECTIVES: To install bicycle lanes on Olive Ave on both sides of the roadway starting at Samrose Drive and extending to Atherton. The current conditions in this area are poor, including the shoulder, and the pavement on the city side. There was a presentation and pictures were shown displaying the locations being discussed. In 2007 City Council adopted a bicycle plan and the areas proposed were in the plan in an effort to close gaps in the bicycle network. About 2 years ago the city applied for federal funding HSIP (Highway Safety Improvement Program).To finance bike lane installation from Samrose Dr. to 5
city limits, we received $700,000 for this project. The County has $600,000 to use toward their project (bike lanes from city limits to Atherton). After the environmental review it was determined there was only one option to widen the roadway; to the south, leaving pavement on the north side of Olive in place. The center line will be moved about 3 ½ feet to the south. There are 6 utility poles carrying Verizon lines that will need to be relocated. City project will also include a slurry seal along the roadway. There is no funding for pedestrian improvements, only bike lanes and resurfacing. To accommodate the lane a 6 foot high retaining wall will be built with wood lagging, look a little more natural, on the County portion of the project. SCHEDULE- The city s project design will be complete in May, pending Caltrans approval it will go out to bid in July, and construction would start end of August with completion sometime in October. Since this project requires Caltrans approval these dates are tentative. COUNTY: Design to be completed in May, 2015. Project will go out to bid in June. Construction will begin in August and end in October, 2015. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q. What is the environment process on the County project? A. It is state funding, so it is CEQA; it is categorically exempt. Activities are exempt under CEQA. No wetland filling will be involved. Q. Will it be a dirt shoulder? A. It will be compacted Class II aggregate base. It will be maintained by a county road crew. Q. A Rose Ct resident asked if this project would address speeding around the blind curves. A. The travel lanes will not be widened, but the center line will be shifted over. Staff will research existing info and evaluate any mitigation measures that can be incorporated with this project. Q. Will the drainage ditch be improved? A. No, the funding is limited to bike lanes. Q. The location of the south side bicycle lane, is any of it paved currently? A. No, it is currently all gravel. Q. On the last curve by Club Dr., where the retaining wall will be, how wide will the lane be there? A. It is 4ft, and it is within the County s right of way. Q. Will the right of way require any removal of hillside (County)? A. There will be excavation taking place in the slope that will be right at the back of the wall and will be backfilled with back drain and gravel. The wall will be 6ft high. Q. Regarding the Greenpoint Nursery (County) Are there any curb and gutter requirements that will impact the project? A. There are no future curb gutter sidewalk proposed as part of any county project. This project is about bike lanes and paving the shoulder. 6
Q. Will the pedestrian path be changed between Club Dr. and the curb? A. No it will not change. Q. Will there be an opportunity to add a pedestrian walkway along the side of the lane on the city side? A. No, the funding is to be used exclusively for the bike lane project. Q. She asked for suggestions on how to add a walking path, or how to go about asking for it. A. Julian commented that every year capital improvement program is a 5 five year forecast and list of projects is developed. Just recently a public workshop took place to present the CIP budget to Novato residents. Also very recently the new bicycle and pedestrian plan was adopted by council as well as community based transportation plan. The requested pedestrian facilities are not included in the above documents and didn t come up at the workshop. Julian suggested sending an email to Gosia, and Gosia will forward to a staff person on the BPAC committee. There is an adopted plan already, so adding it may be difficult. One person commented that she will let everyone know at the Tranquility Homeowners Association to send an email as well. Q. Olive was suggested as a connection to the Bay trail, has there been a consideration regarding the inclusion of this area on the Bay Trail? A. Staff is not aware of this and improvements to facilitate any such connection are beyond the current project. There was a request for a copy of the minutes to provide to the homeowners association. ADJOURN: Meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:35. CONTACT INFORMATION: Gosia Woodfin Engineer City of Novato Public Works 922 Machin Avenue Novato, CA 94945 Tel. (415) 899-8997 gwoodfin@novato.org Ernest Klock Principal Civil Engineer Marin County Department of Public Works 3501 Civic Center Dr San Rafael, CA 94903 Tel. (415) 473-6552 eklock@marincounty.org 7
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