Purpose

Staff requests that the City Council adopt the proposed resolution authorizing the acceptance of a Caltrans Bicycle Transportation Account Grant in the amount of $265,500, with a local match requirement of $29,500, for the construction of the Beachwood Enhanced Class III Bikeway.

Background

In December 2003, City Council adopted the City of Burbank Bicycle Master Plan to develop and enhance the City�s non-motorized transportation system.  The plan identified  a number of Top Priority Projects for further study and funding opportunities that, when completed, would form a network of routes connecting existing regional bikeways, population and employment centers, recreational facilities, and school sites.  In March 2004, Caltrans reviewed the Master Plan and found it in compliance with Streets and Highways Code requirements and thus eligible for funding opportunities through the Caltrans Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA).  This funding source allocates $7.2 Million annually for bicycle projects throughout the state that are part of a Caltrans-approved Master Plan.  In anticipation of Caltrans approval of the Plan, staff submitted for consideration Project 10 of the Master Plan for grant funding in February 2004.  This project, the Beachwood Enhanced Class III Bikeway, would provide a high class, on-street connection between the recently completed Chandler Bikeway and the Los Angeles River Bikeway via Mariposa Street and Beachwood Avenue, as well as offer a north-south alternative to congested Buena Vista Street or Victory Boulevard.  In December 2004, Caltrans announced the award of the grant funds requested, and has requested that the City enter into an agreement to construct the project.

Project Description

Staff proposes to implement the Beachwood Bikeway as an Enhanced Class III Route.  Class III bicycle paths, as identified by Caltrans, are connecting routes that are identified by signage only, rather than identified by dedicated lanes (such as on Riverside Drive) or implemented via a dedicated path (such as the Chandler Bikeway).  However, this path is enhanced beyond the traditional Class III route with additional signage, pavement stencils, and traffic signal improvements to facilitate easy bicycle travel on lighter-traveled streets.  The route would follow Beachwood Avenue between Riverside Drive and Clark Avenue, Clark Avenue between Beachwood Avenue and Mariposa Street, and Mariposa Street between Clark Avenue and the Chandler Bikeway (See Exhibit A). 

The project includes new traffic signals at Beachwood/Alameda, Beachwood/Verdugo, and Beachwood/Olive to facilitate bicycle travel across these busy arterial roadways.  These signals would feature bicycle detection and timing to sense the presence of a cyclist while discouraging automobile through traffic on Beachwood.  The project also includes upgrading the existing signal at Mariposa/Magnolia and Mariposa/Riverside with bicycle detection and timing favorable to cyclists.  The route would also feature additional signage including destination routing to and from the Chandler Bikeway and the Los Angeles River Bikeway to reinforce the route as a regional bicycle connector. Finally, this project would consider usage of a new Class III roadway stencil (recently considered for approval by the California Traffic Control Devices Committee) alerting drivers of the roadway�s status as a preferred cycling route.

Regional and Local Connectivity

The Beachwood Enhanced Class III Bikeway would provide a high-quality on-street connection between two major regional Class I Bike Paths.  It would connect the existing Chandler Bikeway in Burbank and North Hollywood, along with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Orange Line Bikeway currently under construction to the Los Angeles River Bikeway.  When completed, cyclists would have a virtually uninterrupted route extending from Warner Center to Downtown Los Angeles (See Exhibit B).  Locally, the route would provide an important north-south connection within the City as an alternative to busy arterials such as South Victory Boulevard or Buena Vista Street.  As part of the overall Master Plan of routes, the Beachwood Bikeway provides an important segment of a larger bicycle network potentially connecting residential areas to commercial and employment centers.

Transportation Commission

Staff presented the proposed project to the Transportation Commission at their November 15, 2004 meeting, where they expressed their support for the project.  The only comments related to the selection of Mariposa St. as the preferred alignment for the northern end of the project, as this street is busier than the quieter Beachwood Drive.  This route was selected over Beachwood Drive north of Clark Street to coincide with the terminus of the Chandler Bikeway as well as to take advantage of the existing signal at Magnolia and Mariposa.

Environmental Process

Because this project proposes only minor alterations of existing city streets, this project was determined to be categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c).

Summary and Analysis

The Beachwood Enhanced Class III Bikeway is a major component of the City of Burbank�s evolving bicycle network.  It establishes a bicycle friendly, north-south route via lightly-traveled residential streets as an alternative to busy arterial roadways and, as part of the overall bicycle network, will facilitate bicycle travel for commuter, recreational, and utilitarian trips.  By connecting to the successful Chandler Bikeway, it increases the utility of this regional facility by providing connections to the southeastern portion of the city as well as to the Los Angeles River Bikeway via the Riverside Drive Class II lanes.  Through the proposed signal improvements, it allows cyclists easy travel across four major arterial roadways while discouraging automobiles to utilize the bikeway as a cut-through route.  Staff recognizes the possible tradeoff between installation of traffic signals to facilitate bicycle travel and the potential for additional delay on the major arterial streets that the route crosses. However, this delay can be minimized by integrating the new signals into existing corridor signal plans and by minimizing the green time given to vehicle traffic on Beachwood and Mariposa.  Thus, the signals will prioritize green time on the major street, giving green time only to detected bicycles and greatly discouraging vehicle through traffic on Beachwood.  As part of the overall Master Plan, if approved, this significant local and regional connector will be combined with the recently approved Safe Routes to School Grant bicycle routes, as well as Class II routes currently in the design phase on Third Street and Main Street, to complete a significant portion of the Top Priority system identified in the Master Plan (See Exhibit C).

Fiscal Impact

The estimated project cost of the Beachwood Bikeway including design, installation of 3 signals, upgrades to one signal, signage and stenciling, is $295,000.  Of this amount, $265,500 is funded through the Caltrans BTA grant.  The 10% local match of $29,500 would be funded from Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 Funds.  Council authorized staff to apply for TDA Fund draw-down in anticipation of this project as part of Council Resolution 26,780 in August 2004.  The proposed resolution appropriates funds from account 127-CD33A-30004-0000-000000 (un-appropriated Fund 127 Transportation Impact Fee Account) into account number 127.CD33A.70005.0000.15608 (expenditure account for this project).  The Fund 127 account will be reimbursed by the grant and by the TDA funds upon completion of the project.

Recommendation

Staff recommends that Council adopt the proposed resolution authorizing acceptance of the Caltrans BTA Grant Funds, direct staff to enter into a Bicycle Transportation Account Project Agreement between the City and Caltrans to construct the proposed project, and amend the Fiscal Year 2004/2005 Budget.

Exhibits

Exhibit A:  Project Map

Exhibit B:  Project Map � Connection to Regional Bicycle Routes

Exhibit C:  Caltrans �Local Agreement � State Agreement� for the Beachwood Enhanced Class III Bicycle Transportation Account Project

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