TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Mark Danaj, City Manager
FROM:
Anne McIntosh, Community Development Director
Erik Zandvliet, T.E., City Traffic Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Consider Addition of Shared Lane Markings (Sharrows) in Citywide Bicycle Master Plan and Prioritization (Community Development Director McIntosh).
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council provide further direction regarding the immediate or planned implementation of Shared Lane Markings (Sharrows) on certain streets as part of the Citywide Bikeway Master Plan.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
City Council recently authorized the implementation of Phase I (Low Hanging Fruit) bikeway improvements at an approximate cost of $10,000 in materials to be funded through the current Non-Motorized Transportation Fund. If Sharrows on all proposed streets are installed, the cost would be approximately $65,000. This amount could be appropriated from future year allocations of the Non-Motorized Transportation Fund or other capital improvement funding.
BACKGROUND:
In 2011, the City Council approved the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan, which is a multi-jurisdictional plan to regionally connect the cities of Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Gardena, Hawthorne, and Torrance via a comprehensive bicycle network. (Attachment 1) Manhattan Beach’s portion of the plan identified approximately 31 miles of new bicycle facilities ranging from bike routes, bike-friendly streets, bike lanes, to bike paths. Since adoption of the Plan, approximately six (6) miles of bicycle facilities have been implemented within the City.
On October 3, 2017, the City Council discussed a prioritization plan for the implementation of the Citywide Bicycle Master Plan. At that meeting, the City Council directed staff to proceed with the installation of Class III bike route signs along 11.4 miles of city streets. The City Council also directed staff to return with options to add Sharrows on various streets, including reconsideration of Pacific Avenue, with an emphasis on routes adjacent to the schools. Finally, the City Council requested that public outreach be conducted prior to implementation of Sharrows on particular streets.
DISCUSSION:
Using the existing Bicycle Master Plan as a reference, staff prioritized the planned bicycle facilities into four categories for the City Council’s consideration: “Low Hanging Fruit”, “Quick Wins”, “Big Hitters”, and “Long-Term”. The City Council has authorized staff to implement “Low Hanging Fruit” phase, which includes adding Bike Route signs on 11.2 miles of streets citywide. (Attachment 2)
Pursuant to City Council direction, the City Traffic Engineer has reviewed the Bikeway Plan and evaluated which street segments would be appropriate for Sharrows. A list of streets has been prepared that meet the goals of connectivity, proximity to schools, and lower speed routes. The recommended streets total approximately 9.4 miles. A summary of those streets that are candidates for Sharrows are presented in Attachment 3.
Sharrows are a shared-lane marking on the street in the center of the travel lane to indicate that a lane should be shared between motor vehicle and bicyclists. Sharrows are also intended to alert drivers of the presence of bicyclist in the roadway and encourage caution. The City implemented its first Sharrows on Manhattan Avenue from 8th Street to 15th Street in 2014.
Staff is requesting the City Council provide staff with direction to move forward with public outreach on one or more street segments throughout the City prior to the installation of Sharrows. In addition, the City Council can consider the allocation of up to $65,000 in Non-Motorized Transportation Funds for the installation of Sharrows. Sufficient funds are available in this fund to include this project without impacting the delivery of other currently funded non-motorized transportation projects.
Prior to the implementation of any Sharrows, the City will conduct community outreach along the street segment. The outreach may include resources such as Open City Hall, Town Hall Meetings, Informational Meetings, social media, City website, and booths as the local Farmers Market or other local events. The outreach will be a great way to spread the word and gain community input and feedback.
PUBLIC OUTREACH/INTEREST
Staff contacted members of the South Bay Bicycle Coalition (SBBC) as part of its outreach to assist in prioritizing the Bikeway Plan. Their recommendations are incorporated into the Priority list in Attachment 3. In addition, the SBBC has reviewed and supports staff’s recommendations for Sharrows. As part of the implementation process of the various bicycle facilities, staff will perform community outreach and engagement, as needed, to gain community input and feedback.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The City has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the project qualifies for a Class 4 categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15304 (Minor Alterations to Land) of the State CEQA Guidelines since the bike facilities will be constructed within the existing roadway and no travel lanes will be added or deleted. Thus, no further environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
Attachments:
1. Manhattan Beach Bike Master Plan
2. Proposed Bikeway Priority Map with Sharrows
3. Bikeway Prioritization Estimate of Costs