TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
John Jalili, Interim City Manager
FROM:
Tony Olmos, Public Works Director
Mark Leyman, Parks and Recreation Director
Edward Kao, Senior Civil Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Strand Pedestrian Access Improvement Project - Alternatives for Introducing Aesthetic Enhancement Elements into the Project (Public Works Director Olmos).
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Review the proposed aesthetically enhanced alternatives and direct staff to incorporate selected features into the project's design plans.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Funding for the project was appropriated by City Council as indicated in Attachment 1. There is approximately $1.5 million available for construction. The aesthetically enhanced alternatives will require additional funds. The required additional amount is dependent on the selected features.
BACKGROUND:
There are currently two major recreational features located along the City's entire two-mile coastline, a pedestrian walkway (Strand) owned and maintained by the City and a bike path (Marvin Braude Bike Path) owned and operated by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works. The bike path is situated to the west of the Strand and is separated from the Strand by a vegetated slope of varying widths and grade. Connecting the Strand and the bike path are thirty-six pedestrian access points. Twenty-seven of these access ways have stairs of varying designs and conditions. In addition to stairs, there are three handicap accessible ramps; two leading from the Strand to the El Porto parking lots at 41st and 43rd Streets and a third leading from the parking lot to the bike path at 42nd Street.
The City identified the need to remove and/or replace stairs at twenty locations as shown on Attachment 2. The improvements will provide safe access from the Strand to the beach and will comply with current ADA requirements. Two ADA compliant ramps are proposed at 26th St. and Marine Ave.
The City Council at its May 1, 2012 meeting approved a contract with Community Works Design Group (Consultant) to conduct public meetings and prepare plans and specifications for construction. The Consultant conducted two public meetings on January 10, 2013 and April 29, 2013 to determine public design preferences. During the second public meeting, the residents at the meeting recommended that appearance of the existing stairs essentially remain the same and preferred that art elements be not included in the stair design since it may compromise the view of the ocean from the Strand.
On August 13, 2013, the Consultant was instructed to make a presentation to the Cultural Arts Commission on the status of the Strand Project and entertain input on the possibility of incorporating an art element in the design of the project. The consultant identified five stair cases that may lend themselves to art elements: Rosecrans Avenue, 20th Street, 18th Street, 16th Street, and 14th Street.
On September 30, 2013, the Commission held a walking tour of the five proposed locations. After the tour, the Commission discussed possible elements that could be considered.
On October 29, 2013, the City Council held a joint meeting with Cultural Arts Commission. During that meeting, City Council instructed staff to meet with representatives from the Cultural Arts Commission to develop alternatives along with associated costs for introducing aesthetically enhanced elements into the project.
DISCUSSION:
On November 7, 2013, Mr. James Gill - Chairperson of Cultural Arts Commission, met with Tony Olmos - Director of Public Works, Mark Leyman - Director of Parks and Recreation, Gina Allen - Recreation Services Manager, Edward Kao - Senior Civil Engineer and Community Works Design Group. As a result, the team developed several alternatives to aesthetically enhance the design of hand rails at all stair locations and retaining walls at the five designated locations.
Railing Alternatives:
The proposed project removes and replaces the existing deteriorated concrete railing or balustrades next to the Strand and on both sides of the stairs with the same patterns as existing. However, there will be no need for concrete balustrade where adjacent grade is less than a 30" vertical drop off. To comply with the ADA requirements, metal hand rails need to be provided in addition to the concrete balustrade. See Attachment 3.
Retaining Wall Treatment Alternatives for the Five Potential Locations:
Stairs at 14th Street, 16th Street, 18th Street, 20th Street and Rosecrans Ave. have been identified as potential locations for installing aesthetically enhanced elements. Sandblasting of the existing retaining wall to create art designs and the concept of Green Wall have been proposed. The Green Wall includes partial or total covering of the retaining wall with metal mesh and growing vines. See attachment 3.
Cost Comparison of Various Alternatives:
The Base Bid which includes removal and replacement of all balustrades, installation of minimum basic style ADA handrails, tread warning stripes, construction of two ADA ramps, removal and replacement of non-ADA compliant flatwork, minor grading work, permits is estimated at $1.1 M. With soft cost for fees and construction engineering, the Base Bid total cost is estimated at approximately $1.43 M. The Base Bid does not include any aesthetic upgrades.
The handrail enhancements include a number of design variations ranging from free standing rails to rails attached to the concrete balustrades. The additional estimated cost is about $1,500 to $5,000 more per location.
There are two different types of wall treatment at the five potential locations:
1. Sandblasted design patterns onto the concrete retaining walls. Depending on the intricacy of the patterns, the prices vary from $5,000 to $10,000 per location.
2. The Green Wall concept, i.e. add patterned green screen, planting and irrigation at large walls. Depending on availability of irrigation tie-in and complexity of pattern, the construction costs vary from $20,000 to $35,000 per location. After the construction, increased maintenance costs need to be factored for trimming the vines to fit green screen frame.
Staff is recommending that City Council review the proposed aesthetically enhanced alternatives and direct staff to incorporate selected features into the project's design plans. Upon direction from Council, Staff will conduct a third public meeting, request a Coastal Development Permit from the Planning Commission, and will finalize the design plans. Staff expects to have a project ready to bid in late Spring 2014, with expected construction to begin in Fall 2014.
CONCLUSION:
The available budget for construction, including permits, fees, construction engineering and inspection, etc., is approximately $1.5 million. Based on the final design for the stairs and selected aesthetically enhanced elements, construction cost may vary from the initial estimate. See Attachment 1.
Since the construction portion of the project utilizes federal fund, the grant will require for the project to only utilize materials made in America, also known as Buy America. This will increase the project cost. However, staff will do its best to accommodate this requirement within available budget.
Attachments:
1. Project Funding and Anticipated Expenditures
2. Stairs to be Improved
3. Strand Stairs Options 12-3-13