TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, Community Development Director
Erik Zandvliet, T.E., City Traffic Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments’ (SBCCOG) Request to Incorporate the SBCCOG Local Travel Network (LTN) into the City’s Wayfinding Sign Program, Authorization to Apply for Subregional Measure M Funds for the Project, and a Determination of Exemption Pursuant to the CEQA (Community Development Director Mirzakhanian).
(Estimated Time: 30 Mins.)
A) APPROVE INCORPORATION OF THE LTN INTO THE WAYFINDING SIGN PROGRAM
B) AUTHORIZE STAFF TO APPLY FOR MEASURE M MSP FUNDING FOR THE LTN PROJECT
C) ADOPT A DETERMINATION OF EXEMPTION PURSUANT TO SECTION 15301(c) OF THE STATE CEQA GUIDELINES
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the incorporation of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) Local Travel Network (LTN) into the City’s Wayfinding Sign Program and authorize staff to apply for Subregional Measure M project funding for the project.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The South Bay Cities Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2024 Measure M Multi-year Subregional Program (MSP) Update includes a placeholder project to implement the LTN within the City of Manhattan Beach. Up to $1,200,000 in Measure M funds could be awarded for this project, which would fund all LTN directional signage and public outreach in the City. In addition, City wayfinding signs that include the LTN directional signage would be funded with Measure M funds, which would decrease the City’s overall cost for its Wayfinding Sign Program by approximately $1,000 per sign. No local match is required for Measure M MSP funds. Staff will return to City Council with a request for appropriation once the project and grant funding award is finalized.
BACKGROUND:
On May 27, 2021, the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) passed a resolution supporting the implementation of a sub-regional Local Travel Network (LTN) that will provide safe routes for slow-speed, zero-emission vehicles throughout the South Bay. The South Bay LTN was developed through a Metro planning study in 2017 and Caltrans Sustainability Planning Grant. Phase 1 of the LTN focuses on the beach cities: El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach.
In May 2022, the SBCCOG hired Fehr and Peers to serve as the project’s technical consultant. Fehr and Peers proposed a design charrette process to refine the LTN network and develop the network brand. City staff participated in two stakeholder charrettes organized by Fehr and Peers in August and September 2022 to brainstorm and build consensus for one of three branded wayfinding designs. From these charrettes, a recommended brand and logo was approved by the SBCCOG Board of Directors at their November 17, 2022, meeting. The Board of Directors chose the “rolling turtle” design.
On December 1, 2022, the Parking and Public Improvements Commission heard a presentation from SBCCOG staff about the LTN and voiced support for the program. Commission members suggested educating the public about the LTN, “right-sizing” the signs in residential areas, and adding a QR-code on the signs that would connect users to an online network map. (Attachment)
DISCUSSION:
The South Bay Local Travel Network, or LTN, is formally a 243-mile road network overlay on the South Bay’s 2,150 miles of streets meant to emphasize safe and efficient paths for residents to travel between neighborhoods and to local destinations using micro-mobility transportation. Micro-mobility devices include a variety of zero-emissions vehicles that operate at speeds below 25 mph from pedal bikes to e-bikes, e-scooters to Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs), and other wheeled personal devices. The market and use of these types of vehicles continues to grow. E-bike-use grew exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic and is likely to continue as the State of California implements an e-bike rebate program. The LTN will be implemented as a sign and sharrow system of local streets with directional branded wayfinding signs safely connecting neighborhoods to each other and to local destinations. The LTN does not change any vehicle lane configuration, parking, existing traffic codes, rules of the road or regulations governing the use of micro-mobility devices on public streets.
According to the SBCCOG’s LTN Vision Statement, the new LTN will provide South Bay residents with many co-benefits including:
• Stimulating the market for micro-mobility devices
• Reducing congestion
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• Improving local transportation connectivity, and
• Increasing safety
Over the past 15 years, research conducted by SBCCOG demonstrated that approximately 70% of trips in the South Bay are within three miles of an individual’s home, and 90% are within 10 miles. The data showed that these trips are too short for the frequency and quality of the public transit network in the South Bay, but too far to walk. Micro-mobility, however, does offer a solution. By replacing the trips that are currently being made in gasoline-powered cars with zero-emission micro-mobility vehicles, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced.
Manhattan Beach Local Travel Network
City staff worked with the SBCCOG and their consultant during the planning process to identify a connected network of appropriate streets for the LTN. The proposed 17.3-mile network within the City is intended to provide an alternate “slow speed” route for the community to ride bicycles, e-bikes, neighborhood electric vehicles, and other micro-mobility devices between their homes, schools, businesses or other points of interest (Attachment). The routes avoid high volume-high speed streets and other areas with a high potential for collisions. The LTN connects all of the City’s schools, parks, civic buildings and commercial areas without using major streets. The LTN can help address recent concerns about e-bike safety and would complement the Police Department’s e-bike safety campaign. Lastly, it would encourage alternate modes of transportation, which would reduce traffic and parking impacts.
The City’s Mobility Plan was adopted in 2018, and replaced the 2003 Infrastructure Element of the City’s current General Plan. The Mobility Plan seeks to provide for a balanced, multi-modal transportation system for the movement of people and goods within, to and from the City. The LTN supports many of the City’s Mobility Plan goals and related policies, including:
• Goal I.1 - Provide a balanced, safe, and efficient multi-modal transportation system that serves the mobility needs of all community members, including children, seniors, and the disabled.
• Goal I-4 - Create well-marked pedestrian and bicycle networks to facilitate these modes of circulation. (Attachment 3)
The City’s implementation of the LTN would supplement and enhance the current Bikeway Master Plan. About 12.7 miles (73%) of the LTN would be located on existing or planned bikeways throughout the City. Sharrow markings would be added on LTN streets that are not already painted with sharrows.
The City Traffic Engineer confirmed that the wayfinding branding and logo can be easily integrated into the City’s own Wayfinding Sign Program. The “rolling turtle” logo and directional arrows would be placed on the City’s wayfinding signs using the City’s background style and typography (Attachment). Where a City wayfinding sign is proposed, the LTN directional signage would be added to the same sign. In this way, the number of wayfinding signs is minimized, and the consistency of sign design is maintained. Smaller signs would be used in residential areas and limited to major decision point locations only.
Next Steps
Each South Bay city would be responsible for implementing their respective sections of the 243-mile network. SBCCOG has committed to supporting funding applications and facilitating inter-city corridors as required. The cities of El Segundo and Redondo Beach have submitted funding applications for LTN implementation as part of the South Bay Cities FY 2023-2024 Measure M MSP Annual Program Update.
SBCCOG staff is encouraging the City of Manhattan Beach to apply for Measure M sub-regional grant funding for a new project to construct the wayfinding elements on the proposed LTN streets within the City of Manhattan Beach. SBCCOG has added a placeholder for the City’s LTN project in their FY 2023-2024 Measure M MSP Annual Program Update, which has been submitted to Metro for approval in September 2023. The final routing and sign specifications would be refined after funding is awarded, and presented to the City Council for approval prior to soliciting construction bids. Fabrication and installation of the LTN signs and sharrows could coincide with the City’s Phase I Wayfinding Sign Program.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The public has been informed of this agenda item as part of the City’s standard meeting notice practices via public bulletin boards, website calendar, and social media. Prior to this meeting, the Parking and Public Improvements Commission held a publicly noticed meeting on December 1, 2022.
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 1(c) categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301(c) Existing Facilities of the State CEQA Guidelines, as the project involves a change in traffic regulations on an existing street that would not significantly increase or decrease the amount of traffic on the street system. Furthermore, there are no features that distinguish this project from others in the exempt class; therefore there are no unusual circumstances. Accordingly, 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. December 1, 2022 - PPIC Report and Minutes (Excerpts)
2. Manhattan Beach LTN Location Maps
3. Mobility Plan Bicycle Pages
4. LTN Wayfinding Sign Samples
5. PowerPoint Presentation