TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Stephanie Katsouleas, Public Works Director
Prem Kumar, City Engineer
Anastasia Seims, Senior Civil Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Review of City Council’s Request to Evaluate the Feasibility of Removing or Relocating Certain Solar Powered Flashing Beacon Appurtenances Currently Located on the West Side of Highland Avenue at 18th Street (Public Works Director Katsouleas).
RECEIVE REPORT
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council discuss and provide direction regarding a request to remove or relocate certain solar powered flashing beacon appurtenances currently located on the west side of Highland Avenue at 18th Street.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The fiscal implications of this issue could range from “no cost” up to $15,000, depending on the direction given by City Council.
BACKGROUND:
Earlier this year, staff installed several pedestrian safety measures as part of the Cycle 3, 5, and 10 grant projects awarded in 2011 and 2012. One of those grants, the Cycle 5 award, called for constructing pedestrian safety enhancements at 17 different locations throughout the City, including:
• Pedestrian signage;
• Crosswalk limit lines;
• High visibility crosswalks;
• Flashing beacons and in-roadway warning lights; and
• Pedestrian countdown timers.
Prior to receiving the award, the grant application was presented to the Parking and Public Improvement Commission and City Council at public meetings in 2011, and the final proposed designs were reviewed and approved by City Council in early 2017. Plans and specifications were developed and subsequently bid for construction in early 2018. The project was rebid in mid-2018 due to the high bid cost received. Following the second bid process, on August 7, 2018, City Council awarded a construction contract to PTM General Engineering Services Inc. for $491,000 for the Cycle 5 Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project. Shortly thereafter, the contractor began procuring all construction materials needed to complete the project, including long lead items such as steel poles, and then initiated the work.
By February 5, 2019, the overwhelming majority of Cycle 5 work had been completed, including installation of flashing beacons and in-road warning lights at the intersections of Highland Avenue and 17th Street, 18th Street and 19th Street. However, due to complaints received by residents at the corner of 18th Street and Highland Avenue, City Council requested that the adjacent crosswalk improvements be placed on the agenda for review and further discussion. On March 19, 2019, City Council held further discussions and directed staff to:
• Relocate the pedestrian signs from the steel poles installed to the adjacent streetlights where feasible (completed).
• Permanently remove the associated flashing beacons from the steel poles (completed).
• Complete a structural analysis of the adjacent streetlight to determine whether it could support the weight of the crosswalk appurtenances (solar panel, battery, controller, push button), and present findings of the structural analysis and other relocation options to City Council at a future meeting.
DISCUSSION:
At the time of Cycle 5 design, bidding, and installations, Manhattan Beach did not own the adjacent streetlights, thus negating consideration to install the appurtenances directly onto streetlight poles. Thus they were placed on steel poles near each intersection. On the west side of the intersection at Highland Avenue and 18th Street, the steel pole foundation had to be located approximately 5 feet away from the street curb face due to existing conflicting underground appurtenances. Although this location was not the most ideal, other existing infrastructure and Americans with Disability (ADA) ramp requirements limited where the steel pole foundation could physically be placed. As installed, it is the closest available location next to the crosswalk and fully within the public right-of-way. Similar physical limitations were not present on the east side of Highland Avenue at 18th Street where the companion steel pole and appurtenances were also placed.
Shortly after the installation, staff removed the flashing beacons and relocated the signage to the adjacent streetlights at all three locations. Staff also completed a structural analysis to determine whether the appurtenances located on the steel poles could be relocated to the adjacent streetlights, which were purchased in late spring 2019. The structural analysis determined that the existing marbelite streetlights are not structurally capable of carrying the full load of the crosswalk appurtenances based on current code requirements. Therefore, staff provides the following options for consideration at the intersection of 18th Street and Highland Avenue:
Option 1
Leave the current installation as-is, in which case the steel pole, battery, solar panel, and push button would remain in their current location on the west side of Highland Avenue at 18th Street (see attached photo).
Option 2
Relocate the solar panel, battery and controller to the existing steel pole on the east side of Highland Avenue at 18th Street; and install a shorter steel pole for the pedestrian push button where the existing steel pole is on the west side of Highland Avenue (see attached photo renderings). The cost for limited demolition, relocation work, rewiring, conduit and sidewalk restoration is estimated at $6,000. This work could be paid for using existing Curb, Gutter, and Ramp Replacement funds if there are not sufficient contingency funds available in the Cycle 5 budget, thus no additional appropriation would be needed.
Staff recommends that City Council discuss these proposed options and provide direction to staff on which option to implement.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
A notification letter regarding this agenda item was sent to residents in the immediate vicinity of Highland Avenue and 18th Street who may be affected by any decision made by City Council.
ENVIROMENTAL REVIEW:
On June 2018 staff filed a Notice of Exemption with the County of Los Angeles Clerk Office after determining the HSIP project qualify for a Categorical Exemption (improvements to existing highways and streets, sidewalks, gutters, bicycle and pedestrian trails, and similar facilities).
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Existing and Rendered Photographs