CC SR 20221101 I - Western Ave Right Turn Lane Add Appropriation
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 11/01/2022
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to appropriate additional funds for construction of a
right-turn lane on northbound Western Avenue approaching Westmont Drive/Delasonde
Drive.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a revised Cooperative Agreement
with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), to be provided by
Caltrans at a future date, revising only the funding amount for design and
construction of a right-turn lane for northbound Western Avenue approaching
Westmont Drive/Delasonde Drive in a form approved by the City Attorney; and
(2) Appropriate an additional $51,000 in Proposition C Funds for the Western Avenue
Traffic Flow Improvements Project specifically for constructing a right-turn lane on
northbound Western Avenue approaching Westmont Drive/Delasonde Drive as
part of the Caltrans Western Avenue Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Project.
FISCAL IMPACT: The Council action will result in an additional cost of $50,936.33 to
the existing FY 2022-2023 Capital Improvement Plan appropriation
of $385,000 for this project.
Amount Budgeted: $385,000
Additional Appropriation: $51,000
Account Number(s): 215-400-8809-8804 (Prop C – Arterial Street Improvements)
ORIGINATED BY: Ramzi Awwad, Director of Public Works
REVIEWED BY: Same as above
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. September 21, 2021, staff report
BACKGROUND:
In August 2020, as part of larger ongoing efforts to improve traffic flow on Western
Avenue, Staff took an initial step (through a consultant) of analyzing the intersections on
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Western Avenue to determine if right-turn lanes would improve traffic operations or safety.
Right-turn lanes may provide traffic operations benefits in the form of reducing delay at
intersections by removing slower moving right-turning vehicles from the through-traffic
stream and providing them with exclusive lane operations. Additionally, right -turn lanes
may enhance safety by reducing the conflict between decelerating vehicles preparing to
turn right and through-vehicles.
The results of the analysis were subject to review by Caltrans, which owns Western
Avenue, and any recommendations for implementation of such lanes required Cal trans
approval. In October 2020, Caltrans approved the installation of a northbound right -turn
lane on Western Avenue approaching Westmont Drive/Delasonde Drive.
Around the same time that Staff prepared to develop construction plans and specifications
for the Westmont Drive/Delasonde Drive right-turn lane, the City learned that Caltrans
was proposing a bike lanes and pedestrian improvements project along a stretch of
Western Avenue, including in Rancho Palos Verdes. Staff determined that the most cost -
effective and least disruptive way to build the right -turn lane was to partner with Caltrans
to include the right-turn lane in their project.
The City programmed $305,000 (based on early concept estimates) into the FY 2021-
2022 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Caltrans subsequently estimated the total cost
of design and construction of the right -turn lane to be to be $200,000 and the City
appropriation for the right-turn lane was revised accordingly. The FY 2022-23 CIP
includes an appropriation of $385,000 in grant funds for the Western Avenue Traffic Flow
Improvements Project, which is separate from the right-turn lane appropriation.
On September 21, 2021, the City Council approved a cooperative agreement with
Caltrans for inclusion of design and construction of the right -turn lane in the Caltrans
Western Avenue Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Project, at City cost.
DISCUSSION:
On August 22, 2022, Caltrans issued a Notice Inviting Bids for construction of the Western
Avenue Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Project. Caltrans received three bids by the
deadline of September 28, 2022. The lowest responsible and responsive bidder was A.M.
Concrete, Inc., whose bid for the right-turn lane exceeded the Caltrans estimate by
$50,936.33. The Caltrans estimate was used as the basis for appropriating funds.
To proceed with the inclusion of the right-turn lane as part of the Caltrans Western Avenue
Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Project, Caltrans requires the City to appropriate an
additional $50,936.33. The additional appropriation is needed at this time because the
bid requires Caltrans to issue a notice of intent to award a contract by November 15,
2022, or the lowest bidder may withdraw their bid.
A revised agreement is not before Council this evening because Caltrans requires several
weeks to prepare the revised Cooperative Agreement, even though only the funding
amount is changing. This evening, Council is being asked to authorize the Mayor and City
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Clerk to execute the revised agreement, in a form approved by the City Attorney, changing
the funding amount only, when it is provided by Caltrans.
If the City does not commit to the additional funding, the City would need to construct the
right-turn lane independently, likely at a higher cost because the economies of scale of
mobilization for a large project would be lost. The City will also need to expend funds on
separating the right-turn lane design from the remaining project design, preparing a
Caltrans permit, and going through the procurement process.
Although the Western Avenue Traffic Flow Improvements Project has been awarded
Measure M grant funds, those funds cannot be used for the cost of the right -turn lane
because, per the grant agreement, final design must be complete for the Traffic Flow
Improvements Project before any grant funds can be used on construction. Table 1 below
shows a budget summary of the project.
Table 1: Western Avenue Traffic Flow Improvements Project Budget Summary
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Installation of the right-turn lane is an interim measure while the Western Avenue Traffic
Flow Improvement Project is ongoing. The Traffic Flow Improvement Project will again
analyze all intersections to determine if turn lanes could be warranted at any o ther
intersections.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends appropriating an additional $50,936.33 to proceed with including the
right-turn lane for northbound Western Avenue approaching Westmont Drive/Delasonde
Drive in the Caltrans Western Avenue Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Project. This
will lead to the quickest path for construction of the right-turn lane and will be at a lower
cost than for the City to build the right-turn lane independently.
8809 - Western Avenue Traffic Flow Improvements
Fund Budget Notes
Project Budget Summary:
Revised Budget FY18-19 220 8,414.25
215 200,000.00 Right Turn Lane
221 385,000.00 Measure M Grant
593,414.25
Fund Budget Committed
Expenditures
as of 10/19/2022 Balance
8005 Project Management 215 95,000.00 25,000.00 70,000.00 - Right Turn Lane
8804 Site Assessment 215 105,000.00 105,000.00 - - Right Turn Lane
8005 Professional/Technical Services 220 8,414.25 - 8,414.25 -
8001 Engineering Design Services 221 385,000.00 16,211.25 9,258.75 359,530.00 Measure M Grant
8003 Inspection Services 221 - - - -
593,414.25 146,211.25 87,673.00 359,530.00
Project Total -$ 146,211.25$ 87,673.00$ 359,530.00$
Description
Revised Budget FY21-22
Total Project Budget
Project Costs:
Original Budget FY22-23
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ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available for the
City Council’s consideration:
1. Do not appropriate additional funds for construction of the Delasonde
Drive/Westmont Drive right-turn lane as part of the Caltrans Western Avenue
Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Project and solicit construction of the project
independently;
2. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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