Title:
Title
Approval of Concept Plans for Broadway Complete Streets Project (T15175300) and Approval of Addendum to Central City Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report
End
FileID
File ID: 2019-01371
Location
Location: Broadway, between 3rd Street and Franklin Boulevard; Districts 4 and 5.
Recommendation:
Recommendation
Adopt a Resolution: 1) approving the Addendum to the Central City Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report; and 2) approving the conceptual plans for the Broadway Complete Street Project (T15175300).
Contact: Megan Johnson, Senior Engineer (916) 808-1967; Nader Kamal, Interim Engineering Services Manager (916) 808-7035, Department of Public Works
Body
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
3-Exhibit A - Mitigation Monitoring Program
4-Exhibit B - Addendum to Central City Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report
5-Exhibit C - Conceptual Plans
6-Exhibit D - Location Map
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: In August 2016, the City Council accepted the Broadway Complete Streets Plan as the City’s guide for the reconfiguration of the Broadway corridor between Interstate 5 and State Route 99. On February 14, 2017, the City Council approved the establishment of the Broadway Complete Streets Project (T15175300).
The accepted plan and proposed project will reduce the vehicle travel lanes from four lanes to two lanes with a center turn lane, add buffered bike lanes, accommodate parking, and improve pedestrian crossings. The project will also add a new roadway segment, called 29th Street, connecting X Street and Broadway at the southbound SR-99 on-ramp, allowing traffic to use the higher-capacity X Street, rather than Broadway. The project will also convert 16th Street from one-way to two-way between Broadway and X Street to provide a southbound entry with a straight path onto Land Park Drive, which currently connects to Broadway at a skew.
The conceptual plans show the proposed improvements.
On April 19, 2018, the City Council approved the Central City Specific Plan (CCSP) and certified the CCSP Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The CCSP EIR included a traffic analysis and evaluated the potential impacts for the improvements identified in Grid 3.0, including the Broadway lane reduction, bike facilities, and streetscape improvements.
Additional traffic analysis has been performed during this phase to evaluate level of service at intersections, change in travel time across the corridor, and queuing at freeway ramp intersections, and have been determined by the City’s Transportation Division to operate at levels consistent with City guidance. This traffic analysis memorandum is proposed to be incorporated into the CCSP EIR through an Addendum. The findings of the additional traffic analysis are consistent with the analysis in the CCSP EIR, and the impacts identified will remain less-than-significant.
Approval of the Addendum to the CCSP EIR is required to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and to allow staff to complete the design.
Policy Considerations: The actions requested herein are consistent with the City’s goals of improving and expanding public safety, and enhancing livability, as identified in the General Plan:
M1.2.1 - Multimodal Choices. The City shall develop an integrated, multimodal transportation system that improves the attractiveness of walking, bicycling, and riding transit over time to increase travel choices and aid in achieving a more balanced transportation system and reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
These improvements will accommodate cyclists of varying experience levels and abilities and increase overall ridership.
M1.2.2 - Level of Service (LOS) Standard. The City shall implement a flexible context-sensitive Level of Services (LOS) standard, and will measure traffic operations against the vehicle LOS thresholds established in this policy…The City’s LOS thresholds have been defined based on community values with respect to modal priorities, land use context, economic development…In the Core Area (Central City Community Plan Area) - LOS F is allowed.
The project is consistent with goals established in the Central City Specific Plan for the Broadway District:
LU.7.10 - Broadway Complete Streets Plan. Implement the Broadway Complete Streets Plan which introduces traffic calming, reduced roadway and intersection widths, reduced left turn lanes, consistent curb treatments, street lighting, and additional on-street parking.
This project is also consistent with the City’s Vision Zero efforts, the goal of which is to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries (Resolution No. 2017-0032). A portion of Broadway is on the High Injury Network.
Economic Impacts: None
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)/ National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): On April 19, 2018, the City Council certified the CCSP EIR and adopted Findings of Fact, a Statement of Overriding Considerations, and a Mitigation Monitoring Plan. The CCSP EIR evaluated the potential impacts for the improvements identified in the Broadway Complete Street project, including the lane reduction, bike and pedestrian facilities, streetscape improvements, lighting improvements, and 29th Street extension between Broadway and X Street. Supplemental traffic analysis has been completed to evaluate intersection and corridor operations, and operations along adjacent streets. The supplemental analysis has identified no significant impacts that were not previously identified and evaluated in the CCSP EIR.
The Environmental Planning Services Manager has determined that the proposed improvements are substantially consistent with those included in the CCSP EIR and that an Addendum to incorporate the additional analyses is an appropriate action under the CEQA. An Addendum to an EIR is processed when only minor technical changes are required in the EIR, and there are no changes in physical conditions or new circumstances that would lead to a new significant effect. The supplemental traffic analysis also includes LOS and VMT analysis, which reaffirms the findings of the transportation analysis conducted for the CCSP EIR. This additional analysis is incorporated into the Addendum to the CCSP EIR.
The Final EIR for the CCSP, the previously adopted findings of fact and statement of overriding considerations (Resolution No. 2018-00129), and the Addendum to the CCSP EIR are available at the Community Development Department’s webpage located at the following link: <http://www.cityofsacramento.org/Community-Development/Planning/Environmental/Impact-Reports.aspx>
This project is federally funded. The environmental analysis being conducted to satisfy the requirements of the NEPA is a categorical exclusion with technical studies. No action regarding NEPA compliance is required as part of project approval.
Sustainability: The recommended action supports City Council’s sustainability priorities. The transportation sector accounts for 48% of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions. The City’s Climate Action Plan includes several implementation measures to reduce vehicle trips and increase transit and active modes. The project under development would implement the Climate Action Plan by providing enhanced pedestrian and bicycle connections. Improvements would also support one of Sacramento Regional Transit’s busiest bus routes, further supporting vehicle trip reductions.
Commission/Committee Action: None
Rationale for Recommendation: The approval of the Addendum to the CCSP EIR is necessary to proceed with this project.
Financial Considerations: The Broadway Complete Street (T15175300) project has a budget of $721,000 for the environmental clearance and preliminary engineering. There is sufficient funding to complete this phase.
Staff will return to City Council for the design and construction phases of the project. Upon completion of the current environmental clearance phase, the City may negotiate a supplemental agreement with the current project consultant for the design and construction support services and return to the City Council for approval of the agreement and associated budgetary adjustments.
The project budget is comprised of Community Design Block Grant (CDBG) funds, local funds, and federal Active Transportation Program funds.
|
Preliminary Engineering Funds |
|
Source |
Amount |
|
CDBG (Fund 2700) |
$300,000 |
|
Major Streets Improvement Program (Funds 2001, 2007) |
$421,000 |
|
Total |
$721,000 |
|
Programmed Design Funds |
|
Source |
Amount |
|
Active Transportation Program (Cycle 3) |
$353,000 |
|
Active Transportation Program (Cycle 4) |
$550,000 |
|
Local Funding* |
$197,000 |
*Budgetary adjustments necessary.
The project was awarded $2,404,000 through the Active Transportation Program (Cycle 3) for construction between 3rd Street and 16th Street, and $3,111,000 through the Active Transportation Program (Cycle 4) for construction between 16th Street and 24th Street.
Public Works may pursue additional grants as needed for construction elements that are not eligible for Active Transportation Program funding, and for the unfunded limits between 24th Street and Franklin Boulevard.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
Background: The purpose of the Broadway Complete Streets Project (T15175300) is: to create a better balance among all modes of travel, where pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and drivers feel safe and accommodated; to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety along and across the corridor; improve amenities throughout the corridor in a manner that creates a unified character for the corridor; and increase opportunities to enjoy businesses/leisure activities. This planning effort was the culmination of a robust public engagement process to shape and provide feedback on the proposed plan.
The Central City Specific Plan (CCSP) incorporated the transportation system described in Sacramento Grid 3.0, which is the City’s plan to integrate planned transportation improvements and programs into the Central City and was adopted by Council on August 16, 2016. Grid 3.0 and the CCSP identified a lane reduction on Broadway to convert to two vehicle lanes with a center turn lane; established that Broadway would have buffered bicycle lanes as part of the preferred bike network; and proposed streetscape improvements to enhance the pedestrian facilities. The Grid 3.0 transportation plan and the CCSP included extensive public engagement to identify the proposed transportation network within the Central City. The CCSP Environmental Impact Report (CCSP EIR) performed traffic analysis and evaluated the potential impacts for the improvements identified in Grid 3.0, including the Broadway lane reduction, bike facilities, and streetscape improvements.
Traffic analysis was conducted during the planning phase for the proposed project, and as part of the CCSP EIR. Additional project-specific traffic analysis was performed during this conceptual planning phase to evaluate existing and post-project level of service at intersections, change in travel time across the corridor, and queuing at freeway ramp intersections, and have been determined by the City’s Transportation Division to operate at levels consistent with City guidance.
The traffic analysis memorandum shows that:
• Key travel pattern changes include high volumes of vehicles diverting from Broadway to parallel routes on X Street and W Street, which have higher capacities.
• Most intersections continue to operate at LOS D or better.
• During the afternoon peak, high demand of eastbound traffic on X Street and westbound traffic on W Street causes congestion at the US-50 off-ramp intersections. Signal timing coordination adjustments will be evaluated to mitigate minor delays resulting from the Broadway Complete Street project.
This traffic analysis memorandum is proposed to be incorporated into the CCSP EIR through an Addendum.
Supplemental traffic analysis was performed in response to community feedback, to identify changes in queuing between the existing condition and the post-project condition, and to model the routes that diverted traffic will take. This supplemental analysis shows:
• Northbound/southbound movements experience small changes in maximum queue lengths, with a maximum modeled increase of five car-lengths, in the morning peak at Land Park Drive.
• Eastbound/westbound movements along Broadway experience increased queue lengths due to the reduction in travel lanes. The maximum modeled increases were 15 car-lengths on westbound Broadway at 16th Street, and 13 car lengths on westbound Broadway at 21st Street.
• Broadway’s daily traffic is anticipated to decrease by 4,000 cars per day, which is desirable to improve bicycle and pedestrian access and overall safety on Broadway. The traffic model shows 67% of these vehicles shifting to X Street, W Street, or US-50; and 24% shifting to parallel routes on the grid. Some neighborhood streets south of Broadway are shown to have reduced traffic volumes as drivers change travel patterns, with increases of between 125 and 225 cars per day on Land Park Drive and 2nd Avenue.
This analysis was shared at the public meeting held on August 8, 2019. The public meeting had over 100 attendees, and included a formal presentation followed by an Open House for community members to talk with project staff. The feedback from the public largely showed enthusiasm for the improvements. The supplemental traffic analysis, boards, presentation, and public comments received have been posted to the project webpage:
<https://www.cityofsacramento.org/Public-Works/Engineering-Services/Projects/Current-Projects/Broadway-Complete-Streets>
The preliminary engineering and environmental clearance phase was funded with Community Development Block Grants and Major Street Improvements Program (T15168000) funding. The project has been awarded design and construction grant funding for Phase 1 (between 3rd Street and 16th Street, including a new roadway segment at 29th Street) through the Active Transportation Program (Cycle 3). The project has also been awarded design and construction grant funding for Phase 2 (between 16th Street and 24th Street) through the Active Transportation Program (Cycle 4).
The final design phase will be completed in Summer 2021, with construction targeted for early 2022.