SUCCESSOR AGENCY AGENDA REPORT

DATE: 5/4/2016

AGENDA OF: 5/10/2016

DEPARTMENT: Public Works

SUBJECT: Proposal to Change the Direction of Certain Segments of Pacific Avenue and Related Side Streets to Facilitate Southbound Wayfinding (PW/ED)

RECOMMENDATION: Consider the proposal to change the direction of certain segments of Pacific Avenue and related side streets to facilitate southbound wayfinding and, by motion, provide direction to staff as appropriate.

BACKGROUND: In September 2011, the City released a Santa Cruz Retail Market Study completed by national retail expert Robert Gibbs that indicated that conversion from the existing street configuration of Pacific Avenue to full two-way traffic would bolster sales and improve overall wayfinding. Since the release of the study, downtown business and property owners have been interested in analyzing the possibility of converting Pacific Avenue to two-way traffic. In late 2011, the City Council held a study session in which Council directed staff to analyze the possibility of converting Pacific Avenue to two-way traffic. Following multiple traffic tests on Pacific Avenue, it was clearly demonstrated that a two-way Pacific Avenue was neither safe nor feasible with parking on both sides of the street. Following the traffic tests, effort focused on the possibility of one-way traffic along Pacific Avenue, but insufficient interest among a majority of stakeholders resulted in the proposal being tabled.

Over the last year, interest was rekindled in further exploring the concept of converting certain sections of Pacific Avenue (Church St. to Cathcart St.) to allow for continuous southbound navigation along Pacific Avenue through the downtown area. In March of 2014, the Downtown Commission unanimously approved its 2014 Work Plan which included recommendations towards possible conversion of certain sections of Pacific Avenue to enable one-way traffic southbound. The proposed southbound configuration would still allow two-way traffic where it exists currently, but would additionally necessitate the reversal of the existing one-way configurations on Walnut Avenue and Lincoln Street (see attached map). In July 2015, the Downtown Association also voted to approve the conversion of certain northbound one-way sections of Pacific Avenue to enable continuous southbound traffic; provided that the conversion is a pilot which is coordinated with the Citywide Wayfinding program and that it is implemented after the 2015 holiday season.

City Council heard this item in September 2015 and moved to send the discussion to the Transportation and Public Works Commission (TPWC). Council directed that the TPWC

discussion include notification to business and property owners (downtown), discussion of adding a contra-flow bike lane to the project, and discussion of possible funding sources.

DISCUSSION: Following the Council action, staff refined the concept plan development and developed a detailed layout (attached) that would form the basis of a construction plan. Staff determined that four parking spaces along Walnut Avenue would be removed in order to facilitate the 2-story garage access and intersection safety, as this portion of Walnut will be two- way. There may be two or three other parking spots removed within the project limits contingent on an onsite evaluation of emergency service access needs, if and when the project is implemented.

Other drawbacks have been identified as: the change being initially confusing; the change does not encourage a northbound beach connection nor lead to side streets with garage facilities (as is the case now); there will be two additional DO NOT ENTER signs; and, the current Del Mar Trolley Stop will need to be relocated.

The change in direction and the change to a continuous one-way flow will likely result in more traffic along the street. Delay modeling was performed for the intersections along the street using increased volumes. The increases are based on assumptions made from equalizing parallel streets that currently carry disproportionally higher volumes of southbound traffic. Increased flow for beach access, cruising, and cut-through is unknown and not included. Results of the modeling are shown in the attachment Table A.

Reversing the direction of one-way traffic on Walnut Street cannot occur with the existing parking garage flow-pattern, unless two-way traffic is allowed between Cedar Street and Commerce Lane. This will result in reversing some of the angled parking on the south side, changing some to parallel parking, and eliminating four spaces (12 existing, 8 proposed, 4 removed). With this layout, no change will be required for the lower deck of the garage and both the garage and Commerce Lane (alley) will be allowed to exit either left or right onto Walnut Street. These changes could cause congestion at Cedar/Walnut especially when eastbound vehicles attempt to turn left into the parking garage. A future solution may be to disallow this movement either with signs or delineators.

If the bicycle contraflow lane is included with the pilot, enhanced bike access will be realized for the Pacific Avenue. The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) lists benefits that apply as: providing connectivity and access to bicyclists in both directions, reducing dangerous wrong-way riding, and decreasing sidewalk riding.

Conversely, the contraflow lane will also create new conflicts. The contraflow lane will be positioned on the east side of the roadway (so both directions keep right) allowing bikes to travel northbound between the southbound traffic and southbound parking lanes. This is consistent with the standard in NACTO for contraflow on one-way streets, but NACTO lists left-side parallel parking across the bike lane as one of the hazards, and a “con” to be considered. NACTO states: “Special consideration should be given before implementing contra-flow bike lanes adjacent to parking. Cars entering and exiting the parking lane will be maneuvering head-on with oncoming bicyclists, introducing an increased speed differential and unfamiliar traffic operations. The driver of a vehicle parked adjacent to a contra-flow lane will have reduced visibility of oncoming bicyclists when compared to parking adjacent to a with-flow bike lane. Increased bike lane width paired with parking-side buffer striping may be used to increase maneuvering space and sight distance. Most existing installations use a double yellow line to separate the contra-flow bicycle lane; however local ordinance may prohibit parking in the opposite direction of the contra-flow travel lane. A dashed yellow line, or dashed white line may also be used to separate the contra- flow bicycle lane. Local urban practitioners should use best engineering judgment to determine which strategy to implement.”

The TPWC considered this item on March 21, 2016 and recommended approval of the proposal. The TPWC Action Agenda is attached. Prior to the meeting, postcards were sent to every owner and occupant address in the downtown parking district, a press release was issued, and staff also utilized the DTA e-news blast for notification.

On April 5, 2016, staff was invited to a Downtown Association (DTA) member meeting to answer questions on the proposal. The DTA had previously supported the proposal to change the street direction. Members again discussed the pros and cons of the proposal and primarily voiced concern about changing the direction of Lincoln Street and Walnut Avenue. A request was made to not change Lincoln/Walnut to Soquel Avenue but instead route east/west movements to Cathcart Street. Changing the direction of Lincoln Street and Walnut Avenue is a basic premise of this proposal for all of the public discussion on the one-way proposal to date (at DTC, DTA, CC, TPWC meetings). It maintains emergency and cross town connectivity across Pacific Avenue to and from Soquel Avenue.

Cathcart Street runs for two blocks between Cedar Street and Front Street, discontinuous to points further east or west. Changing the direction of Pacific Avenue without changing the Lincoln/Walnut/Soquel couplet, would now require Cathcart/Pacific to handle several new movements and volumes. At the four-way stop, there would be increased southbound traffic resulting from all incoming Soquel and Lincoln (at Pacific) traffic being directed southbound to Cathcart, and also traffic entering from Water Street being able to traverse all the way south. An analysis of the Pacific/Cathcart intersection showed that vehicle delay at Pacific/Cathcart would increase significantly and fall below the adopted Level of Service standard D. It is likely to reduce traffic on Walnut Avenue as well, which is contrary to maintaining business access.

The Fire Department does not support the requested change by the merchant. Leaving the Lincoln and Walnut traffic direction unchanged while making Pacific Ave one-way southbound would create a dangerous situation for emergency crews as they tried to use the Lincoln/Walnut/Soquel couplet to respond either east or west through the city. Because of the width of those streets, it is unsafe for Fire vehicles to oppose traffic so they need to follow the flow of traffic going through that couplet and having to use Cathcart in order to traverse the city, either eastbound or westbound, increases response times. The originally proposed traffic flow through the Lincoln/Walnut/Soquel couplet by Traffic Engineering will actually improve emergency response movements through that area.

The Police Department also does not support the proposed amendments to the original Walnut Avenue traffic flow plan. Keeping Walnut Avenue an east to west traffic flow, would limit police access to the Soquel Avenue corridor from the west side of the Downtown. Eliminating rapid access to a vital thoroughfare into the east side of the city would greatly reduce police response times from the west and central beat officers to the east side of the city. Unless a more direct route to the Soquel Avenue corridor from the west side of Downtown is included in the revised traffic flow plan, the Police Department does not support the Pacific Avenue one-way proposal if Walnut Avenue is left unchanged.

The Board of Directors of the Downtown Association voted to rescind its support of the Pacific Avenue proposal on April 19, 2016. DTA staff reported to the City that it was “based on insufficient data provided and limited scope of impact studies. Following a lengthy conversation, at which many questions and concerns were raised, the Downtown Association Board of Directors decided that in the absence of more in-depth study including non-speculative understanding of traffic impacts, it would not support a plan to redirect traffic on Pacific Avenue and side streets. The board expressed interest in exploring other options to address what some consider to be a confusing traffic system in the Downtown. Some of the areas of interest including better wayfinding into and through Downtown, a contraflow bike lane, and revisiting the Pacific Avenue circulation plan with more study.”

FISCAL IMPACT: Staff has estimated that the cost to implement the pilot conversion would not exceed $50,000 and is more likely in the range of $30,000-$40,000. Adding the bike facility would raise the cost estimate to approximately $65,000. There would also be a potential loss of meter revenue on an annual basis of approximately $6,000. Adding solely a contraflow lane with the current street direction is estimated at $25,000 plus an additional $12,000 for limited green lane highlights. If the pilot is unsuccessful, the cost to revert to the existing traffic configuration would be approximately the same as the initial pilot costs ($65,000). A larger traffic study as noted by the DTA board would cost from $60,000-$100,000.

Prepared by: Submitted by: Approved by: James Burr Mark R. Dettle Martin Bernal Transportation Manager Director of Public Works City Manager

ATTACHMENTS: Table A TPWC Action Agenda Overview Map Pacific/Walnut/Lincoln Pilot Plan