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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStudy Session Agenda Packet 12-06-21pdfSTUDY SESSION AGENDA CITY COUNCIL CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO 7500 W. 29th Ave. Wheat Ridge CO December 6, 2021 6:30 p.m. This meeting will be conducted as a virtual meeting and in person at 7500 West 29th Avenue, Municipal Building, if allowed to meet on that date per COVID-19 restrictions. Some members of the City Council or City staff will be physically present at the Municipal building for this meeting. The public may participate in these ways: 1.Provide comment in advance at www.wheatridgespeaks.org (comment by noon onDecember 6, 2021) 2.Virtually attend and participate in the meeting through a device or phone: •Click here to join and provide public comment •Or call +1-669-900-6833 with Access Code: 875 6952 6779 •Passcode: 126513 3.View the meeting live or later at www.wheatridgespeaks.org, Channel 8, or YouTube Liveat https://www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/view Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to participate in all public meetings sponsored by the City of Wheat Ridge. Contact the Public Information Officer at 303-235-2877 or wrpio@ci.wheatridge.co.us with as much notice as possible if you are interested in participating in a meeting and need inclusion assistance. Public Comment on Agenda Items 1. 38 th Avenue West Street Improvements (Kipling Street to Youngfield Street) 2.Staff Report(s) 3. Elected Officials’ Report(s) ADJOURNMENT Memorandum TO: Mayor and City Council THROUGH: Patrick Goff, City Manager Ken Johnstone, Director of Community Development FROM: Steve Nguyen, Engineering Manager Mark Westberg, Project Supervisor DATE: November 29, 2021 (for December 6th study session) SUBJECT: 38th Avenue West Street Improvements (Kipling Street to Youngfield Street) ISSUE: “Re-examine and Advance Sidewalks on 38th Avenue” was identified as one of City Council’s priorities in the 2021-2022 Strategic Plan. Staff has broken this topic into two geographic areas: 1) 38 th Avenue West (Kipling Street to Youngfield Street); and 2) 38th Avenue East, generally from Wadsworth Boulevard to Harlan Street, or smaller priority segments. The purpose of this study session is to provide City Council with an update on a potential design process for 38th Avenue West. 38th Avenue East is on the future City Council agenda for a study session next year. This memo summarizes existing conditions, past planning/design efforts, and a summary of a possible improvement project to construct a continuous complete street with a focus on bicycle and pedestrian (bike/ped) improvements. PRIOR ACTION: In 2008, City Council approved funding for a public infrastructure funding information program to determine the feasibility and level of public support for a temporary sales tax increase and authority to bond for reconstruction of 38th Avenue from Kipling Street to Youngfield Street. An ordinance was eventually approved submitting a ballot question to the voters of Wheat Ridge in November 2008 for the reconstruction of 38th Avenue from Kipling Street to Youngfield Street (to include but not limited to turn lanes, sidewalks, stormwater drainage, street lighting, pedestrian trails, streetscape and undergrounded utilities). The issue failed by a vote of 9,142 against and 5,592 for the project. BACKGROUND: 38th Avenue from Kipling Street to Youngfield Street is approximately 1.75 miles in length and is designated as a minor arterial on the City’s Street Master Plan. Pedestrian facilities on 38th Avenue West have been incrementally improved through various land use developments on the corridor and a few small-scale City’s projects over the course of many years. In 2017, Local Works successfully secured an “Active Living Neighborhood Grant,” from Kaiser Permanente with support from the City of Wheat Ridge. The purpose of that effort was to Item No. 1 increase active transportation, transit, and accessible routes along 38th Avenue between Kipling Street and Youngfield Street. Over the course of 2017 and early 2018, a coalition of residents, businesses, schools, organizations, and city officials worked together to: 1. Gather community input through outreach, forums, events, walk, bike, and roll audits,data collection, and mapping to inform an Active Transportation Assessment. 2. Plan a demonstration project addressing key stakeholder concerns and host a community event to engage the community and solicit input on Active Living Plan recommendations. 3. Work with a coalition to develop an Active Living Plan identifying priority short- andlong-term improvements in the project area to increase active transportation, transit, and wheelchair rolling. From this planning effort, speed zones and rapid rectangular flashing beacons were installed at pedestrian crossings between Nelson Street and Ward Road to improve pedestrian safety. The selected locations were determined and guided by the feedback solicited from the stakeholders and community as a whole. However, the current street facilities are still substantially substandard from a walking and biking standpoint. The existing bike/ped facilities are inconsistent throughout the corridor with many pedestrians using the shoulders to walk and bike. Improved street facilities would provide better and safer connections for adjacent residential subdivisions to Kullerstrand Elementary School, Prospect Valley Elementary School, Everitt Middle School, and to the Kipling Ridge and Applewood Shopping Centers at either end of the corridor. In addition, the middle 70% of 38th Avenue West does not have adequate drainage facilities to handle even minor storm flows. The existing roadside ditches do not have adequate capacity resulting in water often ponding on the side of the road and flooding the roadway shoulder in locations throughout the corridor. RECOMMENDATIONS: Due to the widely varying and substandard conditions along the 38th Avenue West corridor, a master planning design process is recommended as the first step in the reconstruction of this street segment. The initial design effort would include a traffic analysis and 30% conceptual design plans including a street section(s) and conceptual cost estimates. The outcomes of the master planning process would then guide the remaining design process, including construction phasing. Professional consulting services would need to be secured for the master planning process and public engagement would be a critical aspect of that effort. City staff would serve as project managers and would be an integral part of the public engagement efforts. Depending on the results of the master plan and the extent of the proposed improvements, it is anticipated that construction would be phased over two to three years to reduce potential construction impacts during the school year. The master plan would also include a drainage Outfall System Plan (OSP) to identify the required storm sewer improvements to be incorporated with the construction of the pedestrian facilities. City staff will work with the Mile High Flood District (MHFD) to assist in potential design and construction funding and managing the OSP design. Finally, the master plan will evaluate the safety and capacity of the existing street. The width of the existing right-of-way (ROW) width along the corridor generally ranges from 50 to 60 feet. Land acquisition may be needed in some of areas with narrower ROW depending on final selected street cross-sections. The final street width and number of lanes may vary along the corridor depending on the results of a traffic analysis. The addition of left turn lanes or a continuous center turn lane at key locations is anticipated. The proposed conceptual schedule shown below outlines the project specifics: FISCAL IMPACT; Funding is not currently budgeted for any phase of this project. Conceptual cost estimates are as follows: •Master Plan - $700,000 and $1 million •Design - $2 million •Construction - $15,000,000 Funding for the master plan and design could be appropriated from current sources of revenue. An extension of the City’s current temporary 0.5% sales tax rate and the issuance of additional bonds would likely be necessary to fund the construction of this project. REQUESTED ACTION: Staff is seeking feedback and direction on whether to pursue this master planning process through a budget supplemental appropriation and a request for proposals for design consulting services. If directed by City Council, staff has programmed a professional services consulting contract to be competitively bid, with a contract award anticipated in 2nd quarter 2022.