REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Remove On-Street Parking on the East Side of Sunnyvale Avenue Between Maude Avenue and Arques Avenue and Both Sides of Sunnyvale Avenue Between Arques Avenue and Hendy Avenue, and Install Buffered Bicycle Lanes on Both Sides of Sunnyvale Avenue Per the Active Transportation Plan
Report
SUMMARY OF COMMISSION ACTION
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC) considered this item on September 16, 2021.
BPAC voted to recommend that Council approve Alternative 1 with modification: Recommend to City Council the Removal of On-Street Parking on the East Side of Sunnyvale Avenue Between Maude Avenue and Arques Avenue and Both Sides of Sunnyvale Avenue Between Arques Avenue and Hendy Avenue and Install Buffered Bicycle Lanes on Both Sides of Sunnyvale Avenue Per the Active Transportation Plan, Incorporate Pedestrian Safety Improvements on Sunnyvale Avenue at California Avenue, on the bridge over Central Expressway, and at Hazelton Avenue, and Examine Adding Parking Space Markings on Sunnyvale Avenue and Some Distance along Nearby Side Streets, if Feasible.
The vote was 7-0.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, Sunnyvale Public Library and Department of Public Safety. In addition, the agenda and report are available at the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Remove On-Street Parking on the East Side of Sunnyvale Avenue Between Maude Avenue and Arques Avenue and Both Sides of Sunnyvale Avenue Between Arques Avenue and Hendy Avenue, and Install Buffered Bicycle Lanes on Both Sides of Sunnyvale Avenue Per the Active Transportation Plan
2. Remove On-Street Parking on the East Side of Sunnyvale Avenue Between Maude Avenue and Arques Avenue and Both Sides of Sunnyvale Avenue Between Arques Avenue and Hendy Avenue, and Install Buffered Bicycle Lanes on Both Sides of Sunnyvale Avenue Per the Active Transportation Plan with Modifications as provided by the Council.
3. Retain the On-Street Parking on the East Side of Sunnyvale Avenue Between Maude Avenue and Arques Avenue and on Both Sides of Sunnyvale Avenue Between Arques Avenue and Hendy Avenue, and Do Not Install Buffered Bicycle Lanes on this Segment of Sunnyvale Avenue
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Remove On-Street Parking on the East Side of Sunnyvale Avenue Between Maude Avenue and Arques Avenue and Both Sides of Sunnyvale Avenue Between Arques Avenue and Hendy Avenue, and Install Buffered Bicycle Lanes on Both Sides of Sunnyvale Avenue Per the Active Transportation Plan
The design and construction phases for this proposed project are funded by a combination of the Active Transportation Program Grant and local match. The requested pedestrian safety improvements on Sunnyvale Avenue at California Avenue, Central Expressway and Hazelton Avenue, and the parking space markings on Sunnyvale Avenue and nearby side streets were not included in the approved grant application. Therefore, the project does not have adequate funding to design or implement these requested improvements.
The pedestrian safety improvements at the intersection Sunnyvale Avenue at California Avenue would include reducing the corner radius, installing directional curb ramps, realigning the crosswalks and signal modifications. The cost to implement these improvements would be approximately $700,000. The pedestrian safety improvements on Sunnyvale Avenue at Central Expressway would include widening the sidewalk on both sides of road on the bridge over Central Expressway. This proposed improvement would also require a structural analysis to determine if the bridge can carry the additional load. The improvement costs would be dependent on whether any structural improvements are needed as a result of the widened sidewalk. The implementation of the pedestrian safety improvements over Central Expressway would also require coordination, review and approval from the County of Santa Clara Roads and Airport Department. The approved grant amount will not be enough to fund these additional improvements. In addition, the coordination with the County for the additional design and analysis work will have schedule impacts on delivering this project under the grant requirement requiring the City to complete design and obtain approval for construction by June 2022, resulting in the possibility of losing the grant funding if the schedule is not met.
As a practice, the City does not install parking space markings on public streets. The implementation of such markings would increase the annual maintenance costs and reduce parking availability. When the City marks parking spaces, they are marked at a standard of 20- or 25-feet spaces even though most cars do not need that much room. Lastly, based on the parking study, there is an adequate number of parking spaces on the west side of Sunnyvale Avenue as well as on the adjacent side streets to accommodate the existing parking demand from the east side of Sunnyvale Avenue.
At the intersections of Sunnyvale Avenue at Hazelton Avenue and Taylor Avenue, the Active Transportation Plan recommended to upgrade the two existing intersections’ crosswalks to high visibility crosswalks. These improvements were contemplated and included with the project for implementation.
Staff
Prepared by: Lillian Tsang, Principal Transportation Engineer
Reviewed by: Dennis Ng, Transportation and Traffic Manager
Reviewed by: Chip Taylor, Director of Public Works
Reviewed by: Jaqui Guzmán, Deputy City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Report to Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission 21-0765, September 16, 2021 (without attachments)
2. Traffic and Parking Study for Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Improvements at Maude Avenue and Sunnyvale Avenue
3. Study Area
4. Proposed Bicycle Improvements on Sunnyvale Avenue
5. On-Street Parking Observation Summary and Study
6. Public Outreach Summary Memorandum
7. Presentation to BPAC, September 16, 2021
Additional Attachments for Report to Council
8. Excerpt of Draft Minutes of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission Meeting of September 16, 2021