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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-09-26 - AGENDA REPORTS - STRIPING MCBEAN PKWY / I5 (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT UNFINISHED BUSINESS DATE: September 26, 2000 City Manager ApprovZJ Item to be presented by: Anthony J. Nisich SUBJECT: STRIPING OF MCBEAN PARKWAY BETWEEN INTERSTATE 5 AND VALENCIA BOULEVARD DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Engineering Services City Council approve the six -lane striping of McBean Parkway between Interstate 5 and Valencia Boulevard; and authorize (1) the removal of nine trees to improve sight distance of traffic entering McBean Parkway and to conform with recognized design/safety parameters, and replanting of five new trees in their respective places; (2) the removal of two trees to provide for a continuous sidewalk for pedestrians; (3) the installation of "no right -turn on red" and guardrail devices to reduce tree removals; and (4) the planting of no less than eight additional trees where possible to reduce the effect and gain additional trees along the corridor. BACKGROUND McBean Parkway is identified as a major six -lane arterial in the City's General Plan Circulation Element. Presently, this road has adequate width for this purpose, but it is only striped for four lanes and no on -street parking. The Newhall Land & Farming Company has been conditioned to stripe McBean Parkway to six travel lanes between Interstate 5 and Valencia Boulevard. This condition is the result of various approved projects within the Santa Clarita Valley area. NEED FOR TIBE PROJECT The conditions of approval for the Valencia Marketplace west of the Interstate 5, and the Northpark Development in north Saugus, required the developer to provide six -lane striping along McBean Parkway between Interstate 5 and Copper Hill Drive. Both of these projects have been occupied for some time, but the required mitigation is still not totally in place. The entire McBean Parkway has six lanes now, with the exception of the section between Interstate 5 and Valencia Boulevard, which is currently striped for four lanes. Over the past few years, traffic volumes on McBean Parkway have. increased to the same level of Valencia Boulevard, which was striped for six lanes in 1992. The latest traffic counts A47- RAORpywejo Agenda Iterns STRIPING OF MCBEAN PARKWAY BETWEEN INTERSTATE 5 AND VALENCIA BOULEVARD September 26, 2000 — Page 2 on McBean Parkway between Orchard Village Road -and Valencia Boulevard were shown to be about 36,000 vehicles per day, nominally the same as those on Valencia Boulevard. Starting this fall, the Valencia Boulevard interchange project over Interstate 5 will be under construction. The duration of this project is about 18 months. Following the completion of this project, Caltrans will start the construction of the Magic Mountain Parkway interchange and the Interstate 5 bridge over the Santa Clara River. These two projects are estimated to last about three years. During the construction phases of these projects, there will not be any specific detour of traffic through McBean Parkway. However, it is expected that as freeway bottlenecks occur, many motorists will use various surface streets to go to different parts of the valley. Since McBean Parkway is a major street throughout the City, it is expected that there will be an increase in traffic volumes during the next five years. The proposed project will address the traffic capacity needs of the street in the future. SCOPE OF THE PROJECT When McBean Parkway is converted to a six -lane facility, it is recommended that all left - turn lanes at signalized intersections along the parkway be provided with appropriate left - turn signal phasing and separate signal heads, both overhead and on the far left signal pole. This recommendation would affect existing mast arms at most of the existing signalized intersections, and could require that new signal poles and pole foundations be provided. This proposal also assumes that two new traffic signals will be installed at the McBean Parkway/Alegro Drive intersection and at the McBean Parkway/Granary Square Shopping Center entrance. When the new signal is installed at Granary Square, the existing median opening north of the signal location will be closed and modified to provide an adequate left -turn lane at the new signal. TRAFFIC SAFETY FINDINGS A consultant was selected to prepare an analysis of the engineering and safety issues that must be addressed if this roadway were to be modified to accommodate six through travel lanes. The study was completed to address three issues: (1) conformance of the existing roadway with recognized design/safety parameters; (2) striping the roadway to six through travel lanes; and (3) a provision for a continuous sidewalk to accommodate pedestrians and joggers. A copy of the draft engineering report is available in the City Clerk's reading file. An inventory of existing trees along the outside edges of McBean Parkway resulted in the study finding that currently 41 eucalyptus trees are too close to the curb. The study also indicated that 13 additional trees along the outside of McBean Parkway are limiting the ideal stopping sight distance desired along the roadway. Therefore, the study's conclusions were that 54 trees would have to be removed in order to reduce the City's liability should a traffic accident occur involving one of these trees. STRIPING OF MCBEAN PARKWAY BETWEEN INTERSTATE 5 AND VALENCIA BOULEVARD September 26, 2000 — Page 3 The study also found one short segment along the southleast side of McBean Parkway from Interstate 5 to Valencia Boulevard without a sidewalk. If the City Council wishes to install 120 feet of sidewalk as part of this project in the area immediately north of the Singing Hills Drive intersection with McBean Parkway, this situation would be remedied. Two eucalyptus trees in this area would have to be removed to accommodate the sidewalk. PUBLIC MEETINGS The above issue was presented to the City Council in a Study Session on December 7, 1999. After receiving this item, the City Council directed staff to hold a public meeting to inform the area residents about the project, and implement strategies to reduce the number of tree removals referenced in the study. An extensive public outreach process was implemented, which included several newspaper ads, door hangers, editorials, and newspaper articles. A public meeting was held on February 14, 2000 to share the findings of the report with the public. Comments from the public were considered to formulate a plan to reduce the number of tree removals. This issue was also presented to the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce Transportation Meeting on July 20, 2000, and to the Santa Clarita Valley Transportation Alliance on August 9, 2000. In general, the members attending each of the above two groups were in agreement with the safety findings of the study and recommended that staff take every possible measure into consideration to reduce the overall impact on tree removals. STRATEGIES TO REDUCE TREE REMOVALS Staff has carefully evaluated all the tree locations identified in the report, and in response to the community concerns, has developed the following potential strategies to reduce the total number of trees affected: 1. Staff has proposed that some driveways along this corridor be designated as "ENTER ONLY." This suggestion will force drivers to use other more suitable driveways, and by eliminating the exiting out of the driveway will result in saving several trees. 2. Staff has proposed that if the City Council and the community concur, the right -turn traffic out of Alegro Drive and Singing Hills Drive be restricted to "NO RIGHT -TURN ON RED." This suggestion will eliminate the need to remove several trees on the left-hand side of these streets. 3. Staff has proposed that a combination of decorativetwooden guardrail and hedges be installed on eastbound McBean Parkway a4jacent to Via Jacara to provide a buffer zone between McBean Parkway and the homes located on Via Jacara, and eliminate the need to remove several trees. STRIPING OF MCBEAN PARKWAY BETWEEN INTERSTATE 5 AND VALENCIA BOULEVARD September 26, 2000 — Page 4 If the above proposals are accepted and put into effect, a total of only nine trees would need to be removed along the corridor. At five of these locations, staff will be able to replant new eucalyptus trees farther away from the curb lines. Staff also proposes to plant a minimum of eight additional trees where space is allowed to fill in empty places and gain more trees along the corridor. There are also two trees that will need to be removed if the City Council wishes to install 120 feet of sidewalk as part of this project on the south side of McBean Parkway to maintain a continuous sidewalk on either side of the street througout the corridor. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS 1. Consider a phased improvement plan along the corridor. 2. Other action as determined by the City Council. FISCAL IMPAC This project includes street improvements, construction of two new traffic signals, modification to several existing traffic signals, removal of several trees, construction of sidewalks, and other miscellaneous improvements. The total project cost will be the responsibility of the Newhall Land & Farming Company at no cost to the City. ATTACHMENTS Exhibit "A" - Vicinity Map and Key for trees Exhibit "B" - Information about trees to be removed Exhibit "C" - Location of trees to be removed Exhibit "D" - Location of trees saved by various strategies Exhibit "E" - Draft Engineering Report (available in the City Clerles reading file) BJ:lk1 ..d1N=b..6.d.c 00 100A Ofioly 0 P, Ufo EXHIBIT"B" INFORMATION ABOUT TREES TO BE REMOVED (See Exhibit "C" for location) Tree Numbers- 1, 2, and 3 These trees are located on the west side of Alegro Drive. The trees are leaning over the roadway and present a safety hazard now, and especially in the future when motorists will be travelling closer to the curb. All three trees will be replaced with new trees to maintain the number of trees in this area. Tree Numbers 4 and 5 These trees are located too close to the driveway to the church on the north side of McBean Parkway. The trees block the visibility of oncoming traffic for motorists exiting the driveway. Due to sight distance requirements, they cannot be replaced with new trees. Tree Number 6 This tree is encroaching on the roadway, and large trucks travelling close to the curb lane have already hit its trunk. A new tree will be planted to replace this tree. Tree Number 7 This is a two -trunk tree where one of the tree trunks is leaning over the roadway. Unfortunately, there is no alternative to save the tree if one of the tree trunks is cut. A new tree will be planted to replace this tree. Tree Numbers 8 and 9 Tree Number 8 is located too close to the driveway to the Valencia United Methodist Church and severely restricts the view of oncoming traffic. The Church officials agree with the removal of the tree. Due to the sight distance requirements, this tree cannot be replaced with a new tree. Tree Number 9 is encroaching on the roadway and is also leaning. A new tree win be planted to replace this tree. Tree Numbers 10 and 11 These two trees will need to be removed if the City Council wishes to install 120 feet of sidewalk on the south side of McBean Parkway to maintain a continuous sidewalk on either side of the street throughout the corridor. Due to limited space, there is no room to plant new trees to replace these trees. BJ:lk1 .u.U\=b9m6.dw I M SIh 2ad j N �M Alegro Dr r� i Pkwy Proposed Traffic Signal Ex. Traffic Signal nq k let. 2nd N Much 0fhM Clain of 15140 Veencia Much 2ad AvaoidaNwinum bm PIL-wy 1� Traft " H F �,�e Mcbean Pk" Ex. I Signal I -5F" M offromp N McbCan PkWy Ex. Traffic Signal Proposed st ewalk--,'4 .W. N Existing . d ewalk EXMIT "C": Location Of Trees To Be Removed @ trees saved by maldng access inbound only x 7 N j N Allegro Dr Istkaningem 0 J Mcbe=Pkwy p 0 osed Traffic Signal N N MCbean Pk-Wy Ex. Traffic Signal bws saved if "No Right T= On Red" is iustalled at exis&g siVW W tme saved n -74o Right Turn On Red" is instaUed for fature signal 4, x5 t �sav\edby ms instal ling wooden fence-guardraff EMMIT "D": Location Of Trees Saved By Various Strategies