HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-06-26 - AGENDA REPORTS - CROSS VALLEY CONNECTOR (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR City Manager Approval:
Item to be presented by: Anthony J. Nisich
DATE: June 26, 2001
SUBJECT: CROSS -VALLEY CONNECTOR AESTHETIC MASTER PLAN
DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Engineering Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council approve the concept of developing an Aesthetic Master Plan for the Cross -Valley
Connector and appropriate $100,000 to the Fiscal Year 2001/02 Budget into Golden Valley
Road/Soledad Canyon Road Interchange Improvements, CIP Project No. S3005, as follows:
• Transfer $25,000 from the City Council Contingency Fund, Account No. 1240-7401;
• Appropriate $25,000 from the Valencia Bridge & Thoroughfare District, Account 304-6191;
• Appropriate $25,000 from the Bouquet Canyon Bridge & Thoroughfare District, Account
No. 301-6191;
• Appropriate $25,000 from the Eastside Bridge & Thoroughfare District, Account
No. 302-6191.
BACKGROUND
The Cross -Valley Connector (CVC) Aesthetic Master Plan (AMP) will develop a unifying guide
for the various aesthetic, design, and potential public art treatments that can be implemented
along both the built and unbuilt portions of the CVC. The CVC is a seven -mile route that
provides the much-needed east -west access across the Santa Clarita Valley. It will also provide
a link between the I-5/SR-126 and SR -14 freeways. The CVC is achieved by linking Golden
Valley Road to Newhall Ranch Road.
The CVO's total cost is approximately $220 million, with over $130 million spent to date. Major
components of the CVC that remain unbuilt include the grade -separated interchange of Golden
Valley Road at Soledad Canyon Road, the Golden Valley Road Bridge over the Santa Clara
River, Newhall Ranch Road from Golden Valley Road to Bouquet Canyon Road, and Newhall
Ranch Road from Copper Hill Drive to the I-5.
While major road projects can been viewed as dividing communities, the AMP will provide the
City with the opportunity to design the CVC in such a way as to make the road a unifying
connection between the various communities within the Santa Clarita Valley. As envisioned,
the AMP would identify aesthetic treatments that would be consistent throughout the entire
seven -mile stretch of the CVC, as well as specific treatments for the unique areas and
environments that the CVC passes through, such as hillside, river crossing, business park, and
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CROSS -VALLEY CONNECTOR AESTHETIC MASTER PLAN
June 26, 2001— Page 2
residential. The various design and aesthetic treatments identified in the AMP would help the
CVC to blend into its surrounding environment rather than forcing its own aesthetic design
upon the areas it passes through.
The AMP would develop guidelines including, but not necessarily limited to, the following
components:
• Landscaping (color pallets as well as plant materials);
• Decorative or theme street lighting fixtures;
• Theme road signage;
• Aesthetic treatments to bridge abutments, columns, and retaining walls;
• Aesthetic recommendations for the major overcrossings and bridges to be constructed.
A major benefit of preparing the AMP early in the design of the CVC is that the cost of
implementing the aesthetic treatments into the design of the major structures and roadways
is much less than having to retrofit the treatments onto existing structures. The marginal cost
increase between standard concrete forms and forms that include architectural treatments is
minimal if those treatments are incorporated into the original design of the structure.
At this time, staff is requesting that the City Council consider the appropriation of $100,000
for the purpose of retaining a consultant to develop an AMP for the CVC. Staff anticipates
circulating a Request for Proposals and returning to the City Council at a later date for award
of contract. While staff anticipates that this appropriation will provide sufficient funds, the
public participation process will determine the scope and final cost associated with this process.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total estimated cost of the Cross -Valley Connector AMP is estimated to be $100,000.
Funding for this project has been identified in the Fiscal Year 2001/02 Budget and is proposed
to come from the following accounts:
• $25,000 from the City Council Contingency Fund, Account No. 1240-7401;
• $25,000 from the Valencia Bridge & Thoroughfare District, Account 304-6191;
• $25,000 from the Bouquet Canyon Bridge & Thoroughfare District, Account 301-6191;
• $25,000 from the Eastside Bridge & Thoroughfare District, Account 302-6191.
ATTACHMENT
None.
KMT:dis
council%gldnvlbr\c vcaeetheticaegn.doc