Agenda Date: 05/05/2020
Subject:
Title
Resolution 37-2020: Authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Littleton and the Colorado Department of Transportation for reimbursement of costs associated with the Downtown Littleton Raised Pedestrian Crossings
Body
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Prepared by: |
Brent Thompson, City Engineer |
PURPOSE:
To approve an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Littleton and the Colorado Department of Transportation for reimbursement of costs associated with the Downtown Littleton Raised Pedestrian Crossings
PRESENTATIONS:
Staff Presenter(s): Brent Thompson, City Engineer
Additional Presenter(s): N/A
SUMMARY:
Pedestrian volume is high throughout Downtown Littleton. While most crosswalks are located at intersections where drivers typically expect to encounter pedestrians, depending on proximity, preferred routes, and elements competing for drivers’ attention at intersections, mid-block crossings can be good supplements to accommodate pedestrians. However, mid-block crossings are less common and therefore drivers may not be anticipating pedestrians at these locations. As such, mid-block crossings must be clearly visible to drivers, including proper signing and striping. In certain cases, such crossings even require additional enhancements to increase driver awareness and improve pedestrian safety. Enhancements can include flashing beacons, pedestrian signals, raised crossings, or even grade separation.
This project will construct three raised pedestrian crossings in Downtown Littleton. These three raised pedestrian crossings are located at Main Street north of Bega Park, at Alamo Avenue South of Bega Park, and at Prince Street at Little’s Creek Trail. All three of these crossings are currently at-grade mid-block crossings.
PRIOR ACTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS:
This project has not previously been discussed with city council.
ANALYSIS:
Staff Analysis
Pedestrian safety through the city is critical and is highlighted as part of the Healthy goal in the city’s Transportation Master Plan. Downtown Littleton is a vibrant urban center with transit riders, bicyclists and pedestrians commuting in and out of the area. This project will help better connect Downtown Littleton Station, the Littles Creek Trail, Bega Park, the Downtown Littleton Commercial District, and Arapahoe Community College (ACC) to the Downtown Littleton Transit Station. Littleton Boulevard serves as a corridor that connects bicyclists, pedestrians, the visually impaired, wheelchair users, and drivers to Downtown Littleton as the east/west connection and links to Santa Fe Drive and Broadway as the regional north/south connections.
The Downtown Littleton Transit Station has two Park and Ride lots, one at the station and an overflow lot north of Main Street along the west side of Rio Grande Street. For people coming from the overflow lot to the Downtown Littleton Station, crossing Main Street and Alamo Avenue through Bega Park is the most direct route. This project will provide raised crossings that slow traffic and alert drivers of pedestrians. Additionally, the crossing on Prince Street will provide a safe crossing for people accessing Littles Creek Trail, which feeds into the regional trail network from the Downtown Littleton Station, and for students and faculty of the ACC campus. At all three locations there are existing mid-block crossings, but this project proposes replacing the existing at grade mid-block crossings with raised pedestrian crossings. Further, the current midblock pedestrian crossing on Alamo Avenue does not align with observed pedestrian patterns for people leaving the station to access Bega Park or the RTD overflow lot. As a result, this crossing of Alamo Avenue is planned to be shifted to the east. Installing a raised crossing improves the safety of pedestrians at all three crossings, as well as, safety at the midblock crossing of Littleton Boulevard just west of Bemis Street, roughly 750 feet to the east. The raised crossings reinforce the 25 mph speed limit rather than the current observed habits of drivers.
The crossings have additional safety benefits by signaling to drivers that they are entering a prominent pedestrian district in Littleton. The raised crossings will increase the safety and comfort for bike and pedestrian users in maintaining sidewalk heights by raising the profile across the roadways, eliminating the need for pedestrian ramps that can be challenging for disabled users. In that way this project expands opportunities by strengthening existing assets that support healthy and active choices. Examples from other communities that have installed raised midblock crosswalks indicate a higher level of comfort for bicycles on the street due to the lower traffic speeds. Investment in safer pedestrian facilities has been shown to encourage walking for people living, working, and visiting the area. Though raised crossings are not a large-scale project, they will help support people who choose to walk and bike in Downtown Littleton by increasing the safety of these crossings.
Because the project is located on the edge of Downtown Littleton, traffic entering Downtown is required to slow down to 25 mph. However, because the change in speed limit happens less than 1,000 feet from each of these crossings, speeding is a major safety concern. The raised midblock crosswalks address traffic calming by reducing vehicle speeds at the crossings and signaling to drivers that they are entering a predominant pedestrian zone. The raised crossings will further reinforce the state law requiring vehicles to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in the crosswalk.
If council approves this resolution, staff will proceed with final design. Construction of the project is anticipated for the summer of 2021.
Council Goal, Objective, and/or Guiding Principle
This project fulfils numerous goals and objectives outlined in the Transportation Master Plan, and in particular Objective 19: Provide a safe and low-stress walking environment. The project also supports Council Goal 2: Financial Sustainability/Objective 5: Identifying, assessing and prioritizing funding for capital needs by leveraging grant funds through CDOT.
Fiscal Impacts
The cost estimate for the Raised Pedestrian Crossings project is $428,000. The grant was applied for with a proposed 50% match in order increase the likelihood of successful award. The grant provides federal funding for up to 80% of the project cost and require at least 20% local agency match. Design of this project is nearly complete and will be finished under an existing consultant contract. Total estimated city costs for this project are $214,000. Sufficient funds exist within the Capital Project Fund and specifically within the dedicated funding for street maintenance. If council approves this IGA, staff would then program the project into the 2021 Capital Improvement Program.
Alternatives
Should this agreement not be approved, the city would not be able to fund this project on its own. The 5-year Capital Improvement Program currently has a $10M shortfall. Leveraging grant funds for safety projects such as this is critical. Forgoing this opportunity would put Littleton at a significant disadvantage in attaining community goals related to transportation, economic development, and quality of life.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the Intergovernmental Agreement.
PROPOSED MOTION:
Proposed Motion
I move to approve the resolution authorizing the Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Littleton and the Colorado Department of Transportation for reimbursement of costs associated with the Downtown Littleton Raised Pedestrian Crossings.