Staff Report
PREPARED BY: MATT MORLEY
Director of Parks and Public Works
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 04/04/2017
ITEM NO: 11
DATE: MARCH 27, 2017
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: PPW JOB NO. 16-813-0229 – CUT-THROUGH TRAFFIC PROJECT
A. APPROVE THE PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE SUMMER 2017
CUT-THROUGH TRAFFIC MITIGATION PROJECT INCLUDING
INSTALLATION OF A TEMPORARY TRAFFIC CIRCLE AND ROAD CLOSURE
AT SANTA CRUZ AVENUE AND WOOD ROAD, AND AUTHORIZE THE
TOWN MANAGER TO ADVERTISE THE PROJECT FOR BID.
B. AUTHORIZE THE APPROPRIATION OF $300,000 FROM THE GENERAL
FUND RESERVE FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING TO THE TOWN’S GFAR
FUND PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT 813-0229 CUT-THROUGH TRAFFIC
MITIGATION IN ADVANCE OF FISCAL YEAR 2017/18 CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT BUDGET TO ALLOW THE PROJECT TO BEGIN BEFORE
THE START OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
C. AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO AWARD AND EXECUTE ALL
NECESSARY AGREEMENTS FOR CUT-THROUGH TRAFFIC IN AN AMOUNT
NOT TO EXCEED $200,000.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Town Council:
1. Approve the plans and specifications for the Summer 2017 Cut-Through Traffic Mitigation
Project including installation of a temporary traffic circle and road closure at Santa Cruz
Avenue and Wood Road, and authorize the Town Manager to advertise the project for bid.
2. Authorize the appropriation of $300,000 from the General Fund Reserve for Strategic
Planning to the Town’s GFAR Fund Public Works Project 813-0229 Cut-Through Traffic
Mitigation in advance of Fiscal Year 2017/18 Capital Improvement Budget to allow the
project to begin before the start of the fiscal year.
3. Authorize the Town Manager to award and execute all necessary agreements for Cut-
Through Traffic in an amount not to exceed $200,000.
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SUBJECT: PPW JOB NO. 16-813-0229 – CUT-THROUGH TRAFFIC PROJECT
MARCH 27, 2017
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BACKGROUND:
On June 7, 2016, the Council approved the temporary closure of South Santa Cruz Avenue at
Wood Road for three weekends: June 25-26, July 2-4, and July 9-10. On August 2, 2016, the
Town Council directed staff to continue the closure through the Labor Day holiday and to
continue traffic-related data collection. In addition, staff was directed to begin looking at long
term options for mitigating summer cut-through traffic.
The data from the pilot closures last summer showed significant relief to the residential
neighborhoods south of Highway 9 and a significant decrease in traffic in the downtown
business area.
On January 17, 2017, the Council authorized staff to execute a contract with W-Trans to
develop a concept project to install a permanent roundabout at Santa Cruz Avenue and Wood
Road to facilitate ongoing closures and work with Caltrans on how to advance the project.
Since the timeline for this process is two to three years, Council discussed that it would need to
take separate action to conduct summer closures in 2017 similar to that from last summer to
facilitate ongoing data collection and congestion relief .
At the January 31 Council priority setting session, the Town Council prioritized $300,000 in the
FY 2017/18 Capital Improvement Program budget to continue to address cut -through traffic.
DISCUSSION:
The Town has taken on traffic as a regional issue and is exploring potential solutions that c an
benefit all roadway users. Through this project, the Town will gather data and public input in
an effort to understand impacts and ways to implement the Towns Transportation Element of
the City's Comprehensive General Plan. The specific Transportation Element goals and policies
that the Town is analyzing through this temporary pilot program are as follows:
Make effective use of the traffic-carrying ability of Los Gatos’s arterials and collectors
while considering the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, and adjacent residents.
Monitor traffic flow and roadway conditions. Identify deficiencies and develop
improvement measures for roadways and intersections on a continuous basis.
Consider using roundabouts as an alternative to signalized or traditionally controlled
intersections to calm traffic and increase the capacity of intersections.
Develop and adopt standards for arterial and collector streets pursuant to the functional
classification of the local circulation system. The characteristics of these streets shall
protect the integrity of the circulation system and protect neighborhood streets from
the intrusion of through traffic.
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DISCUSSION (cont’d):
Minimize opportunities for regionally-generated traffic to cut through Los Gatos. The
Town acknowledges that any permanent solution will require in depth studies that
include public participation and the participation of our partners at VTA and Caltrans.
Work with other local jurisdictions and the State to develop effective ways to reduce
regionally generated Highway 17 congestion and cross-town traffic that do not involve
adding freeway lanes or interchanges.
Inhibit the flow of through traffic in established neighborhoods to the extent feasible,
without impacting the freedom of movement of residents or diverting traffic to other
neighborhood streets.
Consider traffic calming devices such as lane narrowing, widening medians, or heavy
landscaping to discourage cross-town commute and short-cut traffic.
The Town acknowledges that any permanent solution will require in depth studies that i nclude
public participation and the participation of our partners at VTA and Caltrans.
The scope of work for this summer’s Cut-Through Traffic Project is similar to last summer’s pilot
closures, providing a temporary traffic circle and road closure at Santa Cruz Avenue at Wood
Road, portable changeable message signs (PCMS) at eight locations throughout Town to notify
motorists of the closure as well as temporary traffic control and detour signs installed and
removed on closure days for each weekend day and holiday from May 27 through Monday,
September 4 (34 total days). Staff does not anticipate closing Massol and Tait Avenues this
year. Staff will monitor the Almond Grove area and adjust depending on traffic flow.
The project plans and specifications can be viewed on the Town website at
http://www.losgatosca.gov/108/Capital-ImprovementProgram.
The engineer’s estimate for the traffic control portion of the project cost is $182,748. The
requested authority to award a contract up to $200,000 will allow for flexibility in case of
unanticipated cost escalations. Additional costs are anticipated for staff time and for traffic
data collection estimated at $30,000 and $20,000 respectively. Data collection will include
hose counts and video counts while foregoing labor intensive floating car counts. Town staff is
also not recommending utilizing the services of a traffic consultant for the program this year.
Additional budgeted funds will allow for project adjustments to meet changing needs. Any
funds not utilized for this project specifically will carry forward in the Fiscal Year 2017/18
budget and remain available for re-appropriation by the Town Council in the future should they
not be utilized for this project.
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DISCUSSION (cont’d):
Typically funding for the project would occur through the fiscal year budget process. As the
Council has already identified this project as a priority for FY 2017/18, staff is recommending
the appropriation of funds at this time to allow for the bidding process to occur now and
facilitate the first closure over Memorial Day weekend.
The project will be tracked in the Capital Improvement Budget with information on the early
appropriation of funds in the project description. No additional funds beyond the $300,000
request are anticipated for the 2017/18 CIP Budget.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the Town Council:
1. Approve the plans and specifications for the Summer 2017 Cu t-Through Traffic Mitigation
Project including installation of a temporary traffic circle and road closure at Santa Cruz
Avenue and Wood Road and authorize the Town Manager to advertise the project for bid.
2. Authorize the appropriation of $300,000 from the General Fund Reserve for Strategic
Planning to the Town’s GFAR Fund Public Works Project 813-0229 Cut-Through Traffic
Mitigation in advance of Fiscal Year 2017/18 Capital Improvement Budget to allow the
project to begin before the start of the fiscal year.
3. Authorize the Town Manager to award and execute all necessary agreements for Cut -
Through Traffic in an amount not to exceed $200,000.
COORDINATION:
This project has been coordinated with the Finance Department and the Town Attorney.
FISCAL IMPACT:
At the June 21, 2016 Town Council Meeting, the Council authorized the early appropriation of
$215,000 for the Cut-Through Traffic Mitigation Project for the summer of 2016. Staff
encumbered or spent $158,908 through the end of the summer, leaving a balance of $56,092.
At the January 7, 2017 Town Council Meeting, the Council authorized a budget adjustment of
$9,908 to augment the balance of $56,092, for a total budget of $66,000 to fund a consultant,
W-Trans, who will develop and submit preliminary plans for a permanent traffic circle
infrastructure solution to Caltrans.
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SUBJECT: PPW JOB NO. 16-813-0229 – CUT-THROUGH TRAFFIC PROJECT
MARCH 27, 2017
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FISCAL IMPACT (cont’d):
At the Priority Setting session on January 31, 2017, the Town Council prioritized $300,000 to
fund additional work which is highlighted in th e fiscal table below and detailed in this Council
report.
Cut Through Traffic Mitigation
Project 813-0229
FY 2016/17
Activity Budgeted Expended
FY 2016/17 Budgeted Funds $215,000
FY 2016/17 Expenditure $158,908
Additional Appropriation 1/7/2017 $9,908
Encumbered Funds (W-Trans) $66,000
Total Current Activity $224,908 $224,908
Recommended Additional Appropriation $300,000
Recommended Contract Authority $200,000
Recommended Staff Costs $30,000
Recommended Data Collection $20,000
Total Budget and Fund Project Balance $524,908 $474,908*
*Unexpended funds will remain in the project as carryforward funds for the FY 2017/18 budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.