Staff Report.Concept Design for Shannon Road Ped and Bikeway Improvements
PREPARED BY: WooJae Kim
Town Engineer
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, Finance Director, and Director
of Parks and Public Works
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 10/19/2021 ITEM NO: 7
DATE: October 14, 2021
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Staff Recommends the Following Actions for the Shannon Road Pedestrian
and Bikeway Improvements (CIP No. 813-0218):
a. Approve Design Concept 3 and Authorize Staff to Proceed with the Final
Design; and
b. Approve the Recommended Funding Strategy
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff Recommends the following actions for the Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway
Improvements (CIP No. 813-0218):
a. Approve Design Concept 3 and Authorize Staff to proceed with the final design; and
b. Approve the recommended funding strategy.
BACKGROUND:
The Town’s adopted Fiscal Year (FY) 2021/21-2025/26 Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
Budget designates funding for the Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements
between Los Gatos Boulevard and Cherry Blossom Lane.
This segment of Shannon Road is a two-lane neighborhood collector street that is heavily
traveled, especially when schools are in session. The street is a popular route for students
attending Blossom Hill Elementary, Van Meter Elementary, and Fisher Middle Schools. There
are intermittent sections of sidewalk on both sides of the roadway. Currently, on-street parking
is not allowed on Shannon Road between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., except on Saturdays, Sundays, and
holidays.
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BACKGROUND (continued):
In June 2018, the Town was awarded a Vehicle Emissions Reductions Based at Schools (VERBS)
federal grant in the amount of $940,100 from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission
(MTC)’s One Bay Area Grant program (OBAG) distributed through the Santa Clara Valley
Transportation Authority (VTA) to partially fund the project.
On November 5, 2019, the Town Council authorized the Town Manager to solicit design
consultants and negotiate and execute a design consultant agreement in an amount not to
exceed $200,000. ActiveWayz Engineering was selected as the design consultant through the
procurement process.
DISCUSSION:
Early Project Concept
The original scope of the project considered the installation of a ten-foot-wide Class I multi-use
path on the north side of Shannon Road approximately 1,600 feet in length. A Class I path is a
dedicated facility exclusively for bicycles and pedestrians, separate from vehicular travel lanes.
While further defining the scope for the project, staff determined that Class I path would not be
feasible within the budget and timeline of the project due to costly and extensive utility
undergrounding needed. PG&E estimated that undergrounding costs alone would exceed two
million dollars and take a minimum of three years to complete, which is beyond the current
project budget and the VERBS grant deadline. In addition, a Class I bike and pedestrian path
immediately abutting private properties on either side of Shannon Road would pose significant
challenges to accommodating clear and safe sight line distances at driveways. In general, Class I
paths are better suited in settings where path entry points and street crossings are limited,
such as the Los Gatos Creek Trail, and therefore, this concept has been deemed infeasible.
Public Design Process
ActiveWayz Engineering analyzed the site and proposed two initial design concepts in
collaboration with staff. During the public outreach process, a third concept was added to
reflect community input. The design concepts can be viewed on the Town’s Connect Los Gatos
webpage- www.losgatosca.gov/ConnectLG (see the project list on the left sidebar).
The design concepts provide for sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides of Shannon Road within
the project limits. No utility undergrounding would be involved, but instead the Town would
work with PG&E and other utility companies to relocate necessary facilities through existing
franchise agreements at minimal cost to the Town. Stormwater drainage improvements are
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DISCUSSION (continued):
included in the project to address existing ponding and drainage issues. The designer also
prioritized new sidewalk alignments that minimize street tree removals.
The three concepts would all involve construction within the entire public right-of-way (ROW)
width of Shannon Road, which means that staff would need to work with property owners to
remove or relocate any private improvements in the public ROW, such as landscaping,
walkways, fencing, and non-standard driveways, before starting the pedestrian and bikeway
improvements.
Design Concept 1 - Conventional Sidewalk with Class II Bike Lanes
The first design concept infills the sidewalk gaps along the project limits with Town standard
sidewalks (5 to 6 feet wide), standard vertical curb and gutter, and Class II bike lanes (5 to 6 feet
wide) on both sides of Shannon Road. With Design Concept 1, on-street parking could be
provided on the south side, but on-street parking would be prohibited on the north side in
order to maintain a clear bike lane. The preliminary construction cost estimate for Concept 1 is
approximately $1.8 million and would result in a fairly traditional roadway design.
Design Concept 2 - Street-Grade Sidewalk with Class IV Bike Lanes
Design Concept 2 provides at-grade or street-grade sidewalks that are wider (7 to 10 feet wide)
along with Class IV protected bike lanes (5 to 6 feet wide) on both sides at residential frontages.
Class IV bike lanes are protected from vehicle lanes with physical separators. In Concept 2,
raised curbs or islands are proposed to separate bike lanes from vehicle lanes. The design
would incorporate visual or tactile delineation between the sidewalk and bike lane.
Design Concept 2 would allow parking on the north side of Shannon Road between Magneson
Loop and Cherry Blossom Lane. Due to the bike lane and sidewalk configurations, up to nine
street trees would need to be removed. The preliminary cost estimate for construction is
approximately $2.9 million, which is well over the project budget.
Benefits of Concept 2 include the protected Class IV bike lanes and less conform/grading work
required around property lines along Shannon Road since sidewalks are proposed at street
level.
Design Concept 3 is discussed after the summary of the public outreach on the first two
options.
PAGE 4 OF 9 SUBJECT: Approve Recommended Actions for the Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project (CIP No. 813-0218) DATE: October 14, 2021
DISCUSSION (continued):
First Public Outreach
The two initial design concepts were presented to the Complete Streets and Transportation
Commission (CSTC) on August 12. The CSTC preferred the second design concept due to the
protected Class IV bike lanes providing more security for students biking and walking. The
Commissioners did provide feedback that the raised curbs or raised island could be potential
hazards for bicyclists. Staff cautioned that Design Concept 2 with a construction estimate of
$2.9 million would not be feasible within the current project budget of $1.3 million.
Staff hosted the first neighborhood community meeting for the project on August 25, 2021.
Over 530 notification postcards were mailed, in addition to distribution of door hangers to
Shannon Road properties, Town social media postings, Connect Los Gatos website “Notify Me”
notifications, and information provided at “back to school” events. Approximately 27 Shannon
neighborhood community members attended the virtual meeting. The information and design
concepts presented to the community were generally met with support. The main feedback
and takeaways from the first community meeting included the following:
1. Safety of Children: Attendees reminded staff that the focus of the project should be the
safety of children biking and walking to school. Concerns were expressed regarding
Class II bike lanes, which would have young bicyclists directly next to vehicle lanes
without a buffer or vertical protection
2. Width of Sidewalk and Bike Lanes: Attendees wanted to understand the distribution of
widths between each mobility option. Some attendees were concerned that the ten-
foot car lanes were too narrow, and that bike lanes and sidewalks for Concept 1 may not
be wide enough to support the number of students commuting on Shannon Road.
3. On-Street Parking: A majority of attendees (75%) indicated that the on-street parking is
not a priority or needed on Shannon Road.
4. Rural Feel: Some neighbors expressed a desire to maintain the look and feel of a rural
street as much as possible, as in no sidewalks and bike lanes.
5. Private Improvements on Public ROW: Many properties have private improvements
within the public ROW such as landscaping, walkways, driveways, and fences, which
would need to be removed for the project. Staff stated that the project team would
coordinate with each property owner regarding this matter. Staff asked for cooperation
from property owners to help remove or relocate private improvements before the start
of construction next summer.
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DISCUSSION (continued):
Design Concept 3 – Wider Conventional Sidewalk with Class IV Bike Lanes
The project team thoroughly considered the input received from the CSTC and community
members and developed a third design concept based on Design Concept 1, focusing on the
safety of children and with the assumption that much of the on-street parking can be removed.
The project team conducted parking surveys along Shannon Road and the adjacent side streets.
These field surveys found a maximum of five to six cars parked on Shannon Road within the
project limits during the evenings and weekends. Residents have informed staff of the desire
for commercial and private vehicles to park on Shannon Road during the no parking hours of 7
a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays for construction, landscaping, and other loading and unloading
activities. There was generally ample on-street parking available along the side streets of
Shannon Road, excepting Robie Lane.
Design Concept 3 widened the conventional sidewalk on the north side (7 to 10 feet wide),
while the sidewalk on the south side was kept at five feet. The bike lane widths were increased
to five to seven feet with three-foot buffer spaces with green bollards, similar to the Class IV
bike lanes on Blossom Hill Road, west of Los Gatos Boulevard.
For Design Concept 3, the on-street parking would be impacted due to the increased widths of
sidewalks and bike lanes. The designer was able to accommodate five on-street parking spaces
on the south side of Shannon Road between Magneson Loop and Englewood Avenue. Beyond
the five spaces, residents would need to park within their properties or on the side streets of
Shannon Road.
PAGE 6 OF 9 SUBJECT: Approve Recommended Actions for the Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project (CIP No. 813-0218) DATE: October 14, 2021
DISCUSSION (continued):
Below is a comparison table of the three design concepts:
Concept 1 – Conventional
Sidewalk + Class II
Concept 2 – Street-Grade
Sidewalk + Class IV
Concept 3 – Conventional
Sidewalk + Class IV
Type of Bike Lanes
Class II (5’-6’ wide) Class IV (5’-6’ wide plus 3’
separation from vehicle
lanes)
Class IV (buffered) / Class II (5’-
6’ wide plus 3’ buffer from
vehicle lanes)
Street Tree Removals (in Public ROW)
Removal of three (3) trees Removal of nine (9) trees Removal of three (3) trees
On-Street Parking
South side (Los Gatos Blvd to
Cherry Blossom)
North side (Magneson Loop
to Cherry Blossom)
Few on south side (Magneson
Loop to Englewood Ave)
Conform Work in Private Property
Grading and other
modifications required
Reduces encroachment into
private property for
conform work
Grading and other
modifications required
Preliminary Estimate – Construction Only
$1.8M $2.9M $1.9M
Second Public Outreach
The third concept was presented to the CSTC on September 9. The CSTC continued to support
the Class IV bikeway designs, which is incorporated into Design Concept 3. The second Shannon
Road neighborhood community meeting was held on September 29 after another round of
extensive notifications. 25 community members attended the second meeting with many first-
time attendees participating in the discussion.
The feedback and comments received varied from the first community meeting. Attendees
expressed concerns regarding the removal of the on-street parking in front of their specific
properties, installation of Class IV bike lanes with green bollards, and even regarding sidewalks
on both sides. Some attendees expressed desires to keep the “rural and neighborhood feel” of
Shannon Road. Below is a summary of feedback and comments received at the second
community meeting:
PAGE 7 OF 9 SUBJECT: Approve Recommended Actions for the Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project (CIP No. 813-0218) DATE: October 14, 2021
DISCUSSION (continued):
1. On-Street Parking: Two residents residing on the north side of Shannon Road expressed
the need to keep the on-street parking available in front of their properties.
2. Rural Feel: A few attendees wish to maintain the rural look and neighborhood feel of
Shannon Road as much as possible, as in no sidewalks and bike lanes. Desires to see a
Class I path were mentioned. Staff reminded attendees of the reasons why a Class I
path would not be feasible for Shannon Road.
3. Private Encroachments: Attendees expressed concerns regarding the need to remove all
private improvements in the Public ROW. Staff again stated that the project team will
coordinate with each property owner regarding this matter, and that cooperation from
property owners would be needed to remove or relocate private improvements before
the start of construction next summer. Otherwise, the private improvements would be
removed as part of the project.
A quick poll was conducted of the meeting attendees regarding the preferred design option
with a total of 16 attendees participated in the poll. Concept 1 received seven votes (44%),
Concept 2 received one vote (6%), and Concept 3 received eight votes (50%).
Concept Design Approval Considerations
Both Concepts 1 and 3 are feasible active transportation design solutions for the project site
and can be built per the Town and roadway design standards. Staff recommends Concept 3
due to the Class IV bike lanes included, which would provide more security and visual/physical
barrier to the bikeways and may be more appropriate given the use of the corridor as a safe
route to school. However, Class II bike lanes as identified in Concept 1 are standard bike
facilities, which would also improve the visibility and safety of bicyclists on Shannon Road.
Concept 3 would significantly impact and reduce the on-street parking on Shannon Road, while
Concept 1 would remove parking on the north side, while allowing space for parking on the
south side. For all three concept designs, no parking will be allowed on either side of Shannon
Road near Los Gatos Boulevard intersection. There may also be other specific locations where
on-street parking may be restricted as a measure to preserve existing trees. Parking along
Shannon is currently restricted due to spillover from nearby commercial businesses, a situation
that residents may wish to continue into the future.
For both Concepts 1 and 3, private improvements on the public ROW would need to be
removed. Staff is asking each property owner to assist in removing or relocating private
improvements before the start of project construction in summer 2022. Some private
improvements may be more challenging to remove or relocate, such as a front lawn with D
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DISCUSSION (continued):
artificial turf, six-foot high fences built on public ROW, and vegetation maintained by residents
for visual screening from the street. Furthermore, relocation efforts would be recommended to
comply with the Town’s Standards and Ordinance Sec. 29.40.315(3), which states that “fences,
walls, gates, and hedges may not exceed three (3) feet in height when located within a required
front or side yard abutting a street (as required by the zone), driveway view area, traffic view
area, or corner sight triangle unless an exception is granted by the Town Engineer and
Community Development Director.”
Another consideration for the design is the project cost. Although staff obtained additional
$174,250 of TFCA grant for the project, the current project budget of $1.3 million for the design
and construction phases is short of the funds needed to construct any of the design concepts.
Funding options are discussed in the fiscal impact section below.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the Town Council approve Design Concept 3 for the Shannon Road
Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements (CIP No. 813-0218) and the project funding strategy
(discussed in the Fiscal Impact section below) to allow staff to prepare final design documents
for construction. Final design documents and fiscal recommendations would be presented to
the Town Council in the first or second quarter of 2022.
ALTERNATIVE:
The Town Council may wish to approve Design Concept 1, instead of Concept 3 as
recommended by staff. Design Concept 1 meets the standard requirements of the Town for
active transportation. Implementation of Design Concept 1 would allow on-street parking on
the south side of Shannon Road within the project limits, which may be less impactful to the
residents.
COORDINATION:
This project has been coordinated with the Complete Streets and Transportation Commission
and through significant public outreach.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The requested actions associated with this report do not create a fiscal impact; however, staff is
recommending a funding strategy associated with the project given the need for additional
funds to complete the recommended option. The funding strategy identifies alternative
sources of funds to utilize in delivery of the project. The final project estimate will be
PAGE 9 OF 9 SUBJECT: Approve Recommended Actions for the Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project (CIP No. 813-0218) DATE: October 14, 2021
FISCAL IMPACT (continued):
completed as the final design is completed, at which time staff will recommend the appropriate
budget actions. Note that the construction costs identified for each project option do not
include design costs. The current total preliminary project estimate for Design Concept 3,
including design, is $2.3M.
The following table outlines the current funding and potential projects where funding could be
consolidated to the Shannon Road project. The scope of each of these projects aligns with
corresponding scope within the Shannon Road project.
Current Funding Fund Source $ Available
Grant Funds VERBS $940,100
Town Funds GFAR $180,000
Grant Funds (anticipated) TFCA $174,250
SUBTOTAL $1,294,350
Potential Additional Funding Fund Source $ Available
Annual Storm Drain Project Storm Basin $200,000
Annual Sidewalk Repairs – Multiple Locations GFAR $60,000
Bicycle & Pedestrian Improvement Project GFAR $200,000
Annual Street Restriping Project GFAR $150,000
Annual Street Resurfacing Project GFAR $300,000
Massol Intersection Project GFAR $50,000
SUBTOTAL $960,000
Total Project Funding Strategy $2,254,350
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is a project defined under CEQA as being Categorically Exempt per Section 15301(c)
Existing streets, sidewalks, trails and similar facilities and 15304(h) Creation of bicycle lanes on
existing rights-of-way. A Notice of Exemption will be filed. Under the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), the project is determined to be categorically excluded from a detailed
environmental analysis.
Attachment:
1. Public Comment received through 11:00 a.m. on October 14, 2021.