HARBOR FREEWAY TRANSITWAY ARTERIAL HOV CONNECTION TO DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

Motion - In 2005, the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (DOT) received approval from the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to utilize $1,973,750 of grant funds from the "Harbor Freeway Transitway Arterial HOV Connection to Downtown Los Angeles" Project to improve transit operation on Spring/Main Street. DOT conducted an extensive operational analysis of Main/Spring Street Bus Lanes in Downtown Los Angeles and found several operational problems and safety concerns on the existing Spring Street contra-flow lane between 1st and 9th Streets. After analysis of different alternatives, DOT concluded that the best alternative is to revert Spring Street between 1st and 9th Streets to one-way operation with the removal of the contra-flow bus lane. Buses will run on concurrent-flow bus lanes on both Main and Spring Streets between 1st and 9th Streets. As such, operational problems will be removed and bus travel time performance will be greatly improved. As part of the Spring/Main Street improvements, a landscaped median island will be created where the two streets intersect near 9th Street. The installation of this median island is scheduled to be completed by June 2006. Based on this timeline, the Bureau of Street Services does not have the available resources to design and construct the median island. Land Images, an architectural firm already secured for DOT's "Vermont Avenue Sidewalk and Transit Avenida" Project, has the expertise and resources available to design the project in a timely manner. The funding for the design of the landscaped median island will not exceed $25,000 and will come from the "Harbor Freeway Transitway Arterial HOV Connection to Downtown Los Angeles" Project, Transportation Grant Fund No. 655/94, Account No. S202. However, the City needs to determine that competitive bidding is not practical or advantageous in this case, that City forces hired for this work may not be needed thereafter, that funding deadlines are intermittent and that existing staff will not be able to meet those deadlines. THEREFORE MOVE that the City Council, subject to the approval of the Mayor: 1. DETERMINE that due to the intermittent and limited scope of this contract, it is more feasible and economical for the work to be done by contract rather than City forces. 2. AUTHORIZE the General Manager, Department of Transportation, to amend the existing contract with Land Images to include the design of a landscaped median island on Spring/Main Streets not exceeding $25,000 and extend the contract six months from December 31, 2005 to June 30, 2006, subject to the approval of the City Attorney as to form and legality. 3. AUTHORIZE DOT to transfer $20,000 from Transportation Grant Fund No. 655/94, Account No. S202 "Harbor Freeway Transitway Arterial HOV Connection to Downtown Los Angeles" to Department of Transportation Fund No. 100/94, Salaries Overtime, Account No. 10090, to pay for design cost. 4. AUTHORIZE DOT to transfer $20,000 from Transportation Grant Fund No. 655/94, Account No. S202 "Harbor Freeway Transitway Arterial HOV Connection to Downtown Los Angeles" to Bureau of Street Lighting Budget, Salaries Overtime Account Fund 100/84, Account No. 1090 to pay for design cost.

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