In June 2019, Council approved funding of $17,000 for a capital improvement project, known as the San Carlos Median Island Project, as part of the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Budget. The project proposes to construct several landscaped median islands to serve as an aesthetically-pleasing enhancement and traffic calming measure along San Carlos Street, between Tenth and Thirteenth Avenues. Other objectives are to maintain roadway safety and parking spaces long this existing truck/bus route.
In September 2019, Council approved an agreement with Neill Engineers Corporation for engineering and design for three, inter-related capital projects pertaining to Pavement Rehabilitation, San Carlos Bike Route, and San Carlos Median Islands Projects, all along the same segment of San Carlos Street.
During that Council meeting, Council was presented with matching donations, totaling $17,000, from Barbara Livingston and other individuals and organizations supporting her and this project, collectively referred to as the “Friends of Lower San Carlos Street,” with donations as noted below:
· Barbara Livingston ($9,500)
· Friends of Carmel Forest ($3,500)
· Margaret and Dale Byrne ($1,700)
· Francisco Belaunzaran, Veronica Belaunzaran, and Susan Thomas ($1,300)
· Maria and Robert Finegan ($1,000)
Next, the consultant developed design options and evaluated the geometric feasibility of the San Carlos Median Islands to be able to slow traffic, in conjunction with the new bike route, while also maintaining parking along the curbs, accommodating large truck and bus turn movements at all intersections, and allowing for safe ingress and egress from all of the private driveways.
A Public Workshop was held on January 27, 2020 at Sunset Center to review the San Carlos Street Median Islands and Bike Route Project. At the well-attended Workshop, the Public Works Director presented an overview of the project, explained the importance of the bike route as the hub for future bikeway route expansions, and noted that two (2), 25-feet long by 6-feet wide median islands were proposed along San Carlos, between Tenth and Thirteenth Avenues.
He also explained that the exact placement of the medians must consider truck turn movements at each intersection, ingress and egress from each private driveway on both sides of the street from either direction, and site visibility issues. It was also noted that the average recorded traffic speed along San Carlos is 25 mph in both directions, which is the speed limit posted, although there have been a few accidents recorded in that area.
Next, the City Forester described two optional median island landscaping themes for each median, as shown in the renderings in Attachment #1. Both themes included a Monterey pine tree in the center, pine logs, and granite boulders. Option 1 included a Strawberry tree, and Option 2 (later referred to as the "plush" option), included a varitey of shrubs and grasses.
The attendees provided the following input pertaining to the median islands:
· Request to install a greater number of small islands versus two large islands
· Support to have 6-foot wide medians
· Support for beautification
· Concerns about ongoing watering and maintaining the landscaping
· Landscaping preferences for the medians were for the plush palettes (Option 2)
· Requested a rolled asphalt berm around the median perimeters
· Concerns about trucks and buses damaging tree limbs as the tree grows
· Concerns about overgrown trees impacting sight distance or blocking views
Other public comments regarding the bike route and related matters included:
· Preference for the shared bike route versus installing dedicated bike lanes which would significantly reduce parking spaces along San Carlos
· Opposition to eliminating any parking spaces
· Suggestions to put in stop signs at the intersections to slow/calm traffic
Soon afterwards, these projects were put on hold during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and in July 2022, these projects resumed. The engineering design, contract documents, and technical specifications are nearly complete, and the project is scheduled to be advertised for bids in December. Construction will begin in March and should be substantially completed by the Memorial Day holiday weekend in 2023.
The median island cut-outs and rolled berms would be installed by the paving contractor. After completion, Public Works would plant the trees and landscaping materials.
A second Public Workshop is being scheduled in December at Sunset Center. Additional landscaped renderings for a smaller islands, as shown in Attachment #2, will be provided for public input. Attachment #2 renderings reflect the new design of four (4), 12-foot long medians located along San Carlos, between Tenth and Thirteenth Avenues.
At the Forest and Beach Commission meeting of November 10, 2022, staff will present the project and seek input from the Commissioners regarding the following issues:
1. Support for installing four, 12-foot long median islands, instead of the initially-proposed, two (2), 25-foot long islands
2. Confirmation of support for the plush Option 2 for the longer medians, as requested at the first Public Workshop
3. Selection of preference for Option 1 or Option 2, or combination of both, for the shorter medians
4. Refinements to the trees, plantings, and hardscape elements for any Option.
The City Council will make the final determination of the number, dimensions, and landscaping palette(s) for these median islands, based on input from the Forest and Beach Commission and results of the two Public Workshops, at the time that the construction contract will be awarded in early 2023.