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Home My WebLink About07. Firestone Bridge Adopt Ord AGENDA MEMO DATE: October 12, 2010 TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council FROM: Office of the City Manager By: John Oskoui, P.E., Director of Public Works SUBJECT: FIRESTONE BOULEVARD BRIDGE OVER THE SAN GABRIEL RIVER – AMEND DOWNEY MUNICIPAL CODE 3179 (c)(4) – TITLED TRUCK ROUTES / FIRESTONE BOULEVARD RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council adopt: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL AMENDING SECTION 3179 (c)(4) – TITLED TRUCK ROUTES / FIRESTONE BOULEVARD OF THE DOWNEY MUNICIPAL CODE . BACKGROUND The Firestone Boulevard Bridge over the San Gabriel River was constructed by the State of California in 1934. At that time, two traffic lanes in each direction were constructed. In 1949, the state added two lanes in order to provide a higher level of service and improved traffic flow. In 1994, the state relinquished ownership of the bridge to the cities of Downey and Norwalk with each city owning the half of the bridge within their respective city boundaries, which in this case is the center of the San Gabriel River. Inspection and maintenance activities are the responsibilities of the two Cities. Currently the Cities contract with the County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works to provide these services. Personnel from the County and/or their consultants inspect the structure every two years and provide documentation in the form of a written report and pictures formalizing the findings and recommendations for maintenance activities. Repairs to the bridge, based on the recommendations in the biannual report, are the responsibilities of the Cities. The City of Downey includes the estimated repair costs in the Capital Improvement Program portion of the City’s budget. The repair work is typically performed by the County Department of Public Works Road Maintenance Division under the General Services Agreement between the cities of Downey and Norwalk, and the County. DISCUSSION: At a meeting held on August 26, 2010, at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works Road Maintenance Division Hollydale Yard, the City was informed that the load rating for the Firestone Bridge was being reduced from forty (40) tons to twenty (20) tons. CITY OF DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA Mayor and Members of the City Council Firestone Boulevard Bridge Over the San Gabriel River October 12, 2010 Page 2 Due to concerns for public safety, temporary programmable electric sign boards and permanent signs were installed to inform the public and truck drivers of the new weight limit restrictions for the bridge. California Vehicle Code Section 35754 allows the local authority to temporarily erect, for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days, suitable signs at all entrances to a bridge specifying the maximum weight that it is believed the bridge will safely sustain. The electric sign boards were installed on the truck routes approaching the bridge on st August 31. The permanent signs, which were a special order from a local sign thth manufacturer, were installed between September 13 and 15. The electric sign boards and permanent signs were installed on Firestone Boulevard, Stewart and Gray Road, and Regentview Avenue. On September 8, 2010, the City received the County’s official report on the condition of the bridge. Due to the results of their inspection, testing and load carrying capacity analysis, the County has confirmed that the bridge be posted for a weight limit of twenty (20) tons. This weight restriction will result in fully loaded tractor-trailer trucks and overweight permit loads, as well as heavily loaded commercial vehicles not being allowed over the bridge. This weight restriction will remain in place for up to four (4) years until the bridge can be replaced. The Public Works Department and the Police Department have been working together to ensure that adequate and correctly worded signage is in place to allow the Police officers to cite those drivers that do not follow the new weight restrictions. The City has also been coordinating with the City of Norwalk and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department to ensure that similar signage and enforcement efforts are being addressed. In order to restrict vehicles with a weight exceeding twenty (20) tons from utilizing the bridge, the City Council must amend the section of the Downey Municipal Code (DMC) that deals with truck routes within the City. Section 3179 deals specifically with truck routes and subsection (c) identifies those streets and parts of streets that have been declared to be truck routes. Subsection (c)(4), more specifically, identifies Firestone Boulevard as a truck route (please see attached map). In order to allow the City to limit the weight of vehicles using the bridge and to provide an enforcement tool for our Police Department that will allow officers to cite drivers whose vehicles exceed the weight limit, the portion of Firestone between the bridge and Stewart and Gray Road must be eliminated as an approved truck route. Mayor and Members of the City Council Firestone Boulevard Bridge Over the San Gabriel River October 12, 2010 Page 3 On September 28, 2010, the attached ordinance was introduced by City Council which would revise the DMC to limit the Firestone Boulevard truck route to that section between Stewart and Gray Road and the west City limit. The ordinance will become effective thirty (30) days following its adoption by the City Council. FINANCIAL IMPACT: To date, $12,000 has been spent to pay for the costs of rental for six (6) electronic message boards and permanent signs. It is expected that additional permanent signs will be required as feedback from the public and the Police Department is addressed. The City’s FY 2010/11 Capital Improvement Program, includes Miscellaneous Bridge Repairs (Account No. 26-1-6624), which is being utilized to pay for this project. Attachment: Ordinance Adjusted Truck Route Map S:\AgendaMemosCC2010\10-12-10\Firsetone Bridge Adopt Ord. ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY AMENDING SECTION 3179 OF THE DOWNEY MUNICIPAL CODE WHEREAS , in 1934, the State of California constructed the four lane Firestone Boulevard Bridge over the San Gabriel River; and WHEREAS , in 1949, the State of California added two lanes to the structure in order to provide a higher level of service and improved traffic flow; and WHEREAS , in 1994, the State of California relinquished ownership of the bridge to the cities of Downey and Norwalk with each city owning the half of the bridge within their respective city boundaries, which is the center of the San Gabriel River; and WHEREAS , the cities of Downey and Norwalk contract with the County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works to provide biannual bridge and roadway inspection and maintenance services under the General Services Agreement between the cities and the County; and WHEREAS , on September 8, 2010, the City of Downey received the County’s latest report on the condition of the Firestone Boulevard Bridge; and WHEREAS, the County is recommending posting the bridge for a weight limit of 20 (twenty) tons; and WHEREAS , this weight restriction will result in fully loaded tractor-trailer trucks and overweight permit loads, as well as heavily loaded commercial vehicles not being allowed over the bridge; and WHEREAS , Section 35750 (b) of the California Vehicle Code allows the city council of a city to determine the maximum weight of vehicles and loads, lower than the maximum weight otherwise permitted (forty tons) under the California Vehicle Code, which a bridge under its jurisdiction will safely sustain; and WHEREAS, Section 35751 (a) of the California Vehicle Code requires that an engineering investigation be made and that a public hearing be held whenever such a determination appears necessary; and WHEREAS, Section 35751 (b) of the California Vehicle Code requires that upon the basis of the investigation and all evidence presented at the hearing, the city council shall determine by order in writing the maximum weight of vehicle and load which the bridge will safely sustain; and WHEREAS, Section 35752 of the California Vehicle Code requires that the authority having jurisdiction over the bridge shall erect and maintain suitable signs, in accordance with Section 21400 of the California Vehicle Code, specifying the maximum weight so determined, at a distance of not more than 500 (five hundred) feet from each end of the bridge or any approach thereto; and ORDINANCE NO. PAGE TWO NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. In order to protect the public, the City of Downey accepts the findings and recommendations of the latest County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works, Bridge Report and Load Rating Analysis limiting the maximum weight and load of vehicles utilizing the Firestone Boulevard Bridge over the San Gabriel River to 20 (twenty) tons. SECTION 2. The City Council hereby establishes a weight and load restriction of 20 (twenty) tons on the Firestone Boulevard Bridge over the San Gabriel River. SECTION 3. Subsection (c)(4) of Section 3179 the Downey Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows: (c)(4) “Firestone Boulevard from Stewart and Gray Road to the westerly City limits, and” SECTION 4. The City of Downey, Department of Public Works shall erect and maintain suitable signs in accordance with Section 21400 of the California Vehicle Code. SECTION 5. The Mayor shall sign this ordinance and the City Clerk shall attest thereto and shall cause the same to be published and posted as required in a newspaper published and circulated in the City of Downey; and thereupon and thereafter, this Ordinance shall take effect and be enforced according to law. ADOPTED AND SIGNED this day of October, 2010. ___________________________________ ANNE M. BAYER, Mayor ATTEST: ___________________________________ KATHLEEN L. MIDSTOKKE, City Clerk Ý×ÌÇÑÚÜÑÉÒÛÇ ÓÑÒÌÛÞÛÔÔÑ y xz ×óë ÌÎËÝÕÎÑËÌÛÓßÐ Ð×ÝÑ Î×ÊÛÎß Ý×ÌÇÑÚ ÝÑÓÓÛÎÝÛ Ð×ÝÑÎ×ÊÛÎß ÍßÒÌßÚÛ ÍÐÎ×ÒÙÍ y xz ×óë y xz ×óêðë y xz ×óë ÞÛÔÔ ÙßÎÜÛÒÍ Ú·®»¬±²»Þ®·¼¹» îðÌ±²Ó¿¨òÉ»·¹¸¬ y xz ×óêðë ÒÑÎÉßÔÕ ÜÑÉÒÛÇ ÞÛÔÔÚÔÑÉÛÎ y xz ×óïðë ÍÑËÌØ ÙßÌÛ Ô»¹»²¼ ÎÑËÌÛÍÉ×ÌØ×ÒÝ×ÌÇ ÌØÎËÎÑËÌÛÍ ÌØÎËÎÑËÌÛÍ y xz ÞÛÔÔÚÔÑÉÛÎ ÝÑËÒÌÇ ×óïðë îðÌÑÒÔ×Ó×Ì y xz ×óéïð Ý×ÌÇÞÑËÒÜßÎÇ ÐßÎßÓÑËÒÌ ÜÛÐßÎÌÓÛÒÌÑÚÐËÞÔ×ÝÉÑÎÕÍ ÔÇÒÉÑÑÜ