HomeMy WebLinkAbout05. Manzanar Underpass Closure
AGENDA MEMO
DATE:
January 25, 2011
TO:
Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Office of the City Manager
By: John Oskoui, P.E., Director of Public Works
SUBJECT: I-5 FREEWAY PEDESTRIAN UNDERPASS AT MANZANAR AVENUE -
REQUEST FOR CLOSURE TO PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council authorize staff to initiate a Cooperative Agreement with the State
of California to bring about the closure of the pedestrian underpass at the I-5 Freeway
and Manzanar Avenue.
BACKGROUND:
The Santa Ana Freeway, originally signed as US 101 locally, was constructed by the
State in 1956. It became Interstate 5 in 1961. The pedestrian underpass at Manzanar
Avenue, constructed in conjunction with the I-5 Freeway, was the most convenient and
safest means provided for foot traffic west of Lakewood Boulevard to cross the freeway
(see Exhibits “A” and “B”). This underpass was also designed as a drainage facility to
allow storm water that had historically flowed in this area from the north to the south,
from being blocked by the freeway and causing flooding in the residential area to the
north.
Over the decades, a number of alternatives to the underpass, including a freeway
pedestrian overcrossing, similar to the I-5 Freeway overcrossing near Tweedy Lane,
and the construction of wider sidewalks along the west side of Lakewood Boulevard that
would meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements were considered.
It is unclear as to why the sidewalk improvement project did not move forward. The
cost of the required improvements and other more pressing priorities may have
prevented Caltrans from performing the work. Since 1985, when the Park-n-Ride lot
was constructed along with new sidewalk at the intersection of Vista Del Rosa Street
and Lakewood Boulevard, there have been few improvements constructed within the
Caltrans right-of-way along the west side of Lakewood Boulevard.
DISCUSSION:
The City has received a petition (see Exhibit “C”) signed by thirty (30) residents of Vista
Del Rosa Street, Manzanar Avenue and Meldar Avenue area (three signatures were
from individuals outside of the area), requesting the City of Downey to consider
CITY OF DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA
Mayor and Members of the City Council
I-5 Freeway Pedestrian Underpass At Manzanar Avenue – Request for Closure To
Pedestrian Traffic
January 25, 2011
Page 2
closing the pedestrian underpass. The petition cited criminal activities, attributed to the
pedestrian underpass, as the cause of problems and the disruption of residents’ peace
and comfort, as the reason for wanting the underpass to be closed.
However, a list of crime statistics provided by the Police Department over the past three
years covering the residential neighborhood in the vicinity of the underpass did not
indicate a pattern linking any of the reported crimes to the presence of the underpass.
Pedestrian count data was collected at the underpass on Tuesday, January 11 and
Wednesday, January 12 during the hours of 7:30 – 9:30 A.M. and 1:30 – 3:30 P.M. The
data shows that, on a typical day, pedestrian activity is relatively light, with four to seven
pedestrians per hour utilizing the underpass. The following table summarizes the
pedestrian data:
Date
Time Tuesday, January 11 Wednesday, January 12
7:30 – 9:30 A.M. 8 9
1:30 – 3:30 P.M. 14 13
Staff also verified that the tunnel is not used by students walking to and from Gallatin
Elementary School or Unsworth Elementary School, the two nearest schools to the
underpass.
The underpass is used at times as an easily accessible and discreet location for
vandalism, destroying public property and other unlawful activities. However, Caltrans
does not perform any maintenance activities in the underpass. The City’s anti-graffiti
crew responds to this location approximately twelve times a year and City crews
pressure wash the underpass in order to clean out the trash and other materials that
accumulate over time.
On one occasion, the electrical wiring for the lighting system on the ceiling of the
underpass was stolen, and the light fixtures were broken.City staff made the repairs
that cost approximately $5,000 for the staff time and the cost of materials. In addition,
City staff has observed homeless individuals in the areas adjacent to the entrances.
In order to close the underpass, a Cooperative Agreement with the State of California
would be required. It is estimated that it may take up to six (6) months to secure the
agreement and an additional six (6) months for Caltrans to close the underpass. In
addition, the closure of the underpass would have to be designed and installed to
ensure that access by the public would be denied, while still allowing storm water to flow
from the north side of the I-5 Freeway to the south side.
Mayor and Members of the City Council
I-5 Freeway Pedestrian Underpass At Manzanar Avenue – Request for Closure To
Pedestrian Traffic
January 25, 2011
Page 3
This item was presented to the Public Works Committee on December 16, 2010. The
Public Works Committee voted in favor of recommending to the City Council that the
City initiate a Cooperative Agreement with the State of California to bring about the
closure of the pedestrian underpass.
The Cooperative Agreement will be brought before the City Council for approval and
authorization for the Mayor to execute said Agreement.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There would not be any financial impact to the City. Caltrans would be responsible for
the design and installation of the fences or gates that would be required to secure the
underpass.
Attachments:
Exhibit “A” – Vicinity Maps
Exhibit “B” – Underpass Entrance Pictures
Exhibit “C” - Petition
S:\AgendaMemosCC2011\01-25-11\Manzanar Underpass Closure
EXHIBIT “A”
VICINITY MAPS
EXHIBIT “B”
Underpass at I-5 Freeway, Looking North
Underpass at I-5 Freeway, Looking South