Move Culver City Tactical Mobility Lane Pilot Project
Summary
SCH Number
2023090265
Public Agency
City of Culver City
Document Title
Move Culver City Tactical Mobility Lane Pilot Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
9/13/2023
Document Description
The MOVE Culver City Tactical Mobility Lane Pilot Project (Original Project) was installed in November 2021. As part of the Original Project, the number of traffic lanes was reduced from two or three to one in each direction, dedicated bus and dedicated bicycle lanes were added where there was sufficient street width to allow for the separate bus and bicycle lanes, and shared bus/bicycle lanes were added where there was not, along Culver Boulevard between Duquesne Avenue and Canfield Avenue and on Washington Boulevard between Ince Boulevard and La Cienega Avenue. The Original Project was a temporary pilot project, which was intended to be installed temporarily for evaluation for up to 24 months.
The intent of a pilot project is to implement temporary lower-cost improvements as a way to test and evaluate whether more expensive permanent treatments should be installed. Pilot projects often lead to two general outcomes: (1) the conclusion or cancellation of the pilot project, whereby conditions return to what they were before the pilot project, or (2) to long-term permanent improvements. While the pilot project is active, monitoring is done and, based on the results of the monitoring, the improvements can be withdrawn/removed or modified. It is common for pilot projects to evolve or be modified to study the potential for long-term transportation benefits.
In this case, the City installed temporary, low cost, quick-build improvements using paint and plastic bollards rather than more permanent treatments to separate the bus and bicycle lanes from regular traffic lanes and from each other. The City has been monitoring and evaluating the temporary pilot improvements implemented as part of the Original Project and is determining whether to move forward with a modified version of the project (Modified Project) as the next phase of the project.
The proposed Modified Project changes to the permanent pre-pilot lane configurations to incorporate shared bus and bike lanes in both directions on Culver Boulevard from Duquesne Ave to Washington Canfield Avenue, and on Washington Boulevard between Ince Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue near the City boundary. These modifications will be constructed using similar quick-build materials to the Original Project. These modifications will extend the duration of the pilot program for evaluation for up to 24 months. The addition of these shared bus-bike lanes is achieved through reallocating on-street parking and/or one of two general purpose automobile lanes from the permanent pre-pilot configuration that existed prior to the pandemic. The permanent pre-pilot configuration through the corridor was generally two automobile through lanes in each direction, with additional features such as on-street parking or turn lanes varying block to block. The details of the lane configurations for the pre-pilot conditions, Original Project, and Modified Project are shown in the table at the end of Attachment 2 to this Notice of Exemption (NOE).
As stated in the staff report dated February 1, 2021, for the Original Project, “through repurposing travel lanes for multi-modal transportation, the City aims to facilitate the efficient movement of people and to raise public awareness and acceptance of dedicated transit lanes, improve transit travel times and reliability, and improve access for cyclists and scooter riders.”
As stated in the staff reports dated April 24, 2023, and July 10, 2023, for the Modified Project, “the main goal of the MOVE Culver City Project is to improve the infrastructure and services for alternative modes of traffic and to offer the community equitable, convenient, and sustainable mobility options (walking, riding, and taking transit),” aligning with “the City’s draft General Plan, Short Range Mobility Plan,
Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and Action Plan, City Council’s Strategic Plan, and the Transit-Oriented Development Visioning Report in developing an integrated multi-modal transportation system to provide transportation access to all residents and visitors and leveraging mass transit and other alternative modes to accommodate the growth of and maintain the long-term vitality of the Culver City community.” Both the Original Project and the Modified Project continue to accomplish these goals.
Contact Information
Name
Diana Chang
Agency Name
City of Culver City
Job Title
Chief Transportation Officer
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Ryan Hund
Agency Name
City of Culver City
Job Title
Transportation Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Culver City
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
Culver Boulevard and Duquesne Ave to Washington Boulevard and Fairfax Ave
Zip
90232
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4; California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 13501(c)
Reasons for Exemption
Because the Modified Project is limited to the installation of shared bus and bike lanes and does not involve an expansion of use the Project meets the criteria under the existing facilities Categorical Exemption in CEQA Guidelines section 15301(c) (Class 1 categorical exemption).
“Class 1 consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The types of “existing facilities” itemized below are not intended to be all-inclusive of the types of projects which might fall within Class 1. The key consideration is whether the project involves negligible or no expansion of use.
Examples include but are not limited to:
(c) Existing highways and streets, sidewalks, gutters, bicycle and pedestrian trails, and similar facilities (this includes road grading for the purpose of public safety), and other alterations such as the addition of bicycle facilities, including but not limited to bicycle parking, bicycle-share facilities and bicycle lanes, transit improvements such as bus lanes, pedestrian crossings, street trees, and other similar alterations that do not create additional automobile lanes)”
Notably, the Class 1 categorical exemption looks to the “existing or former use” for an evaluation of whether there has been an expansion of use. The project meets the criteria of the Class 1 categorical exemption as it includes transportation improvements along existing roadways involving the conversion of existing general-purpose lanes and on-street parking to shared bus-bike lanes and does not create additional automobile lanes beyond those that existed in the pre-pilot condition.
Further, the application CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c) is not barred by any exceptions set forth in Section 15300.2. Attachment 1 to this Notice of Exemption provides additional detail in support of this finding.
In addition, Section 15061(b) provides further guidance in the determination of whether an action is exempt from CEQA stating, “CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA.” The Project is minor in scope involving the conversion of general purpose lanes to shared bus and bike lanes. These transportation improvements would involve limited construction within existing public road rights-of-way with the main goal of the Project to improve the infrastructure and services for alternative modes of traffic and to offer the community equitable, convenient, and sustainable mobility options (walking, riding, and taking transit). Construction of the Project would comply with all applicable City of Culver City code requirements. Therefore, the Project would not result in a significant effect on the environment. Attachments to this Notice of Exemption provide additional detail in support of this finding.
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
California Public Resources Code, Division 13, Chapter 2.6, Section 21080.25
Reasons for Exemption
The Modified Project meets the statutory exemption criteria under PRC Section 21080.25. Pursuant to PRC Section 21080.25(b)(8), exempt projects include those that consist of a combination of any of the components of a project identified in paragraphs (1) to (7) of Section 21080.25(b). The Modified Project converts automobile lanes and on-street parking into new bicycle facilities (meaning a marked lane shared between bicycles and vehicles)1 and transit facilities that will improve access and mobility within public rights-of way, which are components of paragraphs (1) to (7) of Section 21080.25(b). Also, PRC Section 21080.25(b)(3) exempts “transit prioritization projects.” The Project’s conversion of general purpose lanes to shared bus-bike lanes qualifies it as a transit prioritization project.
The Project meets the criteria under PRC Section 21080.25 (c):
PRC Section 21080.25(c)(2) requires that a project eligible for CEQA categorical exemption under Section 21080.25 meet the following criterion:
“The project does not induce single-occupancy vehicle trips, add additional highway lanes, widen highways, or add physical infrastructure or striping to highways except for minor modifications needed for the efficient and safe movement of transit vehicles, bicycles, or high-occupancy vehicles, such as extended merging lanes, shoulder improvements, or improvements to the roadway within the existing right of way. The project shall not include the addition of any auxiliary lanes.”
Neither the temporary Original Project nor the Modified Project add additional highway lanes beyond the pre-pilot permanent condition and the physical infrastructure and striping that is added is for the efficient and safe movement of transit vehicles and bicycles. As is discussed in Attachment 2, the Modified Project does not materially induce an increase in VMT and in turn it would also not induce single-occupancy vehicle trips since single-occupancy vehicle trips would be an element of any increase in VMT.
The Project also meets the additional criteria required to assert the exemption under PRC Section 21080.25 (c)(1) and (c)(3), as a local agency (the City of Culver City) is carrying out the Project and is the lead agency for the Project, and the Project does not require demolition of affordable housing units.
County Clerk
Los Angeles
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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