Lab 2: SLO South

Group #3: Team Roundabout

Mike Frates

Christopher Hall

Dominic Crosariol

Moriah McCarvel

I certify that I have attended every minute of each session connected to this lab and that I have contributed the following share of work:

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary …........................................................................................................3

Background and Approach..................................................................................................4

Overview..............................................................................................................................5

Researching Successful Cities.............................................................................................7

Transit Oriented Development............................................................................................7

Why TOD? ..........................................................................................................................9

Land Use............................................................................................................................11

Bicycle and Pedestrian Paths.............................................................................................13

Special Project: Light Rail Phasing……...........................................................................17

Conclusion.........................................................................................................................18

Appendix............................................................................................................................19

Tables and Figures

Figure 1: Bicycle and Pedestrian Paths..............................................................................14

Figure 2: Commercial Collector........................................................................................15

Figure 3: Residential Collector..........................................................................................15

Figure 4: Prado Road Cross Section..................................................................................16

Appendix A: General Land Use Plan.................................................................................19

Appendix B: Activity Centers............................................................................................20

Appendix C: Bike and Pedestrian Paths............................................................................21

Appendix D: Street Classifications....................................................................................22

Appendix E: Three Dimensional Views: Margarita Development....................................23

Appendix F: Light Rail Phasing……................................................................................24

Executive Summary

San Luis Obispo’s general plan guides the use and protection of various resources to meet community needs. The general plan is published in separately adopted sections, called elements, which address various topics. This Circulation element describes how Team Roundabout plans to provide for the development of South San Luis Obispo with an emphasis on the transportation of people and materials, including connections to the rest of the county and areas beyond.

By 2050, San Luis Obispo County expects significant growth and plans must be made to account for these addition people while maintaining the quality and style of life that characterize this city. One of the most important issues that the city is expected to face is the demand for sustainability. We have accounted for this by developing an environmentally friendly transportation plan. This will be accomplished by expanding the pedestrian and bicycle systems and developing a light rail system for South San Luis Obispo which will include expansions to service the entire city.

In order for San Luis Obispo to maintain a sustainable lifestyle, sophisticated infrastructure, and quality environment, the city must adhere to three basic philosophies: economy, ecology and social equity. By maintaining these values the public’s facilities will be ensured both longevity and quality.

Background and Approach

To plan for fifty years in the future, some assumptions are required. Team Roundabout operated under an assumption that a push by citizens in favor of sustainability the next fifty years would drastically affect the development of the city. Two factors are very influential in this respect; the rejection of the marketplace and Caltrans’ request for a new traffic impact analysis. Many citizens expressed concern over the environmental issues raised by the implementation of the Marketplace. This new concern produced active community members with regard to city development. County supervisors were pleased with the interest shown by the community and sought to hear them out before building. Caltrans is asking for an analysis of the traffic patterns east of Broad Street, which would bring transportation issues into the spotlight. Assuming that the populace continues to be involved in this type of community growth, it is reasonable to believe that they will want more sustainability in the transportation network. This assumption correlates to survey results regarding the type of community people wish to live in.

Surveys taken show a majority of people would not accept greater air pollution, increased traffic, or development on peaks, hillsides, farmland, or areas harmful to creeks. We have taken this into account by keeping land development away from these areas and creating a more environmentally friendly transportation network with an emphasis on non-automobile transportation.

Overview

The goal of Project Roundabout is to fully encompass the needs of a changing and growing San Luis Obispo. In order to apply the most cutting-edge and ideal transportation situation to SLO, our team had to come up with a complete vision for the city.

In order to achieve our vision for San Luis Obispo we must set achievable measurable goals. These goals will guide San Luis Obispo in becoming more sustainable and transit oriented for the future year 2050. These goals are as follows:

• Mobility and Accessibility

• Transportation and Land Development

• Transportation Performance

• Increase Non-Motorized Transit

The major objectives that will be covered though our report will encompass:

Land Use

• Develop an overall land use map which includes new developments, such as the Margarita plan

Light Rail

• Plan and design a Light Rail system to service Cal Poly, Downtown and SLO South

• Implement Light Rail construction in two phases: 2020 & 2050

• Provide preferential treatment for non-motorized transit and Light Rail

• Supply Park and Ride Lots for commuters

Pedestrians & Bicycles

• Improve pedestrian access and mobility

• Improve and expand Bike Paths & Bike Lanes

A common misconception in transportation planning is the idea that a solution to congested roadways is adding more roadways. The most obvious consequences of that type of thinking can be seen in Los Angeles, California. While Los Angeles planning was focused on growth, our transportation vision will be based on smart growth. Bigger isn’t always better. A major aim in our vision is to prevent sprawling massive freeways which will gobble up our beautiful central coast land. We seek to learn from the costs and consequences of decisions made by cities similar to ours.

The research for this project was based on a simple idea: how should we use push-pull methods to pull single drivers out of their cars and push them into alternate transportation? First, let us examine benefits of public transportation:

Community Benefits

Public transportation fosters more livable communities by creating corridors that become natural focal points for economic and social activities. These activities help create strong neighborhood centers that are more economically stable, safe and productive. Transit helps build strong communities by boosting real estate values and economic development:

Public transportation fuels local development and in turn has a positive impact on local property values. Studies have shown greater increases in the value of properties located near public transportation systems than in similar properties not located near public transportation.

Environmental Benefits

Public transportation saves energy and reduces pollution in America today, and increased usage could have an even greater impact in the future. More specifically, Californians today realize that transit is a key element in sound national energy and air quality policy.

Researching Successful Cities

In order to avoid “reinventing the wheel,” our team took a look at various successful cities in the United States and abroad to glean information on various measures. We looked at successful modes of transportation including Light Rail Transit, electrification of busses, paratransit, bicycle and pedestrian options, and more.

One example of a successful city planning can be shown in a city very much like San Luis Obispo. Santa Barbara has made leaps and bounds to promote bicycle transport. The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition raised the bar in this country for demanding better treatment for bicyclists. Using this influence, Team Roundabout sought to add a substantial amount of Class I and II bike paths, the specifics of which will be discussed in that section.

Another example of successful city planning is Portland, Oregon. This city is known as the “European City” because of it’s incredibly cutting edge public transportation network. Thanks to forward-thinking city officials and an economical, easy-to-use transit system, one can explore even the farthest reaches of the Portland metropolitan area while concentrating on enjoying the city - not navigating it. TriMet's 44-mile MAX (Metropolitan Area Express) offers train-to-plane service, and door-to-door access to one of the richest collections of visitor attractions. This was an ideal model for SLO South.

In all of our research, one city planning guideline stood head and shoulders above all else. This method is most commonly known to engineers and city planners as Transit Oriented Development (TOD).

Transit Oriented Development

Our research has shown us that a substantial market exists for a new form of walkable, mixed use urban development around new rail stations and transit stops. Changing demographics are leading to a need for a diversification of real estate projects, and the type of development known variously as transit villages or Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is beginning to receive serious attention in real estate markets around the nation. These transit oriented developments have the potential to provide residents with improved quality of life and reduced household transportation expenses while providing the region with stable mixed-income neighborhoods that reduce environmental impacts and provide real alternatives to traffic congestion.

Aside from the obvious benefits of TOD, another recent critical update in America has amplified the need for public transportation. Gas is becoming more expensive, and could very soon be readily available to only the higher social classes who can afford the heavy expense. This would leave the vast majority of city populations completely reliant on public transportation. We felt this projection could not be ignored when planning for the future of SLO South.

The beneficial nature of TOD is infinite, but researching tangible qualities of this method of design is essential. A TOD neighborhood typically has a center with a rail or bus station, surrounded by relatively high-density development. The neighborhood is usually designed for cycling and walking, with adequate facilities and attractive street conditions. There is mixed-use development that includes shops, schools and other public services, and a variety of housing types and prices, within each neighborhood.

Transit Oriented Development generally requires about 7 residential units per acre in residential areas and 25 employees per acre in commercial centers, and about twice that for premium quality transit, such as rail service. These densities create adequate transit use to justify frequent service, and help create a more vibrant community with commercial activities, such as grocery stores and coffee shops, within convenient walking distance of homes and worksites. However, other factors are also important beside simple density.

Transit use is also affected by factors such as employment density, demographic mix (students, seniors and lower-income people tend to be heavy transit users), transit pricing and rider subsidies, the quality of transit service, walkability, and street design. The assumption that transit cannot be effective except in large cities with high population densities can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, because it results in transport and land use decisions that favor automobile travel over transit, and a particular density may be inadequate to support transit service by itself, but may be adequate if implemented with a variety of transit encouragement and smart growth strategies.

High-quality transit supports the development of high-density urban centers, which can provide accessibility and agglomeration benefits (efficiencies that result when many activities are physically close together), while automobile-oriented transportation conflicts with urban density because it is space intensive, requiring large amounts of land for roads and parking facilities. Because of this, large scale park-and-ride facilities tend to conflict with Transit Oriented Development, since a rail station surrounded by large parking lots and arterials with heavy traffic likely means a poor environment for residential development or pedestrian access. It is important that TOD communities are properly located, designed and managed to minimize these conflicts. Further research indicates specific reasons for making TOD a choice design ideal.

Why TOD?

Currently, transportation is responsible for 60-90% of urban air pollution and 55% overall in the northeast. Air pollution has been named the #1 health threat to Americans by the American Lung Association. Transportation emits 26% of the greenhouse gases that pose a global threat to the climate and to natural habitats.

Compared with private vehicles, public transportation produces, on average, per passenger mile, 95 percent less carbon monoxide, 92 percent fewer volatile organic compounds, 45 percent less carbon dioxide, and 48 percent less nitrogen oxide.

Transit and TOD help reduce air pollution - public transportation use avoids the emission of more than 126 million pounds of hydrocarbons, a primary cause of smog, and 156 million pounds of nitrogen oxides, which can cause respiratory disease.

Public transportation can significantly reduce dependency on gasoline, reducing auto fuel consumption by 1.5 billion gallons annually. For example, a person who commutes 60 miles each way daily could save an estimated 1,888 gallons of gasoline every year by switching from using a car to using public transportation.

Americans living in transit intensive metropolitan areas save $22 billion per year in transportation related expenses. It is estimated that TOD and more varied transit options will reduce 19,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases (expressed as carbon equivalent) in Rhode Island in 2020.

Transit Oriented Development also can often increase property values in an area. As a result, such projects can often be funded through “value capture” strategies, in which the costs of improvements are paid through the additional tax revenue or a special tax assessment in the affected area A most common misconception in transportation planning is the idea that a solution to congested roadways is adding more roadways. The most obvious consequences of that type of thinking can be seen in Los Angeles, California. While this Los Angeles planning was focused on growth, our transportation vision will be based on smart growth. Bigger isn’t always better. A major aim in our vision is to prevent sprawling massive freeways which will gobble up our beautiful central coast land. We seek to learn from the costs and consequences of decisions made by cities similar to ours.

Land Use

Our land use plan seeks to accommodate the demands of the populace while accounting for the growth of the city over the next fifty years. Surveys taken by residents show a strong desire for the city to grow slowly if at all. In one such poll, over half of the responses showed a preference for the city to develop more slowly than the rest of the state and country. In addition to a desire for slow growth, community members demand any new developments to be environmentally friendly. They call for developments to generate minimal air pollution, generate minimal noise, and protect the greenery of the city. Sustainability is inevitable if these demands are accounted for.

Since the city is to grow slowly, much of the land usage currently in place will be preserved over the years. However, since we are operating under the assumption that the city will be undergoing some significant growth between now and 2050; changes must be made to the land use plan. Refer to Appendix A for our general land use plan. Our areas of focus for development were the Margarita and Dalidio areas.

The Margarita area is located between Broad Street and Higuera Street, along the southern edge of the South Street Hills. It is one of the few areas that can accommodate new development without causing the city to expand its boundaries. Margarita is a Transit Oriented Development, which lends well for the development of a sustainable San Luis Obispo. Residents would live within walking distance of a bus stop, a mere mile away from the airport, and have easy access to the light rail system planned for the city. Commercial centers are easily accessible; residents would not only have access to the smaller businesses in the area, but also be within one half mile of the Marigold Center and, through public transit, have easy access to downtown. For these reasons, we have decided not to alter the preexisting Margarita Plans and integrated it into our development plan for the city.

The development of the Dalidio property has been a source of controversy for the city in recent years. The recent SLO Marketplace proposal was rejected by the populace, which we considered when planning the area. Instead of a heavy commercial zone with an automobile centered development plan, we proposed a greener area with an emphasis on pedestrians. The majority of the area will be dedicated to a golf course and a community center. Currently, there are very few venues available for community members to hold large events. The Veteran’s Hall in northern San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly Performing Arts Center and Embassy Suites do not adequately satisfy San Luis Obispo and community members. Cal Poly is in use for a majority of the year by student, so it is generally unavailable for public use. The Veteran’s Hall lacks the capacity for larger events, which places a limiting factor on its use. Embassy Suites is privately owned, which severely limits the city. As a result, the only area consistently available for the city to use for large events it the Historic Mission, located in Downtown San Luis Obispo. Currently, this area at or above capacity for larger events, and would be unable to accommodate the expected growth that both the city and county of San Luis Obispo expect over the next fifty years. A community center accommodates larger events and has several advantages over the existing locales. First, this center can be designed to take advantage of the temperate weather of the central coast, allowing for larger outdoor events that involve the community. Also, the city currently does not have a senior center, which this development would be able to provide.

A golf course would accommodate some environmental concerns that we wish to account for in order to make the development more attractive and in turn, more acceptable to the community. Most notable would be the issue of water usage. A golf course would require copious amounts of water to maintain the greenery. To help mitigate this factor, we should include a technique used by several golf courses in Sacramento. The landscaping would include several waterfalls and small lakes. These additions make the area more visually appealing, but it can also be used to provide water for the shrubbery. When the area is not in use, the waterfalls can be drained into a sprinkler system, which would then water the plants. If the waterfalls and landscaping are done properly, the sprinkler system would be most efficient, since it would require less energy in order to pump the water.

Aside from the golf course and community center, we have preserved open areas of the city to promote a “green belt” across the area. The South Street Hills have been protected from development, providing an area that is both environmentally friendly and pleasing to the eye.

San Luis Obispo currently has several centers of activity, these will be the areas where the smaller events will happen, still constitute a need for access to public transportation. In developing a transportation plan, we assumed that the preexisting activity centers would not change. Cal Poly serves as a residential center and a majority of the students in the area make regular trips there. Downtown serves as a center for commercial activity and tourism, since this is where the government offices are located, as well as many of the influential businesses and the Mission. It is our expectation that the new community center will draw more people to the area around the Marigold Center, which already serves as commercial activity center. Additionally, this will also draw people to the area for recreational purposes. The other recreational activity center is expected to be the Damon Garcia Sports Complex on Broad Street, which has recently been developed. These activity centers are shown in Appendix B. These activity centers will draw the largest number of people to them, so they play an important role in the development of the transportation network.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Paths

The SLO South area shall include sidewalks, pedestrian paths, bike lanes, and bike paths. These new paths will encourage walking and cycling for all local trips that would otherwise be made by car such as trips for work, school, shopping and recreation. The bicycle transportation system will be fully interconnected to the rest of the city and the SLO South region. SLO South will have several pedestrian and cycling paths shown on green in Appendix C. The alignments shall include landscaping, lighting, and other amenities to increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. Bicycle and pedestrian facilities will be provided in all necessary areas of SLO South such as parks, schools, hospitals, sports fields, and shopping areas.

Pedestrian and bicycle crossings at major streets require careful consideration. Paths adjacent to major roads should encourage pedestrians to cross streets at appropriate locations. All crossings will be at intersections rather than at mid-block. Pedestrian bridges will be placed at the most potentially dangerous intersections and areas that will provide access to sports fields. Locations of proposed pedestrian bridges are shown in Appendix C.

A cross-section of bicycles and pedestrian paths is shown in Figure 1. The Los Osos Valley Road Path will begin at the intersection with Madonna and continue east over I-5 where a pedestrian bridge will be installed. The path will continue to parallel Los Osos Valley Road until it nears Los Palos Dr. The path will loop around the neighborhood until it intersects with South Higuera St. The path will then follow down the south side of the new Buckley Rd. extension until it meets with Vachell Ln. From this location the people can choose between two different alignments.

• Continue to parallel Buckley Rd. until it meets with Broad St.

• Divert north-east where the path will follow a scenic route along Tank Farm Creek until it meets with Tank Farm Rd. The path will continue east down tank farm Rd. and then north to the Damon-Garcia Sports Fields.

The Prado Road Path will follow along the South Side of the entire Prado Road extension intersecting with both South Higuera and Broad St. This path will provide great access to the proposed Margarita Development.

The scenic South Hills path will begin at the Prado Road and Broad St. intersection and continue next to the south side of the South Hills. The path is also located on the north side of the proposed Margarita area. From this path people can to choose to either go south to Margarita Ave. or north to Woodbridge St.

The San Luis Obispo Creek Path will be a scenic path that begins where the creek intersects with Los Osos Valley Rd. The path will meander next to the creek until it meets with Madonna Rd. The path will continue south again until it meets with Los Osos Valley Rd.

Figure 1: Bicycle and Pedestrian Paths

Bicycle Lanes

Bicycle lanes are represented in red in Appendix C. Bicycle lanes are located on all major streets within the SLO South area including Madonna Rd., South Higuera St., the Prado Rd. extension, Tank Farm Rd., Orcutt Rd., and Vachell Ln.

Collector Streets

Collector streets will connect local roads with activity centers and arterial streets. Proposed residential collector streets are shown as dashed green in Appendix D. Most of the proposed residential collector streets are shown in the Margarita development. A three dimensional view of the Margarita development is shown in Appendix E. A residential collector cross-section is shown in Figure 3. The purple dashed lines represent the commercial collector streets. A commercial collector cross-section is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Commercial Collector Figure 3 Residential Collector

Prado Road Extension

The proposed Prado Road extension will intersect with Broad St. The extension is shown represented in black dots in Appendix D. Prado Road will provide the main vehicle connection between the Margarita Area and the rest of SLO South. It will link the western and eastern portions of SLO South. There will be a bridge over Acacia Creek which will be long and high enough to allow bicycles and pedestrians to pass under it. Roundabouts will be placed at strategic locations along Prado Road and the principal collectors. A Prado Road cross-section is shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Prado Road Cross Section

Buckley Road Extension

Buckley Road will be extended from Vachell Ln. to South Higuera St. This will provide another east-west connecter for the eastern and western portions of SLO South. Buckley Rd. will continue to be only two lanes.

Special Project: Phasing of Light Rail

We considered a sustainable solution for transit in the year 2050 in San Luis Obispo. Our vision was to create an acceptable way to commute throughout town by Light Rail. This system would service downtown, and all around San Luis Obispo, including Cal Poly State University.

Our design and plan would be implemented over the next 45 years, installed in two phases.

The first phase would complement the Margarita Area Specific Plan and service high to moderately dense residential and commercial areas. This phase will service most of the South end of town from Cal Poly State University to Madonna Road at Highway 101. This can be seen in Appendix F. This phase will be coordinated with Amtrak and Freight Trains to use a 3.5 mile stretch of existing rail from Tank Farm Road to Foothill Boulevard. The city will profit the most if this is considered and the benefits will out weigh the cost of installing in new rail along or in the median of State Highway 227. New rail will be constructed and laid from Tank Farm Road to Madonna Road at Highway 101. Multiple Station will be located every ½ to one mile along the track, for five miles, to provide commuters an easy walkable distance from their business or homes. There will also be a park and ride at Highway 101 and Los Osos Valley Road with easy access to a Light Rail Station. Some Stations locations include: Amtrak Station, Costco/Home Depot, Madonna Plaza, and Margarita Development. The total length of new and existing rail will be 8.5 miles throughout the South part of town.

The second phase, to be completed by the year 2040, would include new service points down Los Osos Valley Road, Foothill Boulevard, Higuera Street and Marsh Street. This will add an additional 5.5 miles of light rail track making it a total of 14 miles of rail. Considering the growth along Los Osos Valley Road and Foothill Boulevard we optimally place several Light Rail Stations in ¾ mile increments along the track. This will provide stepping stones to a new possible Transit Oriented Development. Light Rail will travel from Madonna Road at Highway 101 down Marsh Street through the downtown core, where it intersects with the existing rail that Amtrak uses. With strategic station placements down Foothill Boulevard, students and other daily commuters will be able to access Cal Poly State University and Downtown San Luis Obispo more easily.

With the Light Rail incorporated throughout San Luis Obispo and the Margarita Development, an Adaptive Transit/Hybrid Transit oriented city will be created. This transportation system should provide efficient quantity and quality of service with needed capacity, reasonable speed, convenience, and safety for all users.

Conclusion

In order for San Luis Obispo to maintain a sustainable lifestyle and environmental infrastructures, the city would need to adhere to three basic philosophies economy, ecology and social equity. With the city maintaining these values this will ensure the public facilities longevity and quality. To account for changing circumstances this report will be revised every two years. For sustainable transportation decisions must be collaboratively established: all key stakeholders must be engaging, influential and informed.

Appendix A: General Land Use Plan

Appendix B: Activity Centers

Appendix C: Bike and Pedestrian Paths

Appendix D: Street Classifications

Appendix E: Three Dimensional View of Margarita

Appendix F: Phasing of the Light Rail