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Home My WebLink AboutTrans 2014-12-08 COMPLETE AGENDA PACKETCity of Tukwila Transportation Committee • Allan Ekberg, Chair • Dennis Robertson • Kate Kruller AGENDA Distribution: A. Ekberg D. Robertson K. Kruller D. Quinn Mayor Haggerton D. Cline L. Humphrey B. Giberson F. Iriarte R. Tischmak G. Labanara P. Brodin R. Turpin M. Hart Clerk File Copy 2 Extra Place pkt pdf on Z: \TC -UC Agendas e -mail cover to: A. Le, C. O'Flaherty, D. Almberg, B. Saxton, S. Norris, M. Hart, L. Humphrey MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014 — 5:15 PM FOSTER CONFERENCE RooM — 6300 BUILDING (formerly known as Conference Room #1) Item Recommended Action Page 1. PRESENTATION(S) 2. BUSINESS AGENDA a) TUC Pedestrian - Bicycle Bridge Over Green River a) Information Only Pg. 1 Supplemental Type, Size, and Location Report 3. SCATBd 4. MISCELLANEOUS 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS Future Agendas: Automated Traffic Enforcement Next Scheduled Meeting: To be determined per 2015 Committee Calendar S. The City of Tukwila strives to accommodate individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Public Works Department at 206 - 433 -0179 for assistance. TO: City of Tukwila Jim Haggerton, Mayor INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM Mayor Haggerton Transportation Committee FROM: E�mb Giberson, Public Works Director 'V4/— BY: Cyndy Knighton, Senior Program Manager DATE: December 5, 2014 SUBJECT: TUC Pedestrian-Bicycle Bridge Over Green River Project No. 90510403 Supplemental Type, Size, and Location Repori ISSUE Update the Transportation Committee on the Supplemental Type, Size, and Location Report of the TUC Pedestrian-Bicycle Bridge p ject. BACKGROUND Since 2005, staff and the consultant design team led by KPFF Engineers have been working on planning and design of the TUC Pedestrian-Bicycle Bridge over Green River. Council directed staff to design a signature bridge as one of three catalyst projects of the Southcenter subarea plan's Mall-to-Station vision of a dense, urban, transit and pedestrian-friendly Iive-work-play area. In October 2011, Council accepted the TS&L report and authorized staff to proceed with the Twin Tied Arch option with Alignment #1 for the western trail as the preferred appnoaoh, pending successful right of way acquisition. A modified version of Alignment #2 has been designed through the 30% level after staff identified the parking impacts of Alignment #1. Alignment #3, which utilizes the existing Green River Trail, was identified as a viable option should land acquisition delay the project or become unavailable (Attachment 1). On December 23, 2013. the City received a letter (Attachment 2) from the attorney for BRCP Riverview Plaza LLC stating the intent "...&u take all available actions to prevent the location of the bridge on its property." After receipt of this letter, staff met with representatives of Riverview Plaza and prepared a Supplemental TS&L Report in which 6 new alternatives were studied (Attachment 3). DISCUSSION After studying the bridge alignment alternatives and associated trail approach options, the conclusion is that the original alternative remains the most direct route for users but the likely contentious right of way acquisition would delay the project and potentially add significant costs. Bridge Alignment A was identified as having lesser land acquisition impacts while best meeting the larger goal of the project of providing a direct and attractive non-motorized connection between regional retail and transit oriented development districts and the City's two main transit hubs (Attachments 4-6). Financial Impact Exact fiscal impacts are not yet known. The main bridge structure is expected to be comparable in cost but a small approach structure will add costs. The ADA accessible ramp on the east side is shorter which will reduce costs. Land acquisition costs will be significantly reduced due to the use of the Green River Trail on an existing easement for the western trail approach. Additional fee will be necessary to develop the design to the 30% level though much of the completed design can be utilized with the preferred alignment. RECOMMENDATION Information only. Attachments: Trair Alignment Options from Original TS&L Jack McCullough letter Trail Alignment Options studied in Supplemental TS&L Current Alignment graphic Supplemental TS&L Proposed Alignment graphic Comparison Matrix w:\rwsng\pnoJecram-mmanopnojeomnucpe^ewycmenuoe(9no1u*oo)\mrOnMxTOwMcw0'auppmmeotalTaLnepon/1'1o'1*'s».don 1 multiple alignments studied Attachment 2 MCCULLOUGH HILL LEARY, PS December 19, 2013 Cyndy Knighton City of Tukwila Department of Community Development 6300 Southcenter Boulevard, Suite 100 Tukwila, \VA 98188-2544 Re: Riverview Plaza Dear Ms. Knighton: We are writing on behalf of BRCP Riverview Plaza LLC ("BRCP"), the owners of Riverview Plaza, BRCP strongly opposes the placement of a pedestrian/bicycle bridge across its property. This letter puts the City of Tukwila ("City") on notice that BRCP intends to take all available actions to prevent the location of the bridge on its property. Construction of the bridge would bifurcate the Riverview Plaza parking lot resulting in isolation of two of the Riverview Plaza buildings from the main parking field. The availability of convenient nearby parking, which the bridge would eliminate, is a key factor in suburban office leasing decisions. Additionally, what the City has proposed would force vehicular traffic to intersect with the pedestrian walkway which would further impact parking and introduce a safety hazard that currently does not exist. Further, inviting unlimited numbers of pedestrians with no relationship to Riverview Plaza to pass through what is currently a tranquil, campus-feel office complex (unique to this marketplace), would invite security and personal liability claims. Taken all together, the placement of a bridge through the Riverview Plaza parking field would have devastating effects on the marketability of office space in the complex, invite security, safety and liability claims that do not otherwise exist today, and therefore have a significant negative impact on value of the Riverview Plaza property. The City is improperly moving fonvard with project-level planning and design for the bridge without first conducting environmental review under the State Environmental Policy Act ("SEPA"), including an analysis of reasonable alternatives. The concept of a pedestrian/bicycle bridge in this location originated with the Tukwila Urban Center Plan for Southcenter ("Urban Center Plan"). A draft Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") has been prepared for the Urban Center Plan. However, the EIS provides only plan-level environmental analysis. In addition, as BRCP stated in its comments on the draft EIS, the EIS contains no analysis of the impacts of the bridge or alternative locations. Accordingly, under RCW 43.21C.420(5)(a), the City cannot rely on the EIS to satisfy its obligations under SEPA with regard to the bridge. Instead, the City must conduct project- level environmental review "at the earliest possible point in the planning and decision-making process" and before the City commits to a particular course of action. WAC 197-11-055(2). Failure to conduct environmental review of the bridge now violates this principle. 701 Fifth Avenue • Suite 6600 • Seattle, Washington 98104 • 206.812.3388 • Fax 206.812.3389 • www.mhseattle.com 'Cyndy Knighton December 19, 2013 Page 2 of 2 Failure to analyze the impacts of the bridge and its alternatives also violates the prohibition against "piecemealing" of environmental review. SEPA revires that "[p]roposals or parts of proposals that are related to each other closely enough to be, in effect, a single course of action shall be evaluated in the same environmental document." WAC 197-11-060(3)(b). Here, the bridge is a part of the City's Urban Center Plan. Under SEPA, the City must analyze the bridges' environmental impacts and alternatives in the same environmental document as the Urban Center Plan — specifically, the EIS that currently being prepared. In sum, before moving forward with planning, design, permitting and construction of a bridge at any location, the City must first conduct a full analysis of its impacts and alternatives as part of the EIS for the Urban Center Plan. Pursuant to Tukwila Municipal Code ("TMC") 18.104.100, 18.104.170 and 21.04.210, please include me and Courtney Kaylor at the address stated below as parties of record regarding any City decisions relating to the bridge or its environmental review. Sincerely, cc: Client Jack Pace, Director, Department of Community Development Shelley Kerslake, Kenyon Disend 4 LONIGAGRES-WAY!. I. 4[11.17" ■ ®W■ JRBAN CENTER F EDESTRIAN 8 BIC I E RICA E ALIGNMENT r.L. RNATIVE 02/18/2014 0) 3 rD z W CURRENT ALIGNMENT (TS &L ALIGNMENT 2) This trail connection begins near the intersection of Baker Blvd and Christensen ERd and heads north. The trail turns east through the Riverview Plaza property and intersects the Green River Trail. Here the 225 -foot main bridge span crosses the Green River and lands at the Nelsen Parcel. A 164 -foot ramp structure and landing brings ail users to the existing sidewalk along Wes Valley Highway. • ra 7 "i717 1110 / J 7' 1. I __ M ; 4.1K-41100411111114404.0.00.2 'C Z � :' witioL 7 yv 1,11r - TL'KWIL A URBAN CENTER PEDESTRIAN / BICYCLE BRIDGE 10/27/2014 0) rD z PROPOSED ALIGNMENT This trail connection begins near the intersection of Baker Blvd and Christensen Rd and heads north to where the Green River I Trail intersects Christensen Road near the northwest corner of the Riverview Plaza property. The alignment follows the existing Green River Trail east towards the proposed bridge location. The bridge crosses the Green River with a 45 -foot approach span and a 220 -foot main bridge span. A 105 -foot ramp structure and landing brings trail users to the :existing sidewalk along West Valley Highway. �l1 Y l3 3 3 ll Cons _ 9 JRBAN PEE ESTRIAN / BICYC_E L_ZIDGE 10/27/2014 G) 3I (D rt' U-) PROPOSED A GN ENT PLAN TUKWILA URBAN CENTER PEDESTRIAN / BICYCLE BRIDGE PROPOSED ALIGNMENT PROFILE 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 45 ft Approach Span >< 220 ft Main Span 105 ft Ramp Structure } 0 !R WATER SURFACE E1(0A(N1 27.8' (NANO 88) KR FEW ROW PROF -US GREEN +5(8, SEC(A AP /83 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 0 0 8 +80 9 +00 9 +20 9 +40 9 +60 9+80 10 +00 10+20 10 +40 10+60 10 +80 11 +00 11 +20 11 +40 11 +60 11 +80 12 +00 12 +20 12+40 12 +60 12 +80 13+00 13+20 13 +40 13 +60 13 +80 14 +00 TUKWILA URBAN CENTER PEDESTRIAN / BICYCLE BRIDGE DATE: 10/21/2014 JOB #: 107387 uke,_S HORIZONTAL SCALE VERTICAL SCALE 1fl Attachment 6 Tukwila Urban Center Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge Comparison Matrix tor Current and Proposed Alignment KPFF Consulting Enginee 11/3/2014 10 Current Alignment (TS��L�yignnneNt2) Proposed Alignment '---- Right-of-Way (ROW) Impacts • • ROW acquisition required for trail segment that passes through Riverview Plaza (RVP) parking lot ROW acquisition required for Nelsen Parcel • m Utilizes existing easement for Green River Trail ROW acquisition required for Nelsen Parcel Environmental/ Permitting • • Bridge Iocation requires removal of two large fir trees deemed sigriificant by WDFW. Study required to determine if bridge needs to be relocated or mitigation is possible No other m jor obstacles identified for obtaining necessary permits • • Potential impacts to mature Cottonwood trees in the City parklopen space north of RVP. Alignment could be aduntedtosu/oid impacts ~~ No major obstacles identified for obtaining necessary permits Hydraulics '- • Structure and fill to be placed in floodplain. Hydraulic analysis '- required to demonstrate "no-rise" for current flood elevation • Structure and fill to be placed in floodplain. Hydraulic analysis required to demonstrate "OO'[iS8^ for current flood elevation Structure • 225-foot main bridge span and 160-foot ramp structure • 45-foot approach span, 22U'fOOt main bridge span and 105'fOOtrannp structure Levee Impact • Structure placed within levee prism. No concerns voiced by USACE • Structure placed within levee prism. No concerns voiced by USACE Cost • • Increased ROW costs associated with RVP parcel acquisition Increased cost associated with longer landing at Nelsen Parcel • • • Increased bridge structure costs associated with 45ft long approach structure Reduced land acquisition costs due to use of existing trail easement Additional design fee likely required to develop design KPFF Consulting Enginee 11/3/2014 10