Mobility RFP
Request for Proposals For
The Little Five Points Smart Mobility Improvement Project
BIDS RECEIVED ON 10/11/19 from:
Alta Planning + Design, Inc.
Grice Consulting Group LLC
LORD AECK SARGENT
POND
SITE solutions, LLC
REVIEW COMMITTEE IN SESSION: 10/12/19-10/21/19
INTERVIEWS TO BE SCHEDULED: Week of 10/28
Table of Contents
Introduction
Project Location-Limits
Project Background
Proposed Scope of Services
Existing Data Collection and Assessment
Public Involvement
Plan Development
Physical Streetscape and Pedestrian Improvements
Technological Enhancements and Way-finding Aids
Strategic Initiatives and Policy Recommendations
Respond to: Joseph Hacker, Mobility Co-Chair, mobilty@l5pa.com by October 11, 2019 by 5:00pm in PDF form.
Proposal Schedule:
RFP Questions: Due by Thursday September 26, 2019 5:00pm
RFP Response to Questions: Sent to all by Friday, October 4, 2019 5:00pm
Final Bids: Friday October 11, 2019 EOD 5:00pm
Include Qualifications with Relevant Experience, Team and Specific Terms
ADDENDUM: 9.20.19 This project can not exceed $275,000. ($190,000 Renew Atlanta TSPLOST + $100,000 ARC LCI Grant minus $15,000 admin fee)
Introduction
The Little 5 Points Alliance (L5PA) is seeking proposals for Professional Design & Engineering Services from qualified consultants for the development of a plan for improvements to the Little 5 Points area focusing on the Euclid Avenue and Moreland Avenue corridors and connecting streets, including the Inman Park Reynoldstown MARTA Station (The Project). The objective of the Project study is to assist with planning efforts to help the Little 5 Points community become more accessible, safe and pedestrian friendly. This study will serve as the framework for seeking funding for future mobility improvements in the area.
The deliverables should provide plans for physical improvements, technological upgrades, and strategic policies which would address the concerns of the community. Additionally, proposed plans should include actionable alternatives in line with City of Atlanta and GDOT and ARC funding streams as well as provide a clear means of prioritizing projects as financial opportunities arise. The level of design and documentation development required is equivalent to a 30% complete construction documents set of Drawings and Specification that can be used to identify and seek appropriate construction funding for the overall project or components of the project.
The project budget cost can not exceed $190,000.
Project location/limits:
Project location includes Moreland Avenue from Dekalb Avenue to Mansfield, and Euclid Avenue from Austin Avenue to Euclid Terrace/Elmira Place on the East. The study area may also include parts of Seminole, Austin, Sinclair, Colquitt, Washita, Euclid Terrace, and Josephine Streets.
Project Background:
The Little Five Points Smart Mobility Improvement Project (The Project) is intended to expedite several priority interventions, potentially including some improvements identified in both the original 2005 Moreland Corridor LCI study and the pending 10-Year Update submitted to the City of Atlanta but not yet adopted. The L5P business district and surrounding community provide a rare opportunity to create a model of walkability and alternative transportation usage with very cost-effective changes to existing transportation infrastructure.
The Moreland Corridor (SR 42) cuts through L5P in a manner inconsistent with its traditional 1920’s era trolley-oriented development that preceded Moreland’s highway form expansion in the 1950s. Given the scarcity of North-South arterial streets on the eastside of Atlanta, Moreland has seen a significant increase in both local and regional vehicular traffic (over 40,000 trips per day). With so many people passing through L5P on a regular basis it is one of the intents of the Project to enhance L5P’s ability to function as an important commercial activity node for those passing through, as well as for local pedestrian trips, to increase the internal capture rate of L5P and the neighboring areas.
In addition, L5P continues to attract a significant number of visitors to its culturally diverse commercial and entertainment offerings. Neighborhood visitors need enhanced access and safety for pedestrians, bikes, and scooters traveling from the Atlanta Beltline, Freedom Parkway Path and nearby communities. Improved management of existing on-street and private surface parking, ride-sharing, enhanced use of MARTA rail and bus, is considered important for accommodating outside visitors.
SCOPE OF SERVICES
Existing Data Collection & Assessment
The Consultant will review relevant existing conditions, past studies, and other applicable information, including, but not limited to, the 2005 Moreland Corridor LCI; the pending 10-Year Update (submitted to the City of Atlanta but not yet adopted) plus community comments on the same; the Fall 2019 Georgia Tech Studio project for the Moreland Avenue Corridor; and other neighborhood or proximate plans, as a basis for analysis and design.
Public Involvement:
The Consultant will actively engage the L5P CID, its partner organization, the L5P Alliance (L5PA) and the neighborhood associations and communities of Inman Park and Candler Park (The Stakeholders) in design workshops to actively solicit the ideas, priorities and concerns of the Stakeholders. Acting primarily through its Mobility Committee, L5PA will represent L5P property owners, business owners, neighborhood organizations, nonprofits and other interested parties, working together to address issues facing L5P. L5PA will work with the Consultant to engage those Stakeholders in the Project. Councilmember Amir Farokhi sits on the CID board and will monitor the City’s engagement with the LCI Grant process. The Atlanta Regional Commission must also be included to ensure compliance with LCI requirements.
The Consultant will meet with the L5PA Mobility Committee (The Committee), obtain available survey data from Atlanta and GDOT, and review current design and construction projects and any recent neighborhood planning efforts prior to engagement with the community.
The Consultant will conduct at least three Community Meetings . The Consultant will define the timing and benchmarks that each meeting proposes to addressee and the Committee will meet monthly to handle ongoing outreach to the community. This process should include significant surveying of visitors to L5P. The Consultant should also design a framework for future community outreach. Following a final review of design plans and an Opinion of Probable Construction Cost, plans will be presented to the community prior to approval by the CID/Alliance Boards and the City of Atlanta.
Plan Development
The Consultant will study and develop plans in the corridor largely in three categories:
Physical Streetscape and Pedestrian Improvements,
Technological enhancements and way-finding aids,
Strategic initiatives and policy recommendations
Redesign of Euclid Avenue from Austin Avenue (Little Five Points Community Center) to Moreland Avenue/Findley Plaza and the east side of Moreland Avenue intersections (approximately 1500 LF) to 30% designed. This includes inventory and design of three basic amenities:
Physical Streetscape and Pedestrian Improvements
Improvements to the physical sidewalk, crosswalks and overall pedestrian environment to improve pedestrian safety, wayfinding, and access along Euclid Avenue and intersections.
The Project should address:
Inventory of on-street parking spaces and curb control measures, including bicycle and scooter pathways and parking amenities
Outdated infrastructure including unsafe and inadequately sized pedestrian facilities and curb corrective treatments, broken tree wells, utility obstacles, abandoned sign poles, and other pedestrian obstructions;
Intersections with overly generous yield turns, long blocks without crosswalks, and high design speeds;
Blocked crosswalks and traffic signals that prioritize car throughput over increasing demand for bikes and pedestrian movements;
Specific areas of concern
Right turns from Moreland northbound onto Euclid east bound;
Inadequate signalization and pedestrian and bike crossings at Moreland and McLendon; and Mansfield at Moreland; Morleand at Euclid Ave/McLendon
Curb-side management tools and signage to improve parking experience and increase the use of bikes, scooters, ride sharing, delivery zones and “parklette” space options for improved activation;
Sidewalk improvements needed within 1000 feet of L5P to encourage greater pedestrian/transit connectivity and distributed street parking access;
Poorly organized drop-off and pick-up zones for rideshare and unsafe parking.
Davis Plaza bikeway and possible re-creation of a ramp connection from the Davis Plaza-to-Seminole cul-de-sac to connect Freedom Park/Atlanta Beltline with the new Moreland on-street bike lanes;
Moreland Avenue Bike and Pedestrian improvements: review GDOT PI # 0013062 planned improvements and identify deficient or additional improvement opportunities;
Consideration of possible impact of Dekalb Avenue Complete Street/Moreland Jug Handle integration between Dekalb Avenue Complete Street and Moreland Avenue to create improved pathways to L5P and the neighborhoods;
Moreland Avenue under the Dekalb Avenue tunnel to increase safety of pedestrian/bike route and transition from Moreland bike lane to thesharrow under the bridge;
2. Technological enhancements and way-finding aids
The Consultant will consider integration of new technologies into signalization, parking, messaging, and way-finding. These technologies could include recommendations for traffic calming, pedestrian crossings at busy intersections, dynamic parking signage and control, use of kiosks for advertisements and messaging, and way-finding. Curbside management areas may include options for couriers and delivery vehicles by day and on-demand car staging at night or during events.
Specific areas of concern
Signalization and roadway review and design at intersections that allow cars, bikes, scooters, and pedestrians to safely co-exist in the same space;
Inman Park MARTA Station wayfinding along Euclid Avenue to-from L5PA.
Staging areas for Ped/bike/scooter access and ride sharing services.
Transportation Demand Management and technology-based management of existing parking resources that improves parking space location finding and user experience while balancing shorter-term and longer-term visits;
Moreland at Freedom Parkway
3. Strategic initiatives and policy recommendations
We also seek input on best practices and strategies which provide safety and activate the areas in questions.
Specific Areas of Concern
Recommendation of strategies or best practices to support the Night Time Economy (NTE) of the area (see City of Atlanta initiatives).This may include but is not limited to:
Public safety for late night visitors
Coordination of business closing times
Addressing off hours and weekend clean up and services coordination
Curb control for vehicle passenger pick up and drop off
Coordination and management of itinerant vendors on Findley and Davis Plaza
Consider use of creative Place-Making strategies including art integrated urban ROW and utility structures (e.g. poles, boxes, bike racks, furniture, sculpture, painted crosswalks etc.);
Consider Flex Design that could allow for street closure on weekends for improved pedestrian activation and special events
Publicly Identified Areas of Concern
The following specific traffic and street design concerns were collected at our large public hearing and included some conflicting ideas:
Moreland at Seminole
Create bike access across Davis Plaza to Seminole cul-de-sac
Moreland Avenue
Reduce speed limits (or create a design speed or Green Time solution that helps regulate speeds to at or below 35 mph).
Create a dedicated scramble signal in front of the Front Page News Restaurant on Moreland.
Narrow traffic lanes to slow traffic.
Create a protected pedestrian crosswalk
Improve Traffic signal and Crosswalks.
Separate on-street bike lanes from vehicle traffic lanes with curb or bollards.
Improve the sidewalk pedestrian experience in the tunnel under Dekalb Avenue.
Add “Don’t Block the Box” signage.
Moreland at McLendon/Euclid Avenue
Remove street parking that is too close to the intersection on the south side of Euclid from the west
Remove utility pole to improve safety for pedestrians and disabled persons at the right turn from Moreland North at Euclid eastbound is very unsafe for pedestrians
Increase space for pedestrians to wait at the NE and SE corners of Moreland at McLendon
Improve crosswalks at Euclid and McLendon to increase walk time and reduce conflicts
Add “Don’t Block the Box” signage
Improve signal timing (smart technology) to prevent cars blocking pedestrian crosswalks
Increase and improve visibility by coloring or adding contrasting materials at all crosswalks to improve visibility
Moreland at Dekalb (Jug Handles)
Improve bike lane transition to Sharrows and increase safety for bikes going through the tunnel
Calm traffic throughout to reduce pedestrian/vehicular conflicts
Redesign Jug Handles to create better pedestrian and bike connectivity to Dekalb Avenue Complete Street. Use extra space for parking, bike lanes, wider sidewalks, etc.
Redesign the intersections of Austin and Alta at the jug handle
Davis Plaza/Seminole Cul-de-Sac
Reduce pedestrian conflicts at Moreland crosswalk to allow more pedestrians to pass through along Moreland and Davis Plaza (very congested)
Activate cul-de-sac and consider closing it off to traffic on weekends for local markets
Create scooter docking station
Create bike-way through the plaza and ramp down to Seminole – best bike connection to Beltline/Freedom Park Trails
Consider using cul-de-sac for valet/shared transportation facility
Euclid Avenue from Moreland to Austin Avenue
Provide space for Uber and Lyft drop offs
Replace all sidewalks and driveway aprons
Reset curb in front of Elmyr to align with curbs in front of Variety Playhouse/7 Stages
Create cycle track on the south side of Euclid with parking and loading on north side
Consider a Traffic Circle at Austin/Euclid intersection
Color crosswalks at all intersections
Wayfinding
Improved wayfinding for bikes, pedestrians and disabled visitors from Freedom Park Trail, MARTA and the Beltline to L5P
General Comments
No parking meters
$6/hour parking
Short-term parking (20 minute) options
More bike racks