CHAPTER 6 Circula on and Parking - Baldwin...

93Chapter 6 Circula on and ParkingPublic Review Dra - December 2014

A. Introduc on

This chapter defi nes the Specifi c Plan provisions for circula on and parking within the Downtown TOD Specifi c Plan area. The Plan takes advantage of the central loca on of the Metrolink Sta on and emphasizes a mul modal approach to circula on – to aff ord convenient access to and circula on within the area for all transporta on modes. Consistent with the City’s policies for Complete Streets, the Plan is intended to provide not only eff ec ve auto circula on, but also choices and opportuni es for eff ec ve and convenient transit, pedestrian and bicycle circula on. Residents, employees, and visitors should be also able to conveniently park, and also to walk around the area in an a rac ve, safe and comfortable environment. The Specifi c Plan therefore provides for a balance between all transporta on modes in the Downtown.

B. Complete Streets

1. Complete Streets in the City of Baldwin Park

A growing number of communi es are discovering the value of their streets as important public spaces for many aspects of daily life. People want streets that are safe to cross or walk along, off er places to meet people, link healthy neighborhoods, and have a vibrant mix of retail. More people want to be able to walk and ride bicycles in their neighborhoods.As a result, an increasing number of ci es are looking to modify the way they design their streets, to design and/or change streets for health, safety, livability, sustainability, and by introducing design elements which ensure the co-existence with pedestrians and other modes on non-motorized transporta on.

The City of Baldwin Park has embraced these principles. In July 2011 the City adopted a Complete Streets Policy, which was considered to the most progressive in the country by the Na onal Complete Streets Coali on. The City followed up in May 2012 by adop ng a Manual for Living Streets Design, to provide direc on to design and/or change streets for health, safety, livability and sustainability, for people of all ages

Circula onand Parking

CHAPTER 6

94 Downtown TOD Specifi c Plan City of Baldwin Park

and physical abili es, and to accommodate all modes of travel. While moving vehicles is one of their purposes, streets are spaces, even des na ons in and of themselves. By approaching streets as public spaces, ci es redirect their a en on from crea ng traffi c conduits to designing a place for the people who use the street.

As ar culated in the City’s Manual for Living Streets Design, Complete Streets accomplish the following in a transporta on context:

• Are designed to provide transporta on for people of all ages, income levels, and physical abili es whether they walk, bicycle, ride transit, or drive.

• Integrate connec vity and traffi c calming with pedestrian-oriented site and building design to create safe and invi ng places.

• Serve the land uses that are adjacent to the street; mobility is a means, not an end.

• Encourage people to travel by walking, bicycling, and transit, and to drive less.• Enhance the safety and security of streets, from both a traffi c and personal

perspec ve.

In the broader civic context, Complete Streets also:

• Are invi ng places with engaging architecture, street furniture, landscaping, and public art that refl ect the diversity and cultures of the neighborhood.

• Foster healthy commerce.• Encourage ac ve and healthy lifestyles, and improve peoples’ health.• Create livable neighborhoods.• Reduce the total amount of paved area.• Reduce streetwater runoff into watersheds, and maximize infi ltra on and

reuse of stormwater.• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollu on, and reduce energy

consump on.• Promote the economic well-being of both businesses and residents.• Increase civic space and encourage human interac on.

2. Complete Streets in the Specifi c Plan Area

The Downtown TOD Specifi c Plan fully embraces the City’s Complete Street principles. This sec on of the Specifi c Plan outlines the key features and func ons of Complete Streets and the design elements that can be used to achieve them. The Specifi c Plan iden fi es the following policies for Complete Streets:

• Streets in Downtown should conform to the principles of Complete Streets wherever feasible. They should func on to provide balanced and effi cient transporta on for all modes.


• A key goal of the specifi c Plan is therefore to slow and calm traffi c, to enhance access to transit, and to enhance pedestrian and bicycle circula on access to and circula on within Downtown.

• The design of any street improvements and/or modifi ca ons should conform with the City’s Complete Streets Policy and the City’s Manual for Living Streets Design.

Prac ces which support Complete Streets principles, and which should be featured in Downtown where feasible include the following:

Provide a Feeling of Safety and Security on Streets

- Slow traffi c to a comfortable speed to mix with other travel modes through: low speed design elements, traffi c calming techniques, and shared space.

- Maintain a buff er between pedestrians and vehicles when there is fast moving traffi c using: on-street parking, or sidewalk features such as planters, bollards, kiosks, newsstands, lampposts.

Connect Both Sides of the Street

- Shorten crossing distance through: narrow travel lanes, curb extensions and pedestrian islands, building ac vi es connected to the street.

- Invite people to cross in more places by: slowing vehicular traffi c, establishing mid-block crossings, making shared streets.

Support and Encourage Ac vi es and Des na ons

- Widen sidewalks to accommodate mul ple ac vi es

- Open streets to mul ple ac vi es

The Specifi c Plan includes these elements wherever feasible, to maximize transit, bicycle, and pedestrian access and use of the Downtown streets.


C. The Circula on Network

City streets provide the backbone of the Complete Streets network in the Downtown. Key east-west streets in Downtown include Ramona Boulevard, Badillo Street, and Clark Street. Key north-south streets include Baldwin Park Boulevard, Maine Avenue, Pacifi c Avenue, Bogart Avenue, and Downing Avenue.

1. General Plan Street Designa ons

The City’s General Plan includes the following designa ons for streets in the Specifi c Plan area (Figure 6-1).

Arterial Street

This classifi ca on provides for an 80-foot curb-to-curb road width within a maximum 100-foot right of way. A four lane divided roadway is typically provided within this street sec on, or poten ally six narrow lanes if on-street parking is prohibited.

Ramona Boulevard is classifi ed as an Arterial in the City’s General Plan. It has a very wide right-of-way (230 feet), and a roadway with four traffi c lanes, wide curb lanes, bike lanes in each direc on, raised median, and le turn lanes at intersec ons. On-street parking is generally prohibited on both sides of the roadway. However for much of its length in the Specifi c Plan, there are areas immediately adjacent to and parallel to the street, separated from the street by a small median, which provide a parking bay with two rows of diagonal parking.

Baldwin Park Boulevard is also classifi ed as an Arterial in the City’s General Plan. It is a four-lane street with central turn lane (north of Ramona Boulevard) or raised median (south of Ramona Boulevard), and le turn lanes at intersec ons. On-street parking is generally provided on both sides of the street with some restric ons.

Collector/Industrial Street

This classifi ca on provides for a 64-foot curb-to-curb road width within a maximum 80-foot right of way, and provides for a four lane street.

Maine Avenue north of the intersec on with Pacifi c Avenue and con nuing north of Ramona Boulevard is classifi ed as a Collector street in the City’s General Plan. It is a four-lane street. Over much of its length there is a painted median and le turn lanes are provided at intersec ons. On-street parking is not allowed on the east side of the street, and is allowed on the west side in certain areas with some me restric ons.

Pacifi c Avenue is classifi ed as a Collector street in City’s General Plan. It is a four-lane street and le turn lanes are provided at intersec ons. On-street parking is generally provided on both sides of the street with some restric ons.

Figure 6-1: Circula on System

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Other Streets

All other streets in the Specifi c Plan are local streets. They are generally two-lane streets with on-street parking permi ed where the width allows, although there are some street segments where it is prohibited. The key circula on streets in the Specifi c Plan include Clark Street, Bogart Avenue, Downing Avenue, and Maine Avenue west of Pacifi c Avenue. The excep on is Badillo Street which is a four-lane street with raised median and le turn lanes at intersec ons, with on-street parking allowed on the south side of the street but prohibited on the north side.

2. Specifi c Plan Street Func ons and Complete Streets

There is currently adequate roadway circula on in the Downtown, with an adequate number of streets and roadway capacity. Despite the existence of a Metrolink rail sta on and numerous bus routes, Downtown Baldwin Park is very auto oriented and both bicycle unfriendly and pedestrian unfriendly. Ramona Boulevard, with its wide cross sec on, median, and adjacent parking bays, is a very wide street which tends to bisect the Downtown.

The Specifi c Plan envisions all streets accommoda ng all modes of travel. It envisages both Ramona Boulevard and Maine Avenue as Downtown Boulevards. These two streets will func on as the Complete Streets spines of the Downtown.

There is the opportunity for Ramona Boulevard to unify the downtown rather than separa ng it, by becoming an a rac ve pedestrian environment for pedestrians walking along it, and making it easier for pedestrians to cross the street. There are opportuni es for improving connec ons and linkages across Ramona Avenue including pedestrian and bicycle crossings, to e both sides of the street closer together, to improve safety, and to connect neighborhoods north of Ramona to Downtown Baldwin Park and the Metrolink Sta on.

In pursuance of the Complete Street goals, the Specifi c Plan iden fi es pedestrian and bicycle improvements at many loca ons, par cularly on Ramona Boulevard and Maine Avenue as the key boulevards, and iden fi es a bicycle network providing for enhanced bicycle access to, and circula on within, Downtown.

Ramona Boulevard – The Grand Boulevard

The Specifi c Plan iden fi es improvements intended to create a Grand Pedestrian boulevard along Ramona Boulevard in Downtown, which is intended to func on as the Complete Street spine to the Downtown. The exis ng and proposed cross-sec ons for Ramona Boulevard are shown in Figures 6-2 and 6-3 The exis ng street width and number of traffi c lanes will be retained. However the adjacent public right-of-way areas containing diagonal parking (the parking bays) will be reconfi gured. One


row of diagonal parking (closest to the street) will be removed, and the sidewalks widened. The row of diagonal parking adjacent to the buildings will be retained. This will create a wider and generous landscaped pedestrian way adjacent to the buildings while retaining convenient parking located next to the commercial land uses. This will allow the crea on of a grand pedestrian boulevard along the length of Ramona Boulevard.

Pedestrian connec ons and linkages across Ramona Boulevard will e both sides of the street closer together and improve linkages from north of Ramona Boulevard to the Metrolink Sta on, as well as improving linkages to Morgan Park. These will include:

• Intersec on improvements with upgraded (wider and more visible) crosswalks; • More pedestrian friendly signal ming (countdown mers); • Establishing and signing wayfi nding routes; and • Providing a signalized midblock crossing of Ramona Boulevard between

Maine Avenue and Bogart Avenue.

To facilitate bicycle circula on, the exis ng bicycle lane on Ramona Boulevard will be maintained and improved. The roadway will be restriped to retain but narrow the exis ng two traffi c lanes in each direc on (for example to a 13-foot lane and a 11-foot lane), in order to provide a wider bicycle lane (6’ compared to the exis ng 4’ lanes). The bicycle lane will be colored to provide greater visibility, and a 4’ striped separa on between the bicycle lane and the moving traffi c lanes will be added. These measures will help to calm traffi c and enhance bicycle safety along the boulevard.

In order to further improve the pedestrian environment and calm traffi c on the frontage roads, the driveways from Ramona Boulevard will be modifi ed from the exis ng 45 degree angle (which encourages faster traffi c) to a 90 degree angle (which will slow traffi c down).


Figure 6-2: Ramona Boulevard - Cesar Chavez Drive to Maine Avenue - Exis ng Condi on

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Maine Avenue – A Downtown Boulevard

A goal of the Specifi c Plan is for Maine Avenue to become another Downtown Boulevard, func oning as a north-south Complete Street and a second spine for mul modal circula on in the Downtown, further improving linkages to the neighborhoods to the north. However, there are constraints of street and right-of-way width that limit these opportuni es. The exis ng street has very li le on-street parking and the sidewalks are narrow (o en less than 10-feet), with adjacent buildings at the property line preven ng widening of sidewalks into the adjacent rights-of-way. Sidewalks could only be widened if the road was narrowed – which would require a reduc on in the number of traffi c lanes (o en referred to as a road diet). The exis ng cross sec on of Maine Avenue varies between Ramona Boulevard and Clark Street. Two typical exis ng cross sec ons are shown in Figure 6-4 - just south of Park Plaza Drive and between Palmrose Street and Clark Street. Figure 6-4 also shows poten al cross sec ons at these loca ons under a road diet concept.

To the north of the Specifi c Plan area, the City is considering implemen ng a planned Complete Street Project for Maine Avenue north of Los Angeles Street to Arrow Highway which would include a road diet. Currently in planning, this project would calm traffi c and improve the pedestrian and bicycle environment – by reducing the number of traffi c lanes from four to three lanes (one lane in each direc on with a central turn lane/median), adding bicycle lanes in each direc on, adding landscape in the median, installing curb extensions, retaining most on-street parking, and poten ally adding two small roundabouts.

It is not immediately clear if a similar concept would be viable south of Los Angeles Street to Ramona Boulevard because of the higher traffi c volumes, a narrower right-of-way south of the Park Plaza Driveway, and the generally higher level of traffi c ac vity in this predominantly commercial area. The Complete Street confi gura on from the project to the north could poten ally be extended as far south as Palmrose Street, as this stretch of Maine Avenue has the same general width characteris cs as north of Los Angeles Street. South of Palmrose Street the street width and right-of-way are narrower, and while a road diet could be implemented to reduce the number of traffi c lanes from four to three the narrower roadway width would only allow the provision of bicycle lanes or the introduc on of on-street parking, but not both.

The introduc on of a road diet along this length of Maine Avenue may not be feasible without some reduc on in traffi c volumes. One possible way to accomplish that is to try to reduce the volume of traffi c using Maine Avenue as a through route between Ramona Boulevard and Arrow Highway by signing the through route along Baldwin Park Boulevard - which as an arterial roadway is be er suited to carrying such traffi c than Maine Avenue which is a Collector Street.


Figure 6-4: Maine Avenue Exis ng and Proposed Cross-Sec ons

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Maine Avenue South of Park Plaza Drive

Maine Avenue between Palmrose Avenue and Clark Street

Maine Avenue Road Diet Concept


The Specifi c Plan retains the goal of a poten al road diet along Maine Avenue between Ramona Boulevard and Clark Street, but recommends further study before implemen ng any such improvement. The Complete Streets plan to the north should be monitored, and if successful then the concept of extending it south to Palmrose Street or Ramona Boulevard should be explored and further evaluated.

In the short term, while the poten al for sidewalk and pedestrian improvements are limited, the Specifi c Plan would enhance bicycle and pedestrian circula on along Maine Avenue by adding a Class III Bicycle Route and installing a new mid-block signalized crosswalk midblock between Ramona Boulevard and Park Plaza Drive.

A further op on would be to convert one or more of the on-street parking spaces on the west side of Maine Avenue between Palm Avenue and Ramona Avenue to a parklet. A parklet typically converts one or two on-street parking spaces into an amenity for pedestrians - as an extension of the sidewalk. It is typically the width of the parking lane and is protected on the street side from moving traffi c. They are intended to enhance the pedestrian sidewalk environment. Parklets may be used as open space, as a sea ng area, or for sidewalk dining for adjacent restaurants. They may also include bicycle parking. There are examples of parklets in Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach, and San Francisco.

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public space by crea ng places for people to sit, relax and enjoy the city.


D. Automobile Circula on

The exis ng street system will be maintained in its current confi gura on, with some changes/improvements designed to improve access and circula on, and walkability, as described elsehere. Key access corridors to and within Downtown will con nue to be Ramona Boulevard, Badillo Street, Baldwin Park Boulevard, Maine Avenue, and Pacifi c Avenue. Other local circula on streets within Downtown will con nue to be Clark Street, Sterling Way, Bogart Avenue, and Downing Avenue. The number of traffi c lanes, and roadway lane confi gura ons will remain the same. The Circula on System is shown in Figure 6.1.

1. Street Improvements and Changes

The following improvements are already planned and budgeted:

• Install new traffi c signal at the intersec on of Pacifi c Avenue and Bogart Avenue.

The following changes to the street system will be made:

• The sec on of Maine Avenue between Pacifi c Avenue and Sterling Way (opposite City Hall) will be fully or par ally vacated.

• Sterling Way will be realigned eastward at Ramona Boulevard from the current tee-intersec on to a four way intersec on with Cesar Chavez Drive.

These changes will simplify the local circula on in this area, and will allow the crea on of an area west of City Hall for a new civic plaza and a poten al development site. Access to all exis ng proper es in the area will be maintained, including the provision of a new alley to run at the rear of the commercial uses fron ng on Ramona Boulevard between Maine Avenue and Sterling Way in order to maintain local access and deliveries. An alterna ve to fully closing Maine Avenue would be to only close it in the eastbound direc on, with westbound traffi c movements s ll allowed. These changes will enhance pedestrian circula on in this area and simplify the currently complicated “double” intersec on of Sterling Way and Cesar Chavez Drive into a single consolidated intersec on.

Other circula on improvements will improve the rail track crossings of the streets in Downtown. The City will work with Metrolink to install full quad-gate crossings (that extend across the en re street unlike the current half gates which only extend across half the street) on Pacifi c Avenue west of the Metrolink Sta on, and on Downing Avenue east of the sta on. These quad gates improve traffi c safety as they prevent any traffi c from crossing the tracks while the gates are down (whereas the half gates allow the possibility of traffi c driving around the gates). Quad gates are not necessary


on Ramona Boulevard east of the sta on because the median island prevents traffi c from driving around the gates.

Currently traffi c delays are caused at certain mes on Pacifi c Avenue when the crossing gates remain down while a westbound train is standing at the sta on. This is not controlled by the city but occurs under Metrolink opera ng prac ces and is regulated by the Public U li es Commission (PUC) for safety reasons. The City will explore with Metrolink and the PUC if there is a safe alterna ve opera ng prac ce that can be operated that would result in the gates being down for a shorter period of me – thus minimizing traffi c delays.

The changes to enhance pedestrian and bicycle circula on along Ramona Boulevard to create the Grand Boulevard were described previously. The exis ng and proposed cross sec ons of Ramona Boulevard are provided in Figures 6-2 and 6-3. These changes would remove approximately 150 on-street parking spaces (about half of the current supply) along Ramona Boulevard, which would be accommodated elsewhere in the Downtown. This is described in more detail in Chapter 7 (Parking) of this plan. The poten als and constraints for a road diet on Maine Avenue were also discussed previously and are illustrated in Figure 6-4.

E. Transit Circula on

The Specifi c Plan area is currently served by a total of six transit routes, of which one is a Metro bus route, three are Foothill Transit routes, and two are Baldwin Park Transit routes (the local Baldwin Park service). All of these routes have stops close to or nearby the Baldwin Park Metrolink sta on. The Specifi c Plan area is also served by the Baldwin Park Metrolink Sta on. There are currently approximately 385 boardings per weekday at the Metrolink Sta on.

1. Transit Service

Downtown will con nue to be served by the Baldwin Park Metrolink Sta on, as well as numerous regional Metro and Foothill Transit bus routes, and the local Baldwin Park Transit Shu le. It is expected that bus routes will remain largely as today, serving the core of downtown and focused on the Metrolink Sta on. Figures 6-5 and 6-6 show the an cipated transit routes and the streets carrying transit service.

The City will con nue to work with both Metro and Foothill Transit to retain the exis ng levels of transit service at a minimum, and to expand the service in the future through the possibility of increased service frequencies on exis ng routes and the addi on of new routes, to improve regional transit access to downtown.


The City will also con nue to operate the local Baldwin Park Transit routes serving downtown. bus service. It is an cipated that service routes will remain the same, as they currently serve the Metrolink Sta on and run within walking distance of all Specifi c Plan loca ons. As future new development occurs in the downtown, the routes and service frequencies should be evaluated on a regular basis and poten ally changed as necessary.

2. Metrolink Sta on Access

There are currently poor connec ons to the Metrolink Sta on, which is hidden away from downtown, with few clear pedestrian access routes. The pedestrian environment is unfriendly at the entrance to the sta on at the intersec on of Ramona Boulevard and Downing Avenue. The Specifi c Plan will encourage and enhance accessibility to local and regional public transporta on by improving connec vity to the Baldwin Park Metrolink Sta on and other public transit providers. These are discussed under Pedestrian Circula on.

3. Bus Stops and Ameni es

There are currently suffi cient bus stop loca ons in downtown. However, the bus stops should be improved throughout the downtown, including the provision of bus shelters and bus stop ameni es such as sea ng, ligh ng, and route/schedule informa on. The City should work with Metro and Foothill Transit to introduce digital electronic signs with route/schedule and bus arrival status informa on in the future.

4. Provision for The Mid-Valley Transporta on Corridor

In recent years, the 2010 Mid-Valley Bus Rapid Transit Preliminary Feasibility Study, and the Envisioning the Mid-Valley Transporta on Corridor Plan study provided a vision, recommenda ons and ac ons, for transforming the Ramona Boulevard –Badillo Street Corridor (between Covina and El Monte) from an auto-oriented suburban area into a truly walkable, urban, transit oriented place, including the provision of high quality bus rapid transit (BRT) service along the corridor.

Bus rapid transit (BRT) is an innova ve, fl exible, and high performance transit mode that uses buses or specialized vehicles on roadways or dedicated lanes to quickly and effi ciently transport passengers to their des na on. BRT systems can equal or exceed the performance of most rail systems but at a frac on of the price due to reduced construc on, infrastructure, and maintenance costs. Common features of a bus rapid transit system that are diff erent from most conven onal bus systems include:

• High-capacity vehicles• Rail-like spacing between sta ons for fewer stops and express travel mes• More frequent service


Figure 6-5: Regional Transit

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Figure 6-6: Local Baldwin Park Transit

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• Real- me vehicle loca on and schedule informa on

In some instances BRT systems also include:

• Exclusive bus lanes separated from other roadways (in certain loca ons)• Rail-like sta on ameni es with level boarding pla orms• Traffi c signal priority• Off -vehicle fare collec on

The Envisioning the Mid-Valley Transporta on Corridor Plan explored the land use, transporta on, and urban design changes that could be implemented to increase the feasibility of future BRT along the Ramona-Badillo Corridor. The Plan iden fi ed strategies for mul -modal transporta on and opportuni es for transit-oriented development (TOD) including a mixture of land uses integrated into a walkable neighborhood and located adjacent to quality public transporta on. TOD was considered an important tool to increase transit ridership and support high-quality transit in the corridor. The study iden fi ed TOD strategies for Downtown Baldwin Park – but did not envisage a separate right-of-way or separate bus lanes along Ramona Boulevard in the Downtown.

The provisions of this Specifi c Plan are consistent with the general recommenda ons of the Mid Valley Transporta on Corridor Plan, par cularly with respect to TOD strategies. The Specifi c Plan does not preclude any future implementa on of BRT service along Ramona Boulevard through Downtown Baldwin Park.

F. Pedestrian Circula on

Within the Specifi c Plan area, there is a mature network of sidewalks which provide pedestrian access on all major streets such as Ramona Boulevard, Badillo Street, Baldwin Park Boulevard, Maine Avenue, Bogart Avenue, and Downing Avenue.

However, the street environment in downtown Baldwin Park is not pedestrian friendly, and linkages between the various areas are poor and diffi cult. There is therefore a great need to improve the pedestrian environment and connec ons/linkages between key areas of the Downtown.

1. Pedestrian Network

The pedestrian circula on component of the Specifi c Plan will encourage pedestrian ac vity and walking as a transporta on mode. The Specifi c Plan iden fi es a pedestrian circula on network, illustrated in Figure 6-7, which provides pedestrian pathways throughout Downtown Baldwin Park along with connec ons to the adjoining commercial and residen al areas and to augment the pedestrian walking experience and provide a safe environment.

Figure 6-7: Pedestrian Circula on

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An off -street walkway system, using improved

alleys and new pedestrian paths,

will off er con nuous pedestrian circula on between community

facili es, the Metrolink Sta on, and within and

between new mixed use and retail developments,

greatly improving the pedestrian appeal of

Downtown.

The Specifi c Plan iden fi es a number of measures to enhance walkability and to improve pedestrian connec ons within Downtown. These are described below and shown in Figure 6-7.

Ramona Boulevard and Maine Avenue

Ramona Boulevard will be modifi ed to create a grand pedestrian boulevard, as iden fi ed in the Complete Streets sec on of this Specifi c Plan. Proposals for improving the pedestrian environment along Maine Avenue are also iden fi ed in that sec on. These two streets will func on as the spines for the pedestrian network in Downtown. Connec ons and linkages across Ramona Boulevard, will e both sides of the street closer together and improve linkages from north of Ramona Boulevard to the Metrolink Sta on, including the provision of a new signalized mid-block crossing of Ramona Boulevard between Maine avenue and Bogart Avenue.

Off -Street Walkway System

To supplement the street sidewalk, a network of alleys and off -street walkways will be established as an addi onal pedestrian circula on network in the downtown. This off -street network will connect key places and land uses and provide interes ng and convenient addi onal mid-block walking routes for pedestrians. The off -street network is shown in Figure 6-7.


2. Street Crossings and Other Pedestrian Improvements

Intersec on improvements to enhance pedestrian circula on and safety can be implemented throughout Downtown, including:

• enhanced crosswalks (highly visible zebra crosswalk striping and/or paving); • more pedestrian friendly signal ming (adding countdown pedestrian signals); • curb extensions/bulbouts• and establishing and signing wayfi nding routes.

These improvements can be implemented on a case-by-case basis, and their design should follow the guidelines in the City’s Manual for Living Streets Design.

3. Access to the Metrolink Sta on

The pedestrian network provides for improved linkages to the Metrolink Sta on, including the following:

• A new mid-block connec on will be provided on Ramona Boulevard between Bogart Avenue and Maine Avenue to enhance access to the Metrolink Sta on;

• Sidewalks and pedestrian landscaping along Bogart Avenue between Pacifi c Avenue and Downing Avenue will be enhanced;

Pedestrian improvements will also be implemented at the entrance to the Metrolink Sta on at the intersec on of Ramona Boulevard and Downing Avenue, and at the track crossing of Pacifi c Avenue at the south end of the Sta on. These will include clearly defi ned pedestrian paths to provide safe pedestrian passage, be er fencing of the tracks, and working with Metrolink to implement state of the art pedestrian safety features such as improved pedestrian control gates. The sidewalks and track surface will also be improved in those crossing areas to facilitate pedestrian passage.

4. Wayfi nding and Direc onal Signage

A pedestrian wayfi nding and signage program will be implemented throughout the Downtown, to provide clear signage to key loca ons and des na ons.

G. Bicycle Circula on

There are currently few bicycle facili es in downtown, few bike lanes and li le bike parking, so bicycling by the local popula on is not encouraged, and by the lack of ameni es is in fact discouraged. The Specifi c Plan contains a number of measures to remedy this situa on and improve the environment for bicyclists.


An enhanced bicycle network serving downtown, and the provision of a signifi cant number of bicycle parking spaces, will signifi cantly enhance bicycle access to and within downtown and encourage greater use of bicycle as a mode of transporta on.

1. Bicycle Lanes and Bicycle Routes

A Class II Bicycle Lane consists of a designated striped lane along the curb lane of a street. It provides for one-way travel and is generally delineated with special striping and signage.

A Class III Bicycle Route is for shared use of bicycles with automobile traffi c. Signs are posted which indicate the road also serves as a bike route, but no special lane for bicycles is striped. There may however be painted bicycle symbols on the roadways surface (known as sharrows) to indicate to motorists that bicycles also use the street.

2. The Bicycle Network

The Specifi c Plan Bicycle Network, shown in Figure 6-8, includes a combina on of Class II and Class III facili es to provide a connected and integrated bicycle network in the downtown, and to connect downtown to the adjacent neighborhoods. The Specifi c Plan iden es Class II facili es where feasible. However, on-street parking is also an important asset to the func on and economic well-being of downtown, so where there is insuffi cient roadway width to stripe bicycle lanes and to retain on-street parking, a connected network is achieved through the designa on of Class III Bicycle Routes.

The General Plan calls for Class II bicycle lanes on Ramona Boulevard and Baldwin Park Boulevard north of Ramona Boulevard, and Class III bicycle routes on Baldwin Park Boulevard south of Ramona Boulevard, Sterling Way, and Pacifi c Avenue. These are all retained in the Specifi c Plan.

The exis ng bike lane on Ramona Boulevard will be maintained and improved. The roadway will be restriped to retain the exi ng two traffi c lanes in each direc on, but will be reconfi gured to provide a wider bicycle lane (6’ compared to the exis ng 4’ lanes), the bicycle lane will be colored to provide greater visibility, and a 4’ striped separa on to the moving traffi c lanes will be added. These modifi ca ons will enhance bicycle safety.

Bicycle Routes will be established on the following streets in the Specifi c Plan area: Baldwin Park Boulevard south of Ramona Boulevard, Sterling Way, and Pacifi c Avenue south of Maine Avenue (all as specifi ed in the General Plan), as well as on Maine Avenue, Bogart Avenue, Downing Avenue south of Ramona Boulevard, and Central Avenue. These routes are not currently in the General Plan.


Figure 6-8: Bicycle Circula on

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3. Bicycle Parking

Addi onal bike parking facili es will be provided at numerous loca ons around downtown, to provide safe opportuni es for cyclists to park and leave their bikes while they walk around the downtown, which will further encourage and facilitate the use of bicycles. Bicycle spaces will be provided in readily accessible loca ons that are highly visible in order to ensure personal safety and protect against the . General planned loca ons are shown in Figure 6-8. These include spaces at the Metrolink Sta on, at major bus stops, at mid-block loca ons, and at/near major commercial des na ons, to increase the convenience of bicycle use.

H. Parking

The overall strategy of the Specifi c Plan for parking in Downtown is to provide suffi cient parking to ensure the economic viability and success of Downtown, to provide parking in convenient loca ons to users, and to effi ciently manage parking in a manner that supports a walkable and pedestrian-friendly environment in Downtown Baldwin Park.

The supply of parking should be carefully balanced with the need for parking. An oversupply of parking takes up valuable land that could be used for be er purposes and also encourages addi onal auto use – which is inconsistent with the overall goals of a transit-oriented district.

The Baldwin Park Zoning Code parking standards are citywide and oriented for dependency on automobiles. The intent of the Specifi c Plan is transit-oriented development and a walkable environment in the Downtown, which provides an opportunity for revised parking standards in a mixed use Downtown that will allow for more emphasis on walking and biking for personal mobility.

In order to achieve an effi cient u liza on of overall parking resources Downtown, the Specifi c Plan therefore embraces a “Park Once” strategy, where visitors can park once in a convenient loca on, and then walk around Downtown as they visit mul ple des na ons without having to re-park their cars. This also embraces the concept of shared parking, where parking supplies are available to all users, rather than being limited to a single land use or building.

1. General Parking Characteris cs in Downtowns

Downtowns contain many diff erent land uses, that are located in close proximity, and that interact with each other. Downtown users and visitors can therefore park and leave their car to visit mul ple des na ons by walking rather than driving and having to park again. When the uses in downtowns have diff erent me profi les of peak parking demands,


then parking spaces can be shared between uses – resul ng in fewer total spaces being necessary than for “stand-alone” buildings in more suburban loca ons. Also because of the mul plicity of uses there are be er opportuni es to manage and share parking resources, par cularly where a signifi cant propor on of parking spaces are in public ownership or under public control.

Research and experience in other ci es has shown that actual parking needs in downtown areas are o en between 25% and 50% less than the theore cal requirements of city parking codes. Some ci es have therefore not only reduced parking requirements in downtown areas, but have also ins tuted a “fl at rate” parking requirement for commercial land uses – in some cases as low as 2.0 or 2.5 spaces per 1,000 sq. .

2. Parking in Downtown Baldwin Park

There is already a substan al amount of parking in the downtown, including public parking. In total there are approximately 2,621 parking spaces in the Specifi c Plan area, of which about half are public and half are private. Excluding the parking supply for Morgan Park and the Metrolink Sta on, there are approximately 1,950 spaces available for approximately 775,000 square feet of commercial building area. This translates to a supply of about 2.5 spaces per 1,000 sq. ., which is about 63% less than the citywide code requirement of 4.0 per 1000 sq. . for offi ce and retail commercial uses, and is consistent with the experience o en found in other ci es. From observa ons in Downtown Baldwin Park, while parking in some localized areas is fully u lized, in other areas it is less than fully u lized, indica ng that the total overall supply is adequate.

3. Downtown TOD Specifi c Plan Parking Strategy

The Parking Strategy comprises the following elements, designed to provide an integrated and comprehensive approach to parking in the Downtown Area:

a) Park Once. The Plan is based on the “Park Once” concept, where people are encouraged to park once in one loca on and then walk around Downtown to mul ple des na ons. This reduces the need for parking, reduces vehicular traffi c and vehicle emissions, consolidates the parking supply into fewer strategic loca ons, and improves the pedestrian environment by increasing pedestrian volumes on sidewalks (which also increases the volume of poten al patrons passing by on-street businesses). Many of the key ac vity centers and des na ons are located within a convenient walkable distance of a quarter mile walk of each other and the Metrolink Sta on.

b) Allow Shared Parking. The Plan allows the use of shared parking in order to minimize overall parking supply needs and to allow for the most effi cient


u liza on of parking resources. The exis ng zoning code contains certain provisions for shared parking in Subchapter 153.150.120. These provisions are extended in the Specifi c Plan area, to include the shared use of public parking facili es, and to extend the allowable distance between uses sharing parking to 1,000 feet.

c) Encourage Use of Alterna ve Modes to Reduce Parking Demand. The City should encourage the use of alternate transporta on modes, such as transit and bicycling, and should encourage transporta on demand management programs, to reduce the overall demand for parking. The Metrolink sta on provides a unique opportunity to reduce auto trips and parking demand in the Downtown area.

d) Encourage Employees to Use Off -Street Parking Facili es. The City should work with the private sector and the Downtown business community to encourage employees to use off -street parking, rather than short-term on-street spaces, so that the on-street spaces are conveniently available for visitors. This can also be facilitated by increased and more eff ec ve enforcement of short-term on-street parking

e) Provide Parking Supply Informa on. The City or the Downtown Business Improvement District should prepare and distribute, with ongoing updates as necessary, enhanced parking supply informa on for visitors and employees, including brochures and maps showing parking loca ons, and encouraging the “Park Once” strategy. This could include the use of on-street direc onal and informa onal signage and/or web-based informa on systems.

f) Metrolink Parking. The Specifi c Plan envisages the redevelopment of the exis ng surface Metrolink parking lots at the sta on and the intersec on of Ramona Boulevard and Badillo Street, and the reloca on of Metrolink parking from those lots to the Transit Center Garage on Bogart Avenue.

4. Parking Requirements in the Specifi c Plan Area

The parking requirements and standards contained in Subchapter 153.150 of the City of Baldwin Park Zoning Code shall be followed, except for the provisions required in this Specifi c Plan.

The Specifi c Plan provides for the following modifi ca ons to the Zoning Code parking requirements in the Downtown TOD Specifi c Plan Area. These modifi ca ons are introduced in order to provide a parking supply that is more closely tailored to the actual needs of Downtown land uses, to avoid the over overprovision of parking supply, and to allow greater fl exibility in the provision of required parking. They are also intended to facilitate and encourage smaller businesses and land uses in Downtown for which parking requirements may otherwise be too restric ve.


To refl ect the characteris cs of Downtown and the transit-oriented district around on the Metrolink Sta on, the following parking requirement adjustments shall apply to the Specifi c Plan Area:

• Parking requirements for commercial uses shall be 75% of the citywide requirement in Subchapter 153.150.

• Parking requirements for residen al mul -family uses shall be 1 space per bedroom (maximum of 3 spaces per unit) and 1 guest space per 10 units.

To support “Park Once”, shared parking shall be allowed as per Subchapter 153.150, subject to a Shared Parking Report, with the following addi onal provisions:

• Shared parking may also apply to public parking facili es.

• The distance within which off -site code-required parking can be located shall be 1,000 feet.

• The City shall encourage the owners of private parking facili es to make them available to all downtown users.

Future Parking Supply

Based on the projected increase of approximately 444,000 sq. . of new commercial development in the Downtown, and the parking provisions iden fi ed above, an addi onal 1,385 parking spaces would be required in the Downtown. Further applica on of shared parking, and use of alterna ve modes, could reduce this number. This addi onal parking can be provided in surface lots or in structured parking. It may be provided on private property or in public facili es. An ideal loca on for a new public parking garage would be the exis ng Laurens Avenue Lot, which is central to all areas of the Downtown. Any new private commercial parking should be open to all users to facilitate future shared parking and “park once”.

A Downtown Parking Study should be conducted to further evaluate in detail the future parking needs and preferred supply op ons, verify the poten al for shared parking, and develop a parking management plan for the downtown.

Bicycle Parking

In the Specifi c Plan Area the provisions in Subchapter 153.150 shall apply for bicycle parking, except that there shall be no maximum limit for number of spaces to be provided for commercial uses.

CHAPTER 6 Circula on and Parking - Baldwin...

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