HomeMy WebLinkAboutC23870 DSUSD - Construction of Landscaped Medians on Portola Ave (Washington Charter School)CITY OF PALM DESERT
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
CONTRACT NO. 23870
REQUEST: Receive and File Informational Report on Installation of Median Island on
Portola Avenue at Washington Charter School
SUBMITTED BY: Mark Greenwood, P.E., City Engineer
DATE: July 14, 2005
CONTENTS: E-mail from Peggy Reyes
Vicinity Map
Recommendation:
Receive and file.
Discussion:
At the June 9, 2005 City Council meeting, Council directed staff to coordinate with Desert Sands
Unified School District (DSUSD) staff regarding the need and funding mechanism for a proposed
median island on Portola Avenue in front of Washington Charter School. The need for this median
island results from the planned modernization of the school which would include construction of a
parking lot with two driveways on Portola Avenue and a student pick-up and drop-off area. The
median would mitigate traffic concerns created by the new parking lot and pick-up/drop-off area.
City and DSUSD staff met on June 30, 2005 to discuss the issues. The result of that meeting is that
DSUSD staff will not recommend the District pay any of the cost for the median beyond engineering
and administration.
DSUSD staff position is that the median should be built at the City's expense; to that end, DSUSD
staff drafted an agreement, which was subsequently approved by the DSUSD Board, whereby the
City of Palm Desert would reimburse 100% of the construction cost for the median. However, the
City has not executed this agreement. DSUSD staff position further indicates that absent the City's
agreement to finance construction of the median, it should be omitted from the project and that left -
turn access could be controlled by signage.
City of Palm Desert staff do not believe that signage would be effective in controlling left -turn traffic.
In response, the District proposed that the student pick-up and drop-off area not be located in the
new Portola parking lot. City staff are concerned that the existing student pick-up and drop-off area
traffic problems will be perpetuated into the future and the modernization will have done nothing to
resolve an obvious on -going problem.
Submitted
Mark Greenwood, P.E.
City Engineer
Approval:
Fblomer Croy
ACM for Development Services
Department Head:
Michael Errante, P.E.
Director of Public Works
Carlos Ot'fega
City Manager
/dhl
Page 1 of 1
Greenwood, Mark
From: Reyes, Peggy [Peggy.Reyes@dsusd.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 9:44 AM
To: Greenwood, Mark
Cc: Whitlinger, Charlene
Subject: Washington Charter School - Portola Median
The District will be constructing the Washington Charter School per plans and specifications as approved
by the Division of State Architect. The access off of Portola will be limited to bus and staff only. Parents
will be instructed to use the drop off on Chicory and parking on Lantana. This is the same traffic
pattern/utilization as in the past.
The District included the median improvements at the request of the City of Palm Desert per the City's
design in our bid documents. Any changes to the median as designed will result in a change order and
cost increase which will be passed on to the City.
This item will not be on the agenda for the Board of Education on July 19th
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Peggy Reyes-----
7/7/2005
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