How To Manage Traffic For Special Events In Santa Monica

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1 Abstract Event Traffic Management in Santa Monica Sam Morrissey, P.E., City of Santa Monica In the past year the City of Santa Monica has changed the way it manages traffic and parking operations for special events. Major events in Santa Monica have included the 100 th Anniversary of the opening of the Santa Monica Pier, the Cirque du Soleil, pep rallies for the teams competing in the Rose Bowl, the annual American Film Market conference, and the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon. Each of these events draws tens of thousands of people to Santa Monica, and numerous vehicles; with the City s limited transportation network and parking options, it is a challenge for City staff to work with event organizers to make the events a success without causing major traffic delays for the residents and workers in Santa Monica. This paper will discuss some of the key lessons-learned by City staff as we continue to evolve the way we manage traffic for special events. Tools used by the City include: Detailed traffic management plans showing static and dynamic messaging; inter-departmental coordination between Transportation Management, Public Works, Community & Cultural Services, and the Police and Fire Departments; and variable parking rates to reduce congestion in the Downtown area. Given the recent economic climate, it has also been a challenge to make the most of the City s resources while simultaneously making sure that event organizers bear the burden of appropriate traffic management. Introduction With its oceanfront setting, comfortable climate, and its location within the greater Los Angeles region, Santa Monica is a highly desired location for special events. In the past year the City has hosted numerous events, ranging in size from family gatherings in local parks to the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon. In past years the City approached event management on a case-by-case basis, without a consistent approach regarding transportation management. Since early 2009, the City has taken a more coordinated approach to event traffic management. This coordinated approach includes the preparation of comprehensive transportation management plans for events of all size. For smaller events the transportation management plan may be minimal, as simple as identifying parking and loading areas. For larger-scale events, however, the transportation management plans can be extremely complex and involve the coordination of multiple City Departments. Types of Events Between January 2009 and April 2010, the City of Santa Monica has hosted a number of events including: 100 th Anniversary of the opening of the Santa Monica Pier Cirque du Soleil Parades Weekly farmer s markets 5k/10k races

2 American Film Market and other conferences Beach-related events (including pep rallies for the Rose Bowl teams) 2010 Los Angeles Marathon One of the more unique events was a traditional Hindu wedding procession in November 2009, which included more than 150 wedding participants in a procession along City streets, a few horses, and the groom riding an elephant. Photo credit: Santa Monica Daily Press Event Planning Pre-event planning typically begins with the event organizers. Often the event organizers will bring a proposed event to the City for discussion. In the past year we have seen a substantial increase in new proposals for road races, with many 5k/10k and half marathon routes proposed. Depending on the nature of the event, pre-event planning can range from an idea of what the event entails to detailed presentations to City Council. A critical component for all event planning is the estimate of attendance and traffic generation. The event organizers sometimes provide this information, while other times City staff can assist in preparing the estimates based on previous event experience.

3 Once the pre-planning for an event has produced the critical conceptual components (attendance estimates, traffic estimates, event location, etc.), an event committee is convened by City staff. This event committee consists of City staff members from all Departments. Key issues related to public safety, traffic control, public health, and risk management are identified by the committee members. The event committee also provides a detailed list of instructions to the event organizer, notifying the event organizer of the process for obtaining an event permit. In order to obtain an event permit, event organizers must work with various City departments to receive sign-off on identified issues. Another key component of event planning is the identification of critical public outreach aspects. Depending on the event size and scope, the notification of the public and local businesses is critical to ensure event success. Transportation Management Plan Components When producing a transportation management plan for an event, one of the first questions is typically what is the difference between a traffic control plan, a traffic management plan, and a transportation management plan? Although the terms are somewhat similar and possibly interchangeable, in the City of Santa Monica the following definitions are applied: A transportation management plan pertains to all aspects of event transportation: Site access, parking, shuttles, routing, Police Traffic Service Officer deployment locations, etc. It includes a traffic control plan, described below. o A traffic management plan would be similar to a transportation management plan, perhaps with less detail (maybe for a smaller event). City of Santa Monica staff does not recommend using this term, as it can add to confusion. A traffic control plan (TCP) is a specific set of plans showing the location of traffic control devices (e.g., cones, barricades), noting the specific signs to be posted, and other detailed information in regards to activities that would be occurring within the public right-of-way (e.g., sidewalks and streets). In the City of Santa Monica, the Transportation Management Division has specific instructions for the preparation, submittal, and review of a TCP. A traffic control plan is a critical part of the broader transportation management plan. In Santa Monica, every event should have a transportation management plan, which will include a traffic control plan. City of Santa Monica Transportation Management Division staff would review and approve the traffic control plan, and Police and others would be involved in approval of the transportation management plan. For large-scale events, the event transportation plan complements the event action plan (EAP) produced by the City Police and Fire Departments. The preparation of an EAP is a critical component of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the national

4 protocol for incident response developed by the Federal emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Recognizing that the definition of the event transportation management plan is broad, the plan addresses issues such as: Event area Traffic control Parking Shuttles and transit Traffic operations Pedestrians Bicycles Emergency access City vehicle access Pre-event checklist Event-day protocols Depending on the size of the event, the level of detail addressed in the transportation management plan varies. For example, in the traditional Hindu wedding procession described above, the transportation management plan included the following: Traffic control plan, identifying procession area, loading and unloading areas, barricades, and signs. Description of parking locations for event participants (parking was identified at an off-site location). Emergency access, in terms of animal control and measures to ensure public safety. Another example is the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon. The 2010 Los Angeles Marathon (LA Marathon) was Sunday March 21, The 26.2 mile race course began near Downtown Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium and ran west towards the coast, ending in the City of Santa Monica. Within the City of Santa Monica, the race course entered the City limits on San Vicente Blvd. at 26th Street. The race course continued west on San Vicente Blvd. to Ocean Ave., where it then turned south to run along Ocean Ave. to the finish line at the intersection of Ocean Ave./Santa Monica Blvd. The 2010 LA Marathon attracted more than 26,000 registrants. Since the race ended in the City, Santa Monica became the focal point for all race participants and spectators. By all estimates, more than 23,000 people finished the race, with nearly double that number in spectators, and an additional race employees, volunteers, and City staff. Combined with normal Sunday resident, worker, and visitor traffic concentrated around Downtown Santa Monica, the 2010 LA Marathon was one of the largest events held in Santa Monica to-date.

5 The development of the transportation management plan for the 2010 LA Marathon began in November The final transportation management plan included the following components: Event Overview o Runner and Vehicle Estimates Traffic Control o Street Closures o Traffic Control Devices o Detours o Bike Valet Signage o Parking Signage o VMS Deployment Caltrans VMS Deployment Detail LA Marathon VMS Deployment Detail City of Santa Monica VMS Deployment Detail o Traffic Operations Intersection Traffic Control Emergency Access Downtown Sanitation Truck Access o Pedestrian Access and Circulation Pre-Event Pedestrian Circulation Event Circulation Post-Event Circulation Parking o Parking Space Demand o Pre-Sale Parking Program and Rates for Marathon Participants o Contingency Participant Parking o Spectator and General Public Parking o City Staff Parking

6 o Pier Tenant and Employee Parking o Non-Profit Religious Organization and Downtown Employee Parking o Traffic Control for Reserved Parking Arrivals o Post-Race Pickup o Resident Parking o Valet Parking o Buses/Transit o Access for Workers/Residents on Ocean Front Walk north of Seaside Terrace o Preferential Parking/Enforcement o Bike Parking/Bike Valet o Beach Parking Permits Notifications o General Public Outreach Traffic Plan Information Santa Monica s Frequently Asked Questions about the LA Marathon o Outreach to Business Districts/Associations o Outreach to Neighborhood Groups o City Radio Station Notification Event day Message from Midnight to 6AM Event day Message from 6AM to 5PM Event Day Protocols Pre- Event Checklist Event Day Timeline The transportation management plan for the 2010 LA Marathon was produced by City of Santa Monica Transportation Management Division staff, and complemented the EAP produced by City of Santa Monica Police and Fire Department staff. Since the LA Marathon traversed five jurisdictions, a multi-agency command center was established, with broader incident response protocols developed by regional emergency service personnel. Lessons Learned As mentioned previously, the City of Santa Monica has only recently taken a more coordinated approach to event traffic management. As such, the City is still learning from events and is constantly working to enhance the development and implementation of event transportation management plans. Some of the key lessons learned are: 1. Fully understand the scope of each event and develop specific transportation management plans as appropriate. Each event is different and presents different challenges to transportation management. In the pre-event and early planning stages, it is important to reach out to people of all areas of expertise in order to develop a comprehensive

7 understanding of the scope of the event. In the City of Santa Monica, this includes the involvement of staff members from all City Departments. In the case of the LA Marathon, since the City was unfamiliar with events of that nature, City staff members made a point of observing other marathons in the region. By observing other marathons, City staff members developed a better understanding of the planned event, including critical details such as spectator/participant interactions and shuttle service. 2. Ensure appropriate traffic control and provide for the clear separation of pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles. In all instances, appropriate traffic control must be provided to ensure the safety of event participants and non-event traffic. This can range from simple signs and barricades to water-filled barriers. Even for small-scale events, traffic control must be provided to make sure that activities such as loading/unloading, pedestrian circulation, bicycle parking, and transit access can occur in a safe manner. Do not underestimate the importance of advance signage; advanced wayfinding, directional, and detour signage is critical to managing and disbursing event traffic. For road closures, the posting of informational signs at least one week in advance serves to notify businesses and residents of planned events and road closures. In the City of Santa Monica, maintaining the circulation of all modes of travel is of the utmost importance. During events that can create substantial volumes of pedestrians, bicycles, and/or vehicles (whether at a single location or throughout a large area), the circulation needs of all modes must be anticipated. For highpedestrian volume events, the City has found that the most-prudent approach is to close off areas for pedestrian and bicycle traffic only. Although this approach may sometimes restrict vehicular access, alternate access plans can be provided and the separation of vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles helps to ensure the safe circulation of all modes. 3. Parking rates can have a significant effect on traffic congestion. The City of Santa Monica has embraced the concept of using parking pricing to manage traffic congestion. By making parking rates more expensive near the event and less expensive at more remote locations, the City has been able to better manage event traffic and related congestion. For example, for the 100 th Anniversary of the opening of the Santa Monica Pier, the City adjusted

8 parking rates at all City-owned facilities. Parking was $20 at facilities closest to the Pier and $10 in all Downtown facilities. The City also alerted private parking lot operators to the planned rate increase, so many of the private lots opened at rates equal to or less than City-owned facilities. Five blocks east of the Pier, parking rates were not adjusted. The Pier event drew more than 30,000 attendees; most of whom parked at locations outside of the Downtown area and away from the Pier (at least five blocks east). A number of vehicles entered parking facilities near the Pier only to make a u-turn, typically exclaiming, If parking is $20, I ll park at home and walk; which was the intent of the pricing scheme. In contrast to vehicle traffic, the event saw a substantial increase in bicycles, with more than 10% of the event attendees arriving by bicycle, based on observations. 4. Provide dedicated travel lanes for transit, City vehicles, and emergency vehicles. At the peak of any event, the number of attendees reaches its maximum point. For events of various sizes, this can mean a substantial amount of additional people concentrated around the focal point of the event. In the case of largescale events, such as the LA Marathon, this can mean the concentration of tens of thousands of people in the Downtown area, an area which also normally attracts a substantial amount of traffic on nonevent days. The combination of normal day-to-day traffic with event-related traffic can result in significant traffic congestion. The movement of all modes, pedestrians, bicycles, vehicles, and transit, can be inhibited and sometimes brought to a standstill. Therefore, it is important to provide dedicated roadway lanes for transit, City vehicles, and emergency vehicles. The provision of dedicated lanes for City and emergency vehicles will ensure that City services can continue to be provided in a timely manner, even during periods of peak congestion. The provision of dedicated transit lanes, combined with variable parking rates to disperse event traffic, can assist in increasing the mode share of event-related traffic using transit. Dedicated lanes can also be utilized to shuttle event traffic between remote parking facilities and the event location.

9 Conclusion In conclusion, it is important to develop transportation management plans for events of all sizes. Each unique event will necessitate specific aspects for transportation management. For large-scale events, it is critical to involve all parties who will be involved in some aspect of transportation. Last, recognize that there will be lessons learned from all events, particularly those events occurring for the first time. Learn from all events and use those lessons learned to improve transportation management for future events. Author Information Sam Morrissey, P.E. Principal Transportation Engineer City of Santa Monica Transportation Management Division Planning and Community Development Department 1685 Main Street, Room 115 Santa Monica, CA Tel: