In 2017, Brea Envisions identified several initiatives and values that the Community envisioned for Brea’s future. Specifically, creating and enhancing this community to be healthy and walkable, improving and enhancing public spaces and recreational amenities, and improving and maintaining safety in the City and developing different transportation options to move around Brea. The City had great success with the Tracks at Brea trail system but recognized more will need to be done to continue to provide safe, comfortable routes and connections for residents of all ages and abilities to travel within the City.
The Brea Core Plan was subsequently initiated to review the central core of the City. With respect to mobility, the City received a grant from Caltrans (Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Grant) to look at improving safety and access of major east-west corridors like Lambert Road and Imperial Highway and north-south corridors like Brea Boulevard and State College Boulevard. The grant helped fund community engagement efforts, collect data on existing conditions, develop plans for remedies to circulation and mobility challenges and to develop a plan for potential future improvements.
The Brea Connecting the Core Active Transportation Plan (ATP) – See Attachment 2 - identifies mobility challenges and recommends a toolbox of potential solutions to improve circulation within Brea’s core. The community-driven Plan develops a vision for a connected and safe transportation system for all, organized by three core elements including:
- Provide access for all users
- Focus on safety enhancements
- Institute creative design solutions
A robust community engagement effort was the primary component in obtaining infrastructure and program recommendations for the Plan, with both high-tech and high-touch strategies conducted to maximize the number and quality of responses from members of the community. Over 25 in-person events were conducted and 2,500 public comments were received through the duration of Plan development, which occurred from February through December 2019. Engagement consisted of technical working group meetings with city staff and community members, traditional public workshops, pop-up activities, safe routes to school activities and a multi-day community charrette with one-on-one interviews with resident and business stakeholder groups. Complementing the in-person events were interactive online surveys and web maps on the Brea Core Plan website at planbrea.com. Notifications of in-person and online engagement were provided through printed flyers and postings on social media sites.
The Plan’s first engagement phase included a series of interactive boards that determined the community’s priorities for access, design and safety. Pop-up events were the key source for obtaining input during this phase. Interactive and colorful boards were leveraged to attract attention at a series of public events and meetings throughout the City. Respondents prioritized improvements to pedestrian and bicycle facilities and increased connectivity throughout Brea Core Plan Area for access. To improve safety, slowing the speed of motor vehicle traffic, improving crosswalks and lighting were key priorities. The addition of trees and benches were the top desired design improvements.
The second phase of community engagement solicited infrastructure improvements for key corridors in Brea’s core. Similar to the first engagement phase, interactive table activities were created as a key component to engage community members throughout the City. Participants noted the need for better connectivity to local trails and more bikeways, particularly along Berry Street and Brea Boulevard. Participants expressed safety concerns, specifying locations for speed bumps near schools and enhanced crosswalks for pedestrians. The addition of trees, shade, pedestrian scaled lighting, and water features were the top desired design related improvements. Based on feedback received during the first and second phase of community engagement, a Draft Plan was developed that included the following components:
- A set of goals and policies expanded upon the three core elements of the Plan.
- Increasing access by creating an environment in the Brea Core Plan Area where all people can navigate comfortably.
- Creating an environment in the Brea Core Plan Area that feels safe and welcoming for people of all ages and abilities.
- Developing places and streets in the Brea Core Plan Area that are comfortable and pleasant through instituting creative design solutions.
- A toolbox of improvements outlining a range of facility types to improve pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular infrastructure, and site-specific design improvements to improve wayfinding, lighting and landscaping throughout the Brea Core Plan Area.
- A detailed set of improvement options for ten corridors in the Brea Core Plan Area. Each corridor includes a description of opportunities, recommendations to consider with sketches illustrating potential improvements, and specific grant opportunities to fund infrastructure tailored to each corridor.
- An outline of steps to implement Plan recommendations, including pursuit of funding, coordination with regional agencies, environmental review, additional outreach to be conducted, development of design drawings and construction coordination.
Following the release of the Draft Plan, a third phase of engagement was conducted to receive comments on the Plan from the community. The Draft Plan was presented at an open house and at four pop-up activities held throughout the City. Activity booths provided participants an opportunity to review the Draft Plan and to participate in an online survey, with over 400 unique interactions received. Responses received from the survey demonstrated strong support for improvement options proposed in the Plan, with 85% supporting Plan recommendations.
Further demonstrating Plan improvements upon release of the Draft Plan, a complete streets demonstration event was held in November 2019. A temporary high visibility crosswalk was installed for students to use at the Brea Junior High Park crossing at Country Lane and Lambert Road. Approximately 90 Brea Junior High School students, as well as some parents and teachers attended the event. The event provided games and other activities to engage students with complete streets concepts and active transportation safety tips. Similar to the online survey, there was overwhelming support for pedestrian and bicycle improvements.
FISCAL IMPACT/SUMMARY
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There is no fiscal impact associated with the adoption of the Brea Connecting the Core Active Transportation Plan. While the Brea Connecting the Core Active Transportation Plan recommends approximately $20 million dollars in potential infrastructure improvements throughout the Brea Core Plan area, the City is not obligated to fund Plan recommendations. City Council adoption of the Plan will enable City Staff to pursue program and infrastructure funds through the Caltrans Active Transportation Program, which distributes over $440 million dollars in pedestrian and bicycle improvements every 2 years. The next grant cycle is expected to be released in Spring 2020. Having an adopted Active Transportation Plan is a key component in being competitive for not only pursuing Caltrans Active Transportation grant funds, but grants through other statewide and regional programs, including OCTA’s Bicycle Corridor Improvement Program, the Recreational Trails Program administered by California State Parks, and Urban Greening Grant Funding administered through the California Natural Resources Agency. Additional opportunities to fund recommendations may be available through collection of developer fees as properties in the Brea Core Plan Area turn over.
SUMMARY
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| Approval of the Brea Connecting the Core Active Transportation Plan would allow staff to pursue grant funding for pedestrian and bicycle improvements in the Brea Core Plan Area. The plan will also serve as a component to help update the General Plan with respect to circulation, urban design, and bikeways. Overall, this will result in the advancement of community initiatives described in the Brea Envisions Strategic Plan, as well as incorporate community input received throughout the development of the Brea Connecting the Core Active Transportation Plan. |
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