Story Created:
Jan 27, 2010 at 3:58 PM PST
Story Updated:
Jan 27, 2010 at 3:58 PM PST
The Culver City Council Monday initiated the process of finding a company to install electronic signs on city parking structures that would inform drivers of space availability.
Known as a real time motorist information system, the project will cost about $1.072 million, but most of it will be reimbursed through different grants.
With a unanimous vote, the council directed staff to start soliciting contractors for the job.
With a downtown that’s almost been completely revitalized, city staff believe
the time has come to pursue such a technology to make visitors’ stay in Culver City more comfortable.
“The goals of the RTMIS project are: reduce traffic congestion, minimize parking frustration and improve air quality due to reductions in auto emissions,” a staff report read.
Such electronic signs are already in place in parking structures such as the one located at The Grove in Beverly Hills, downtown Santa Monica and the Century City Westfield Mall.
Culver City’s real time motorist information system will be installed at the Watseka, Cardiff and Ince Parking Structures and the future Washington/National Transit Oriented Development.
The signs will also be installed on Washington and Culver Boulevards, according to city staff reports.
“This is a very exciting step forward toward making Culver City a more enjoyable place to visit and as good a neighborhood to the people that live nearby,” said Councilman Scott Malsin.
Of the more than $1 million price tag for the project, up to $858,000 will be reimbursed by Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant funds.
No date has been set for when completion of the initiative.
In other business, the council certified a report outlining City Manager Mark Scott’s intention to trim costs by offering early retirement benefits to employees over the age of 50.
The plan is to give two years of additional service credit to city staffers who have been members of the California Public Employees Retirement System for at least five years.
Forty-one employees have been identified as eligible for this early retirement incentive. If all of them accepted it, it would save the city $4 million.
However, Scott indicated a report that more reasonable figures — such as the possibility of four employees accepting the package — which would achieve a net savings of $383,000. The departure of eight employees would generate $767,000 in savings.
The potential window for offering the early retirement incentives package could be Feb. 15-Jun. 15.
RSS Feeds 
