Council Looks to Extend K-Rail Barrier Rentals to Protect Outdoor Diners

The City Council is looking to further protect both outdoor diners and local restaurants by extending K-rail barrier rentals through Jan. 18.

A recommendation by the Department of Transportation to extend the purchase order with Signal Hill-based Ellis Equipment, Inc. by three more months, and to increase the rental amount to $225,908 from the previous $75,908, is likely to be passed by the council at its meeting Monday. 

The recommendation was endorsed for approval by the council’s Finance Committee after a meeting on Sept. 21. 

Ellis Equipment, Inc. supplies the K-rail concrete barriers now installed to protect outdoor dining areas along Colorado Boulevard in Playhouse Village and Old Pasadena. 

A total of 48 businesses that offer outdoor dining while observing social distancing protocols are now benefiting from the project, which is now in its third deployment, according to a report prepared by the Department of Transportation for Monday’s meeting. 

Extending the project for three more months will cost the city an additional $150,000, which will be sourced from the Off-Street Parking Fund and the Old Pasadena Parking Meter Fund, the report said. 

Protective barriers were installed starting on July 11, when the City implemented its first phase of outdoor dining along Colorado Boulevard. This was after outdoor dining guidelines were issued and an online application process implemented to make it easier for businesses to have protective barriers installed. 

On July 18, the second phase of the project was implemented after Ellis Equipment offered to supply the K-rails and a purchase order was approved. The third phase started on Aug. 8 which covers K-rail rentals up to Oct. 18. 

“An increase of $150,000 to the Ellis Equipment, Inc. purchase order will allow for the replacement of the existing water-filled barricades on Colorado Boulevard with concrete K-rails, and a three-month rental extension for the existing concrete K-rails, extending the rental period of all K-rails to January 18, 2021,” stated the Department of Transportation report.