BACKGROUND:
In July of 2020, the City Council awarded STC Traffic Inc. (STC) a contract to complete a Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP). The LRSP is needed to secure additional State and Federal grants related to traffic safety. STC performed a city-wide roadway and intersection safety analysis, compiled the data and completed the LRSP in the Fall of 2021.
While compiling data for the LRSP, the City and STC concurrently applied for a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Cycle 10 Grant to improve safety for pedestrians crossing Ramon Road.
On March 26, 2021, Caltrans awarded the City with a $776,600 HSIP Cycle 10 Project (Project) Grant to install a High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) crossing and respective median fencing along Ramon Road near the intersection area of Avenida La Paloma. Of the total Grant award, Caltrans allocated $138,300 in funding for the Preliminary Engineering (PE) Phase of the Project on October 10, 2021.
On February 23, 2022 the City Council awarded a Professional Services Agreement with STC Traffic Inc. (STC) to prepare the plans, specifications, and environmental documents for the Project.
At the June 22, 2022 Study Session meeting, City Staff provided City Council an update on the Project regarding the Project vicinity, existing conditions, and proposed optimal configuration of the crosswalk, location shift along Ramon Road and the type of signal to be installed. In this case, the signal was proposed to be changed from the originally submitted HAWK configured traffic signal to a conventional traffic signal configured for pedestrian crossings only.
On September 8, 2022, Caltrans approved Cathedral City’s scope change requests to install a conventional traffic pedestrian signal at the new location of Ramon Road and Candlewood Drive.
Subsequent to Caltrans approval of the Project scope changes. City Staff provided City Council with an update on the Project regarding median fencing options at the September 28, 2022 Study Session meeting. City Council directed City Staff to return to Council with alternate designs incorporating the mountains, the City logo and/or conventional designs, with budgets to consider at a future meeting.
DISCUSSION:
Ramon Road currently operates with a posted speed limit of 40 MPH within the Project vicinity, with an Average Daily Traffic (ADT) of approximately 41,000 vehicles according to Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Traffic Data 2022. The roadway accommodates two-way traffic with three lanes of travel in each direction separated by medians between Landau Boulevard and Whispering Palm Trail.
Sidewalks are provided along both sides of the roadway for the entire length of the study area.
Accidents involving motor vehicles and pedestrians usually occur when pedestrians attempt to enter and cross the roadway at a non-designated crossing. Median fencing, also known as pedestrian fencing, restricts illegal access of pedestrians across roadways and guides their movements to safe crossing locations. At this location along Ramon Road, the Grant was awarded to provide a new protected crossing, with a safe harbor median area and median fencing to discourage pedestrians from not using the signalized crossing.
The scope of this Project includes up to 1,225 linear feet (LF) of median fencing, which is approximately the distance of the medians along Ramon Road from Landau Boulevard to Whispering Palms Trail. The Project Grant allowance for the median fencing is $122,500. The location of median fencing is provided as an attachment to this Staff Report.
The selection of the median fencing is necessary to finalize the plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E) for this Project. As a result, City Staff contacted various fencing manufacturers to provide the Council with cost-effective, functional, and aesthetically pleasing options for median fencing. Two fencing manufacturers provided informal estimates and samples for median fencing:
•Ochoa Iron Fabrication: Hemet, CA
oStandard Tubular Steel Fencing: Cost Estimate Only
oCathedral City Tubular Fencing: Sample and Cost Estimate •Cochrane Fencing: Washington, CA with an office in Los Angeles oCathedral City Cochrane Fence: Sample and Cost Estimate *Both samples are provided as an attachment to this Staff Report.
The table below outlines the cost estimates (and potential cost over the Grant allowance) for three median fencing options, Detail A, B and C. The cost estimates for Detail A and B, the tubular steel options, were provided by Ochoa Iron Fabrication. The cost estimate for Detail C, custom no-cut no-climb fence option, was provided by Cochrane Fencing.
Median Fencing Cost Estimates
Detail Fencing Description
Unit
Price
($/Linear
Foot)
Total Cost
Cost Over
Grant
Allowance
A Standard Tubular Steel
Fencing 122.00 $149,450.00 $26,950.00
B Cathedral City Tubular
Fence 191.00 $229,200.00 $106,700.00
C Cathedral City
Cochrane Fence 189.33 $227,200.00 $104,700.00
Due to the increased cost of median fencing materials and labor costs, selecting the least expensive option (Detail A), standard tubular steel fencing, will require an additional $26,950 over the Grant allowance. For this option, City Staff can submit an Additional Fund Request Form to Caltrans, to petition the increase in costs of materials should be covered by this HSIP Grant. Caltrans typically approves additional funding for the cost increases for typical standard design fencing.
On the other side, Caltrans, historically, does not approve additional funding for custom fencing designs. With this cost consideration in mind, the custom designs will likely require any additional funding over the originally set Grant amount will need to be covered by the City.
Staff is requesting the City Council consider the presented fencing options and provide Staff with the preferred choice. Once a choice is made, Staff will direct STC to complete the plans and specifications so the Project can be prepare an advertisement to receive bids. In consideration of the choices, Staff may carve out the fencing portion of the Project and bid this item separately as a purchase only with the traffic signal/median contractor to install or a fencing contractor to supply and install.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The HSIP Cycle 10 grant is a 100% grant with no local match required. This Project is listed in the FY 2021-22 and FY 2022-23 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) as account 331-100-150-156-8800-8802, Project C08753 with an overall budget amount of $776,600.00.
Note: The initial planning for this application was completed in 2020. Cost of materials and goods have increased approximately 35% over the past two years. Once the construction costs are established after bids are received and these costs have been determined to be over the designated Grant funding amount, Staff will solicit Caltrans to increase the Grant amount to cover the cost increases (including the custom fence costs), all subject to Caltrans approval. If rejected, the City will be required to pay for any costs over the allotted $122,500 Grant amount.