BACKGROUND:
On March 25, 2020, City Council awarded Ames Construction, Inc. the construction contract for the Cathedral Canyon Bridge over Whitewater River Project in the amount of $19,176,882.00 with a 10% contingency of $1,917,688.20, thereby making the total construction budget $21,094,570.20.
The scope of work consisted of constructing a new 4-lane bridge providing a roadway section in conformance with the City’s General Plan. The typical cross-section provides two lanes for vehicle traffic in each direction, a bike lane and a sidewalk on the west side, and a CV Link trail on the east side to accommodate pedestrians, bicycle, and Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs). The Project also included flood improvements to the Whitewater River Channel to protect the new bridge structure and improve the downstream local drainage within the Project area.
DISCUSSION:
The construction contract for the Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge started on June 15, 2020, and was accepted for operation in June 2022 and was substantially completed on September 23, 2022. However, in February 2023, as staff prepared to complete the closeout of the Project, the Contractor (Ames Construction Inc.) identified some concrete cracking on the abutments of the bridge. The Bridge Designer (CNS Engineering, Inc.) returned to the Project site and determined the structural integrity of the bridge was not affected and provided a plan to repair the concrete cracks. Thus, the Contractor returned to the site on April 12, 2023, to begin the repair work and completed these repairs on May 22, 2023.
City Staff reviewed and inspected the improvements and found the Project was built in accordance with all contract requirements, and therefore recommend City Council acceptance of the Project as complete.
City Council acceptance is required to approve the Project’s final contract amount and release retention funds. Retention funds are monies earned by the Contractor withheld from progress payments pending satisfactory completion and final acceptance of the Project.
Additionally, City Council acceptance of the Project requires a Notice of Completion (NOC) be filed with the Riverside County Recorder’s office. The NOC is a written notice issued by the owner of a project, or their agent, to notify concerned parties all work on the project has been completed. This notice also sets the period, which is 30 days from the date the NOC is filed, within which, concerned parties may exercise their lien rights against one another. Once the thirty-day period has expired, and provided no claims or liens are received, the City can release retention funds.
City Staff recommends City Council accept and approve the Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge Project (CIP 8919) as final; and authorize the City Manager to execute and file a Notice of Completion with the Riverside County Recorder's office on behalf of the City Council; and authorize the release of retention funds to Ames Construction Inc. upon expiration of the Notice of Completion.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Construction Funding
Fund Name/Source Amount
Federal Highway Bridge Program; BR NBIL (504) $18,675,023.00 CVAG Share $1,814,660.40
City Share $604,886.80
Total Funding $21,094,570.20
Construction Cost
The construction contract agreement with Ames Construction Inc. was in the amount of $19,176,882.00.
Change orders for additional work during construction were approved in the amount of $423,334.76. A summary of change orders is attached to this report.
When construction was completed, the final quantity adjustments on bid items and change orders was performed reducing the construction cost in the amount of $307,960.02. Therefore, the actual cost for additional work was in the amount of $115,374.74, as shown in the attached Change Order Log.
The total construction cost for the Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge is $19,292,256.74 and is summarized below.
Contract Amount $19,176,882.00
Change Order Amount $423,334.76
Quantities Adjustments ($307,960.02)
Total Construction Cost $19,292,256.74
The final invoice (retention) in the amount of $437,471.57 will be released to Ames Construction Inc., 30 days from the date that the NOC is filed should there be no claims or discrepancies in the work completed.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
GOAL B: COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
Objective: Cathedral City roads, gateways, public spaces, and other city infrastructure are well planned, designed, constructed, and maintained.