Staff Report
City Council
Item No. {{section.number}}.G
Meeting Date: December 11, 2024
From: John A. Corella, Director of Public Works
Title: Task Order for the Design of Traffic Signal and Intersection Improvements at East Palm Canyon Drive and Cree Road
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve Task Order 01 for engineering design services of a traffic signal at the intersection of East Palm Canyon Drive and Cree Road with the city’s on-call engineering support consultant, Interwest Consulting Group in the not to exceed amount of $76,800; and authorize the City Engineer to execute the Task Order.
BACKGROUND:
On February 23, 2022, City Council authorized a task order for Interwest Consulting Group (Interwest) to provide design and engineering services for a roadway widening along East Palm Canyon Drive between Canyon Plaza and the western city limits, project C08874.
At the same meeting, City Council also authorized a preliminary design agreement with Southern California Edison (SCE) for the design and cost estimate to underground seven (7) power poles that conflict with the proposed roadway widening project. The power poles are located on the south side of East Palm Canyon Drive, between the Palm Springs/Cathedral City border and west of Elks Drive.
Since the execution of the task order and agreement mentioned above, city staff, Interwest (Civil Designer), and SCE have held numerous meetings and correspondence to coordinate the project's roadway widening and power pole undergrounding. In February 2023, Interwest completed a 95% plans, specifications, and estimate (PS&E) submittal of the roadway widening project. The 95% PS&E submittal was then shared with SCE planners to properly place the underground utilities within the future limits of the roadway widening. In November 2024, SCE returned a preliminary design for review and approval of the placement/alignment of their underground electrical facilities.
During the design phase of the project, the Planning Division of the Community and Economic Development Department received a preliminary proposal for the development of vacant land located south of the intersection of East Palm Canyon Drive and Cree Road. A traffic impact analysis shows that future development of this site will require the installation of a traffic signal at the currently unsignalized intersection of East Palm Canyon Drive and Cree Road (see the attached project location map). The future applicant of the site will be required to contribute an apportioned costs associated with constructing the future traffic signal.
With plans to widen the roadway and place SCE power poles underground, city staff have determined that this is an ideal time to include this traffic signal design and construction in the roadway widening project.
DISCUSSION:
Interwest provides the city’s Engineering Department with on-call engineering support services and is also the civil engineering company providing the design for the East Palm Canyon Street Widening project. Interwest is experienced in traffic signal design and can successfully incorporate the plans into the existing project. Therefore, city staff requested Interwest to provide a task order proposal for the engineering and design services of the proposed traffic signal located at the intersection of East Palm Canyon Drive and Cree Road.
The scope of work for this task order includes the traffic signal design, intersection geometry analysis, pavement marking plans, signage plans, and traffic signal equipment. Additionally, a raised median island will be evaluated, and if the median complies with CA Street Design Guidelines, a raised median will be designed into the project to provide for a future city entryway monument. (If a median can be installed, the landscaping of the median will be presented to the City Council separately). Interwest will provide a complete and updated set of construction drawings, technical specifications, and a construction cost estimate for the project.
Staff reviewed Interwest’s cost proposal and determined that these costs are in line with industry rates for similar services and with recent city’s traffic signal design projects.
Staff is requesting the City Council approve Task Order 01 for engineering design services of a traffic signal at the intersection of East Palm Canyon Drive and Cree Road with the city’s on-call engineering support consultant, Interwest Consulting Group in the not to exceed amount of $76,800; and authorize the City Engineer to execute the Task Order.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This Task Order in the not to exceed amount of $76,800 will be funded with the Engineering Fund, Professional and Technical Services account number 100-100-150-156-8600-8601 as detailed in the table below
DESCRIPTION GENERAL
LEDGER
ACCOUNT CODES
PROJECT
CODE
AMOUNT ONE TIME or
ONGOING
2024-2025
Engineering
Professional and
Technical Services
100-100-150-156-
8600-8601 8874 76,800 ONE TIME
2024-2025 Total $76,800
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.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Task Order 01 - Design Services: Traffic Signal Located at E Palm Canyon and Cree Rd
2. Project Location Map