Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 5.E
Meeting Date: February 12, 2025
From: John A. Corella, Director of Public Works
Title: Active Transportation Program Cycle 5: Cathedral Canyon Drive Sidewalks and Multiuse Trail Project (C08505) and Date Palm Drive Expansion Project (C08508) - Falcon Engineering Services, Inc.
Professional Services Agreement Amendment No. 1
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute Contract Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement with Falcon Engineering Services, Inc., in the amount of $110,000, for construction engineering services provided on the Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 5 for Cathedral Canyon Drive Sidewalks and Multiuse Trail Project (C08505), and Date Palm Drive Expansion Project (C08508).
BACKGROUND:
The Active Transportation Program (ATP) was created to encourage increased use of active modes of transportation, such as biking and walking. The program’s goals include increasing the number of trips accomplished by walking and biking and increasing the safety and mobility of non-motorized users. The ATP helps regional agencies achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals, enhance public health, and ensure disadvantaged communities fully share the program benefits. This allows for a broad spectrum of projects to benefit many types of active transportation users.
Cathedral City’s ATP Cycle 5 Project includes three (3) segments connected to the downtown area that will improve accessibility to active transportation. The three segments and the improvements included in the ATP Cycle 5 Projects are listed below:
East Palm Canyon Drive Bike Lanes (C08504) – Signing and striping, legends, chevrons, and detector loops. The notice of completion was accepted by the City Council on March 27, 2024.
Cathedral Canyon Drive Sidewalks and Multiuse Trail (C08505) – Curb and gutter, sidewalk, multiuse trail, and ADA curb ramps.
Date Palm Drive Expansion South of Perez Road to East Palm Canyon Drive (C08508) – East side roadway improvements include curb and gutter, sidewalk, ADA curb ramps, driveway approaches, metal hand railings, catch basin, bridge widening and standing wall.
On November 8, 2023, the City Council approved and awarded a construction contract and a professional services agreement for construction engineering support services for the Cathedral Canyon Drive Sidewalk and Multiuse Trail (C08505) and Date Palm Drive Expansion (C08508).
Cathedral Canyon Drive Sidewalk and Multiuse Trail Project (C08505) The project is located on Cathedral Canyon Drive from Canyon Shores Drive to Dinah Shore Drive. The project removed the existing Cathedral Canyon Drive striping and installed new striping and signage, incorporating the new 6-foot-wide bicycle lane along the west side of Cathedral Canyon Drive, as well as a multiuse trail on the east side of the road. Additionally, a high intensity activated crosswalk (HAWK), sidewalks (west side), curbs, gutters, and ADA curb ramps were constructed within the limits of the project.
Date Palm Drive Expansion Project (C08508)
The project is located on Date Palm Drive from East Palm Canyon Drive to Perez Road. The project removed the existing Date Palm Drive striping and installed new striping and signage, incorporating the new 6-foot-wide bicycle lane along the east side of Date Palm Drive, which included the widening of the east side of the North Cathedral City Stormwater Channel Bridge. Additionally, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, ADA curbs ramps, driveway approaches, and hand railings were constructed within the limits of the project.
Construction Engineering Support Services
To ensure compliance with all State-funded ATP requirements for construction, in August of 2023, city staff solicited for Construction Engineering Support Services for the ATP Cycle 5 Project. Pursuant to State-funded ATP requirements the construction engineering support services for this Project include construction management, labor compliance monitoring and enforcement, inspections, and material testing.
As a result of the solicitation for services and completing the federal/state evaluation process, the City Council approved Falcon Engineering Services, Inc. for this work on November 8, 2023.
DISCUSSION:
Due to additional scope of work and time delays due to lead time of materials, Falcon Engineering Services Inc. (Falcon) is requesting an amendment to the professional services agreement for construction engineering support services.
Cathedral Canyon Drive Sidewalk and Multiuse Trail Project (C08505) There were utility facilities in the City’s right-of-way that needed to be relocated by each respective utility company. The utility companies were involved during the design process, with design consultant creating utility exhibits for each utility company and each facility that needed to be relocated. The utility companies were notified again when the construction contract was awarded. Due to delays in the schedule of the utility companies to relocate their facilities, there were significant delays. Falcon managed the project by working with the contractor to complete as much of the project while simultaneously coordinating with the utility companies.
Date Palm Drive Expansion Project (C08508)
During the design process, city staff applied for an encroachment permit with the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (RCFCWCD) to work within the North Cathedral City Stormwater Channel to widen the bridge. The review process by the RCFCWCD lasted nearly one year. This caused delays with the start of this project.
Additionally, when the RCFCWCD issued the city the encroachment permit and the contractor was ready to start work in the channel, the RCFCWCD notified the city that they had missed an element in their review and required the city to make necessary changes to the project. City staff worked with Falcon to review and resubmit the project plans. Once the revised plans were reviewed and approved by the RCFCWCD, the Contractor had to wait for lead time of materials.
The delays in both projects were due to unforeseen conditions related to coordination with outside agencies. Falcon provided construction engineering services by contacting and coordinating with outside agencies and working with the contractor through the delays.
In April 2024, Falcon notified the city that due to the additional scope of work and time delays due to lead time of materials, they were out of budget. Falcon had the option to default on their contract or to finish out the project per their contract, with the risk of no additional compensation being provided for these services. Falcon remained committed to their partnership with the city, and finished out the project, absorbing the costs associated with office engineering, submittal and request for information reviews, and resident engineer services. Falcon has completed the project and is requesting additional compensation to cover their inspection and material testing expenditures.
With the project completed under the approved project budget, city staff is recommending City Council approve and authorize the City Manager to execute Contract Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement with Falcon Engineering Services, Inc., in the amount of $110,000, for construction engineering services provided on the Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 5 for Cathedral Canyon Drive Sidewalks and Multiuse Trail Project (C08505), and Date Palm Drive Expansion Project (C08508).
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City was awarded a $4,383,000 ATP Grant (twenty-one percent (21%) leverage funding) toward the submitted $5,556,000 ATP Project. The overall Project cost included environmental documentation (PA&ED), design (PS&E), right-of-way (ROW), and construction (CON) phases of the Palm Canyon Drive Bike Lanes Project (C08504), Cathedral Canyon Drive Sidewalk and Multiuse Trail Project (C08505), and Date Palm Drive Expansion Project (C08508).
The budget approved by the City Council for construction and construction engineering is in the amount of $4,638,872, which includes the construction contract in the amount of $3,884,603.00, professional services agreement for construction engineering support in the amount of $149,198.28, and a 15% contingency in the amount of $605,070.72 for unforeseeable construction costs.
Construction and Construction Engineering Amount
Riverside Construction Co. (lowest bidder) $ 3,884,603.00 Falcon (Selected CE Consultant) $ 149,198.28
Subtotal $ 4,033,801.28
15% Contingency $ 605,070.72
Total Construction Budget $ 4,638,872.00
The total construction cost is in the amount of $4,18895,851.72. The balance remaining from the construction budget is in the amount of $293,822.
Total Construction Budget $ 4,638,872.00
Construction Cost $ 4,188,448.48
Falcon Cost $ 149,198.28
Remaining Construction Budget $ 301,225.24
The project has $301,225.24 remaining in the ATP Cycle 5 budget. City staff is recommending to fund Falcon’s Amendment Request in the amount of $110,000 using the remaining ATP Cycle 5 funds.
DESCRIPTION GENERAL
LEDGER
ACCOUNT
CODES
PROJECT
CODE
AMOUNT ONE TIME or
ONGOING
2024-2025 ATP Cycle 5
(grant)
331-100-150-
156-8800-8802
C08505
C08508
$ 55,000
$ 55,000 One Time
2024-2025 Total $110,000
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. Amendment No. 1 Letter from Falcon
2. Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Contract