CITY OF COMMERCE AGENDA REPORT
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: City Manager
Item No.
SUBJECT: Approval of Professional Services Agreement with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. for the Telegraph Corridor Improvement Project from Atlantic Boulevard to Marianna Street MEETING DATE: October 24, 2023
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council will consider adopting a Resolution approving a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. to provide professional engineering services for the Telegraph Corridor Improvement Project from Atlantic Boulevard to Marianna Street and Authorizing Project Management Services by Transtech Engineers pursuant to their on-call Professional Services Agreement.
BACKGROUND:
Telegraph Road from the west City limit to Atlantic Boulevard is a concrete 4-lane major road with 2 lanes in each direction, left turn lanes at some intersections, and posted at 45 MPH. There is an approximately 12-foot-wide sidewalk on the east side of the street and approximately 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the west side. The sidewalk on the east side is within the City of Commerce’s Jurisdiction. There are approximately 14 side streets that intersect Telegraph Road on the east side and one 4-way intersection at Eastern Avenue. Along this segment of Telegraph Road there are 3 traffic signals, a number of obsolete decorative streetlights, operating wooden and steel streetlights, trees, 2 uncontrolled crosswalks, and Metro bus stops. There are red curbs throughout this stretch of Telegraph Road at some of the intersecting streets, parking is allowed along the east side of Telegraph Road and prohibited along the west side.
The west side of the Telegraph Corridor currently does not provide adequate sidewalk width to accommodate pedestrians despite the presence of multiple bus stops. Accessing bus stops located at Telegraph Road at Ferris Avenue and Telegraph Road at Duncan Avenue requires crossing Telegraph Road at a marked but uncontrolled crosswalk and at Telegraph Road at Clela Avenue requires crossing Telegraph Road at an unmarked, uncontrolled crosswalk. Further, there is an additional marked, but uncontrolled crosswalk across Telegraph Road at Duncan Avenue in between controlled crosswalks at Arizona Avenue and at Eastern Avenue.
On January 11, 2022, the City Council awarded a contract to Gibson Transportation Consulting Inc. (Gibson) for engineering services for the preparation of a Complete Corridor Study along Telegraph Road from Marianna Street (west city limit) to Atlantic Boulevard.
Gibson conducted additional studies and investigated potential improvements to portions of the Telegraph Road corridor that can increase pedestrian safety while not adversely affecting vehicular circulation. A number of potential roadway configurations were considered and analyzed before a preferred alternative was selected. The preferred alternative includes replacing one lane of northbound vehicle traffic with a painted center median along with the installation of southbound left-turn lanes and curb bump-outs at the minor street intersections. The preferred alternative would remove uncontrolled marked crosswalks, install continental crosswalks at all remaining marked crossings, enhance street lighting using the existing decorative lights, if possible, improve landscaping with new street trees, and install storm water discharge elements to improve drainage.
On Feb 21, 2023, City Council received a Presentation from Richard Gibson of Gibson Transportation Consulting Inc. on the Telegraph Corridor Improvement Concept Plan. During and at the conclusion of the presentation, City Council among other comments raised concerns associated with reduction of the northbound lanes from two to one lane and related traffic impact to Mixmaster. Staff was asked to bring the item back addressing Council concerns.
Subsequently on March 28, 2023, City Council among other action items received a follow up Presentation from Richard Gibson addressing City Council concerns. City Council was presented data supporting no impact to Mixmaster due to reduction of northbound lane on Telegraph at I-5 northbound on-ramp. Based on information presented by Gibson and staff commitment of bringing the proposed corridor design to Council for consideration City Council approved staff recommendation; received and filed Gibson’s Presentation, approved the Telegraph Corridor Concept Plan, authorized staff to release the request for proposal (RFP) for design services, and authorized staff to proceed with removal of uncontrolled marked crosswalks on Telegraph at Ferris and Duncan Avenues pursuant to requirements of California Vehicle Code.
On July 3, 2023, the City issued an RFP to retain a qualified professional services consulting firm to conduct additional traffic studies associated with the impact of the proposed traffic lane reduction to Mixmaster and entrance to the I-5 northbound on-ramp and present related findings and proposed improvements to City Council for consideration, prepare plans, specifications, and engineer’s estimate for street improvements, bulb outs, drainage, street lighting, and landscaping improvements, outreach and coordination with Metro, Caltrans and particularly Los Angeles County, prepare of environmental documents in compliance with CEQA for Telegraph Corridor Improvement Project with a due date of August 7, 2023.
Two (2) firms submitted proposals, JMDiaz, Inc., and Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. The proposals were evaluated based on an established criteria including compliance with RFP requirements, proposal quality, project understanding, approach, methodology and responsiveness, flexibility, experience of assigned staff including prior experience of working relationship of key team members in similar past projects, and schedule efficiency. Said criteria was included in the RFP. Both firms submitted great proposals. However, Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. received the highest ranking.
In Summary Staff recommends adoption of the attached Resolution which in summary does the following:
Approves a professional service agreement with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc., in the amount of $449,655 and authorizes the City Manager to execute any amendments to the agreement with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. should it become necessary.
Authorizes Transtech Engineers, Inc. to proceed with Project Management pursuant to their existing on-call agreement for consultant services not to exceed 10% of the project design cost.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve staff recommendation
2. Disapprove staff recommendation
3. Provide further direction to staff
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total cost of design phase by Stantec Consulting Services is $449,655. Funds in the amount of $600,000 were budgeted in the 2023/2024 Capital Improvement Program Measure AA Funds (Account 41-5170-52001.10462) to cover the project design phase including Transtech Engineer’s project management services.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC GOALS:
This agenda item relates to the 2016 Strategic Plan, Infrastructure and Facilities:
Guiding Principle 3: Maintain and prioritize improvements to city facilities and infrastructure in accordance with adopted master planning documents including the Green Zone Implementation Plan to accomplish achievable annual and long-term goals.
Guiding Principle 4: Develop and invest in infrastructure and beautification projects that support economic growth.
Recommended by: Gina Nila, Department of Public Works
Reviewed by: Vilko Domic, Assistant City Manager/Acting Finance Director Approved as to form by: Noel Tapia, City Attorney
Respectfully submitted: Edgar P. Cisneros, City Manager ATTACHMENT:
Resolution
Professional Services Agreement