CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
February 20, 2024 {{section.number}}c
AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO AWARD A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT TO WOOD RODGERS, INC. IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $980,141 FOR PRELIMINARY
ENGINEERING FOR THE GATEWAY PROJECT
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the City Manager to award a professional services agreement to Wood Rodgers, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $980,141, for preliminary engineering for the Gateway Project.
BACKGROUND:
The City has been working to improve the area near the bridge toll plaza, the principal entrance to the City, since 2014. In June 2016, the City submitted a request to Caltrans requesting the $971,504 in federal earmark funds received for the Tunnel project be repurposed for use on the Gateway project. In 2017, the City was notified the funding request was approved and it was anticipated the federal funds would be used for construction. Challenges and Caltrans’ requirements impacted the City’s preferred design concepts which changed the scope and schedule.
The City engaged in community outreach to develop a project concept that is fitting for the “gateway” to Coronado. The goals of the project included calming traffic, providing a transition from the “freeway” bridge lanes to the neighborhood streets of Coronado, improving the landscape architecture, restoring the toll booth area, installation of current traffic control elements, and inclusion of a new “Coronado” entrance sign. Additional enhancements included improving the area surrounding the storage building, removal of obsolete signage, lighting repairs, decorative painting and paving, and overall preservation of the historic character of the Toll Plaza.
On November 5, 2019, the Council Council adopted Resolution number 9041 which authorized the City Manager or designee, to execute the Master Agreement, Program Supplemental Agreements, or any other documents with Caltrans to accept the federal earmark funds, increase the project’s budget and move forward with the project.
A Request for Qualifications and Proposals, in accordance with Federal, State and Coronado Municipal Code requirements was published on November 18, 2020, with proposals due on December 18, 2020. Because only one submittal was received, the City had to obtain Caltran’s approval via a Cost Efficacy and Public Interest Finding process to move forward with the selection process per Federal requirements. Approval to move forward with the selection process was received on March 3, 2021. The City then sought clearance from the Independent Office of Audits and Investigations. The project’s financial package was submitted for review on March 22, 2021 and notice of acceptance was received on June 30, 2021. An independent cost estimate (ICE) was prepared by Harris & Associates and totaled $1,118,155. The scope included permitting, preliminary engineering, data collection, design, bid and construction document preparation and environmental clearances.
An evaluation team comprised of three City Engineering team members reviewed the submittal and deemed the proposer qualified and the proposal responsive to the City’s solicitation. Wood Rodgers, Inc.’s original proposal was $1,070,588, and was authorized by City Council for award on July 20, 2021. The agreement was not fully executed and the project’s scope was revisited.
It was determined that some of the scope of the original submittal was no longer viable.
ANALYSIS:
The current project budget is $5,310,688 as approved by the City Council on September 17, 2019.
Due to some of the aesthetic concerns that served as impetus for the project being addressed by City and Caltrans staff, the budget for the project, and competing priorities, the project was placed lower on the Capital Improvement program sequencing list. This resulted in the determination to eliminate some of the planned activities most notably the pedestrian underpass, which resulted in a decreased contract sum for preliminary engineering.
The revised scope of work will include designs for a new “Coronado” sign at the end of the bridge within the landscaped median, a new “Coronado” sign on the wing structure, removal of the unused overhead traffic sign from the northbound shoulder, painting the wing structure, repairing the lane lights within the wing structure, improving the up-lighting beneath the wing structure, installing up-lighting on the vegetation/trees, restoring the historical light standards, painting of the existing CHP building, reconfiguring/restriping existing parking spaces, installing water quality/sustainability elements, and improving the landscape architecture in support of the historic nature of the area. Traffic control elements will include improvements to signage, traffic delineators, and shifting lanes to better govern traveling speeds, while creating areas for functional decorative paving.
The Coronado Gateway Project is located along the eastern shore of Coronado, at the foot of the San Diego-Coronado Bridge. It is bounded by the toll plaza zipper on the north and south, Glorietta Boulevard to the west, and the Bridge to the east. The Project is surrounded by residential and recreational development, including the Coronado Tidelands Park to the north and the Coronado Municipal Golf Course to the south.
The Coronado Gateway Project is intended to calm traffic entering Coronado via the Bridge and to improve the overall appearance of the main entryway into the city. Existing buildings, structures, and landscapes within the project area include the toll booth wing structure (the wing), a Caltrans building, a storage yard, the paved zipper (area leading up to and beyond the toll booths), and parking lot hardscape and landscape. The project will encompass all of these areas and provide designs for improvements to these areas consistent with the historical fabric of the toll booth and Bridge area.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Gateway Capital Improvement project number 9881-10011 has a project budget of $5,310,688 as approved by the City Council on September 17, 2019. It includes $971,504 in federal earmark funds. Due to inclusion of the funds in the project budget, federal procurement rules for Architectural/Engineering Services are required. The remainder of the project budget is funded from toll funds. Any expenditure incurred prior to acceptance of the federal funding does not count toward the $5.3M project budget due to federal regulations.
ALTERNATIVE:
The City Council could choose not to award the contract, which would cause additional delays and potentially put the federal funds at risk.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT:
CEQA Cat Ex Class 4, Minor Alterations Land.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
No notice required.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Professional Services Agreement
Submitted By: Public Services and Engineering Department / Denise Johnson