CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting: March 7, 2023
Subject
Consider adopting Resolution No. 23-XXX authorizing the City Manager to take all necessary steps to accept $5,000,000 in specified grant funds from the Budget Act of 2022-2023 for the McClellan Road Bridge Reconstruction Project.
Recommended Action
Adopt Resolution No. 23-XXX (Attachment A) authorizing the City Manager to execute a Funds Transfer Agreement and any amendments thereto and to take all necessary steps to accept $5,000,000 in specified grant funds from the Budget Act of 2022-2023 for the McClellan Road Reconstruction Project.
Reasons for Recommendation
The McClellan Road bridge is situated along McClellan Road (an important collector street) and is one of only three east-west connections over Stevens Creek within the City of Cupertino’s jurisdiction. The nearest east-west connection is the Stevens Creek Boulevard bridge, which is situated approximately one mile north.
The McClellan Road bridge was constructed in 1920 (over 100 years ago) and has a very low sufficiency rating (46.5), with numerous deficiencies as documented in the latest Caltrans bridge inspection report. This bridge is nearing the end of its useful life. The Public Works Department has been tracking the condition of the McClellan Road bridge for more than a decade.
Due to the age of the McClellan Road Bridge structure, its importance for connectivity within the City, concerns over recent bridge collapses nationally (notably the bridge collapse in Pittsburgh, PA), the environmental sensitivity of Stevens Creek, and the estimated cost of $7.5 million to reconstruct the bridge, the City has been looking for funding to help initiate a reconstruction project.
The recommended action with this report will serve only to accept funds from the State. Future actions, including awarding of contracts, additional funding, design approval, etc., will be presented to the Council at future dates as appropriate.
Discussion
In February 2022, the City Manager’s Office was approached by Assemblymember Evan Low’s office asking if the City had any budget requests for the 2022 State budget. On March 1, 2022, the Public Works Department prepared funding request documentation for a project to reconstruct the McClellan Road Bridge due to the condition of this structure. The grant application was approved by the State and the City was awarded $5 million for the reconstruction project, and in September 2022, Resolution No. 22-115 was approved by City Council accepting the State funding.
The State Legislature delegated to the California Department of Transportation (DOT) the responsibility for administering the grant and assigning the necessary documentation and procedures. As a procedural step to acquire the specified grant funds, DOT requires that City Council adopt a Resolution delegating authority to the City Manager to execute a Funds Transfer Agreement and any amendments thereto, and to take all necessary steps to accept the funds. A resolution in the form required by the DOT is provided as Attachment A.
With the granting of this money, the City would be able to seek other grant funds that require fund matches, as well as initiate the design and environmental clearance for the project.
Sustainability Impact
Reconstruction of the McClellan Road Bridge is consistent with the City’s sustainability goals. The project increases community resiliency by upgrading important infrastructure and also supports multi-modal transport options for cars, buses, bikes, and pedestrians.
Fiscal Impact
With the approval of the recommended action, the City would receive $5 million for reconstruction of the McClellan Road Bridge. The remaining unfunded portion of the project is estimated to be $2,500,000. Prior to initiating the project, the City will seek further grant opportunities to cover the remaining unfunded portions of the project. If further grant funding cannot be acquired, the City will return to Council seeking either general fund allocations to cover the unfunded portion or will seek direction from City Council to return the specified grant funds.
SOURCE
AMOUNT
State Allocation (Specified Grant Funds)
$5,000,000
Currently unfunded portions of the project
$2,500.000
ESTIMATED PROJECT TOTAL
$7,500,000
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Acceptance of the funds is not considered a project under CEQA. The project will complete any necessary environmental review as required under CEQA. _____________________________________
Prepared by: Chad Mosley, Interim Director of Public Work Reviewed by: Matt Morley, Assistant City Manager
Approved for Submission by: Pamela Wu, City Manager
Attachments:
A – Draft Resolution