Agenda Item No: K.3
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: December 2, 2025
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: David Gassaway, City Manager
SUBJECT: Resolutions 2025 -235 and 2025 -236 PW Travis Trail Safe Route s to School and Transit Trail Project
Resolution 2025-235 Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Professional Services Agreement with Bennett Engineering Services Inc., to Provide Design Services for the Travis Trail Safe Routes to School and Transit Trail Project; and
Resolution 2025-236 Authorizing the City Manager to Execute Amendment No. 1 to the Funding Agreement (Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program) Between the City of Fairfield and Solano Transportation Authority for the Travis Safe Routes to School and Transit Trail Project
Funding Source: $1,033,884; Infrastructure Public Works Deposits Fund
Contact: David Vong, (707) 428-7784
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Adopt resolutions.
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
The Travis Safe Route to Schools and Transit Trail Project (Project) was awarded a total of $5,960,000 in federal and state grant funding. To advance the Project to construction, professional design services are required to complete right-of-way acquisition, plans, specifications, and the engineer’s estimates. Staff recommend the City Council authorize the city manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Bennett Engineering Services, Inc. (Bennett) and to execute Amendment No. 1 to the funding agreement with Solano Transportation Authority (STA).
DISCUSSION
The Project proposes to construct a mixture of Class I, Class III and Class IV trails connecting Fairfield-Vacaville Hannigan Train Station (Hannigan Station) with three schools within the Travis Unified School District and Travis Air Force Base. The path of the new trail encompasses the Train
Station South Portal, Markeley Lane, De Ronde Drive, parallels the existing storm drain channel to Air Base Parkway and Parker Road. The primary benefit of the Project is the development of a safe trail connecting th e Hannigan Station to nearby Center Elementary, Golden West M iddle, Vanden High S chool and Travis Air Force Base , helping to encourage other modes of transportation and relieving vehicular congestion.
Procurement Process
In January 2025, staff began the procurement process to select a consultant team for the design of the Project. A proposal was initially solicited from a pre -qualified consultant to prepare the plans, specifications, and engineer’s estimate (PS&E). While a proposal was r eceived in mid - February 2025, the proposed scope and cost exceeded expectations. To ensure a competitive and cost-effective selection, staff expanded the process by requesting additional proposals from pre-qualified consultant teams. Two additional proposals were received in September 2025 and the evaluation committee determined that Bennett is the most qualified for the Project due to their experience with prior City projects and their ability to coordinate eff orts with the nearby design work underway with Markeley Lane Extension Project.
Bennett’s scope of work includes developing construction-ready PS&E package for a trail system connecting Travis Airforce Base to Hannigan Train Station South Portal, analysis for California Municipal Regional Permit (MRP ) provision C.3 stormwater quality requirements, closed -circuit television (CCTV) surveillance cameras, fiber optic system for communications , traffic analysis and signal modifications . The preliminary estimate to construct the Project is approximately $6,000,000.
The staff have negotiated a fair and reasonable fee for the proposed scope of work and are requesting a 10% management reserve to address potential additional right-of-way requirements and design to open the South Portal at Hannigan Train Stat ion. Bennett anticipates completing the design for construction ready documents within twelve months ; however, various factors may impact the Project schedule, including negotiations with property owners regarding land acquisitions, permitting requirements from resource agencies for protected habitats, and coordination with external agencies and utility companies. Approval of this resolution will allow the city manager to execute a professional service agreement with Bennett in an amount not-to- exceed $939,894.
Grant Funding for Design
The design budget was initially funded through a state grant provided by the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP). According to the Funding Agreement between the City of Fairfield and the Solano Transportation Authority (STA) for the Travis Safe Route to Schools and Transit Trail Project (“Funding Agreement”), the funding allocations were as follows: $600,000 for Plans, Specifications, and Estimates (PS&E), $50,000 for Right -of-Way (R/W), and $900,000 for Construction.
According to TIRCP guidelines, projects must obtain environmental clearance prior to the allocation of grant funds. It has been determined that both the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) a re required for environmental clearance, as the Project also includes a federal grant under the One Bay Area Grant 3 (OBAG) program. The NEPA process involves a comprehensive and detailed federal review, including the Primary Environmental Study (PES), Ini tial Site Assessment (ISA), and the preparation of a Mitigated Negative Declaration, which are currently in progress.
To adhere to the January 31, 2027, OBAG grant funding deadline, Amendment No.1 to the Funding Agreement will reallocate TIRCP funding fro m the PS&E and R/W to Construction resulting in $2,000,000 being allocated for construction only . Conversely, local funding from Infrastructure Public Works Deposits (Fund 285) will be shifted from the construction back to the design, as local funds typically have fewer restrictions compared to grant funds.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The professional services agreement with Bennett for engineering design services will authorize a contract amount not to exceed $939,894, plus a 10% management reserve of $93,989.40. The total authorized amount for this agreement is $1,033,884. Funding for this agreement is allocated within the Capital Streets Fund (Fund 252; Project No. CPW070107) and i s included in the adopted fiscal year (FY) 2025-2026 through FY 2029-2030 Capital Improvement Program for Streets. Additionally, $1,100,000 in regional grant funds (TIRCP) will be reallocated from the design phase to the FY 2026 construction phase. Local funding from Infrastructure Deposits Fund (Fund 285) will also reallocate $1,100,000 from construction to the FY 2025 design phase.
PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION
N/A
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
If the council has any questions, the recommended action may be postponed allowing staff to provide the necessary supporting info rmation. However, staff does not recommend this approach, as it could delay the project's progress and potentially result in the loss of grant funding.
COORDINATED WITH
Solano Transportation Authority
STAFF CONTACT
David Vong, Senior Civil Engineer
(707) 428-7784
[email protected]
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 2: Proposed Resolution – Bennett
Attachment 3: Proposed Resolution – Amendment No. 1
Attachment 4: Bennett Proposed Professional Services Agreement Attachment 5: Proposed Amendment No. 1 to the Funding Agreement