Business Agenda Item 5a
STAFF REPORT
City Council Business Agenda Item
DATE: September 6, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Brendan Byrd, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: Merritt Perry, City Manager
SUBJECT: Award Professional Services Contract for the 12th Street and Highway 101 Interchange Modernization Project
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Receive staff presentation and recommendation and authorize the City Manager to award a Professional Services Contract to complete Preliminary Design and Environmental Documentation (PA&ED) for the 12th Street and Highway 101 Interchange Modernization Project to GHD, for a total contract value not to exceed $950,000.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
In 2016, the City completed the Highway 101, Fortuna Downtown and Riverwalk Area Complete Streets Planning Study. The study was a multi-agency effort with the goal of providing an assessment of design alternatives to improve connectivity between the City’s downtown and Riverwalk area. In addition to improving the general connectivity for multi-model transportation, the goal of the assessment was also to identify projects that would increase the vehicle level of service for the US Highway 101 interchanges with 12th Street and Kenmar Road, and at both locations roundabouts were identified as the preferred design alternative.
In 2021, the Humboldt County Association of Governments indicated that there would be funding availability in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for 2022. This was welcome news given that the previous cycle (2020) was not able to program funding for any local agency projects, as the entire amount in that cycle was allocated for the Caltrans Indianola Interchange Project. After reviewing the funding opportunity and the list of priority City projects, staff identified the 12th Street Interchange Improvement project as the project for which to apply for STIP funding.
To position the City for the opportunity, staff worked to develop a Caltrans-approved Project Study Report for the 12th Street Interchange. This report was completed in late 2021, and was subsequently used to secure $950,000 in grant funding from the STIP to complete PA&ED phase of work. The scope of work will include the northern interchange of Highway 101, 12th Street, and Newburg Road, in addition to the pedestrian crossing of Highway 101. Due to overall funding limitations, the interchange improvements on the south side of the highway, which includes Riverwalk and Dinsmore Drive, were not included in the funding application.
Business Agenda Item 5a
With funding for PA&ED identified and approved by the California Transportation Commission, the City Public Works Department released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for PA&ED in March of 2022. The proposal submission deadline closed on April 13th, at which time the City received a single proposal from GHD, Inc. The proposal has been included as Attachment A of the staff report. The proposal includes all tasks that are necessary to complete the work to Caltrans requirements, and Caltrans staff have reviewed and concurred with the scope provided.
GHD is well qualified to complete this project and currently serves as the City’s on-call traffic engineer. Additionally, GHD is the engineering consultant currently under contract to complete the same phase of engineering design work for the City’s Kenmar and US 101 Interchanges, an effort that is due to be complete by early 2023. GHD’s fee estimate to complete the work is within the City’s established STIP budget, and the projected completion date is mid-year 2024.
Because the City received only a single proposal to complete the work, the City was required to complete a Public Interest Finding (PIF) form and to submit it to Caltrans approval. The accepted PIF document has been included as Attachment B.
Upon approval of award, staff will begin contracting with GHD, and work on the project would begin in October.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The project is fully funded by a STIP grant received through Caltrans in the amount of $950,000.
The full amount has been budgeted in Fund 270 for the fiscal year 2022/23. Additional budget from this funding source will be allocated in subsequent years to cover the ongoing cost of the project, which is anticipated to be completed in mid-2024.
The STIP grant received from Caltrans requires no local funds or staff time match.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1. Receive staff presentation and review Council questions with staff
2. Open Public Comment
3. Close Public Comment
4. Authorize the City Manager to award a Professional Services Contract to GHD for the 12th Street and Highway 101 Interchange Modernization Project for a total contract value not to exceed $950,000. Voice vote.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – GHD Scope of Services
Attachment B – Caltrans Approved Public Interest Finding