Fremont City Council Meeting: 09/17/24 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Public Works
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Agreements and Contracts
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5256) DOC ID: 5256
Updated: 9/10/2024 2:05 PM by Dina Lewis Page 1
AUTO MALL PARKWAY MEDIAN IMPROVEMENTS - Approve a Professional Services Agreement with BKF Engineers, Inc., in the Amount of $525,350 (Including 20% Contingency), for Design Services for the Auto Mall Parkway Median Improvement Project (PWC9119); Appropriation Actions; Make Findings of CEQA Exemption.
Contact Persons:
Name: Jeanne Suyeishi Hans Larsen
Title: Principal Civil Engineer Public Works Director
Div/Dept: Public Works Public Works
Phone: 510-494-4728 510-494-4722
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to facilitate the design of median improvements along Auto Mall Parkway between Grimmer Boulevard and Fremont Boulevard. Using grant funding from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Project will provide attractive landscaping features to enhance the aesthetics of this major corridor.
BACKGROUND: Auto Mall Parkway is a four-lane arterial connecting Interstate Routes 680 and 880 and serves as a gateway to Fremont’s major industrial and retail areas, including the Tesla electric vehicle factory, Fremont Auto Mall, and the Pacific Commons Mall. The corridor provides goods movement, access to jobs, and is used by approximately 40,000 people daily. The center median of Auto Mall Parkway also contains support towers for high voltage electrical transmission lines operated by San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) that supply power to the region.
This project will provide attractive landscaping to upgrade a 5.1-acre barren center median area along a major highway corridor in Silicon Valley. The proposed project will install irrigation and plant drought-tolerant shrubs and low growing trees to beautify the corridor.
The project limits are for a half-mile segment between Fremont Boulevard and Grimmer Boulevard. Local residents and businesses have advocated for the project to support community pride and economic vitality.
The City of Fremont has received a 2024 federal Community Project Funding grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the amount of $850,000 sponsored by U.S. Representative Ro Khanna. A separate Council item is being presented to accept the federal grant funds and authorize the City Manager to execute the grant funding agreement.
Additional funding in the amount of $2.1 million was allocated for this project through the adopted FY2023/25 Capital Improvement Program and appropriated to PWC8889 - Water Conservation/Median Upgrade which has a current balance of $3.2 million. Additional construction funding will be needed to complete the full project (estimated to cost approximately $5.2 million) and is currently being pursued from grant sources. The project may be phased based on funding availability.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5256) Meeting of September 17, 2024 Updated: 9/10/2024 2:05 PM by Dina Lewis Page 2
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: On July 3, 2024, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for design services for the Auto Mall Parkway Median Improvement Project. Two proposals were received on July 30, 2024, from the following firms, listed alphabetically: BKF Engineers, Inc. and HMH Engineers, Inc. The proposals were evaluated by a selection panel comprised of City staff based on criteria that included completeness of response, qualifications and experience, organization and approach, scope of services to be provided, schedule of work, local presence, and references. The consultant team led by BKF Engineers, Inc. was selected as the top-ranked firm based on their proposal.
FISCAL IMPACT: The consultant fee for the design services for the Auto Mall Parkway Median Improvement Project is $437,791 with an additional $87,559 of contingency for a total fee amount of $525,350.
A new budget appropriation account has been created for the project referred to as PWC9119 - Auto Mall Parkway Median Improvement Project. It is recommended that prior funding for the project in the amount of $2,100,000 be transferred from PWC8889-501 to PWC9119-501. With this recommended fund transfer and the 2024 federal Community Project Funding grant, there are sufficient funds in the adopted capital budget to award the design services consultant contract.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Environmental review is not required for the recommended actions because project design work and funding transactions are not a project within the meaning of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b)(3) and 15378(b) as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility they will have a significant effect on the environment and these are administrative activities that will not result in an effect on the physical environment.
Appropriate environmental review will be prepared for this project as part of the professional services provided with this service agreement.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval of the following actions related to the Auto Mall Parkway Median Improvement Project (PWC9119):
1. Authorize the City Manager or her designee to execute a Professional Services Agreement with BKF Engineers, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $525,350 for design services.
2. Reallocate $2,100,000 from PWC8889-501 and appropriate it to PWC9119-501.
3. Find that the actions are exempt from environmental review as a separate and independent base for CEQA compliance, under CEQA Guidelines, Section 15378 (administrative and funding activity not a “project” under CEQA) and Section 15061 (no possibility the activity may have significant effect on the environment).