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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Award of Construction Contract for North Brand Boulevard Complete Streets Demonstration Project
1) Motion awarding a construction contract to Sterndahl Enterprises, LLC in the amount of $842,380, approving a 10 percent contract contingency in the amount of $84,238 and authorizing the City Manager or a designee to execute the contract. 2) Resolution of appropriation in the amount of $926,618 for the North Brand Boulevard Complete Streets Demonstration Project.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Consent Item
Approved for December 12, 2023 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The North Brand Boulevard Complete Streets Demonstration Project will improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and connectivity along the corridor and throughout the neighborhood. On October 25, 2023, two bids were received for the North Brand Boulevard Complete Street Demonstration Project, and after a thorough review, staff found Sterndahl Enterprises, LLC’s bid to be a responsive bid from a responsible bidder.
The intent of this item is for the City Council to award a construction contract to Sterndahl Enterprises, LLC. for $842,380 with a 10 percent contract contingency of $84,238.
Additionally, a resolution of appropriation is needed to transfer funds from an existing project in the Gas Tax Fund to fully fund this project. 2{{section.number}}d
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RECOMMENDATION
Approve the motion authorizing a construction contract with Sterndahl Enterprises, LLC for the North Brand Boulevard Complete Streets Demonstration Project in the amount of $842,380 plus a 10 percent contract contingency of $84,238 and approve the resolution of appropriation to transfer funds in the amount of $926,618 within the Gas Tax Fund to the North Brand Boulevard Complete Streets Demonstration Project.
ANALYSIS
A complete street is a street designed and maintained for all transportation users including such as drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and public transportation users.
According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, active transportation infrastructure encourages people to be physically active improving health and quality of life.
The City of Glendale was awarded $500,000 to fund a quick-build project for the Brand Boulevard Complete Street Demonstration Project to improve active transportation along the corridor. The design of the project is administered and managed by SCAG through their consultant, KOA Corporation, with design input and direction from the City of Glendale. Once a quick-build design alternative was selected, the construction of the project was bid out and will be managed by the City of Glendale.
The project limits are Brand Boulevard between Glenoaks Boulevard and Mountain Street. The corridor is approximately a half-mile-long and the street contains two travel lanes in each direction with a center two-way left-turn lane and an on-street diagonal parking lane in each direction. There are signalized intersections at Glenoaks Boulevard, Dryden Street, and Stocker Street, as well as a marked crossing currently controlled by a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon system at Fairview Avenue. Land uses along the corridor consist of a mix of retail, industrial/office, place of worship, a school south of Stocker Street, and heavy multi-family residential north of Stocker Street. Most retail use include dedicated off‐street parking and the diagonal on-street parking is used during daytime hours south of Stocker Street and has high turnover, while the diagonal on- street parking north of Stocker Street is used all day for multi-family residential users.
The speed limit on Brand Boulevard is posted at 30 mph, and a recently completed Engineering and Traffic Survey confirmed the average 85th percentile speed for both directions at 36 mph.
On June 13, 2023, the City Council adopted the project plans and specification and authorized the city clerk to advertise the project for bids.
On August 23, 2023, the city received one bid from Sterndahl Enterprises LLC which was significantly higher than the engineer’s estimate and after consultation with the City Attorney’s office, the bid received was rejected. This decision was prompted by the presence of a sole bid which significantly exceeded the engineer's initial cost estimate.
Afterwards, plans and specification were updated to incorporate construction mobilization and traffic control within the respective construction items, converting the restoration 3{{section.number}}d
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phase of this project to an additive bid item to allow staff to move forward with the base bid item of completing the demonstration project, updating the construction cost to reflect current market pricing, and the project was re-advertised for bids.
On November 1, 2023, the city received two bids from contractors as follows:
1. Bedrock Group, Inc. $ 1,199,052
2. Sterndahl Enterprises, LLC $ 1,245,050
Upon review of the bid documents and after consultation with the City Attorney’s office, staff found Bedrock Group Inc.’s bid to be non-responsive in accordance with the bidding requirements as follows:
a. Contractor’s References – All Projects: Bidder fails to identify at least three projects that have been completed within the past 5 years as a prime contractor, a minimum qualification.
Upon review of the second lowest bidder, Sterndahl Enterprises, LLC’s bid documents, staff finds the bid of Sterndahl Enterprises, LLC to be the lowest responsive bid from a responsible bidder. After removal of certain additive optional bid items as allowed, the bid of Sterndahl Enterprises, LLC. in the amount of $842,380 is 16 percent below the engineer’s estimate of $1,000,000.
In addition, staff recommends a reserve for contingencies in the amount of $84,238 or 10 percent of the bid amount. The contingency is based on previous experience with projects, and this is in conformance with the nature of this project. This will also allow staff to account for any incidental work, unforeseen field conditions that could be encountered during construction, underground utilities issues that could arise because of the nature of the project, and any resulting field modifications that may be necessary.
The State of California Contractor’s State License Board website confirms that the license of Sterndahl Enterprises, LLC is current, active, and in good standing. Additionally, Staff contacted the references provided by Sterndahl Enterprises, LLC and found they had satisfactorily completed their projects. Also, Sterndahl Enterprises, LLC has previously completed and still has an active contract for annual on-call pavement striping and markings with the City of Glendale.
The construction of this project is anticipated to begin in February 2024 and is scheduled for completion by April 2024.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
In January of 2022, a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) were formed to help guide the project through the design and outreach phases. The TAC is comprised of a team of city professional staff from multiple departments who collect existing project data, evaluate the data, and suggest improvements for each quick-build alternative. The CAC is comprised of a team of 4{{section.number}}d
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community representatives from nearby corridor businesses and residents, the Incarnation Parish School, the Downtown Glendale Association, the Walk/Bike Glendale community group, the Community Development Department, and the Rossmoyne Neighborhood Association.
In addition to the advisory committee guidance and support, various outreach efforts, including community touchpoint events and engagement surveys were conducted to receive feedback directly from the community. The following is a summary of the outreach efforts to date:
•Bike Audit:
oSunday, May 1, 2022
oBiked the project corridor with the community on a weekend to determine feasibility and viability of a new active transportation mode in the project vicinity.
•Walk Audit:
oThursday, May 19, 2022
oWalked the project corridor on a busy weekday afternoon to share project details, identify areas of improvement, and solicit community feedback from active participants who routinely walk the project corridor. •Community Touchpoint No. 1:
oWednesday, May 25, 2022 through Tuesday, May 31, 2022
oCommunity response tags were left at the light poles at the northwest and northeast corner of Brand Avenue and Glenoaks Boulevard, and the northeast and southwest corner of Brand Avenue and Dryden Street to encourage residents to share their ideas on how to make the street safer to walk, bike, and drive.
•Transportation and Parking Commission
oMonday, June 27, 2022
oShared project details and alternatives with commission members and commission voted unanimously to support Alternative 1A. •In-Person Canvassing Touchpoint No. 2
oWednesday, July 27, 2022
oUsing a door-to-door strategy, project staff spoke directly to businesses and residents along the project corridor to inform them of the Quick Build project.
Project factsheets were distributed to residents and businesses in English, Spanish, and Armenian. A Spanish speaker communicated with residents who did not speak English.
•Dedicated Project Website
oOutreach on this project continues to occur through the dedicated website for the project that is hosted through the City of Glendale domain, as well 5{{section.number}}d
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as the consultant’s domain. The website page introduces the public to the project and to the project team, explains the scope of work and project locations, and provides the public with staff contact information for questions, discussion and/or input.
•City Council Meeting
oTuesday August 23, 2022
oShared project details and alternatives with Council members and Council voted unanimously to support Alternative 1A.
During the August 23, 2022, presentation, Council expressed concerns regarding the need for coordination with the Glendale Fire Department (GFD), accessibility of the project website, effectiveness and validity of the engagement surveys as an accurate representation of the community within the project vicinity, and the importance of effective and ongoing public outreach during the implementation phase.
In response to these concerns, staff collaborated with GFD staff, including the Fire Chief on formulation of the final design plans. The final design plans include adjustments to accommodate firetruck turn maneuvers into and out of the Fire Station #26 such as modifications to nearby intersections discouraging vehicles from blocking egress and ingress from the fire station and providing dedicated fire vehicle parking spots in front of the fire station.
Additionally, staff directed the consultant design team to make updates to the project website to make it more user-friendly. The website improvements ensure viewers can access the necessary information without being redirected to an external website.
Moreover, staff has observed an increase in feedback to the online survey following in- person canvasing at the project site and the City Council meeting. This demonstrates the importance of continued outreach efforts for the project's success.
Furthermore, to continue engaging the public effectively, additional outreach efforts will be conducted before, during, and after the implementation of the demonstration project.
Future outreach efforts are as follows:
•Community Touchpoint No. 3
oWill occur before official construction groundbreaking. oIntended to remind the community, businesses, and residents along the project corridor about the upcoming construction and reintroduce the project design elements and detail the construction process.
•Community Touchpoint No. 4
oOfficial ribbon-cutting event at the completion of construction. •Project Signage
oFour physical project signs will be installed at the northerly and southerly end of the project on Brand Boulevard.
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oThe project signs will be maintained during the construction of the project. oProject signs will include brief information about the quick build project and will include a QR code to direct public to the project website for more information and to provide feedback.
These additional community touchpoints and project signs will help facilitate effective communication, gather feedback, raise awareness about the quick build project, develop relationships, and drive continuous public feedback on the project during and after the implementation.
Public feedback is one of several factors that will determine if the project will eventually be made permanent. Quick-build projects extend the public comment period beyond implementation. While the design is implemented using “temporary” materials, such as colored paint, soft-hit bollards, or planter boxes, they may end up becoming permanent by replacing them with hardscapes, permanent irrigated landscaping, and more durable thermoplastic pavement striping. By effectively engaging with the community, the project team can create a positive impact and ensure the long-term success and acceptance of the quick build project and potential transition to a permanent improvement. Since the measures are temporary, they are designed to be removed, changed, or modified in response to community feedback.
FISCAL IMPACT
The construction of North Brand Boulevard Complete Street Demonstration Project will cost $842,380 with a 10 percent contract contingency of $84,238, for a total project cost of $926,618, which was not included as a part of the FY 2023-24 approved budget.
Therefore, staff is requesting for an appropriation of $926,618 from shifting of appropriation from another project within the State Gas Tax Fund. The appropriation request is outlined below:
Requesting Appropriation
Amount From (Account String) To (Account String) Funding Source $926,618
GL: 52100-4020-PWD-
0020-P0000
PL: PWD01052AN
GL: 52100-4020-PWD-
0020-P0000
PL: PWD01118AN
State Gas Tax
Fund
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
The Project is categorically exempt from environmental review because of CEQA Guidelines §§ 15301.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Alternative 1: Do not approve the motion authorizing a construction contract and resolution of appropriation for the North Brand Boulevard Complete 7{{section.number}}d
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Streets Demonstration Project. Doing so, however, will not improve pedestrian and bicycle safety along the corridor and connectivity throughout the neighborhood.
Alternative 2: The City Council may consider any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Yazdan T. Emrani, P.E., Director of Public Works
Prepared by:
Saumil M. Mody, Project Manager
Armen Avazian, P.E., Principal Civil Engineer
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: Project Location Map for North Brand Boulevard Complete Streets Demonstration Project