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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Award of Construction Contract for the Downtown Glendale Signal and Mobility Improvements Project
1) Motion awarding a construction contract to Elecnor Belco Electric, Inc. in the amount of $8,262,128, approving a 15 percent contract contingency in the amount of $1,239,319, and authorizing the City Manager or a designee to execute the contract.
2) Resolution of appropriation to appropriate funds in the amount of $9,864,553 for the Downtown Glendale Signal and Mobility Improvements Project.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Consent Item
Approved for October 1, 2024 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Downtown Glendale Signal and Mobility Improvements Project will improve mobility and enhance safety in the Downtown Glendale area. On August 7, 2024, two bids were received for the Downtown Glendale Signal and Mobility Improvements Project, and after a thorough review, staff found Elecnor Belco Electric, Inc.’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 Elecnor Belco Electric, Inc. that will cost $8,262,128 with a 15% contingency of $1,239,319, totaling $9,501,447. Additionally, a resolution of appropriation is needed to appropriate funds from the Measure R Regional Return and Gas Tax Funds to fund this project.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the motion authorizing a construction contract with Elecnor Belco Electric, Inc. for the Downtown Glendale Signal and Mobility Improvements Project in the amount of $8,262,128 plus a 15 percent contract contingency of $1,239,319 and approve the resolution of appropriation to appropriate funds in the amount of $9,864,553 from the Measure R Regional Return and State Gas Tax Funds for the Downtown Glendale Signal and Mobility Improvements Project.
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ANALYSIS
Downtown Glendale is a bustling district located in the heart of the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County. The area boasts a plethora of shopping, dining, and entertainment options, as well as small and large business headquarters. However, the high volume of traffic and tightly spaced signalized corridors present safety and mobility concerns. To address these issues, the Downtown Glendale Signal and Mobility Improvements Project aims to enhance pedestrian safety, improve mobility, and address traffic concerns. The street segments within the district are classified as principal and minor arterials, as well as collector and local roadways on the California Road System (CRS).
As one of the major districts in Glendale, Downtown Glendale serves as a crucial connection point for travelers accessing different parts of the city.
Project Scope of Work
The project scope of work includes the installation of new fiber optic infrastructure, Accessible Pedestrian Systems (APS) push buttons, improved bicycle and vehicle detection camera systems, new LED safety lights, and other various critical signal hardware upgrades throughout Downtown Glendale.
On July 9, 2024, the City Council adopted the project plans and specification and authorized the city clerk to advertise the project for bids. The project was advertised in the Glendale Independent, the city’s website, as well as various online platforms.
On August 7, 2024, the city received two bids from contractors as follows:
1. Elecnor Belco Electric, Inc $8,262,128
2. DBX, Inc. $16,290,774
Upon review of the bid documents, staff finds the bid of Elecnor Belco Electric, Inc. of $8,262,128 to be the lowest responsive bid from a responsible bidder. The bid of Elecnor Belco Electric, Inc. in the amount of $8,262,128 is approximately 3% below the Engineer’s Estimate of $8,500,000.
In addition, staff recommends a reserve for contingencies in the amount of $1,239,319 or 15 percent of the bid amount. The contingency is based on previous experience with similar projects and is routine for projects of this scale and complexity. 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.
Furthermore, staff has budgeted approximately five percent of the construction amount, or $ 413,106 for construction management and engineering support services such as project management, project engineering, construction inspection, quality assurance, quality control, and materials testing.
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Downtown Glendale Signal and Mobility Improvements Project Construction Bid $ 8,262,128
15% Contract Contingency $ 1,239,319
5% Construction Management & Engineering Support $ 413,106 Total Construction Cost $ 9,914,553
The State of California Contractor’s State License Board website confirms that the license of Elecnor Belco Electric, Inc is current, active, and in good standing.
Additionally, Staff contacted the references provided by Elecnor Belco Electric, Inc and found they had satisfactorily completed their projects.
The construction of this project is anticipated to begin in December 2024 and is scheduled for completion by December 2025.
Measure R Project Funding
Measure R is a half-cent sales tax for Los Angeles County that finances new transportation projects and programs. In November 2008, Measure R was approved by two-thirds majority, committing a projected $40 billion to traffic relief and transportation upgrades throughout the county over its 30-year life span. The city’s share of Measure R funds for Highway Operational Improvements is approximately $98.5 million dollars.
The project funding is currently approved by the Metro Board in the amount of $8,626,736. The project meets Metro’s guideline to utilize Measure R funds in full.
Therefore, to complete the project using these funds, additional Measure R funds will be requested from Metro and upon approval can be appropriated and utilized by the city on this project. Staff have confirmed with Metro that the project can utilize additional Measure R funding to cover the entire project costs and these additional fundings will be considered for approval at the Metro Regular Board Meetings in January 2025.
Project Funding Requests:
Metro Board approved Funding Agreement MR310.62 $ 2,500,000 Metro Board Approved Amendment No. 1 to MR310.62 $ 4,126,736 Metro Board Approved Amendment No. 2 to MR310.62 $ 2,000,000 Additional Funding Request to Metro Board for January 2025 $ 2,000,000 Total Funding Request $10,626,736
To avoid delays in the construction, State Gas Tax funds will supplement the needed Measure R funds at the time of the construction contract award. When the additional Measure R funding becomes available, staff will present a resolution of appropriation to the City Council to allocate those funds for the Downtown Glendale Signal and Mobility Improvements Project and replenish the Gas Tax Fund balance.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
These improvements will help modernize the infrastructure of Downtown Glendale, 4{{section.number}}c
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enhancing safety and accessibility for all modes of travel. The fiber optic infrastructure will enable faster and more reliable communication between traffic signals and the Traffic Management Center (TMC), while the APS will provide audio and visual signals to assist individuals with visual impairments in crossing the street safely. The upgraded detection camera systems will detect all modes of travel and safely initiate the right-of-way assignments through signal operations. Meanwhile, the LED safety lights will improve visibility at night, reducing the risk of accidents and promoting a safer streetscape.
Overall, these improvements will make Downtown Glendale a more connected, accessible, and secure place to live, work, and visit.
Outreach for this project will be made through a dedicated website. The website introduces the public to the project and the project team, explains the scope of work and project locations, highlights the project phase, and provides the public with staff contact information for questions, discussions, and/or input.
FISCAL IMPACT
The construction of the Downtown Glendale Signal and Mobility Improvements Project will cost $9,914,553, a portion of which was not included in the FY 2024-25 approved budget. The current Metro Board-approved funding of $8,626,736 includes a partial appropriation of $833,334 in the Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget. Therefore, an additional appropriation of $7,793,402 from the currently approved Measure R Regional Return funds is being requested in this report. Additionally, staff is requesting an appropriation from the State Gas Tax Fund to cover the project's financial needs while the additional Measure R Regional Return funding is being approved by Metro. The existing appropriations and requested appropriations are outlined below:
Existing Appropriation
Amount Account String Funding Source
$ 50,000 GL: 52100-2550-PWD-0020-P0000
PL: PWD00679AG
Measure R Regional
Return Fund
Requesting Appropriation
Amount From (Account String) To (Account String) Funding Source $ 7,793,402 GL: 34301-2550-PWD-
0020-P0000
PL: PWD00679AG
GL: 52100-2550-
PWD-0020-P0000
PL: PWD00679AG
Measure R Regional
Return Fund
$ 2,071,151 GL: 24219-4020-PWD-
0000-P0000
GL: 52100-4020-
PWD-0020-P0000
PL: PWD00679BN
State Gas Tax Fund
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
The Project is categorically exempt from environment review because of CEQA Guidelines §§15301.
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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 Downtown Glendale Signal and Mobility Improvements Project. Doing so, however, will not improve mobility and enhance safety in Downtown Glendale area.
Alternative 2: The City Council may consider any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Daniel Hernandez, Interim Director of Public Works
Prepared by:
Marc David, Senior Project Manager
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: Project Location Map