STAFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
DATE: Regular Meeting of March 22, 2022
TO: The Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Dante Hall, City Manager
SUBMITTED BY: Michael Roberts, Public Works Director/City Engineer SUBJECT: Contract Amendment with Bellecci in the amount of $34,828 to Complete the Final Design of the Willow/Palm Pedestrian Improvement Project.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute Contract Amendment No.1 in the amount of $34,828 with Bellecci & Associates for a total, not to exceed contract amount of $109,028, for the final design of the Willow/Palm Pedestrian Improvement Project.
FISCAL IMPACT OF RECOMMENDATION:
There is sufficient Gas Tax funding in the adopted FY 2021-2022 Budget to fund the $34,828 increase from the original $74,200 contract amount. The amended amount of $109,028 is 8% of the estimated construction contract amount of $1.36M, which is within the 10% goal for design. The design is leveraging a $1.058 Measure J TLC grant that will be used during construction.
DISCUSSION:
The Willow/Palm Pedestrian Improvement Project will eliminate critical gaps in the City’s pedestrian network between the Hercules Transit Center and the south-east area of the City. Sidewalk will be installed from the Hercules Transit Center along Willow Avenue to the Willow/Palm intersection, where it will tie into the existing sidewalk leading over State Route 4, and then along Palm Avenue where it will tie into the existing sidewalk on Sycamore Avenue.
Bellecci & Associates was awarded the final design contract in January 2020. Once the final design was underway and the project was evaluated in-depth, new project challenges and design elements were identified. Additionally, the project was placed on hold for a year and a half because the grant was frozen due to funding uncertainties associated with the pandemic, which led to additional, unanticipated work, especially with regards to 3rd party permits and services.
The following are the additional items of work that would be funded by the amendment:
Securing BNSF Railroad permits for work in their right of way and the PG&E point of connection to energize the new streetlights. When the grant funding was placed on hold for a year and a half, both agencies terminated the applications due to inactivity on the project. Additionally, they have had major staffing changes in the interim.
Addition of slurry seal to the project
Addition of flashing beacons on both sides of the railroad overcrossing on Palm Avenue.
Design modification for the sidewalk to account for the poor soils identified in the geotechnical report.
Need to pothole an EBMUD waterline. Their plans did not indicate a potential conflict, however the USA markings for an adjacent project indicate there is a potential conflict which if unaddressed could lead to construction delays.
Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) required a peer review as a condition to receive the grant funding. This process required additional time and resources.
City staff and Bellecci are expediting the completion of the design with the intent of constructing the project this construction season. This timeline is dependent upon securing the 3rd party permits and services as well as resolving the waterline conflict.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution
Contract Amendment
Proposal
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