DATE: MARCH 1, 2022
TO: MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: MISHA KAUR, SR. PROJECT MANAGER
SUBJECT: REVIEW TWO DESIGN ALTERNATIVES FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE SAN PABLO AVENUE BRIDGE OVER BURLINGTON NORTHERN SANTA FE RAILROAD (CIP PROJECT # RO1710) AND PROVIDE DIRECTION Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council:
Review two design alternatives for the replacement of the San Pablo Avenue bridge over Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad (CIP Project # RO1710, the “Project”); Accept Alternative 1 as the preferred design alternative and authorize conducting additional studies to proceed with preparation of environmental documents; and Authorize staff to draft a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Hercules regarding project development and construction coordination, which would need to be approved by the City Council prior to execution.
BACKGROUND
San Pablo Avenue is a four-lane regional arterial throughout Contra Costa County that connects Pinole with the City of San Pablo to the south and City of Hercules to the north. The San Pablo Avenue bridge crosses over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad track, approximately 900 feet northeast of the intersection of San Pablo Avenue and Pinole Valley Road. The bridge is a 425-foot-long and 13-span, reinforced concrete, parabolic slab structure that serves as the area’s direct route between the cities of Pinole and Hercules, without using the freeway.
Built in 1938, the bridge no longer meets American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) lane width and/or shoulder width standards for current and projected future average daily traffic (ADT). Bicycle and pedestrian access are not available on the existing bridge; however, bicyclists and pedestrians utilize the bridge to cross the railroad since no other method for crossing the BNSF railroad track is available in the vicinity of San Pablo Avenue. In addition, the existing bridge does not meet current horizontal or vertical railroad setback requirements. The age and condition assessment of the existing bridge support replacement.
In early 2012, City staff completed a grant application to seek Measure J Transportation for Livable Cities funds from the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) for construction of a new pedestrian/bicycle bridge crossing over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe right-of-way at San Pablo Avenue. The goal of the project was to provide safe pedestrian/bicycle access over the railroad. The City was notified that a grant in the amount of $47,000 was approved for design.
Shortly after, a State inspection revealed that the San Pablo Avenue bridge must be rehabilitated and was eligible for funding through the Highway Bridge Program (HBP). City staff worked with CCTA and received approval to reprogram grant funds and use them for pedestrian/bicycle improvements on the San Pablo Avenue bridge.
The replacement of the San Pablo Avenue bridge over BNSF Railroad is an approved project in the current adopted Capital Improvement Plan (CIP Project # RO1710, the “Project”). The purpose of the Project is to provide a safe, modern bridge and roadway that enhances and supports multi-modal transportation.
In September 2015, the City submitted an HBP application and Project Study Report (PSR) to Caltrans for the Project. In December 2015, the City was approved for initial funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA’s) Highway Bridge Program (HBP) to complete preliminary engineering (PE).The HBP provides federal aid to local agencies to replace and rehabilitate structurally deficient locally owned public highway bridges or complete preventative maintenance on bridges that are not deficient.
The PE phase is defined as all project initiation and development activities undertaken through the completion of the plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E). It includes preliminary right-of-way engineering and investigations necessary to complete environmental documents.
The Project will rely on federal funding through the HBP, therefore, environmental documentation pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is required. FHWA works with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to implement NEPA on federal-aid projects on the state highway system and local streets and roads. Caltrans is the lead agency under NEPA. Environmental documentation under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is also required for the project. The City of Pinole is the lead agency under CEQA.
The primary steps to complete the Project are the following: 1) completion of project studies and environmental documents (CEQA & NEPA); 2) development and completion of final PS&E; 3) acquisition of right-of-way; 4) acquisition of all regulatory agency permits; and 5) advertise, award, and administer the construction project.
Due to the limited initial funding allocation from the HBP, the PE will be completed in two phases. It was necessary to begin the preliminary design and environmental process to develop a final cost estimate and to pursue funding opportunities to support additional PE and all other phases of the Project. On February 18, 2020, City Council adopted Resolution 2020-07 to authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Quincy Engineering, Inc. for preliminary engineering services to advance the Project.
In the first phase of PE, Quincy Engineering, Inc. is tasked with initiating preliminary design and environmental process through the preparation of alternatives analysis and bridge type selection, preliminary coordination with BNSF railroad, preparation of a project report, preliminary utility coordination, and environmental technical studies to support completion of CEQA and NEPA documents. The first phase of PE is expected to be completed by Fall 2022.
Before Fall 2022, the City will prepare and submit a funding request to the HBP to complete the second phase of PE, acquire right-of-way, and advance to the Project thru construction.
The second phase of PE will involve final utility coordination, final coordination with BNSF railroad, completion of final PS&E, and acquisition of regulatory permits. The anticipated timeline for this work is Fall 2022 – Fall 2023 (contingent upon funding from HBP). The acquisition of right-of-way will also occur simultaneously during the second phase of PE.
After completion of both phases of PE and right-of-way acquisition, the Project will be advertised for construction. It is anticipated that the Project award and construction will occur between Spring 2024 – Spring 2026 (contingent upon funding from HBP).
REVIEW & ANALYSIS
Several alignment and bridge type alternatives were investigated, and two alternatives were selected for further study based on minimizing project constraints including right-of-way needs, traffic impacts during construction, utility impacts, and construction duration.
Both alternatives will result in the construction of a new, approximately 490-foot-long and 82-foot-wide pre-cast/pre-stressed concrete girder bridge designed to accommodate two 12-foot lanes in each direction, a 4-foot-wide raised median, 8-foot shoulders with Class II bicycle lanes, and a 10-foot sidewalk on the west side of San Pablo Avenue. Up to 200 feet of approach roadway in either direction may be slightly realigned from the existing condition between the intersections of Hercules Avenue and John Street.
There are several project considerations and challenges, noted below:
Staging area – during construction, contractors will need area to stage equipment. A preliminary area for staging has been identified.
Pinole Gateway – the gateway sign, landscaping, and irrigation will need to be replaced.
Coordination with BNSF railroad – the existing bridge does not meet current horizontal and vertical clearance requirements noted in the BNSF – UPRR “Guidelines for Railroad Grade Separation Projects”. The existing bridge has 8.5 feet of horizontal clearance. The current guidelines note the absolute minimum horizontal clearance to be 18 feet. The existing bridge has 20.7 feet of vertical clearance, while the guidelines require a minimum of 23.33 feet.
Utility coordination – there are utilities that are present in the area and will need to be protected in place or relocated (temporary or permanent). San Pablo Avenue is a major utility corridor for both overhead and underground utilities. Existing PG&E, East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), AT&T, and Comcast facilities occur within the project site. PG&E has underground natural gas service and transmission lines, while EBMUD has an underground water line within the extent of the project site. AT&T and Comcast maintain telecommunication lines in a large duct array suspended on the north side of the existing bridge.
Impact to neighboring properties – depending on bridge location, there may be either a temporary or permanent impact to Hercules residences. There is also a private driveway at the southwest corner of the existing bridge that will need improved access from San Pablo Avenue.
Traffic – there will be temporary delays due to bridge construction.
Pedestrian access – the Project will be mindful of multimodal users. During construction, the existing trail will be connected to new sidewalk at the northeast corner of the bridge.
Project Outreach
This Project was introduced to the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee (WCCTAC) in September 2020, and later presented to both the City Councils of Pinole and Hercules. The presentations covered the purpose and need of the Project, an introduction to the Project development process, an overview of Project considerations and challenges, and HBP funding constraints.
City staff routinely coordinates with the City of Hercules staff to share Project information. In February 2021, City staff attended a meeting hosted by a Hercules homeowner’s association (Hercules by the Bay) to discuss the Project and address community questions and concerns.
In November 2021, a website (www.pinolesparabridge.com) was launched to provide Project information and provide access to recorded meetings. On December 8, 2021, a virtual public workshop was held to present design alternatives and answer questions for members of the public. Postcard invitations were mailed to all Pinole residents and Hercules residents who live near the Project. The City of Hercules also conducted outreach to invite residents to the workshop. The workshop was broadcast on PCTV and a recording is available for viewing on the Project website.
Responses to project questions and concerns received throughout the life of the Project and at the workshop are summarized in Attachment A.
Alignment Alternatives
Attachment B is a visual representation of the alternatives described below.
Alternative 1 – demolition of the existing four-lane San Pablo Avenue Bridge over the BNSF railroad and construction of a new bridge in the same location. A temporary two-lane detour route with temporary bridge would be constructed northwest of the existing bridge to detour traffic around the project site during the approximate 18-month construction period. Numerous utilities are mounted on the existing bridge and would be temporarily relocated during construction and then mounted to the new bridge at the end of bridge construction. A sidewalk would be constructed along the edge of the southbound traffic lane and a 5-foot-wide walkway would be constructed on the temporary bridge. Construction of the temporary detour road and bridge would require securing a temporary construction easement from the City of Hercules and private properties. The estimated cost of construction for this alternative is $29.1 million.
Alternative 2 – constructing the new four-lane San Pablo Avenue Bridge over the BNSF railroad parallel to the existing bridge. Traffic remains on the existing bridge during construction and minimizes traffic delays during construction while the new single stage bridge is constructed. This alternative places traffic closer to the residences at Hercules by the Bay in the City of Hercules and has significant impacts to PG&E and EBMUD underground utilities. Construction is expected to take approximately 18 months. The estimated cost of construction for this alternative is $36.2 million.
Staging and associated challenges for both alternatives are summarized below:
Alternative
Description
Staging
Challenges
1 New bridge at existing bridge location
(2-Lane temporary Bridge during Detour)
Stage 1: A 2-lane temporary bridge detour alignment will be constructed west of the existing bridge; existing traffic will remain in its existing condition.
Stage 2: traffic will be diverted onto the 2-lane temporary bridge detour (1 lane for NB traffic and 1 lane for SB traffic); pedestrians will have a 4' wide passageway separated from traffic by k-rail; the existing; the existing bridge will be removed; the proposed bridge will be constructed along the same alignment as the existing.
Traffic impacts from reduced capacity during the project Detour alignments will encroach onto adjacent properties 2 Fully separated bridge
Stage 1: traffic will remain in its existing configuration while the new bridge is built.
Stage 2: the roadway approaches to the bridges will be constructed under traffic control.
Largest permanent footprint of all the alternatives (environmental, utilities) Permanent traffic closer to Hercules by the Bay properties Bridge will encroach onto adjacent properties
A value analysis was completed based on the following criteria:
#
Criteria
Weighting
1 Right-of-way – minimize permanent right-of-way impacts 40%
2 Traffic impacts – minimize traffic disruption during construction 30%
3 Utility impacts – minimize permanent impacts to utilities 20%
4 Construction duration – minimize construction duration 10%
Total
100%
Criteria
Weighting
Alternatives
Score
(1-10)
Criterion score
Baseline
Right-of-way
40 Alternative 1
10 400
Final bridge within existing right-of-way
Alternative 2
4 160
Edge of bridge deck moves closer to existing homes in Hercules Traffic impacts
30 Alternative 1
3 90
2-lane section through construction
Alternative 2
4 120
4-lane section through construction (reduced lane widths) Utility impacts
20 Alternative 1
4 80
Temporary impacts from building temporary bridge & roadway over utilities Alternative 2
2 40
Impacts to PG&E natural gas and EMBUD water lines
Construction duration
10 Alternative 1
7 70
Existing bridge constructed in 1 stage – temporary bridge option Alternative 2
3 30
Staged construction – partial bridge removal
The total performance score for each alternative based on the criterion is summarized below:
CRITERION
Right-of-way
Traffic
Utility impacts
Construction duration
Total = Performance Score
Weighting
40%
30%
20%
10%
100%
Alternative 1
400
90 80
70 640
Alternative 2
160
120
40 30
350
The value index score is calculated for each alternative by dividing the performance score with the estimated cost.
Alternative
Performance Score
Estimated Cost (Millions)
Value Index Score (Performance score/Cost) Alternative 1
640
$29.1
21.99 Alternative 2
350
$36.2
9.67 Based on the criterion scoring summary and value index score, staff recommends that City Council accept Alternative 1 as the preferred design alternative and authorize conducting additional studies to proceed with preparation of environmental documents. Prior to the conclusion of the first phase of PE, the City will submit a project report which includes a Bridge Type Selection document to Caltrans for review and approval. The project report will document the process that was followed to select a preferred alternative. The HBP will review the project report and will approve funding based on a value analysis.
Next Steps
Based on the preferred design alternative, the consultant will continue completion of project studies and environmental documents. The project involves continued coordination with Caltrans, BNSF, utilities, and the City of Hercules.
The Project will be mutually beneficial to Pinole and Hercules. While the City of Pinole is the sponsor of the Project and is responsible for securing funding for all phases of the Project, it is anticipated that certain approvals and actions will be required by the City of Hercules. Approvals will be required for contractors to perform site investigation, project development, and construction activities for the Project within the jurisdictional boundaries of Hercules.
In order to most efficiently collaborate with the City of Hercules, staff requests Council’s authorization to draft a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Hercules regarding project development and construction coordination. The City Councils of Pinole and Hercules would ultimately need to approve the Memorandum of Understanding before it could be executed.
FISCAL IMPACT
In September 2015, the City submitted an HBP application and Project Study Report (PSR) to Caltrans for the Project. The PSR identified a total budget of $16,766,800 for the Project of which $893,000 was for PE, $100,000 for right-of-way, and the remainder $15,773,800 for construction. The HBP contributes 88.53% of the bridge replacement cost and the remaining 11.47% is the local share.
Based on the project costs identified in the PSR, in December 2015, Caltrans programmed the Project in the HBP funding plan and committed to providing $790,573 (88.53% of $893k) for the PE phase. The City also secured $1,600,000 for local share from West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee for all phases of the Project. In addition, the City secured $387,000 from the CCTA for the design, right-of-way, and environmental clearance for the Project . That is sufficient funding for the local share of the PE phase.
A funding gap still exists for completion of the second phase of PE, right-of-way, and construction. The City will also need to continue to seek additional local share funds for the construction phase. The planning level construction cost estimate for Alternative 1 and Alternative 2 is $29.1 million and $36.2 million, respectively. The HBP allows local agencies to request additional grant allocation when bid proposals come in higher than initially budgeted for construction. Completion of preliminary design is necessary to develop a final cost estimate and facilitate the City in pursuing funding to support all phases of the Project.
ATTACHMENTS
Project Questions and Concerns
Alignment Alternatives
City Council Report
March 1, 2022 2
CITY COUNCIL REPORT XX CITY COUNCIL REPORT XX
CITY COUNCIL
REPORT XX
CITY COUNCIL
REPORT XX