DATE:
September 27, 2022
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
Public Works
TITLE: Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/
U.S. 101 Off-Ramp Realignment, Design,
Project 19-59—Transfer and Appropriate
Funds, and Amend Professional Services
Agreement
RECOMMENDATION
1. Acting in its capacity as the Shoreline Regional Park Community Board, t ransfer and appropriate $385,000 from the Shoreline Community—North Bayshore Improvement Fee Subfund to Northbound Shoreline B oulevard/U.S. 101 Off-Ramp Realignment, Design, Project 19-59.
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to amend the professional services agreement with AECOM Technical Services, Inc. , for Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/U.S. 101 Off-Ramp Realignment, Design, Project 19-59, to add $350,000 for additional services , for a total agreement not-to-exceed amount of $2,215,000.
BACKGROUND
Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/U.S. 101 Off-Ramp Realignment , Design, Project 19-59 (Project), was identified as a Priority Transportation Improvement in the North Bayshore Precise Plan (NBPP) to facilitate anticipated growth in the North Bayshore Area. Certain development projects have been tied to the completion of this project via conditions of approval, including 2000 North Shoreline Boulevard (595,000 square feet of new office) and 1255 Pear Avenue (231,210 square feet of new office and 635 residential units).
The P roject will realign the northbound U.S. 101 off -ramp (a Caltrans facility) to form a T-intersection at La Avenida. The major elements of the Project are described below and shown in Figure 1:
• Realign the existing northbound U.S. 101 ramp to intersect with La Avenida with a new signalized intersection;
• Modify the existing five-legged intersection at the U.S. 101 northbound off-ramp/Shoreline Boulevard/La Avenida to a four-legged intersection;
Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/U.S. 101 Off Ramp Realignment, Design, Project 19-59— Transfer and Appropriate Funds, and Amend Professional Services Agreement September 27, 2022
• Change the geometry of La Avenida at the intersection of Shoreline Boulevard from three lanes (one westbound going right, two westbound going left) to five lanes (four westbound, of which two go left and two go right, and one goes eastbound) and eliminating the existing northbound off-ramp (eliminating two left-turn and two right-turn lanes);
• Construct a dedicated bus lane on the new northbound off-ramp;
• Install a traffic signal at the new northbound off -ramp/La Avenida intersection with bus signal priority;
• Construct Class II bike lanes on both sides of La Avenida between Shoreline Boulevard and Inigo Way;
• Construct a right-turn lane on northbound Shoreline Boulevard at La Avenida;
• Conform to existing bicycle facilities at the Project conform points of existing streets;
• Reconstruct the driveway and visitor parking lot at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) bus yard;
• Relocate PG&E and Comcast poles on the south side of La Avenida and adjust other utilities;
• Demolish and remove two sheds at the southwest corner of the VTA bus yard;
• Provide protected intersection design at the intersection of Shorelin e Boulevard and La Avenida;
• Modify the traffic signal at the intersection of Shoreline Boulevard and La Avenida;
• Install one overhead sign structure on the U.S. 101 northbound off-ramp; and
• Install signal interconnect cable (SIC) between the signal at the Shoreline Boulevard/La Avenida intersection and the signal at the new northbound U.S. 101 off-ramp/La Avenida intersection.
The City is required to follow Caltrans standards, guidelines, and project development procedures due to the Project modifying a Caltrans facility.
Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/U.S. 101 Off Ramp Realignment, Design, Project 19-59— Transfer and Appropriate Funds, and Amend Professional Services Agreement September 27, 2022
Figure 1: Project Location and Layout
Council has taken several actions for the design of the Project. The key actions include:
• On June 13, 2017 , Council approved an agreement between the City and Caltrans for Caltrans to review the Project Study Report/Project Report (PSR/PR) and Environmental Clearance phase of the Project. This phase was approved by Caltrans on August 7, 2020.
• On April 30, 2019, Council approved the cooperative agreement with Caltrans for the design and construction of the Project, including right -of-way (ROW) acquisition. The City is funding all project costs for design, ROW acquisi tion, and construction and has received a $5 million grant from the VTA Measure B sales tax program to use toward construction.
• On June 4, 2019 , Council approved a professional services agreement with AECOM Technical Services, Inc. (AECOM), to provide design services for the Project in the amount of $1,865,000.
• As part of the project, Caltrans has also required the closure of the existing driveway access to the Computer History Museum (Museum) at La Avenida and the City agreed to provide
Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/U.S. 101 Off Ramp Realignment, Design, Project 19-59— Transfer and Appropriate Funds, and Amend Professional Services Agreement September 27, 2022
an alternate driveway to the Museum off Inigo Way as a mitigation. The construction of the new Museum driveway access from Inigo Way is being constructed separately from the main project as a first phase . Council approved plans and specifications for the Museum driveway work on May 24, 2022. Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of 2022 and be completed in spring 2023.
The main project to be undertaken as the second phase is the construction of the northbound U.S. 101 off-ramp realignment and La Avenida improvements. This phase is currently in the final design and right-of-way acquisition process.
ANALYSIS
Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/U.S. 101 Off-Ramp Realignment , Design, Project 19 -59, is a large and complex infrastructure project requiring extensive coordination and approval from multiple agencies and property owners. Since awarding the contract for design services, the project has required substantial coordinati on with VTA and Caltrans and many additional work items have surfaced due to agency requirements and unforeseen conditions.
Based on the coordination with VTA, changes are required to the bus yard parking lot design and the temporary construction and access easement on VTA property.
Caltrans has also identified several required changes, including:
1. Revising right-of-way appraisal maps;
2. Updating the Encroachment Policy Exception Request to the latest Caltrans standards;
3. Complying with new design guidelines for work-zone protection and mitigation measures;
4. Conducting additional soil borings for preparation of hazardous materials reports; and
5. Engaging U nited States Environmental Protection Agency (E PA) and other regulatory agencies to coordinate soil contamination found on-site.
These changes were not a part of the original scope of work and have exhausted the existing additional services funds in the AECOM contract . Caltrans Items 1 to 4 listed above have been completed, but the VTA -related changes and Caltrans Item 5 will require additional work. In particular, for Item 5, initial discussions with the EPA have indicated that the EPA will not make a regulatory decision about contaminated soil until the City engages the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and conducts additional sampling. It is possible that the City may be subject to the following requirements: to register the site with the regulatory agencies as a Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/U.S. 101 Off Ramp Realignment, Design, Project 19-59— Transfer and Appropriate Funds, and Amend Professional Services Agreement September 27, 2022
contaminated site or active clean -up case ; be identified as a Responsible Party ; and undergo site/case processes, such as the DTSC’s Voluntary Agreements or the EPA Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Facility Approval Streamlining Toolbox processes. It is also possible that areas of PCB or other constituent impacts that are not planned to be disturbed during planned Project construction may require controls and design changes , such as a deed restriction or a soil management plan.
In view of the above, additional support is needed from AECOM to provide the technical expertise to navigate the additional agency coordination efforts and modify the final design as required .
These efforts include the following:
• Additional unforeseen design changes related to the signalized intersection configuration, Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA) accessibility, and drainage coordination at the VTA parking lot;
• Characterization of soil to fully delineate the extent of soil contamination;
• Characterization of soil containing leachable metals;
• Sampling of storm drains;
• Work required to coordinate and respond to EPA, VTA, Caltrans , and other regulatory agencies; and
• Additional construction support services.
Project Schedule
Should Council approve the recommended actions, the final design and right-of-way acquisition process will continue with tentative completion by December 2022. Further coordination will be conducted with the regulatory agencies with tentative completion by March 2023 followed by Caltrans approval of the project plans, specifications , and Engineer’s Estimate by April 2023.
Subject to the results of the soil characterization and Caltrans approval, staff estimates returning to Council for approval of plans and specifications in June 2023 for start of construction in January 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT
Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/U.S. 101 Off -Ramp Realignment, Design, Project 19 -59, is funded with $6,400,000 from North Bayshore Impact Fees for final design and right-of-way acquisition. Staff recommends transferring $385,000 from the North Bayshore Improvement Fee Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/U.S. 101 Off Ramp Realignment, Design, Project 19-59— Transfer and Appropriate Funds, and Amend Professional Services Agreement September 27, 2022
Fund to the Project to fund the contract increase with AECOM and administrative fees. With the addition of $350,000, the AECOM agreement will have a total not-to-exceed amount of $2,215,000. There is sufficient funding in the North Bayshore Improvement Fee Fund for the recommended actions.
The construction phase of the project is funded under Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/U.S. 101 Off-Ramp Realignment, Construction, Project 20-37, in the amount of $23 million, using Shoreline Regional Park Community Fund and Shoreline Community Bond . Once a funding agreement is executed with VTA, $5 million in VTA Measure B funds will be added to Project 20-37 for a total construction budget of $28 million.
CONCLUSION
Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/U.S. 101 Off -Ramp Realignment, Design, Project 19 -59, is a large and complex infrastructure project requiring coordination and approval from multiple agencies a nd property owners. It will provide improved circulation at this high -volume and critical intersection to serve anticipated growth in the NBPP area. The Project will be constructed in two phases. The first phase is the construction of the new Museum driveway access from Inigo Way. Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of 2022 and be completed in spring 2023.
The second phase is the construction of the northbound U.S. 101 off -ramp realignment and La Avenida improvements. A consultant agreement amendment is requested for additional coordination with EPA, VTA, and Caltrans ; soil sampling for delineation of PCB and leachable metals; design changes; and construction support services.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Do not authorize an amendment to the professional services agreement.
2. Provide other direction.
Northbound Shoreline Boulevard/U.S. 101 Off Ramp Realignment, Design, Project 19-59— Transfer and Appropriate Funds, and Amend Professional Services Agreement September 27, 2022
PUBLIC NOTICING—Agenda posting.
Prepared by:
Ashok Aggarwal
Senior Traffic Engineer
Reviewed by:
Lorenzo Lopez
City Traffic Engineer
Edward Arango
Assistant Public Works Director/
City Engineer
Approved by:
Dawn S. Cameron
Public Works Director
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager/
Chief Operating Officer
AA/EP/4/CAM
909-09-27-22CR
202315
cc: APWD—Arango, CTE, STE—Aggarwal, SMA—Goedicke, PA—Li, SMA—Doan, File