DATE:
May 14, 2024
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
Public Works
TITLE: El Monte Corridor Improvements, Design
and Construction, Project 21-38—
Professional Services Agreement
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute a professional services agreement with BKF Engineers, a California corporation ( Business Entity No. 3696846), to provide design and construction support services for El Monte Corridor Improvements, Design and Construction, Project 21-38, in a not-to-exceed amount of $533,000.
BACKGROUND
El Monte Avenue is a four -lane street with two travel lanes and a bicycle lane in each direction, a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour, and an a verage daily traffic volume of approximately 14,000 vehicles based on data collected in March 2023.
In Oc tober 2015, a pedestrian fatality occurred at the intersection of El Monte Avenue and Marich Way which prompted community requests for the City to consider improvements along El Monte Avenue. In 2019, the City installed improvements at this intersection to improve the crossing for pedestrians . There was a continued interest from the community for an overall corridor study for safety of all modes of travel along the El Monte Avenue corridor and the adjacent West El Camino Real connection.
As part of the Fiscal Year 2018-19 Capital Improvement Program, Council approved the El Monte Corridor Study project to evaluate improvements to increase safety along this corridor. In September 2019, the City entered into a n agreement with Mott MacDonald to develop a study that identifies viable added improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists.
The El Monte Corridor Study (Study) was conducted between 2019 and 2022 and evaluated various improvements throughout the following nine intersections within the corridor : Two intersections along El Camino Real at Escuela Avenue and El Monte Avenue , and seven intersections along El Monte Avenue from El Camino Real to the City limits at Springer Road and Jay Street (see Figure 1).
El Monte Corridor Improvements, Design and Construction, Project 21-38— Professional Services Agreement
May 14, 2024
Figure 1: Project Area
Staff conducted several public meetings and outreach efforts for the project, including three community meetings (January 15, 2020, August 18, 2020, and July 21, 2022) and a public online survey released in December 2022 . Staff presented the project to the Bicycle/Pedestrian
El Monte Corridor Improvements, Design and Construction, Project 21-38— Professional Services Agreement
May 14, 2024
Advisory Committee (BPAC) at their December 2, 2020 and April 26, 2023 meetings and to the Council Transportation Committee (CTC) at their May 15, 2023 meeting.
On June 27, 2023, Council approved Alternative 3, a road diet from four lanes to three lanes with buffered bike lanes, as the preferred alternative for the project, as recommended by the BPAC and CTC. The scope elements for Alternative 3 include:
El Camino Real, from Escuela Avenue to El Monte Avenue:
• High-visibility crosswalks at each intersection;
• Green bike lane striping at conflict areas;
• Removal of the slip lane from eastbound El Camino Real to southbound El Monte Avenue;
• Maintaining two left- turn lanes from westbound El Camino Real to southbound El Monte Avenue; and
• Protected intersection treatments and green street elements, where feasible.
El Monte Avenue, from El Camino Real to the City limits at Springer Road and Jay Street:
• Road diet from four vehicle lanes to three lanes, consisting of one vehicle lane in each direction and a center median two-way left-turn lane (see Figure 2);
• Buffered bicycle lanes with green striping at conflict areas;
• High-visibility crosswalks and pedestrian refuge islands at the intersection of El Monte Avenue and Hollingsworth Drive;
• Lighting improvements;
• No access restrictions on side streets; and
• Green street elements, where feasible.
El Monte Corridor Improvements, Design and Construction, Project 21-38— Professional Services Agreement
May 14, 2024
Figure 2: Typical Cross-Section—Alternative 3 (Road Diet)
In support of the portion of the project at the intersection of El Camino Real, Escuela Avenue, and El Monte Avenue, the City was recently awarded $2.4 million in One Bay Area Grant Cycle 3 (OBAG 3) grant funding towards El Camino Real Bike and Pedestrian Improvements, Project 22-29.
ANALYSIS
In November 2023, staff issued a Request for Qualifications to establish a list of on -call general civil engineering firms to provide design services for future roadway and transportation projects.
Eleven (11) proposals were received . A selection committee comprised of p ublic works staff evaluated the proposals and reviewed their qualifications. The committee identified a prequalified list of 10 consulting firms. As the need arises, staff can solicit proposals from one or more of the prequalified consultants, rotating through firms for various projects.
In February 2024, the City sent three firms from the prequalified list a Request for Proposal (RFP) for professional design and construction support services for El Monte Corridor Improvements, Design and Construction, Project 21 -38. O ne proposal was submitted from BKF Engineers , a California corporation, Business Entity No. 3696846, (BKF). Following staff review, BKF was deemed qualified based on the merits of their written proposal, experience in completing similar projects, and understanding of project goals.
The main elements of the scope of services include:
• Conduct site surveys and investigation, data collection, and design analysis;
• Prepare materials for presenting to community, Commissions, and Committees;
• Assist staff on coordination with other agencies;
• Provide support in preparing and submitting grant documentation;
• Prepare construction bid documents; and
• Provide bidding and construction support.
El Monte Corridor Improvements, Design and Construction, Project 21-38— Professional Services Agreement
May 14, 2024
The recommended fee of $533,000 for services and contingency is consistent for such services, and staff considers the fee to be fair and reasonable for the scope of work required. If the recommended action is approved by Council, BKF will begin design in June 2024. The project is estimated to complete design in fall 2025 and start construction in early 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT
El Monte Corridor Improvements, Design and Construction, Project 21 -38, is funded in the amount of $1,630,000 from Measure B Sales Tax. The design and construction of the El Camino Real/El Monte Avenu e/Escuela Avenue Intersection portion of the project will be funded by El Camino Real Bike and Pedestrian Improvements, Project 22-29, which will include $2.4 million in OBAG 3 grant funding. The fee for the recommended agreement is $484,000 for basic services and reimbursable expenses, and $49,000 for additional services, for a total not -to-exceed amount of $533,000. The project has sufficient funds for the recommended action; no additional appropriation is requested at this time.
CONCLUSION
Following Council’s approval of Alternative 3 for the El Monte Avenue corridor, a road diet from four lanes to three lanes with buffered bike lanes, staff released an RFP to solicit proposals for design and construction support services for El Monte Corridor Improvements, Design and Construction, Project 21-38. Staff reviewed the proposal received from BKF and deemed the firm qualified to prepare the project design and provide construction support services and staff assistance with community meetings, grant documentation, and coordination with impacted agencies. Staff recommends Council authorize the City Manager or designee to execute a professional services agreement with BKF.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Do not authorize the City Manager or designee to execute a professional services agreement with BKF and direct staff to request a proposal from a different consultant from the City’s on-call general civil engineering list.
2. Provide other direction.
El Monte Corridor Improvements, Design and Construction, Project 21-38— Professional Services Agreement
May 14, 2024
PUBLIC NOTICING—Agenda posting.
Prepared by:
Marichrisse Hoang
Associate Civil Engineer
Reviewed by:
Robert Gonzales
Principal Civil Engineer
Quynh Byrer
Acting Assistant Public Works Director/
City Engineer
Approved by:
Edward Arango
Acting Public Works Director
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager
MH/LL/4/CAM
979-05-14-24CR
204028
cc: PWD(A)—Arango, APWD(A)—Byrer, PCE—Gonzales, SCE—Houghton, ACE—Hoang, ACE—Nguyen, SMA—Goedicke, SMA—Doan, PA—Li, File (21-38 and 22-29)