City Council Agenda Report
December 2, 2025
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Albert Mendoza, P.E., Director of Public Services/City Engineer Mario Mera, Engineering Division Manager
Run Chen, P.E., Principal Civil Engineer
SUBJECT: PROJECT NO. 7196 - APPROVE CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER – RESOLUTION NO. 25-57 – BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR FIRESTONE
BOULEVARD WIDENING
Background:
On May 7, 2024, City Council approved the execution of contract for the construction of Firestone Boulevard improvements from Studebaker Road to Imperial Highway, Project No. 7196 to Reyes Construction Inc., for $15,036,154 including a 10% contingency.
The project upgrades the existing section of Firestone Boulevard from 4-lanes of traffic (two in each direction) and a landscaped raised median to 6-lanes of traffic (three lanes in each direction) with a curbed median and a Class II bike lane in each direction. To accommodate the new traffic lanes, the existing bridge overcrossing the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) right of way is widened along with modifications to existing bridge abutments and embankments.
The preconstruction meeting was held on July 22, 2024, and the Notice to Proceed was issued to the contractor establishing August 6, 2024 as the start of construction activities. The project duration is 350 working days, with project completion date of December 29, 2025.
Construction Change Orders:
During the course of construction, the contractor encountered several challenges including differing site conditions, unforeseen utilities conflicts, excessive railroad permit conditions, and bridge design abnormalities. These construction challenges lowered the pace of construction and increased the contractor’s level of efforts above expected levels at bid time. The project construction management team, project design engineer, and contractor collaborated at various stages of project construction to mitigate schedule and budget risks posed by the project
City Council December 2, 2025
Firestone Boulevard Widening Phase 2 – Approval of
Change Order and Budget Amendment
Page No. 2
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changes. The concerted efforts of the project team (contractor, construction management, and design engineers) maintained the project schedule delay at 30 days, but the project change order cost exposure exceeds the project contingency level of 10%.
The design plans completed and included in the bid package included scope of work for Firestone Boulevard widening from Imperial Highway to Studebaker Road instead of the initial project scope of the Firestone Boulevard widening from Hoxie Avenue to Imperial Highway.
Since there will be offset in the lane striping along Firestone Boulevard across the intersection of Studebaker Road, a change order is required to implement lane transitions along with grading improvements in the pavement to provide for a safe transition from three travel lanes to two travel lanes in each direction of Firestone Boulevard. The project designer completed the revised design package for the safe transition, henceforth referenced as Phase 1 of the project. To complete the widening of Firestone Boulevard between Hoxie Avenue and Studebaker Road as initially planned, a change order is required to add the scope to construction management, and construction contracts.
The total project cost is summarized below:
CIP 7196 - F irestone B ridge Wideneing Original
Cost/Contract Change Orders T otal Revised
Cost
Construction
(Including Contingency)
$ 15,036,154 $ 4,767,940 $ 19,804,094 Construction Hoxie-S tudebaker
(Including Contingency)
$ - $ 4,400,000 $ 4,400,000 Construction Management & Inspection $ 2,388,000 $ 419,280 $ 2,807,280 Design $ 1,531,966 $ 468,034 $ 2,000,000 A dministration (3% ) $ 340,585 $ 175,000 $ 515,585 T OT A L RE V IS E D COS T E S T IMA T E $ 19,296,705 $ 10,230,254 $ 29,526,959 The contractor is projecting completion of construction by February 23, 2026. If a change order is executed, the added scope can be incorporated without additional mobilization costs.
Fiscal Impact:
The total estimated cost of the project is $29,526,959, which exceeds the existing budget. The available allocations are from: Local Proposition C ($2,119,444), Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (METRO) measure M ($5,000,900), and Surface Transportation Program Local (STPL) funds ($1,270,000). City staff is coordinating with METRO to release encumbered Prop C reserve funding allocated to existing Project Nos. 7184 Carmenita Road, and 7921, Alondra Boulevard with longer completion schedules. The Prop C reserve funds expire on June 30, 2026 and can be allocated to Firestone Boulevard City Council December 2, 2025
Firestone Boulevard Widening Phase 2 – Approval of
Change Order and Budget Amendment
Page No. 3
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Improvements Project for immediate expenditure. Project budget revisions per various funding sources are detailed below:
Funding Sources Origrinal Budget
Budget
Amendment
R equested
T otal
P rop C $ 251,000 $ 2,119,444 $ 2,370,444 Metro Measure R $ 2,284,900 $ (284,900) $ 2,000,000 Metro Measure M $ 13,284,000 $ 5,000,900 $ 18,284,900 S treet R enovation R eserve F und $ 5,601,615 $ 5,601,615 S T P L F ederal F unding $ 1,270,000 $ 1,270,000 P roject B udget T otal $ 21,421,515 $ 8,105,444 $ 29,526,959 Citizens Advised:
N/A
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
The recommended action will further the City’s Strategic Plan Goal 2: Invest in street infrastructure.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommend City Council:
a. adopt Resolution No. 25-57, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK AUTHORIZING AN AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2025/26
ADOPTED BUDGET TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR FIRESTONE BOULEVARD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, in the amount of $8,105,444.
b. authorize the City Manager to execute a Change Order with Reye’s Construction, Inc. in the amount of $9,167,940 to provide necessary safety improvements; c. authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 3 to the agreement with Mark Thomas and Company, Inc., in the amount of $468,034, for design services; and d. authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 3 to the agreement with T.Y. Lin International, in the amount of $419,280, for construction management and inspection services.
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 25-57 - Budget Amendment
2. Project No. 7196 Map
3. Levine Act Statements