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City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: INFORMATION REPORTS
Lead Department: Public Works
Meeting Date: April 22, 2024
Report #:2308-1956
TITLE
Semiannual Update on the Status of Capital Improvement Program Projects; CEQA Status – Not a Project
RECOMMENDATION
This report is provided for information only and requires no Council action.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council and Palo Alto community can be proud of the City’s capital improvement program (CIP). The CIP represents major investments in infrastructure functionality and sustainability, funded largely through the 2014 Council Infrastructure Plan as well as utility rates and various other sources. The 2024-2028 five-year CIP totaled $1.2 billion for 209 projects as reviewed by the Council in its adoption of the FY 2024 Capital Budget. Since July 2016, the City of Palo Alto has completed 96 individual community-serving projects totaling over $353 million in improvements. A summary of all completed CIP projects is provided at the end of Attachment A.
The CIP also represents a major effort for much of the City workforce. The following table summarizes the status of all projects for the six-month period of July to December 2023.
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One Time CIP
Capital Improvement Fund Recurring
CIP Pre-Design Design Procurement Construction Completed Buildings and Facilities 10 3 15 0 7 0
Parks and Open Space 9 2 12 0 2 0
Streets and Sidewalks 8 0 3 0 0 0
Traffic and Transportation 5 1 6 2 2 0
Airport 0 0 3 2 1 0
Electric 9 3 10 0 4 0
Fiber Optics 2 0 2 0 0 0
Gas 4 0 1 0 1 0
Stormwater Management 2 0 3 0 3 0
Water 7 1 1 0 3 0
Wastewater Collection 4 0 0 0 1 0
Wastewater Treatment 1 1 4 0 4 0
Subtotals 61 11 60 4 28 0
Total 164
BACKGROUND
This report provides Council with an update on the status of capital improvement program (CIP) projects, with detailed and useful information for the Council and public regarding general fund and enterprise fund projects that appear on Council agendas and will be visible throughout the community. The report does not include Internal Service Funds projects (Information Technology and Vehicle).
ANALYSIS
Project Update Organization
The City of Palo Alto has a robust capital improvement program, and many individual projects are in progress at any given time. The 2024-2028 five-year CIP totaled $1.2 billion for 209 projects as reviewed by the Council as part of the adoption of the FY 2024 Capital Budget. The attached CIP project tables are intended to provide Council with a quick overview of each project, including budgetary information, the anticipated completion date, a brief description of the project scope, the status of the project, and upcoming activities including Council actions.
Also included in the report is a list of all completed projects since the introduction of the Infrastructure Management System.
Major/Significant Projects Summary
The 2014 Council Infrastructure Plan is a major focus of staff’s capital improvement program efforts and ties to several 2024 City Council Priorities and related objectives. The following table details the Total Project Budget and Total Actual Expenses through February 26, 2024, for the Infrastructure Plan projects.
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Council
Infrastructure
Plan Projects
CIP
Number
Project Update
Total Project
Budget
Total Actual
Expenses*
New Public Safety
Building PE-15001 Construction is underway with completion expected in spring 2024. $118,137,997 $105,703,406
Bicycle and
Pedestrian
Transportation
Implementation
Plan
PL-04010
This project funds the Bicycle and Pedestrian
Transportation Plan Update, which has
kicked off recently and is slated to take
approximately 18 months to complete. This
project also funds the implementation of
various bicycle and pedestrian projects.
Currently, one of the projects is the
Embarcadero Road Improvements Project
(from Emerson to High Street), which
provides improvements on both the north
and south sides of Embarcadero Rd., from
Emerson to High Street. Improvements
include intersection improvements at
Emerson and Kingsley; landscaping, new
pedestrian level lighting; and bicycle and
pedestrian enhancements. Final Design is
currently being completed, and the project
will be ready to bid for construction in 2024.
$15,293,904 $9,679,699
New Downtown
Parking Garage PE-15007
Council directed staff to look at the feasibility
of partnering with a private entity to develop
new parking using downtown in-lieu parking
fees in conjunction with housing or other
uses, including the use of City surface lots or
privately held parcels. A Request for
Information was issued in December 2022
and staff reviewed proposals and held
interviews in May 2023. Council gave
direction to staff in December 2023 to
advance the project in conjunction with
advancement of affordable housing in the
Downtown area.
$7,488,918 $1,440,311
New California
Avenue Area
Parking Garage
PE-18000 Completed $50,213,486 $49,411,201
Charleston
Arastradero
Corridor Project
PE-13011
Phase 1 & 2 improvements are complete.
Phase 3 construction is underway with
completion expected spring 2024.
$20,788,951 $20,112,144
Fire Station 3
Replacement PE-15003 Completed $10,588,654 $10,588,654
Highway 101
Pedestrian/Bicycle
Overpass Project
PE-11011 Completed $23,718,769 $23,718,769
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Fire Station 4
Replacement PE-18004
Received Architectural Review Board
approval in October. Council approved a
construction management contract in
December 2023 and 90% construction
documents are expected in early 2024.
$15,329,846 $1,003,046
Byxbee Park
Completion PE-18006 On hold pending completion of Baylands Comprehensive Conservation Plan. $3,699,189 $368,192
Downtown
Automated
Parking Guidance
Systems
PL-15002
Council approved a design build contract in
May 2023. Design for the four garages
started in summer 2023 and construction is
expected to be completed in fall 2024.
$5,197,833 $1,141,499
The last phases of the Charleston/Arastradero Corridor project and the Public Safety Building project are expected to be completed in spring 2024. Current Infrastructure Plan project schedules can be found at https://www.infrastructure.cityofpaloalto.org/ Key considerations for the information presented in the project update tables include:
•Project status information is current as of December 2023. •The individual project tables align with the Capital Improvement Fund categories in the Fiscal Year 2024-2028 capital budget: Buildings and Facilities, Parks and Open Space, Streets and Sidewalks, and Traffic and Transportation.
•Enterprise Fund projects follow the order of their respective Fund in the capital budget. •Department Technology Upgrades and Improvements projects and Cubberley Property Infrastructure Fund projects are included in the Buildings and Facilities table. •Additional project information is available in the Fiscal Year 2024-2028 capital budget. •Each project table is divided into a section for one-time projects and a section for recurring projects that have ongoing annual funding.
•Budgetary figures include staff oversight costs for projects to which staff costs have been allocated.
•The table of completed projects, provides a summary of all CIP projects completed since the Biannual CIP updates to council began in 2016. The data is sorted from most recent to oldest.
Completed Projects
There were no completed one-time projects in the first half of Fiscal Year 2024 (July through December 2023).
One-time projects do not include the significant amount of annual work completed under ongoing recurring projects, such as streets and sidewalks repairs, parking lot maintenance, roofing replacements, and regular maintenance of Utilities assets. 2 9
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One-Time Projects Under Construction
The twenty-eight projects that are currently underway include the following:
Capital Improvement Fund (general fund):
•Boulware Park Improvements (PE-17005)
•Cameron Park Improvements (PG-14002)
•Charleston-Arastradero Corridor Project (PE-13011)
•Churchill Avenue/Alma Street Railroad Crossing Safety Improvements (PL-20000) •City Facilities Assessment and Record Plan Management System (PE-20002) •Civic Center Fire Life Safety Upgrades (PE-18016)
•Civic Center Waterproofing Study and Repairs (PE-15020) •Homekey Facilities (PE-24005)
•JMZ Renovation (AC-18001)
•New Public Safety Building (PE-15001)
•Roth Building Rehabilitation Phase 1 (PF-23001)
Airport Fund
•Airport Layout Plan (AP-21000)
Electric Fund
•Inter Substation Line Protection Relay (EL-17005)
•Foothills Rebuild Fire Mitigation (EL-21001)
•Smart Grid Technology Installation (EL-11014)
•Substation Physical Security (EL-16003)
Gas Fund
•Gas Main Replacement Project 24 (GS-14003)
Stormwater Management Fund
•East Meadow Drive System Upgrades (SD-22000)
•East Meadow Circle Connection to Adobe Creek Pump Station (SD-26000) •Trash Capture Device Installation (SD-22002)
Wastewater Collection Fund
•Wastewater Collection System Rehabilitation Augmentation Project 31 (WC-19001) Wastewater Treatment Fund
•Joint Intercepting Sewer Rehabilitation (Phase 1) (WQ-24000) •Plant Master Plan (WQ-10001)
•Primary Sedimentation Tank Rehabilitation (WQ-14003)
•Secondary Treatment Upgrades (WQ-19001)
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Water Fund
•Water Main Replacement Project 29(WS-15002)
•Water Regulation Station Improvements (WS-07000)
•Water Tank Seismic System Upgrades (WS-09000)
As described above for completed projects, the list of projects under construction does not include work currently being conducted under recurring CIP projects.
Below are some photos of projects under construction:
New Public Safety Building (PE-15001)
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Public Safety Building Update
The Public Safety Building project made significant progress in the first half of Fiscal Year 2024.
Exterior brick, tile, and plaster are almost completed. Permanent power to the building switchgear was completed in September 2023. The communications monopole was installed in October 2023. The roofing was completed. The Tier 4 emergency generator has been installed.
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Utility tie-ins have been completed. Sitework is in progress on Park Boulevard, Birch Street, Jacaranda Lane, and Sherman Avenue. Interior build out and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are almost complete. Painting and interior finishes installation have begun.
The photovoltaic panel system has been completed. The photovoltaic panel system serving the PSB is located on the roof of the 350 Sherman Avenue Garage. As of December 2023, construction is 94% complete and 82% of the project’s construction contingency has been used.
Staff continues to coordinate with the City Auditor, Baker Tilly, on the Public Safety Building Construction Audit by providing project documents on a monthly basis. Additionally, a cross- departmental staff team is meeting monthly to review and coordinate construction of the Public Safety Building and other projects in the California Avenue area, with a goal of communicating and mitigating the impacts.
Capital Improvements of Note Implemented by Other Agencies El Camino Real:
El Camino Real (State Highway 82) is maintained by Caltrans. Pavement Condition Index scores for El Camino Real are significantly lower than the average for Palo Alto streets. Staff has been communicating with Caltrans about the upcoming plans to repave El Camino Real from the Mountain View to Menlo Park borders. Currently, this work is planned to start in late 2024.
Related work to address ADA updates/shoulder and sidewalk work at different points along El Camino Real is underway with temporary parking and shoulder closures in effect.
Caltrain Electrification:
Caltrain is on schedule to provide all-electric train service between San Jose Diridon and San Francisco stations in fall 2024. All foundations, poles, and wires have been installed along the 51-mile corridor and crews are currently testing the infrastructure and trains. Six of the eventual 23 trainsets are currently on Caltrain property, three of which have completed a thousand miles of testing along the Caltrain corridor. The entirety of the new fleet must meet all safety and quality standards prior to the launch of electrified service in Fall 2024. Testing of the trains in the Palo Alto city limits is expected to begin in March 2024. Caltrain work continues requiring partial lane closures of Alma Street to vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic. The temporary lane closures are required due to trenching and construction equipment and crews entering and exiting the Caltrain right-of-way along Alma Street.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
Funding for the projects discussed in this report was appropriated in the Fiscal Year 2024 Adopted Capital Budget and reviewed for the 2024-2028 Five-Year CIP.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
This report was coordinated with internal City staff in the Administrative Services, Community Services, Office of Transportation, Public Works, and Utilities Departments. Stakeholder engagement is conducted separately for each project.
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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This report is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as it is an informational report to Council. CEQA compliance is reviewed separately for each capital project.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: CIP Project Status Updates and Completed Projects List APPROVED BY:
Brad Eggleston, Director Public Works/City Engineer