City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: Public Works
Meeting Date: December 9, 2024
Report #:2410-3613
TITLE
Approval of Construction Contract No. C24192547 with O’Grady Paving, Inc. in the Amount of $2,488,857 and Authorization for the City Manager or Their Designee to Negotiate and Execute Change Orders for Related Additional but Unforeseen Work that May Develop During the Project Up to a Not-to-Exceed Amount of $248,885; and Amendment No. 3 to Contract No.
C20176858 with Sandis Civil Engineers in the Amount Not-to-Exceed $59,975 for Construction Administration Services for the Churchill Avenue Enhanced Bikeway Project (PL-14000); CEQA Status – exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c)
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council:
1. Approve and authorize the City Manager or their designee to execute Construction Contract No. C24192547 with O’Grady Paving, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $2,488,857 for the Churchill Avenue Enhanced Bikeway Project (PL-14000);
2. Authorize the City Manager or their designee to negotiate and execute one or more change orders to the contract with O’Grady Paving, Inc. for related, additional but unforeseen work that may develop during the project, the total value of which shall not exceed $248,885; and
3. Approve and authorize the City Manager or their designee to execute Amendment No. 3 to Contract No. C20176858 with Sandis Civil Engineers to increase the not-to-exceed compensation by $59,975 and extend the term to December 31, 2027 to provide construction support and as-built drawings for the Churchill Avenue Enhanced Bikeway Project (PL-14000). This amendment results in a revised total contract not-to-exceed amount of $230,975.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Approval of the construction contract with O’Grady Paving, Inc. and contract amendment with Sandis Civil Engineers will allow for construction of safety improvements to Churchill Avenue between El Camino Real and Castilleja, a key segment in connecting the Stanford Perimeter
trail, Palo Alto Unified School District, and Castilleja-Park-Wilkie bicycle boulevards to downtown Palo Alto and Caltrain. Construction is anticipated to begin summer 2025 and be completed in spring 2026. Completion of the Churchill Enhanced Bikeway Project will provide improved facilities for all modes of travel on Churchill Avenue and at the El Camino Real intersection.
BACKGROUND
The Churchill Avenue Enhanced Bikeway was identified as a priority project in the Trails and Shared Use Pathways element of the City’s 2012 Bicycle + Pedestrian Transportation Plan (BPTP). The concept plans were unanimously approved by the Planning and Transportation Commission on December 10, 2014 and approved by Council on January 20, 2015.1 Churchill Avenue provides an extension of the existing bike pathway from the Palo Alto High School driveway to El Camino Real as a comfortable off-street bicycle route linking the Stanford Perimeter trail, Palo Alto Unified School District, Castilleja-Park-Wilkie bicycle boulevards to downtown Palo Alto and Caltrain (Attachment A). This project will complete a missing link in a shared-use path that will invite new bicycle travel in addition to safety improvements at the intersection of El Camino Real and Churchill Avenue. These improvements are in alignment with a number of objectives and goals set forth in the BTPT and City of Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan.
ANALYSIS
Staff recommends the approval of Contract No. C241925472 as the Churchill Enhanced Bikeway will provide improved facilities for all modes of travel including bicycles, pedestrians, motor vehicles using Churchill Avenue, and vehicles turning into Palo Alto High School. The corridor sees substantial use of bicycle and pedestrian activity as a Safe Route to School and is also used by automobile commuters who travel north and south through Palo Alto. Below is a summary of the proposed improvements for the Churchill Avenue Enhanced Bikeway Project:
•Extend existing bicycle path on Churchill Avenue from Castilleja Avenue to the Stanford Perimeter Trail and onto the Stanford University campus •Restriping and repaving on Churchill Avenue
•Enhanced crosswalk at Madrono Avenue
•Bulb-outs on the south corners of Castilleja Avenue
•Landscaping and tree planting along Palo Alto High School frontage •Removal of pork chop island at the El Camino Real intersection 1 City Council, January 20, 2015, Agenda Item #8, SR #5421; https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=105207&repo=r-704298fc 2O’Grady Paving, Inc. Churchill Avenue Enhanced Bikeway Project, Contract No. C24192547; https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/public-works/engineering-services/cip- contracts/c25192547-churchill-enhanced-bikeways.pdf
•Enhanced bicycle and pedestrian crosswalks at all three crossings of the El Camino Real intersection
Design Contract Amendment
The original contract with Sandis Civil Engineers (Sandis) for preliminary design and environmental assessment of the Churchill Avenue Enhanced Bikeway Project from El Camino Real to Castilleja Avenue was awarded by Council on March 17, 20143 as a one-year contract.
Since Sandis was in design with the Churchill Avenue Enhanced Bikeway Project, Council approved Contract Amendment No. 1 on October 7, 20194 with an exemption from competitive solicitation under PAMC 2.30.330 to provide for the continuity of engineering design services to complete the 65% design plans for City and Caltrans review. Contract Amendment No. 2 was approved by Council on February 28, 20224, extending the existing contract for another four years with additional funding to allow Sandis to complete the 95% design plans for City and State review.
Staff recommends the approval of Contract Amendment No. 3 (Attachment B) with Sandis to provide additional funding for construction administration and as-built/record drawings for Churchill Avenue Enhanced Bikeway.
Solicitation Process
An Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the project was published on September 10, 2024 on OpenGov, the City’s eProcurement platform. The City received five (5) bids from qualified contractors after a 24 day bidding period on October 3, 2024. The bid details are listed on the attached Bid Analysis (Attachment C).
Table #1: Summary of Invitations for Bid
Project Bid Name/Number Churchill Avenue Enhanced Bikeway Project (IFB 192547)
Proposed Length of Project 425 calendar days
# of Bid Packages Downloaded by Contractors 58
# of Bid Packages Downloaded by Builder’s
Exchanges
2 Total Days to Respond to Bid 24 calendar days
Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting? No
Number of Bids Received 5
Bid Price Range $2,488,857 to $2,881,633
3 City Council, March 17, 2014, Agenda Item, #9, SR#4372; https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=105206&repo=r-704298fc 4 City Council, October 7, 2019, Agenda Item #7, SR #10491; https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=105208&repo=r-704298fc 4 City Council, February 28, 2022, Agenda Item #6, SR #13926; https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=105208&repo=r-704298fc Public Link to Solicitation https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/palo-alto- ca/projects/115292
The apparent low bidder was selected based upon the base bid. The bids ranged from $2,488,857 to $2,881,633 and from 14% below to 26% below the engineer’s estimate of $3,352,410. Staff reviewed the submitted bids and recommends the acceptance of the base bid submitted by O’Grady Paving, Inc. in the amount of $2,488,857, and that O’Grady Paving, Inc. be declared the lowest responsible bidder. The construction contingency amount of $248,885, which equals approximately 10% of the contract amount, is requested for related, additional, but unforeseen work which may develop during the project, implemented via City-approved Change Order.
Staff reviewed information and similar projects performed by the lowest bidder O’Grady Paving, Inc. and found them to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Staff also checked with the Contractor’s State License Board and confirmed the contractor has an active license on file.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
Funding for the contract recommendations in this report is available in the Fiscal Year 2025 Adopted Capital Improvement Budget for the Churchill Avenue Enhanced Bikeway Project (PL- 14000).
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Since the approval of the Sandis contract in 2019, staff has presented this project to the PAUSD Board, PABAC, City-School Traffic Safety Committee, and Safe Routes to School staff. A community meeting will be scheduled to present the final plans and construction timeline to the community prior to construction starting.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Given the nature of the proposed improvements for the project, the project qualifies for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15301. The Class 1 exemption covers minor alterations to existing facilities so long as they involve no or negligible expansion of use.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Project Map Location
Attachment B: Contract No. C20176858 Amendment No. 3 with Sandis Attachment C: Bid Analysis
APPROVED BY:
Brad Eggleston, Director Public Works/City Engineer