CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: November 20, 2023
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
SUBJECT: ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. ___-23 AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE DESIGN
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH BELLECCI &
ASSOCIATES, INC. FOR ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THE CONTRA
COSTA BOULEVARD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (VIKING DRIVE TO
HARRIET DRIVE); AND ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. ___-23
AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF DECORATIVE STREET LIGHTS
AND TRAFFIC SIGNAL EQUIPMENT
SYNOPSIS
This item requests two actions from the City Council: first, authorization for the City Manager to execute a first amendment to the Design Professional Services Agreement (Agreement) with Bellecci & Associates, Inc. (Consultant) to perform additional engineering design services for the Contra Costa Boulevard Improvement Project from Viking Drive to Harriet Drive (Project); second,authorization to purchase decorative street lights and traffic signal equipment. The Project will provide for “complete streets” enhancements to improve access and safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and vehicles along the Project corridor.
DISCUSSION
Background
Contra Costa Boulevard Corridor Enhancement. The Project is the fifth and final phase of the overall Contra Costa Boulevard Corridor enhancement. Construction began in 2009 between Golf Club Road and Second Avenue. The most recent segment, between Beth Drive and Harriet Drive, was completed in 2016.
Contra Costa Boulevard (CCB) is the largest regional arterial in the City of Pleasant Hill, with an average daily traffic volume of over 30,000 vehicles. The corridor spans numerous commercial and business centers in the City, and provides vital access to educational facilities such as Diablo Valley College. The current roadway configuration was designed in the 1940s and 1960s and is in need of redesign and improvement. To date, the enhancements have improved overall traffic circulation, and improved pedestrian and bicycle access and safety.
The Project will construct "complete streets" enhancements along CCB, between Viking Drive and Harriet Drive. Project improvements will follow previously adopted landscaping, street lighting, and bike/pedestrian design templates. Key project components include intersection geometry modifications at the CCB/Taylor Boulevard intersection, a new traffic signal at CCB/Alan Drive, new concrete sidewalks, new landscaping along median and sidewalk areas, new bike lanes, pavement rehabilitation, and new LED street lighting.
Consultant Agreement. On June 21, 2021, the City Council authorized the City Manager to execute a Design Professional Services Agreement in the amount of $524,884 (including contingencies) with Bellecci & Associates, Inc. for engineering design services. The scope of work included a traffic analysis to determine the safest and most effective use of the right-ofway, along with identification of existing deficiencies, and potential design enhancements. Such enhancements, if feasible, would include modifications to traffic signals and intersection geometry, buffered sidewalks, replacement of ADA curb ramps, traffic striping modifications, bicycle lanes, traffic calming, pavement rehabilitation, median re-configuration, bio-swales or other green infrastructure improvements, LED street lighting, and drought-tolerant landscape.
First Public Bid. The Notice Inviting Bids was sent to the construction exchanges on April 27, 2023, and the Project was advertised in the East Bay Times newspaper on April 27, 2023. Three bids were received and publicly read on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at the Engineering Division Counter at City Hall. On June 26, 2023, City Council approved Resolution No. 49-23 rejecting all bids for the Project as the lowest responsive bidder’s proposal was 24 percent greater than the construction budget approved by City Council. The Council directed staff to modify the bid documents and re-bid the Project. Potential cost saving measures were discussed, including the following:
• Modify work hours and lane closure restrictions.
• Eliminate sidewalk, pedestrian lighting, landscape, and irrigation improvements on the west side of Contra Costa Boulevard between Viking Drive and Alan Drive, and between Taylor Boulevard and Harriet Drive, and add these items to a future City project.
• Reduce median landscape and irrigation.
• Remove micro-surfacing and base failure repairs from this project and add this work to a future street resurfacing project.
• Bid during the winter months to receive favorable bid results.
Funding. The Project is identified in the FY 2022/2027 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) (Project G-26). It is funded through a combination of Measure J grants, Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (SB1), Uniform Lighting Fund (ULF), Traffic Mitigation, Measure K, and a contribution from the City of Concord. The highly competitive Measure J grants awarded by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) total $4,792,000. Engineering design was previously identified in the FY 2020-2025 CIP, and included funding from Gas Tax, Measure J, and ULF.
Analysis
Consultant Contract Amendment. Bellecci & Associates, Inc., and their sub-consultants, will perform additional tasks that are needed to revise the project plans and specifications to reduce construction costs. The major items of work include:
• Remove pedestrian lighting.
• Remove base failure repairs, mill and fill paving, micro-surfacing, and associated utility adjustments.
• Reduce the amount of asphalt conform.
• Decrease the irrigation system and landscape palette. • Reduce the amount of concrete sidewalk, curb and gutter construction. • Revise the drainage system.
• Pothole at traffic signal pole locations to verify the size and placement of traffic signal poles.
Staff has reviewed Bellecci & Associates’ Proposal for Civil Engineering Services (Exhibit A) for $148,631.61. The work includes $86,762.53 for Basic Services, Potholing Investigations in the amount of $34,033.12, and Extended Construction Support Services in the amount of $27,835.96. Staff believes that Bellecci & Associates’ proposal is reasonable and will satisfy the City’s needs.
Decorative Street Lights and Traffic Signal Equipment Purchase. City staff has negotiated with suppliers of decorative street lights and traffic signal equipment to purchase these items directly instead of through the Project’s construction contract. This eliminates the sub-contractor’s 15 percent cost markup on materials and the general contractor’s five percent cost markup for subcontractor work. These items have long-lead times – up to nine months – and purchasing them now may result in additional construction cost savings.
Platt Electric Supply submitted the lowest cost proposal for decorative street lights (including pole, light fixture, and banner arms) in the amount of $219,443.88 (Exhibit 2). JAM Services, Inc. submitted the lowest cost proposal for traffic signal equipment (poles, posts, and service cabinet) in the amount of $235,734.19. (Exhibit 3).
Contra Costa County oversees and manages traffic signal maintenance for the City of Pleasant Hill. The County completes monthly maintenance and conducts repairs on city traffic signals.
The County will be purchasing controller cabinets and software for this project.
FISCAL IMPACT
Consultant Contract Amendment. The cost of Bellecci & Associates’ change order proposal is $148,631.61. It would be reasonable to include a contingency of 10 percent or $14,863.16, which yields a total change order cost of $163,494.77. The proposal is complete and acceptable considering the scope of the project. The design services budget includes the original consultant contract of $524,884 plus the proposed first amendment amount of $163,494.77 for a total of $688,378.77.
Equipment Purchase. Platt Electric Supply’s quote of $219,443.88 is good for 30 days. It would be reasonable to include a contingency of five percent, or $10,972.19, for miscellaneous items for a not-to-exceed total of $230,416.07.
JAM Services, Inc.’s quote of $235,734.19 is good for 60 days; however, the potholing must first be completed prior to ordering the traffic signal equipment. Due to cost escalation, it would be reasonable to include a contingency of 15 percent, or $35,360.13, for a total not to exceed $271,094.32.
Contra Costa County has agreed to supply two controller cabinets and software to the City and invoice the City separately under the Traffic Signal Maintenance agreement. The Project will reimburse the Traffic Signal Maintenance account. The estimated cost for both controller cabinets and software is $30,000.
Adequate resources exist in the Project budget to support these expenditures. The costs of additional engineering support and City-furnished materials will be offset by decreased construction costs. With the changes in Project scope of work, the Engineer’s Estimate (EE) ranges from $6,580,708 to $7,238,800.
Project Expense
Current Budget Revised Budget
Design (Bellecci) $524,884 $688,378.77
Engineering Staff $60,000 $60,000
Project Administration $7,000 $7,000
City-Furnished Materials $0 $501,510.39
County-Furnished Equipment $0 $30,000
Construction $7,705,116 $7,010,110.84
Construction Inspection and
Testing
$200,000 $200,000
Total $8,497,000.00 $8,497,000.00
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the City Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center and at the Pleasant Hill Police Department. The agenda and staff report are posted on the City’s web page.
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION
There are two resolutions for City Council’s consideration. Staff recommends the following:
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a First Amendment to the Design Professional Services Agreement with Bellecci & Associates, Inc. for engineering design of the Contra Costa Boulevard Improvement Project (Viking Drive to Harriet Drive);
Adopt a resolution authorizing the purchase of decorative street lights from Platt Electric Supply, traffic signal equipment from JAM Services, and the traffic signal equipment from Contra Costa County.
ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDED ACTION
Adopt one or neither of the resolutions, and provide direction to staff accordingly regarding the project scope of work and/or project funding.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Proposed Resolution (Agreement)
Exhibit 1 – First Amendment to Agreement
Exhibit A – Bellecci & Associates’ Proposal for Civil Engineering Services Proposed Resolution (Equipment)
Exhibit 1 – Decorative Street Lights Cost Proposal
Exhibit 2 – Traffic Signal Equipment Cost Proposal
Prepared by: Deirdre Castillo, Senior Civil Engineer
Reviewed by: Ananthan Kanagasundaram, City Engineer
Approved by: Ethan Bindernagel, City Manager