December 19, 2023
Public Works
DATE: December 19, 2023
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Daniel Chavarria, PE, Director of Public Works
Robert Armijo PE, Deputy Director of Public Works/City
Engineer
Ken Cheng PE, Senior Civil Engineer
Subject:
Accept and appropriate CTC State Transportation
Improvement Program (STIP) fund and award Right-of-
Way Acquisition and Appraisal Professional Services
contract for the Interstate 80 (I-80)/Central Avenue
Interchange Improvements Phase II Project STPL-5137
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Staff is recommending appropriation of $4,500,000 for the Right-of-Way Acquisition Phase of the Project from
the California Transportation Commission (CTC) grant
award of $6,373,000. Grant Fund 1054, account string:
105436431-400733-29110.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
On September 12, 2017, a resolution of the Richmond
City Council provided local support authorizing the filing of an application for funding assigned to Metropolitan
Transportation Commission and committing any
necessary matching funds and stating assurance to
complete the Central Avenue at Interstate 80 (I-80) Local Road Improvement Project.
On January 24, 2023, a resolution of the Richmond City
Council approved the Central Avenue at Interstate 80 (I- 80) Local Road Improvement Project initial study and
mitigated negative declaration and associated Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan (MMRP) and authorizing
the City Manager to execute a first amendment to Real
Property Services Agreement with the County of Contra
Costa for Real Property Right of Way Services for the
Central Avenue at I-80 Local Road Improvement Project
AGENDA
REPORT
December 19, 2023
to increase the agreement in an amount of $1,000,000
for a total amount of $1,050,000.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
City staff is recommending that City Council accept and appropriate the CTC State Transportation Improvement
Program (STIP) fund of $4,500,000 and award the Right-
of-Way Acquisition and Appraisal Professional Services
contract to Monument ROW Services for the Interstate 80 (I-80)/Central Avenue Interchange Improvements Phase
II Project STPL-5137(50) in an amount not to exceed
$601,050.49, which includes the total cost proposal and optional services, and authorize the Director of Public Works to approve change orders, if necessary, for up to the total of twenty-percent (20%) contingency amount of $100,175.08. The funds will be used for consultant
services and right of way acquisition.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution to (1) ACCEPT and APPROPRIATE
the California Transportation Commission (CTC) State
Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) Fund of
$4,500,000 for Interstate 80 (I-80)/Central Avenue
Interchange Improvements Phase II Project STPL-5137
for the right of way phase; and (2) AUTHORIZE the City
Manager or their designee to execute a contract with
Monument ROW Services in an amount not to exceed
$601,050.49, which includes a contract amount of
$500,875.41 plus twenty-percent contingency in the
amount up to $100,175.08, from December 19, 2023,
through June 30, 2026, for right of way acquisition and appraisal services for the Interstate 80 (I-80)/Central Avenue Interchange Improvements Phase II Project
STPL-5137(50) – Public Works Department (Daniel
Chavarria/Ken Cheng 510-621-1612).
DISCUSSION:
Background
The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and the cities of Richmond and El Cerrito have recognized traffic congestion and poor traffic operations are experienced along Central Avenue between San Pablo Avenue and Jacuzzi Street. The key contributors have been identified as poorly spaced intersections in the vicinity of the Interstate 80 (I-80)/Central Avenue interchange in addition to heavy left turn volumes and insufficient traffic queue storage. In response to a local community-initiated project development process to evaluate this Project area and traffic issues, the CCTA led a feasibility study prepared by Parsons Brinkerhoff, dated July 2009 (PB 2009).
December 19, 2023
Based on the feasibility study, CCTA proceeded with the design of two phases. The first phase (Phase 1) of the Project, titled Interstate 80/Central Avenue Interchange Improvements Project (#7003), redirected left turns from Westbound Central Avenue onto I-80 westbound to the adjacent Interstate 580 (I-580) eastbound ramp at Rydin Road during weekend peak hours and installed traffic signals at the I-580 ramps which was completed in 2018. The second phase is described in more detail below.
Project Description
Located just east of the I-80/Central Avenue Interchange in the cities of Richmond and El Cerrito, the Project limits start at the intersection of Central Avenue and San Luis Street/Pierce Street (including an approximately 30-foot-long segment north along San Luis Street) and extend along Central Avenue approximately 230 feet past the Central Avenue/San Mateo Street intersection (including an approximately 30-foot-long segment north along San Mateo Street). The Project limits extend south from the intersection of Central Avenue and San Mateo Street approximately 425 feet.
Continuing from the current southern terminus of San Mateo Street, the Project limits extend approximately 320 feet to the west, through a residential parcel and a commercial parking lot and form a new intersection at Pierce Street. Lastly, the Project limits extend approximately 150 feet south from the newly created intersection at San Mateo Street and Pierce Street to and approximately 450 feet from the same intersection to the Pierce Street/Central Avenue intersection.
The Project has been designed by the City of Richmond (City) to improve traffic operations and increase spacing between signalized intersections east of I-80 on Central Avenue. The Project objectives would be accomplished primarily by relocating traffic signals from Pierce Street at Central Avenue to San Mateo Street at Central Avenue; converting Pierce Street at Central Avenue to "right in, right out" access; and extending San Mateo Street to connect with Pierce Street.
Project Schedule
As the project schedule shown below, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental (Environmental Studies and Permits – E&P, Project Approval & Environmental Document – PA&ED) phase has been completed and approved. Currently, the project is in the 65% Design PS&E (Plan, Specifications and Estimate) phase and in conjunction with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) coordination for the Rule 20A Underground construction for this project.
Simultaneously, Right of Way acquisition is a crucial aspect to the project before finalizing the plans which has commenced in the process of selecting the right of way consultant services. The Design (PS&E) and Right of Way phase is scheduled to be completed by June 30, 2025. Construction will be anticipated to begin on June 1, 2025, and end on June 30, 2027. Project close out will begin on July 1, 2027, and end on July 1, 2028.
December 19, 2023
Phases Begin End
Environmental
(E&P, PA&ED)
2017 February 28,
2023
Design (PS&E)
WE ARE HERE (65%)
2021 June 30, 2025
Right of Way
WE ARE HERE
April 1, 2025 June 30, 2025
Construction Anticipated
June 1, 2025
Anticipated
June 30, 2027
Closeout Anticipated July
1, 2027
Anticipated July
1, 2028
Solution
Phase 2 will increase the spacing between the signalized intersections east of I-80 by connecting Pierce Street and San Mateo Street, converting Pierce Street access at Central Avenue to “right-in, right-out,” and relocating the traffic signal at Pierce Street/Central Avenue to the San Mateo Street/Central Avenue intersection. In general, the Project limits are from east of I-80 Caltrans right-of-way along Central Avenue from the intersection with San Luis/Pierce Streets to the intersection with San Mateo Street and also include San Mateo Street and a new connection to Pierce Street through two commercial private properties.
Project elements include new and removed signals, street resurfacing/reconstruction, widened turn pocket, street parking reconfiguration, striping, signage, undergrounding/relocation of power/telecom poles as needed with local funds, underground utility adjustments, storm drain reconfiguration, relocation of bus stops with possible bus shelter, parking lot reconfiguration, the addition of a Class III bike route, landscaping and bioretention, new and replacement street lighting, and sidewalk, curb ramp, driveway apron, and curb and gutter improvements. The project will require 10 acquisitions and 17 easements.
This I-80/Central Avenue Interchange Phase 2 project is a large and complex project that requires real property right-of-way services assistance through all the phases of the project development process which includes administration, appraisal support, negotiations/acquisition, condemnation support, appraisal consultant, and other Agency coordination. On January 24, 2023 the Richmond City Council adopted a resolution approving the Central Avenue at Interstate 80 (I-80) Local Road Improvement Project initial study and mitigated negative declaration and associated Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan (MMRP) and authorizing the City Manager to execute a first amendment to Real Property Services Agreement with the County of Contra Costa for Real Property Right of Way Services for the Central Avenue at I-80 Local Road Improvement Project to increase the agreement in an amount of $1,000,000 for a total amount of $1,050,000.
Due to the recent turnovers at the County of Contra Costa (CCC) for Real Property Right of Way (ROW) Department, the CCC Real Property ROW Department has withdrawn from the contract agreement and will no longer be providing professional
December 19, 2023
right of way acquisition and appraisal for the Interstate 80 (I-80)/Central Avenue Interchange Improvements Phase 2 Project STPL-5137(50).
Financial Impact
The total project budget is $13,684,000 and consists of a combination of fundings sources: $2,700,000 in Measure J Funds, $6,373,000 in California Transportation Commission (CTC) State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) Fund, $1,8110,000 in West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee Local Transportation Funds, and $2,800,000 om Metropolitan Transportation Commission Commitment Funds.
Recommendation
The City advertised the project for request for proposals in conformance with Caltrans Local Assistance Procedure Manual (LAPM) Chapter 10 on October 6, 2023 and proposals were opened on November 16, 2023. The City received three (3) proposals.
The proposals went through review with four (4) review panelists and determined that Monument ROW services were most qualified to take on the project task.
City staff is recommending City Council to accept and appropriate the CTC State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) fund amount of $4,500,000 and award a Right-of-Way Acquisition and Appraisal Professional Services contract to Monument ROW Services in an amount not to exceed $601,050.49, which includes a contract amount of $500,875.41 plus twenty-percent contingency in the amount up to $100,175.08 for the Interstate 80 (I-80)/Central Avenue Interchange Improvements Phase II Project STPL-5137(50), and authorize the Director of Public Works to approve change orders, if necessary, up to the contingency amount. The funds will be used for consultant services and purchase of parcels.
Environmental
CEQA and NEPA environmental documents have been completed and approved.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Caltrans Project Programming Request (PPR) Attachment 3 - Bid Documents