December 17, 2024
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Public Works
DATE: December 17, 2024
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
Hillal Hamdan PE, Senior Civil Engineer
Subject:
Resolution to Appropriate Funds in the Engineering Grant Fund and Approve a Contract with Kimley-Horn and
Associates, Inc.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Funding for this project is available from the Section 130 grant program as part of the total budgeted allocation of $750,000 in the Preliminary Engineering (PE) phase.
Funding of $458,000 was budgeted in the Fiscal Year 24- 25 Budget. Staff is recommending an appropriation of an additional amount of $292,000 from the Grant Fund.
(Account String: 15436431-400733-23057)
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
Not Applicable
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
City staff is requesting City Council to adopt a resolution appropriating funds from the Engineering Grant Fund and approving a contract for design services of the South
Cutting Boulevard at-grade crossing at Carlson
Boulevard Project to Kimley-Horn, Inc. for safety
improvements to pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles.
AGENDA
REPORT
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RECOMMENDED ACTION: ADOPT a resolution to APPROPRIATE funds in the amount of $292,000 from the Engineering Grant Fund
1054, and APPROVE a contract agreement with Kimley
Horn and Associates, Inc. for the South Cutting
Boulevard at-grade crossing at Carlson Boulevard
Improvement Project in an amount not to exceed
$550,841; and AUTHORIZE the director of public works
to approve change orders, if necessary, for a contingency amount of up to $82,630 which is 15 percent of the
contract amount, for a potential total not to exceed
contract amount of $633,471, with a contract term from
December 18, 2024, through June 30, 2027 – Public
Works Department (Hillal Hamdan 510-621-1612/Robert
Armijo 510-620-5477/Daniel Chavarria 510-620-5478).
DISCUSSION:
Background
The crossing at South Cutting and Carlson Boulevards has been identified as a candidate for funding under the Federal Section 130 program, aimed at hazard elimination and safety improvements at highway -rail at-grade crossings. The Section 130 program is a federally funded initiative, administered by the states, that focuses on mitigating hazards at such crossings. This location was selected based on a data -driven methodology that evaluates factors including train and vehicle volumes, geometric design, pedestria n and bus traffic, hazardous materials vehicles, and incident history.
The South Cutting Boulevard at-grade crossing consists of a four-lane, east-west oriented roadway, and three Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) mainline tracks. It is situated approximately 30 feet east of the signalized intersection of South Cutting Boulevard and Carlson Boulevard. The traffic signals at this intersection are interconnected with the railroad track circuitry system to allow for advance preemption.
A prior Section 130 funded project was completed in February 2020, which involved upgrades to the pedestrian approaches and the installation of California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Standard 8 warning devices at the northwest and southeast quadrants.
Furthermore, the City of Richmond adopted its Local Roadway Safety Plan in July 2022, which includes a comprehensive set of studies and recommendations under the Travel Safe Richmond initiative. This plan emphasizes the importance of safety improvements
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for bicycles, pedestrians, and vehicles, including enhancements to the Cutting Boulevard crossing.
Analysis
On October 7, 2024, staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking engineering design services for the South Cutting Boulevard at -grade crossing improvement project at Carlson Boulevard. This initiative is aimed at enhancing safety and operational efficiency at the identified crossing. The RFP was sent to vendors in the system, and in response, two proposals were submitted.
To ensure the selection of the most capable firm for this critical project, a panel of Public Works staff members, was assembled t o review the submitted proposals. The panel evaluated the proposals using a set of established criteria, which included relevant experience in similar projects, a clear understanding of the project scope, the ability to meet established project deadlines, and the capability to deliver the project within the allocated budget.
After a comprehensive review and analysis of the submissions, the panel determined that Kimley-Horn Inc. was the consultant that is the best fit for the project. Their selection was based on their extensive experience in handling similar infrastructure projects, their deep understanding of the project scope, and their well -defined approach to delivering the required improvements. Additionally, Kim ley-Horn’s proposal demonstrated a strong emphasis on community engagement, ensuring that the project would align with the interests and concerns of local stakeholders throughout its development.
Conclusion
In conclusion, City staff requests that the City Council adopt the resolution to appropriate funds in the amount of $292,000 from the Engineering Grant Fund 1054 which is available from section 130 grant program as part of the total budgeted allocation of $750,000 in the Preliminary Engineering (PE) phase and to approve a contract with Kimley-Horn, Inc. for the South Cutting Boulevard at -grade crossing improvement project at Carlson Boulevard, in the amount not to exceed $550,841. Additionally, staff seeks authorization for the Director of Public Work s to approve change orders, if necessary, within a contingency amount of up to $82,630, which represents 15% of the contract value, to ensure the successful and timely completion of the project.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
December 17, 2024
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Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Contract