April 22, 2025
Public Works
DATE: April 22, 2025
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
Josef Munoz, Assistant Deputy Director of Public Works
Beatriz Guerrero Acuna, TCC Project Coordinator
Subject:
BNSF Railway Company Preliminary Engineering Services
Agreement for the Transformative Climate Communities
(TCC) Richmond Wellness Trail Phase 2 Project
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The City was awarded a Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Round 4 Implementation Grant by the
California Strategic Growth Council’s. The TCC-funded
Richmond Wellness Trail Phase 2 Project budget includes $60,000 for the BNSF Railway Preliminary Engineering
Agreement. (Account String: 13761019-400201-16G12)
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
June 21, 2022
December 20, 2022
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
City staff are requesting adoption of a resolution
authorizing staff to execute a BNSF Railway Company
Preliminary Engineering Services Agreement for a portion of the Richmond Wellness Trail Phase 2 Project, which will affect railroad's track and BNSF right-of-way. BNSF
requires all work conducted by the City of Richmond
within the BNSF right-of-way to be subject to a
Preliminary Engineering Services Agreement for BNSF to
collaborate with City of Richmond on the conceptualization and development of the project.
AGENDA
REPORT
April 22, 2025
RECOMMENDED
ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution authorizing the Public Works Director and the City Engineer to execute a BNSF Railway Company Preliminary Engineering Services Agreement for the
Transformative Climate Communities Richmond Wellness
Trail Phase 2 Project – Public Works Department (Robert Armijo 510-620-5477/Josef Munoz 510-620-6671).
DISCUSSION:
On October 27, 2022, the City of Richmond and its partners, Groundwork Richmond, GRID Alternatives, Rich City Rides, Trust for Public Land (TPL), and Urban Tilth were awarded a $35 million Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Round 4 Implementation Grant by the California Strategic Growth Council (Attachment 1). The TCC Round 4 Implementation Grant will fund outreach, planning, design and construction phases for projects that can advance the Strategic Growth Council’s sustainable communities’ objectives, such as improving air quality, improving water quality, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving transportation and strengthening community resiliency to the impacts of climate change focused on three of Richmond’s most environmentally burdened neighborhoods – Coronado, Iron Triangle and Santa Fe, as identified by CalEnviroScreen.
One of the projects funded by the TCC Round 4 Implementation Grant is the Richmond Wellness Trail Phase 2 Project (Project). The City has contracted with Trust for Public Land to lead implementation of the Project. The Project is located on Marina Way South between Cutting Boulevard and the Richmond Ferry terminal and includes the development of protected cycle tracks and shaded pedestrian routes to provide a continuous route from the Richmond BART/Amtrak Intermodal Station to the Richmond Ferry terminal.
Key improvements under this Phase 1 include the construction of 1,400 feet of two-way Class IV cycle track and 3,500 feet of one-way cycle track, replacing traffic signals at Cutting Boulevard/Marina Way South and Wright Avenue/Marina Way South, installing pedestrian and bicycle scale lighting along the Marina Way segment, and enhancing BNSF crossing at Marina Way South - including new signs, striping, paving, and detectable warning devices.
The proposed improvements at the BNSF crossing will require encroaching on the BNSF Railway Company right-of-way. As such, BNSF is requiring the City to enter into a Preliminary Engineering Services Agreement (Agreement) to allow BNSF to review and provide services related to the City’s proposed plans, specifications, and construction of improvements at the Marina Way South crossing (Attachment 2).
City staff are recommending that the City Council authorize the Public Works Director and the City Engineer to execute the Agreement with BNSF Railway Company for the TCC Richmond Wellness Trail Phase 2 Project, for an amount not to exceed $60,000 as
April 22, 2025
set forth in the proposed Resolution (Attachment 3). The costs related to the Agreement are fully funded by the TCC Implementation Grant. The design phase of the Project commenced in June 2024, with completion expected by August 2026. Construction is anticipated to begin in November 2026 and conclude by Summer 2027.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – TCC Implementation Grant Award Letter
Attachment 2 – BNSF Railway Preliminary Engineering Services Agreement Attachment 3 – Resolution
Attachment 4 – Map