July 28, 2026
Public Works
DATE: July 28, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Daniel Chavarria, PE, Director of Public Works
Hillal Hamdan, PE, Senior Civil Engineer
Subject:
Construction Agreement with NEMA Construction for the
Citywide Traffic Calming Project
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed total expenditure of $236,258 is included within the approved Fiscal Year 2026–2027 Measure J
Fund budget across two project accounts: the
Neighborhood Safety and Access Program (Account
String: 20236031-400653-23088) and the Point
Richmond Bike Modifications Project (Account String:
20136031-400642-23081). Sufficient funding is available across these accounts, and no additional appropriation is required.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
November 15, 2022
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
City staff requests City Council approval of an After-the- Fact construction agreement with NEMA Construction in
an amount not to exceed $236,258 to pay outstanding
invoices for work performed and materials ordered, and
to complete the remaining traffic safety improvements
within the Traffic Calming Project.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution to APPROVE an after-the-fact
construction agreement with NEMA Construction for the
Traffic Calming Project in an amount not to exceed
$236,258, and AUTHORIZE the City Manager, or their
designee, to execute necessary documents – Public
Works Department (Hillal Hamdan 510-621-1612 Daniel
Chavarria 510-620-5478).
AGENDA
REPORT
July 28, 2026
DISCUSSION:
Background & Project Purpose
In November 2022, the City Council funded a traffic calming project to tackle ongoing safety issues in Richmond neighborhoods. The project aims to slow vehicle speeds, reduce conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians, improve crosswalk visibility, and boost safety for all residents and commuters.
To streamline implementation and reduce administrative costs, engineering designs were grouped into standardized work order packages. Safety measures at these locations include:
Pedestrian Visibility: Solar-powered Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs)— flashing light signals activated by pedestrians before crossing. Speed Management: Mini traffic circles and raised surface-mounted lane delineators to guide turning movements and discourage speeding.
Wayfinding and Striping: High-visibility thermoplastic crosswalk striping, upgraded stop signs, and reflective roadside signage.
Construction across the overall program has been executed through a hybrid approach combining in-house City Operations forces with city on-call contractors. One of the on-call contractors used was NEMA Construction who efficiently installed Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons at four Carlson Boulevard intersections—Carl Avenue, Sutter Avenue, Shasta Street, Tehama Avenue — on schedule and within budget.
Scope of Work for Final Locations
This agreement addresses construction work completed and pending by NEMA Construction for the Traffic Calming Project locations.
1. McBryde Ave between 24th Street and 27th Street (Completed): Installation of solar- powered driver feedback signs (speed radar signs) completed by NEMA Construction.
These electronic signs detect oncoming vehicle speeds and display real-time feedback to alert motorists, encouraging speed reduction along this residential neighborhood corridor.
2. Key Boulevard and Barrett Avenue (Completed): Modifications to previously installed traffic safety measures, completed in response to community input. NEMA Construction implemented revised safety enhancements, including upgraded high-visibility crosswalk markings, enhanced stop signage, and adjusted curb-ramp delineation to better accommodate pedestrian safety near transit stops.
3. Carl Avenue and Mariposa Street (Completed): Installation of surface-mounted lane delineators and speed reduction signage completed by NEMA Construction. These improvements visually narrow the roadway and encourage drivers to reduce speeds through the residential corridor, enhancing safety for neighborhood pedestrians and bicyclists.
4. Cutting Boulevard in Point Richmond (In Progress): Crews will install durable thermoplastic roadway striping, add buffered bike lanes, and paint high-visibility
July 28, 2026
crosswalks. All materials have been obtained, but NEMA Construction is waiting on contract approval before applying the final striping. Once this work begins, it will clarify lane boundaries, offer protection to cyclists, and make crossing safer for pedestrians along this busy commercial and commuter route.
Procurement History and Internal Controls
Work on this project was originally assigned under the City’s Job Order Contracting (JOC) program—an administrative procedure that allows pre-qualified contractors to perform quick- turnaround repair and construction tasks up to pre-established price thresholds. However, during project execution, staff had issues with the selected contractor due their lack of responsiveness, so the construction contract was terminated.
To avoid delays and maintain steady progress on pedestrian safety upgrades, Public Works staff chose NEMA Construction from the City's On-Call Electrical List to finish the original JOC Program scope. The work covered electrical tasks at four intersections, including installation of new Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons, improved crosswalks, signage, and other enhancements. NEMA Construction completed the work on time and under budget.
Following the completion of engineering designs for additional traffic calming locations, City staff continued coordinating with NEMA Construction to perform the required work. However, because the majority of the remaining tasks involved general roadway construction rather than electrical work, they did not align with the scope of the City’s active on-call electrical contract under which NEMA was originally engaged. Consequently, NEMA Construction began and performed construction work before a specific, formal construction agreement was executed and before the City’s required procurement and contracting procedures were completed.
Although NEMA Construction completed work at most of these additional locations on schedule and under budget (with only one location remaining in progress), proceeding without a valid contract in place violated standard municipal procurement protocols. To prevent future unauthorized contracting and ensure all work is fully executed prior to the commencement of field work, Public Works has established updated internal controls for utilizing On-Call Contracts:
1. Procurement Policy Re-distribution: Public Works management has redistributed the City’s formal procurement policies to all department project managers.
2. Centralized On-Call Contractor Matrix: Administrative staff is developing a comprehensive, centralized on-call contractor reference list that explicitly links each vendor’s original solicitation scope, contractor proposal, and underlying contract terms to ensure task assignments strictly align with approved contract scopes.
3. Mandatory Notice to Proceed (NTP) Verification: Project managers are strictly prohibited from issuing informal or verbal work authorizations; work may only commence after administrative staff issues a formal written Notice to Proceed Work Authorization.
July 28, 2026
Financial Analysis and Invoice Reconciliation
The requested contract amount of $236,258 represents the total full cost for all labor, equipment, and materials required to complete the final three work orders.
Although physical field construction is approximately 90 percent complete, the $236,258 financial obligation is split across two pending invoices:
Invoice 1 ($136,258): Includes labor, equipment, site prep, concrete work, and sign/beacon installations completed for McBryde Ave (24th–27th St), Key Blvd & Barrett Ave, Carl Ave & Mariposa St.
Invoice 2 ($100,000): Covers the procurement of custom thermoplastic striping materials, reflective paint, and the associated labor and equipment costs for the installation and layout along Cutting Boulevard in Point Richmond.
Sufficient funding for this expenditure is available in the approved Fiscal Year 2026–2027 Measure J Fund budget across the Neighborhood Safety and Access Program (Account String: 20236031-400653-23088) and the Point Richmond Bike Modifications Project (Account String: 20136031-400642-23081). No additional appropriation is required.
Because specialized high-durability striping materials account for a substantial portion of total project material expenses, the financial balance remains $100,000 for the work related to Cutting Boulevard in Point Richmond. Approval of this After-the-Fact construction agreement will satisfy these outstanding financial obligations and allow NEMA Construction to complete the final striping improvements on Cutting Boulevard, with all physical work concluding by September 2026. This milestone will officially close out the original traffic calming project.
Moving forward, City staff will implement future traffic calming sites using a programmatic approach managed under the Neighborhood Access and Safety Program.
POLICY SYNERGIES:
This action directly aligns with the following City Council Strategic Goals and Policies:
Strategic Goal Area 4: Improve Community Safety: Supports traffic calming and pedestrian safety initiatives aimed at eliminating traffic-related injuries and fatalities. Strategic Goal Area 5: Internal Infrastructure and Processes: Strengthens internal fiscal transparency and accountability by resolving procurement deficiencies through proper After-the-Fact documentation.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Construction Agreement