TO: HONORABLE MAYOR FROM: John Ristow
AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: April 17, 2023
Approved Date
4/25/23
COUNCIL DISTRICT: #2
SUBJECT: AMENDMENT TO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE SANTA
CLARA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY FOR THE US
101/BLOSSOM HILL ROAD INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager or designee to negotiate and execute a Second Amendment to the Cooperative Agreement between the City of San José and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority as part of the US 101/Blossom Hill Road Interchange Improvement Project to increase the total contribution by $225,000, from $55,000 to $280,000, to expand the scope of services, which include extending the visual screen panels on the bike path and upgrading the traffic signals at the Blossom Hill Road and Monterey Road intersection.
SUMMARY AND OUTCOME
Approval of the Second Amendment for the Agreement provides funding for the additional scope of the visual screen panels on the bike path and the traffic signal upgrade at the Blossom Hill Road and Monterey Road Intersection. If approved, this work will provide additional privacy protection to the nearby neighborhood and improve signal operation and maintenance to align with current City standards and specifications.
BACKGROUND
In June 2000, the City Council adopted the Edenvale Area Development Policy to facilitate industrial development in the Edenvale area in south San José. In 2007 and 2014, the policy was updated to expand the geographic area, address traffic congestion, and improve connectivity for bicyclists and pedestrians on Blossom Hill Road between transit facilities on the west side of US 101 and the park and trail systems on the east side of US 101.
COUNCIL AGENDA: 5/9/23
FILE: 23-657
ITEM: 2.12
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
April 17, 2023
Subject: US 101/Blossom Hill Road Interchange Project
The US 101/Blossom Hill Road Interchange Improvement Project improves the existing interchange's safety, operations, and multi-modal characteristics, specifically by:
• Widening the existing interchange to provide one additional lane along Blossom Hill Road in each direction.
• Widening the southbound and northbound off-ramps to accommodate additional turning lanes and modify the traffic signals at each intersection. • Constructing a Class I bicycle/pedestrian path along the north side of Blossom Hill Road through the interchange between Monterey Road and Coyote Road.
The US 101/Blossom Hill Road Interchange Improvement Project (Project) broke ground in September 2020 and is substantially complete. The Project will need an additional year for plant establishment on City right-of-way and three years on Caltrans right-of-way.
On January 14, 2020, City Council approved a Cooperative Agreement with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to begin the Project's construction phase. On June 7, 2022, City Council approved a First Amendment to expand the scope of services to include the construction of the Odette-Morrow Trail Spur extension as part of the Project in the construction phase.
ANALYSIS
The City and VTA's current cooperative agreement outlines the terms, conditions, and respective obligations regarding the Project. As part of the agreement, VTA has primary responsibility for the Project's delivery, including serving as project manager for the construction phase. The original cooperative agreement with VTA was at no cost to the City.
As construction progressed, the City and VTA executed the First Amendment of the Cooperative Agreement for the City to contribute an additional $55,000 to construct the Odette-Morrow Trail Spur as a new addition to the Project.
Throughout the planning, design, and pre-construction phases, the Project team had multiple public outreach meetings to provide Project updates and discuss impacts that may occur during construction. Beyond meetings, the Project team maintained a good relationship with the residents and encouraged them to provide feedback, which was helpful once new community concerns cropped up during construction.
During the construction of the bike path overcrossing, the nearby neighborhood raised privacy concerns as the bike path ran behind residents’ homes. The original design of the bike path overcrossing included visual screens that would provide privacy for most of the homes but left a small gap at the end, creating a privacy issue that was not discovered until the bike path overcrossing started. There were tree plantings proposed in the plan behind the neighborhood’s homes to provide better privacy. However, the young trees still need time to grow to maturity to provide privacy. The neighborhood reached out directly to the VTA and City Project team as well as to Councilmember Sergio Jimenez’s office regarding this safety and privacy concern and
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
April 17, 2023
Subject: US 101/Blossom Hill Road Interchange Project
requested a solution. The Project team and Councilmember Jimenez performed a site investigation with the residents. Afterward, the Project team went through multiple design options and came up with a viable solution that ensures the community’s privacy and safety as well as satisfies both Caltrans’ and City’s design standards: the Project team recommended to extend the visual screens to close the remaining privacy gap. In addition, the new trees planted will provide additional privacy along the back of the homes when fully matured in a few years.
Another addition to the Project was an upgrade of the traffic signals at the Blossom Hill Road and Monterey Road Intersection, see the Attachment - Improvement Map. The new signal wiring was installed per the plans and the existing signal timing in the field was incompatible if connected to the existing signal cabinet. This required upgrading the traffic signals and wires to match the current signal timing per City's standards and specifications. Therefore, the City requested to include this additional work to further optimize the operation and maintenance of the traffic signals after construction.
The additional scope of the visual screen extension and the traffic signal upgrade requires additional funding from the City. VTA will execute a change order with its contractor and establish a second amendment to the cooperative agreement for the City to contribute $225,000 for the additional work.
The recommendation in this memorandum aligns with one or more Climate Smart San José energy or mobility goals. The visual screen panels will create an attractive and enjoyable landscape for residents and upgrading the traffic signals will promote safe and efficient public and active transportation throughout the community.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
Updates about this Project will be included in future regional transportation activities quarterly reports to the Transportation and Environmental Committee.
COST SUMMARY/IMPLICATIONS
The amended cooperative agreement with VTA provides for the City's contribution not to exceed $225,000 for the expanded scope of services to install additional visual screen panels and to upgrade the traffic signals at the Blossom Hill Road and Monterey Road Intersection. The 2023- 2024 Adopted Capital Budget allocated $225,000 in anticipation of this amended agreement; accordingly, no further budget action is necessary.
BUDGET REFERENCE
The table below identifies the fund and appropriations to fund the contract recommended in this memorandum and the remaining project costs, including project delivery, construction, and contingency costs.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
April 17, 2023
Subject: US 101/Blossom Hill Road Interchange Project
Fund
#
Appn
# Appn Name
Total
Appn
Amt. for
Contract
2022-2023
Adopted Capital
Budget Page
Last Budget
Action (Date,
Ord. No.)
429 7691 Route 101/Blossom
Hill Road Interchange
$683,000 $225,000 1023 10/18/2022
30833
COORDINATION
This memorandum and agreement have been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office, the City Manager's Budget Office, and Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Department.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
This memorandum will be posted on the City's Council agenda website for the May 9, 2023 City Council meeting.
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION AND INPUT
No commission recommendation or input is associated with this action.
CEQA
Categorically Exempt, File No. ER19-077, CEQA Guideline Section 15301 Existing Facilities.
PUBLIC SUBSIDY REPORTING
This item does not include a public subsidy as defined in section 53083 or 53083.1 of the California Government Code or the City’s Open Government Resolution.
/s/
JOHN RISTOW
Director of Transportation
For questions, please contact Zahir Gulzadah, DOT Division Manager of the Regional and Local Project Delivery Section, at [email protected] or (408) 975-3257.
ATTACHMENT - Improvements Map
ATTACHMENT
Subject: US 101/Blossom Hill Road Interchange Project
IMPROVEMENTS MAP
Traffic Signal
Upgrade
Extension of visual
screen panels