Public Works Agency
www.santa-ana.gov/pwa
Item # 13
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
September 15, 2026
TOPIC: Award a Contract to Legion Contractors, Inc. for the Construction of Memory Lane and Flower Street Improvements Project
AGENDA TITLE
Award of a Construction Contract to Legion Contractors, Inc. for the Memory Lane and Flower Street Improvements Project (No. 23-6037) (General Fund & Non-General Fund)
RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Approve an appropriation adjustment recognizing $4,550,000 in the Active Transportation Program, State Grant-Direct (14817002-52025) revenue account and appropriate the same amount into the Active Transportation Program, Improvements Other than Building (14817613-66220) expenditure account. (Requires five affirmative votes)
2. Approve an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Capital Improvement Program to include an additional $4,550,000 in construction funds for the Memory Lane and Flower Street Improvements Project (No. 23-6037).
3. Approve the Project Cost Analysis for a total estimated construction delivery cost of $6,008,510, which includes $4,806,808 for the construction contract, $721,021 for contract administration, inspection, and testing, and $480,681 for unanticipated or unforeseen work.
4. Award a construction contract to Legion Contractors, Inc., the lowest responsible bidder, in accordance with the base bid in the amount of $4,806,808, subject to change orders, for construction of the Memory Lane and Flower Street Improvements Project (No. 23-6037), for a term beginning September 15, 2026 and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract.
5. Determine that, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, the recommended actions are exempt from further review. Categorical Exemption Environmental Review No. 2023-118 will be filed for Project No. 23-6037.
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
Award a Contract to Legion Contractors, Inc. for the Construction of Memory Lane and Flower Street Improvements Project
September 15, 2026
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DISCUSSION
The Public Works Agency (PWA) is responsible for managing the City’s roads and transportation network which include arterial, residential, alley, and industrial streets.
The planning and improvements of this network are guided by the City’s General Plan Mobility Element, Active Transportation Plan, and Pavement Management Program.
Together, these plans and programs establish priorities for improving mobility and safety, expanding pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, and maintaining roadway infrastructure through data-driven pavement management. Consistent with these priorities, PWA identified and recommends street and multimodal improvements along Memory Lane and Flower Street (Exhibit 1).
The Memory Lane and Flower Street project limits include roadway segments in poor to fair condition. The Pavement Condition Index (PCI), which evaluates pavement conditions on a scale from 0-100, identifies PCI values of 56 along Flower Street from Memory Lane to Santiago Creek and 62 along Memory Lane from the Santa Ana River to Flower Street. No major rehabilitation has occurred within the project limits since the year 2000. Existing deficiencies include deteriorated pavement, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, driveways, and curb ramps. Additionally, the project area has been the subject of community safety concerns related to speeding, pedestrian crossings, bicycle related collisions, and unlawful driver behaviors.
Since 2017, PWA staff have actively engaged with the Morrison Park and Fisher Park Neighborhood Associations through 15 community meetings to discuss traffic safety concerns, evaluate potential improvements along the project corridor, and to provide updates on the project's design and development. Community feedback received through these meetings helped inform the proposed safety and mobility improvements included in the final project design.
One of the primary safety concerns identified by residents involves the intersection of Memory Lane and Flower Street, where unsafe turning movements and vehicle spinouts, commonly referred to as “donuts,” have been reported. In response, staff developed design features that modify the intersection geometry and reduce the available roadway area to physically constrain and discourage these unsafe vehicle movements. Because the proposed design incorporates unique geometric features, staff worked closely with residents from both neighborhoods throughout the design process. Although initial opinions regarding the proposed improvements varied, staff developed and presented multiple design concepts based on community feedback, ultimately reaching consensus on the design incorporated into the Project.
The Memory Lane and Flower Street Improvements Project (Project No. 23-6037) will improve street pavement through the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roadway pavement (both asphalt and Portland Cement Concrete), repair of concrete infrastructure, landscaping, and irrigation. It will also enhance pedestrian and bicycle Award a Contract to Legion Contractors, Inc. for the Construction of Memory Lane and Flower Street Improvements Project
September 15, 2026
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safety through the installation of bulb-outs and protected bike lanes in both directions of travel. Pedestrian facility improvements will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
The project incorporates traffic safety improvements, including modifications to the existing traffic signal at the intersection of Bristol Street and Memory Lane, the installation of rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) paired with raised crosswalks at the intersections of Memory Lane and Westwood Avenue and at Flower Street and Sharon Road, and upgraded traffic striping and pavement markings to improve roadway visibility and guide all users safely through the corridor. Additionally, the project will install drought-tolerant landscaping and irrigation at island buffers within the corridor.
Once completed, these improvements will enhance overall safety, ride quality, and the visual appearance of the street corridor.
Grant Funding
Given the cost and scale of the proposed improvements, PWA pursued funding through multiple competitive grant programs. Following unsuccessful applications to the Active Transportation Program (ATP) and Bicycle Corridor Improvement Program (BCIP) in 2018, staff submitted a subsequent ATP application on July 14, 2022. On June 28, 2023, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) notified the City that the Project had been selected for funding. The ATP award provides funding for environmental, design, and construction activities, including traffic signal modifications, enhanced and raised crosswalks, reduced curb-return radii, ADA-compliant curb ramps, and Class II and Class IV bicycle facilities. Funding for the design phase was previously approved by the City Council as part of the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Capital Improvement Program. Through this staff report, staff recommends recognizing $4,550,000 in ATP construction funding and amending the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Capital Improvement Program accordingly. The grant requires the Project to be completed by January 31, 2028.
Project Advertisement and Contractor Procurement
To provide an opportunity for local vendors to submit bids, the City notified a total of 3,137 regional vendors via PlanetBids, many of which are Santa Ana based.
Furthermore, staff specifically reached out to Santa Ana vendors to encourage their participation in bids. A total of seven (7) bids were received. Zero (0) bids were received from Santa Ana contractors.
As legally required, a Notice Inviting Bids was advertised in the Orange County Register newspaper on June 12, 2026. The project was also advertised in PlanetBids from June 9, 2026 to June 30, 2026. Bids were received electronically via PlanetBids on June 30, 2026. No bid protest was submitted by any of the bidders during the bid protest period.
Award a Contract to Legion Contractors, Inc. for the Construction of Memory Lane and Flower Street Improvements Project
September 15, 2026
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Copies of construction plans, contracts, specifications, and all related reference materials (such as The Greenbook) are available for public review at the Public Works Agency Central Files office located in City Hall.
Bid Results Summary
RANK BIDDER’S NAME LOCATION BID
1 Legion Contractors, Inc. Los Angeles, CA $4,806,808.00 2 U.S. Builders & Consultants Irvine, CA $5,044,800.00
3 Aster Construction Services,
Inc. Los Angeles, CA $5,101,201.06
4 Hardy & Harper, Inc. Lake Forest, CA $5,150,000.00
5 Westcoast Public Works, Inc. Woodland Hills, CA $5,601,421.00 6 Vido Samarzich, Inc. Santa Ana, CA $5,675,000.00
7 Excel Paving Co. Long Beach, CA $6,148,565.00
A total of seven (7) bids were received and deemed responsive. Legion Contractors, Inc. submitted the lowest responsive bid in the amount of $4,806,808.00 (Exhibit 2). Following review of the bid and contractor references, staff recommends awarding the construction contract to Legion Contractors, Inc. (Exhibit 3).
Legion Contractors, Inc. has successfully completed projects as a prime contractor in the City of Santa Ana within the past two years, including Outdoor Library at Jerome Park and Bristol-Tolliver Street Urban Greening Project. Based on the contractor’s satisfactory performance on these projects, staff recommends awarding the construction contract to Legion Contractors, Inc. for the construction of the project.
Project Delivery
In addition to the construction contract, the total project delivery cost includes a budget allocation for construction administration, inspection, and testing. Construction administration and inspection may be performed by either staff or consultants and includes construction management, inspection of the contractor’s work for compliance with contract requirements and quality standards, materials testing, and administration of applicable labor compliance requirements.
As indicated in the Cost Analysis and as summarized in the table below, the estimated total construction delivery cost of the project is $6,008,510.
Award a Contract to Legion Contractors, Inc. for the Construction of Memory Lane and Flower Street Improvements Project
September 15, 2026
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Project Item Total
Construction Contract Bid Amount $4,806,808
Construction Administration $384,545
Inspection $240,340
Testing $96,136
Unanticipated or Unforeseen Work $480,681
TOTAL ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION DELIVERY
COST $6,008,510
Project Schedule and Contract Time
The project completion date is June 2027, barring unforeseeable conditions such as rain, natural disasters, or other delays beyond the control of the City and of the Contractor. The contract time for this project is 120 working days, as specified in the bid documents. Working days are counted in accordance with the City’s Standard Specifications, which exclude weekends, City-observed holidays, and inclement weather days that prevent work.
The projected completion dates based on the schedule is June 2027, which is within the allotted 120 working days. If the contractor fails to deliver on time, they will be assessed a penalty of $5,200 per calendar day as specified in the bid documents.
The actual completion date will depend on the contractor’s construction schedule, material procurement lead times, field conditions, and unforeseen delays. The anticipated project schedule is summarized below;
Project Milestones
Milestone Estimated
Completion Date
Notes
Administrative Startup September 2026 Contract execution, bonds, insurance
Material Procurement December 2026 Procurement may take place concurrently with construction.
Contractor Mobilization November 2026 Start of construction activities Project Completion June 2027 Based on 120 working days
Project Phasing
The Project will be constructed in a single phase in accordance with the scope of work established in the contract documents. The contractor will be responsible for scheduling and sequencing construction activities based on their proposed means and methods and within the contract time specified in the bid documents.
Award a Contract to Legion Contractors, Inc. for the Construction of Memory Lane and Flower Street Improvements Project
September 15, 2026
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Public Outreach
During the Project’s planning and design phases, City staff met with the Morrison Park and Fisher Park Neighborhood Associations to present proposed improvements, provide project updates, and collect community input, as described above. Upon Council approval of recommended actions and prior to start of construction, Staff will notify area residents and businesses of upcoming construction activities and distribute informational materials and mail post cards identifying project information and resources for questions and concerns. Staff will also attend future Neighborhood Association meetings to provide an update on the project.
The contractor is required to issue construction notices to adjacent residents and businesses at least two weeks before construction begins. The contractor will also install signage at the project site indicating project details and appropriate contact information.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the recommended actions are exempt from further review pursuant to Section 15301(b) and 15301(c) of the CEQA Guidelines for projects consisting of repair and maintenance of existing public facilities and existing highways, streets, sidewalks, gutters, bicycle and pedestrian trails, and similar facilities. The proposed project continues to meet these parameters of the CEQA Guidelines, and Categorical Exemption Environmental Review No. ER-2023-118 will be filed for Project 23-6037 (Exhibit 4).
FISCAL IMPACT
As indicated in the Cost Analysis, the estimated total construction delivery cost of the project is $6,008,510. With the approval of the requested appropriation adjustments, all funds are available for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2026-27. Any remaining balances not expended at the end of the fiscal year will be presented to City Council for approval of carryovers into Fiscal Year 2027-2028.
The proposed contract authorizes staff a maximum of 10% in construction contract change orders for unanticipated or unforeseen work. Staff will return to City Council for authorization and appropriation of additional funding if necessary.
With the approval of the requested appropriation adjustment, $4,550,000 in Active Transportation Program grant funds will be recognized in the Traffic System Management Grant, State Grant-Direct revenue account (No. 14817002-52025) and appropriated for spending into the Active Transportation Program, Improvements Other than Building, Account (No. 14817613-66220).
Approval of the requests to reallocate funds will provide a total of $683,037 in unspent funds from Project 26-6716.
Award a Contract to Legion Contractors, Inc. for the Construction of Memory Lane and Flower Street Improvements Project
September 15, 2026
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Funds were budgeted and available in the following account(s) for use in Fiscal Year 2026-2027 and will be carried forward for use in Fiscal Year 2027-2028, subject to City Council approval of the carryover.
Fiscal
Year
Accounting
Unit – Account
No.
(Project No.)
Fund
Description
Accounting Unit,
Account Description Amount
CURRENT BUDGET
2025-26 01117620-66220
(23-6037) General Fund
PW-Traffic/Trans
Service Enhancement,
Improvements Other
Than Building
$775,473
APPROPRIATION ADJUSTMENT
2026-27 14817613-66220
(23-6037)
Traffic System
Management
Grant
Active Transportation
Program,
Improvements Other
Than Building
$4,550,000
REALLOCATION
2025-26
05917665-66220
(From 26-6716
to 23-6037)
Select Street
Construction
HUTA Gas Tax-
RMRA, Improvements
Other Than Building
$683,037
TOTAL $6,008,510
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Location Map
2. Bid Proposal
3. Construction Contract
4. Environmental Determination
5. Capital Improvement Project Worksheet
Submitted By: Rodolfo Rosas, P.E., Executive Director of Public Works Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager