CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
April 10, 2023
TO: City Council
FROM: Office of the City Manager
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
ENTER INTO A DESIGN SERVICES AGREEMENT NOT TO EXCEED $1.4 MILLION WITH METROLINK FOR THE SEQUOIA AVENUE GRADE
CROSSING IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, EXECUTE A FUNDS
TRANSFER AGREEMENT WITH CALTRANS, NEGOTIATE AND ENTER
INTO A CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT WITH METROLINK, AND
ACCEPT $4.5 MILLION IN STATE FUNDING
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and enter into a Design Services Agreement not to exceed $1.4 million with Metrolink for the Sequoia Avenue Grade Crossing Improvement Project, execute a Funds Transfer Agreement with Caltrans, negotiate and enter into a Construction Agreement with Metro link, and accept $4.5 million in state funding.
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
Metrolink is enhancing rail service throughout the region through the Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) project in preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games to be held in Los Angeles. One component of the SCORE project includes the construction of a double track rail line in Simi Valley from just east of the Los Angeles County line to Sequoia Avenue. The rail crossings included in the project will receive enhanced safety upgrades ; however, the Sequoia Avenue crossing was not included in the construction plan, although the environmental evaluation has been completed at the City’s request . Staff identified tha t the completion of safety upgrades at the Sequoia Avenue crossing should be completed as part of the overall construction of SCORE, although City funds were not available for the project.
City staff worked with Assembly Member Irwin, who sponsored, and was able to secure, $4.5 million in the 2022-23 State budget for the Sequoia Avenue Upgrade Project.
Caltrans is the agency that will administer the funds and transfer them to the City. On December 8, 2022, a ceremonial check was presented to Mayor Thomas and former Mayor Mashburn at the Simi Valley Train Station. Staff has been working with Metrolink staff over the past few months to create a Design Services Agreement to allow Metrolink AGENDA ITEM NO.
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2 to plan for the Sequoia Avenue Upgrade Project as part of the SCORE project. The Metrolink Board of Directors approved the “Design Services Agreement” during its March 24, 2023, meeting. Staff recommends the City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into a Design Services Agreement not to exceed $1.4 million with Metrolink for the Sequoia Grade Crossing Improvement Project, the Funds Transfer Agreement with Caltrans, negotiate and enter into a Construction Agreement with Metrolink, and accept the $4.5 million in State funding.
FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
The Sequoia Avenue Grade Crossing Improvement Project will upgrade the existing grade crossing at Sequoia Avenue to Metrolink standards, which will provide a safer and more reliable grade crossing for Metrolink, freight rail services, and for local vehicles and pedestrians. Once completed, the five crossing improvements made through the SCORE project, including Sequoia Avenue, will allow the City to apply for a quiet zone designation with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for the entire length of the City, as the remaining grade crossings have already been upgraded to current safety standards. A quiet zone desi gnation will mean that trains that travel through the community will no longer have to sound their horns as they approach intersections, creating a more pleasant environment for the entire community and specifically those homes and businesses that are immediately adjacent to the railroad track.
In addition to the $4.5 million secured by Assembly Member Irwin, Metrolink received $1.7 million of Commuter Authority Rail Safety Improvement (CARSI) funding, which the City supported, for a total of $6.2 mill ion of total funding for the Sequoia Avenue Grade Crossing Improvement Project. Metrolink obtained CEQA clearance in July 2021, and NEPA clearance in November 2021, for the SCORE Simi Valley Double Track project, which included the Sequoia Avenue grade crossing improvements.
As the Sequoia Avenue Grade Crossing Improvement Project will be part of the larger SCORE project, Metrolink will lead the design and construction phases of the project.
The Design Services Agreement will provide for a not to exceed $1.4 million of funding to Metrolink. The Construction Agreement will be negotiated during the design phase.
Caltrans is the state agency that will distribute the $4.5 million in funds; therefore, the City must execute a Funds Transfer Agreement with the agency to receive the funds. These funds will reimburse Metrolink for work completed on the Sequoia Avenue Grade Crossing Improvement Project.
In order to put the above actions in motion, it is recommended the City Council accept the $4.5 million in state funding.
3 The following alternatives are available to the City Council:
1. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and enter into a Design Services Agreement not to exceed $1.4 million with Metrolink for the Sequoia Avenue Grade Crossing Improvement Project, execute a Funds Transfer Agreement with Caltrans; negotiate and enter into a Construction Agreement with Metrolink, and accept $4.5 million in state funding;
2. Not authorize the City Manager to negotiate and enter into a Design Services Agreement not to exceed $1.4 million with Metrolink for the Sequoia Avenue Grade Crossing Improvement Project, execute a Funds Transfer Agreement with Caltrans; negotiate a nd enter into a Construction Agreement with Metrolink, and accept $4.5 million in state funding;
3. Provide staff with alternative direction.
Staff recommends Alternative No. 1
SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL MOTION
I move to authorize the City Manager to negotiate and enter into a Design Services Agreement not to exceed $1.4 million with Metrolink for the Sequoia Avenue Grade Crossing Improvement Project, execute a Funds Transfer Agreement with Caltrans, negotiate and enter into a Construction Agreement with Metrolink, and accept $4.5 million in state funding.
SUMMARY
Metrolink is enhancing rail service throughout the region in preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games in Lo s Angeles through the Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) project. One component of the SCORE project includes the construction of a double track rail line in Simi Valley from the Los Angeles County line to Sequoia Avenue. The rail crossings included in the project will receive enhanced safety upgrades; however, the Sequoia Avenue crossing was not included in the construction plan, although the environmental evaluation was. Staff identified that the completion of safety upgrades at the Sequoia Avenue crossing should be completed as part of the overall construction of SCORE, although City funds were not available for the project.
City staff worked with Assembly Member Irwin, who sponsored, and was able to secure, $4.5 million in the 2022 -23 state budget for the Sequoia Avenue Upgrade Project.
Caltrans is the agency that will administer the funds and transfer them to the City. On December 8, 2022, a ceremonial check was presented to Mayor Thomas and former Mayor Mashburn at the Simi Valley Train Station. Staff has been working with Metrolink staff over the past few months to create a Design Services Agreement to allow Metrolink to plan for the Sequoia Avenue Upgrade as part of the SCORE project. The Metrolink Board of Directors approved the Design Services Agreement during its March 24, 2023 , 4 meeting. Staff recommends the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and enter into a Design Services Agreement not to exceed $1.4 million with Metrolink for the Sequoia Grade Crossing Improvement Project, the Funds Transfer Agreement with Caltrans, negotiate and enter into a Construction Agreement with Metrolink, and accept the $4.5 million in State funding.
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Samantha Argabrite
Assistant City Manager
Prepared by: Samantha Argabrite, Assistant City Manager