Title
Staff Report for a City of San Leandro City Council Resolution to Approve Amendment No. 4 for $528,584 to an Existing Consulting Services Agreement with Nichols Consulting Engineers for Design Services on the Annual Street Overlay/Rehabilitation 2019-2021 Project, Project No. 2020.0050
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This contract amendment provides for additional scope related to the design of complete streets elements on Bancroft Avenue, Grand Avenue, Hesperian Boulevard, and Manor Boulevard. Tasks include railroad coordination at Hesperian Boulevard, utility coordination, traffic signal modification plans, and striping changes. Work also includes phasing the project into two construction project packages and the inclusion of landscape design on Hesperian Boulevard.
Staff recommends the following:
• Approve Amendment No. 4 to an existing Consulting Services Agreement with Nichols Consulting Engineers that increases the contract amount by $528,584, resulting in a total contract amount of $1,541,109.
BACKGROUND
The Annual Street Overlay / Rehabilitation 2019-2021 project will repave a total of fifteen street segments, comprised of arterials, collectors, and residential streets. City Council previously authorized a design contract with Nichols Consulting Engineers (NCE) for the project. There are three existing amendments to the CSA: Amendment No. 1 corrected a typographical error that resulted in an incorrect original encumbrance; Amendment No. 2 addressed costs related to restricting potholing work to low traffic periods; and Amendment No. 3 addressed costs relating to complete street work, extending the limits of work on Hesperian Boulevard, and designing the repaving of Aurora Drive. Amendments Nos. 1, 2 and 3 combined represent a 46.4% change in contract value.
The City performed a Complete Streets evaluation to determine how the chosen streets could better serve transit, pedestrians, bicyclists, trucks, and personal vehicles. This work included reviewing recommendations from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan approved in 2018. The Complete Streets evaluation identified desired improvements to the bicycle and pedestrian facilities including a road diet on Hesperian Boulevard and Grand Avenue. The recommendation for Hesperian Boulevard includes landscape buffers between the bike lane and travel lanes. On Manor Boulevard, the complete streets evaluation resulted in a recommendation to install Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons at two crosswalks. On Bancroft Boulevard, staff recommends that the project install improvements between Callan Avenue and Estudillo Avenue per a previous school site safety assessment, curb bulb-outs to reduce pedestrian crossing distance, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at one crossing, and an Accessible Pedestrian Signal (APS) at an existing signalized intersection. Additional design work will be needed to implement these improvements. The additional work includes landscaping, civil, and irrigation design and requires coordination with Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) due to changes in the roadway at two UPRR crossings.
The City received a grant from Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) to enhance the proposed bike lanes on Hesperian Boulevard by installing concrete medians with landscaping. Design of these improvements is included in Amendment 4.
To expedite construction, the project has been split into two phases - phase 1 construction is scheduled for Summer 2022, while phase 2 will follow later under a separate contract. The phase 2 project will include streets that require additional design and coordination with utility agencies.
Analysis
The complete streets features identified by the City are an integral aspect of the project. Contracting with NCE for the work is the most efficient way to deliver the work. A significant amount of effort, 45% of the fee, will be required to obtain railroad crossing permits and revised crossing agreements with UPRR for the changes to Hesperian Boulevard at the Niles subdivision. The cost of Amendment No. 4 is $528,594, resulting in a total contract amount of $1,541,109.
Failure to approve Amendment No. 4 will not add the complete streets features to the project and will also require that the City return the ACTC grant funds.
Current Agency Policies
• Maintain and enhance San Leandro’s infrastructure
Previous Actions
• On April 6, 2020, by Resolution No. 2020-031, the City Council authorized the City Manager to execute a consulting services agreement with Nichols Consulting Engineers (NCE) for the Design of the Annual Street Overlay/Rehabilitation 2019-2021, Project No. 2020.0050 and authorized change orders up to 15% of the original contract amount.
• On January 4, 2021, by Resolution No. 2021-005, the City Council approved a reduction of the number of vehicle travel lanes from three to two and installation of Class IV Bicycle lanes on Hesperian Blvd between Fairmont Drive and Spring Lake Drive.
• On June 21, 2021, by Resolution No. 2021-311, the San Leandro City Council approved Amendment No. 3 for $239,957 to an Existing Consulting Services Agreement with Nichols Consulting Engineers for Design Services on the Annual Street Overlay/Rehabilitation 2019-2021 Project, Project No. 2020.0050 and authorized the City Manager to Negotiate and Approve Agreement Amendments up to $51,860; and extended the Term of the Contract to December 31, 2022.
• On January 4, 2022, by Resolution No. 2022-002, the City Council authorized the City Manager to enter into a project funding agreement with the ACTC for grant funding for Class IV protected bike lanes on Hesperian Blvd and Fairmont Dr. and to appropriate $1,479,000 in grant funds.
Applicable General Plan Policies
• Transportation Goal T-2: Design and operate streets to be safe, attractive, and accessible for all transportation users whether they are pedestrians, bicyclist, transit riders or motorists, regardless of age or ability.
• Transportation Goal T-3: Promote and accommodate alternative, environmentally friendly methods of transportation, such as walking and bicycling.
• Transportation Goal T-5: Improve major transportation arteries for circulation in and around the city.
• Transportation Goal T-7: Improve traffic safety and reduce the potential for accidents on San Leandro streets.
Environmental Review
This project is categorically exempt per Section 15301(c) of the CEQA guidelines. A notice was filed with the Alameda County Recorder in December 2021.
Fiscal Impacts
The estimated total project cost is as follows:
Design and Bid $1,800,000
Construction Contract $9,500,000
Design and Construction Contingencies $1,273,000
Construction Management $185,000
TOTAL $12,758,000
Consultant Agreement Amendment Summary
Amend. No. Description Amount % of
Orig. fee
1. Corrected clerical error that resulted in an incorrect $25,680 3.7%
original encumbrance.
2. Limit potholing work to low traffic periods. $55,377 8.0%
3. Add paving of Aurora Drive to the project, extend
complete street work on Hesperian from Thornally
to Fairmont $239,957 34.7%
Proposed
4. Add design of complete street features on Bancroft
Hesperian, Grand, and Manor. Add landscape design
on Hesperian. Add RR permitting of road diet on
Hesperian. $528,584 76.3%
Agreement Amendment Total $849,598 122.7%
Budget Authority
This project will be funded as follows:
Account No. Source FY/Approp. Date Amount
210-38-419 Budget, General Fund FY 2020-21 $2,140,000
142-38-419 Gas Tax FY 2020-21 $1,000,000
141-39-403 Measure BB Grant FY 2020-21 $7,000,000
150-38-423 ACTC Grant FY 2021-22 $1,479,000
141-38-419 Measure B FY 2020-21 $1,200,000
TOTAL $12,819,000
Attachment to Staff Report
• Consultant Service Agreement
• CSA Amendment No. 1
• CSA Amendment No. 2
• CSA Amendment No. 3
Attachment to Related Legislative File
• CSA Amendment No. 4 - NCE
PREPARED BY: Nicole Noronha Castelino, Associate Engineer, Engineering and Transportation Department