REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RANDALL W. MORRISON, PE, Director
Capital Projects Department
SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: JESUS AVITIA, PE, Assistant Director
Capital Projects Department, Transportation Project Management Division
MELISSA BLAU, Projects Administrator
Capital Projects Department, Transportation Project Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve an agreement for Professional Engineering Services with Mark Thomas & Company, Inc. for $180,913, with an $18,000 contingency, for Preliminary Engineering services for the Shields Avenue and Van Ness Boulevard Section 130 Railroad Grade Crossing Improvements Project (Council Districts 1 and 7).
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends the City Council approve an agreement for professional engineering services with Mark Thomas & Company, Inc. for $180,913, with an $18,000 contingency, for Preliminary Engineering services for the Shields Avenue and Van Ness Boulevard Section 130 Railroad Grade Crossing Improvements Project and authorize the Capital Projects Director or designee to execute the agreement on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Shields Avenue and Van Ness Boulevard Section 130 Railroad Grade Crossing Improvements Project will include a traffic and pedestrian study, sidewalk and bicycle pathway improvements, additional striping, modifications to traffic signals, and railroad warning devices. These measures aim to enhance the safety of the at-grade railroad crossing. The subject consultant agreement, in the amount of $180,913, with an $18,000 contingency, will facilitate the traffic studies and preliminary engineering support services necessary to begin the project.
The project Preliminary Engineering Phase is funded through the Federal Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Program (Section 130).
BACKGROUND
In April 2022, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Burlington Northern and Sante Fe (BNSF) Railway, and City of Fresno collaborated to create a Project Initiation Document. This document outlines the implementation of safety improvements at the Shields Avenue and BNSF Railway crossing. The decision to fund safety enhancements at this crossing was based on data received from train and vehicle volumes, geometric factors, pedestrians, buses and hazmat vehicles, and incident history, all of which were considered for Federal Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Program Section 130 funding.
The Shields Avenue and Van Ness Boulevard Section 130 Railroad Grade Crossing Improvements Project will enhance the safety at the Shields Avenue crossing for vehicles and pedestrians. Vehicular related safety improvements may include altering traffic movements through the crossing, applying additional striping, increasing existing curb height, or modifying nearby signalized intersections. Pedestrian and bicycle facilities would also be addressed with additional warning devices and improvements to existing sidewalk and bicycle pathways.
The Project Initiation Document identifies Preliminary Engineering Scope of Work that will include conducting a traffic and pedestrian study for movements at the crossing and nearby intersections, in addition to the vehicular and pedestrian improvements along Shields Avenue. BNSF will replace concrete panel surfacing, warning devices, and modify the existing railroad signal system interconnection to the traffic signal system.
On December 15, 2022, a Caltrans Program Supplement Agreement for Federal Funds from the Railway-Highway Crossings Section 130 Program was executed securing $1,000,000 of Federal funds under Local Agency Master Agreement No. 06-5060F15 for Preliminary Engineering.
In accordance with the Administrative Order 6-19, staff sent out requests for Statement of Qualifications (SOQs) on June 30, 2023 via Planet Bids, email and the Business Journal. The RFQ was advertised for twenty-four days, and one (1) Statement of Qualification was received from Mark Thomas and Company, Inc. Mark Thomas and Company, Inc. was determined to be qualified based on evaluation of their Statement of Qualifications. Staff negotiated a fee of $180,913, with an $18,000 contingency, for the preparation of traffic studies, and preliminary engineering services.
Staff is recommending City Council approve the agreement with Mark Thomas & Company, Inc. for $180,913, with an $18,000 contingency, for the Shields Avenue and Van Ness Boulevard Section 130 Railroad Grade Crossing Improvements Project and authorize the Capital Projects Director or designee, to sign and execute the contract on behalf of the City.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the agreement as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378, the award of this contract does not qualify as a “project.”
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented for this project because this contract is federally funded.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Shields Avenue and Van Ness Boulevard Section 130 Railroad Grade Crossing Improvements Project is located in Council Districts 1 and 7, and is funded with Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Program (Section 130) funds. All funds necessary for the contract award are included in the current fiscal year budget as previously adopted by City Council. The project will not impact the General Fund.
Attachment(s):
Consultant Agreement
Vicinity Map