REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DENIX D. ANBIAH, PE, Director
Capital Projects Department
SCOTT MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: Scott p. sehm, PE, Assistant Director
Capital Projects Department, Design Services Division
GUSTAVO RANGEL, Project Manager
Capital Projects Department, Transportation Project Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the North Granville Avenue Safety Improvements Project (Bid File No. 12601290): (Council District 6)
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Sections 15301/Class 1 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Award a Construction Contract in the amount of $479,190.00 to Avison Construction, Incorporated, of Madera, California and authorize the Capital Projects Director or designee to sign the Construction Contract on behalf of the City of Fresno.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301/Class 1 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, award a Construction Contract with Avison Construction, Incorporated of Madera, California in the amount of $479,190.00 as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the North Granville Avenue Safety Improvements Project, and authorize the Capital Projects Director or designee to sign the Construction Contract on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno seeks to award a Construction Contract for the North Granville Avenue Safety Improvements Project. This project is Phase II of the North Granville Avenue and East Behymer Avenue Intersection Safety Improvements and will complete the proposed traffic safety measures along the corridor by adding traffic-calming features along North Granville Avenue that connect to and compliment the previously completed Behymer Avenue improvements, east of Granville Avenue.
Once built, these enhancements will reduce vehicle speeds along the corridor and improve safety for motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, and nearby residents. The project includes chicanes and raised median islands along North Granville Avenue to guide and slow traffic approaching the 90-degree turn onto East Behymer Avenue. The project is fully funded by SB1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) funds.
BACKGROUND
Due to concerns raised by residents about speeding vehicles along Granville Avenue and Behymer Avenue, as well as crashes at the intersection of North Granville and East Behymer Avenues, Public Works staff worked with Council District 6 leadership and residents to identify corridor traffic calming and safety improvement measures. Public Works prepared concept drawings for safety improvements along both avenues to narrow the roadway, introduce chicanes and raised medians in an effort to force motorists to slow down. These improvements are designed to slow vehicles as they approach the intersection and reduce the risk of collisions caused by excessive speed.
Using the concept drawings developed by Public Works with input from the local residents, the Capital Projects Department was tasked with preparation of the construction drawings and specifications. Design work began in October 2024 and took approximately 14 months to complete. The Granville Avenue Safety Improvements Project is fully funded with SB1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) funds.
On April 18, 2024, the City Council awarded a Construction Contract to Dave Christian Construction Company Incorporated, of Fresno, California, for Phase I of the North Granville and East Behymer Safety Improvements Project, which installed similar improvements along East Behymer Avenue. Phase II of this project will complete the intersection improvements installed previously and extend the raised medians and chicanes along North Granville Avenue to provide similar traffic calming for north/south-bound vehicles as Phase I did for west/east-bound vehicles.
The Notice Inviting Bids was published in the Business Journal on February 20, 2026, and posted on the City’s website. Seven sealed bid proposals were received and opened in the public bid opening on March 24, 2026, with bids ranging from $479,190 to $674,160. Avison Construction, Incorporated of Madera, CA was determined to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The bids will expire 64 days after the bid opening, on May 27, 2026. If the bids are rejected or expire, the project will be rebid, resulting in a delay of approximately 90 days.
Staff recommends the City Council award a Construction Contract to Avison Construction, Incorporated in the amount of $479,190 to construct the North Granville Avenue Safety Improvements Project, as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, and to authorize the Capital Projects Director or designee to sign and execute the Standardized Construction Contract on behalf of the City of Fresno.
The Community Workforce Agreement (PLA), adopted by Council in September 2021, does not apply to this contract because the engineer’s estimate for this project was less than $1million, pursuant to the terms of the PLA.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the Standardized Construction Contract as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff has performed a preliminary environmental assessment of this project and has determined that it falls within the Categorical Exemption set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) because the project is proposing to make improvements to existing public facilities to construct chicanes, and S-curve to implement safety measures. The proposed street improvements are minor, do not constitute an expansion of use, and will improve the public right of way without increasing road capacity. Furthermore, staff has determined that none of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to this project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was considered in staff’s evaluation of the bid proposals received. However, it was not implemented because the lowest responsive and responsible bidder is a local business.
FISCAL IMPACT
The North Granville Avenue Safety Improvements Project is located in Council District 6. The overall cost for the project is $658,628 and is locally funded by SB1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) funds. Of the overall project budget, $479,190 will be used for the Construction Contract award. All funds necessary for the contract award are included in this fiscal year approved budget, as previously adopted by the Council.
Attachments:
Standardized Contract
Environmental Assessment
Procurement Evaluation Form
Vicinity Map