REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: Randall W. Morrison, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Engineering Division
SCOTT P. SEHM, PE, Public Works Manager
Public Works Department, Design Section
SUBJECT
Title
Award a construction contract in the amount of $2,649,222 to Emmett’s Excavation, Inc., of Clovis, California for the Blackstone Avenue and McKinley Avenue Transit Oriented Development Sidewalk and Lighting Project - Bid File 12300361 (Council Districts 1 and 7)
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends City Council award a construction contract with Emmett’s Excavation, Inc., of Clovis, California for the Blackstone Avenue and McKinley Avenue Transit Oriented Development Sidewalk and Lighting Project in the amount of $2,649,222 as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder and authorize the Public Works Director, or designee, to sign the construction contract on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The proposed Blackstone Avenue and McKinley Avenue Transit Oriented Development Sidewalk and Lighting Project will improve pedestrian facilities along Blackstone Avenue by constructing missing segments of concrete sidewalk and installing street lighting and pedestrian scale lighting along Blackstone Avenue, between Hedges Avenue and Cambridge Avenue. This project will serve the Fresno City College neighborhood, as well as the new Transit Oriented Development (TOD) project on the southwest corner of Blackstone Avenue and McKinley Avenue. This project is funded by an Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) grant with local funding sources including SB1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) funds and water enterprise funds for the water infrastructure improvements.
BACKGROUND
The design phase of the project was initiated in FY21, shortly after the City of Fresno entered into an agreement with Corporation for Better Housing, A California nonprofit public benefit Corporation. The engineering design, project management, and right-of-way acquisition took three years and was completed by City of Fresno staff.
The scope of this project consists of improvements along Blackstone Avenue, from Hedges Avenue to Cambridge Avenue, and includes construction of sidewalk along the east side of Blackstone Avenue, from Hedges Avenue to Floradora Avenue, that will complete an existing gap in the infrastructure and the replacement of 24 existing commercial drive approaches throughout the project limits to provide an ADA-compliant path of travel. Street lighting will be upgraded on the east side of Blackstone Avenue between Hedges Avenue and Floradora Avenue and pedestrian-scale lights will be installed on both sides of Blackstone Avenue between Hedges Avenue and Cambridge Avenue to improve the visibility in the vicinity for both pedestrians and motorists. This work also requires the reconstruction of a segment of northbound Blackstone Avenue to accommodate the proposed sidewalk and driveway installations. Additional work, unrelated to the pedestrian improvements, will be the transfer of 16 existing water services from an existing water main located under the proposed sidewalk, which will be abandoned with this project, and reconnection to a recently installed 12” water main on the west side of Blackstone Avenue. This work was requested and funded by the Department of Public Utilities.
Pedestrian easements were needed from four landowners to install the pedestrian scale lighting and sidewalk and was acquired by Public Works staff. Some of the parcels within the area of work also have private assets such as fencing, signs, equipment, parked cars, etc. within the City’s right-of-way that will interfere with construction; staff has made all landowners and their tenants aware of this project and requested that those assets be removed by the owners/tenants in advance of the start of construction. A reminder notice will be sent prior to the start of construction.
A Notice Inviting Bids was published in the Fresno Business Journal on February 22, 2023, posted on the City’s website, and distributed to eight (8) building exchange. The specifications were distributed to 32 prospective bidders. Four (4) sealed bid proposals were received and opened in a public bid opening on April 25, 2023. Emmett’s Excavation, Inc., submitted the apparent low bid in the amount of $2,649,222 and was determined to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the project. The bids will expire on June 28, 2023. If the bid is rejected or expires, the project must be rebid, which will result in a delay of approximately 90 days.
This contract is covered by the Community Workforce Agreement (PLA), adopted by Council in September 2021. The Contractor shall become signatory to the PLA by executing the Agreement To Be Bound.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved as to form.
Staff recommends Council award a construction contract with Emmett’s Excavation, Inc., in the amount of $2,649,222 for the Blackstone Avenue and McKinley Avenue Transit Oriented Development Project as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder and authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign and execute the standardized contract on behalf of the City of Fresno.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Environmental Assessment Application P21-01288 was previously adopted by City Council on April 28, 2022 as file ID 22-611, when the construction contract for the Class IV Bikeway project on Van Ness and Wishon/Fulton, which is a component of this Blackstone TOD project, was awarded.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable due to the state grant funding requirements on the project.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Blackstone Avenue and McKinley Avenue Transit Oriented Development Sidewalk and Lighting Project is located in Council Districts 1 and 7. The overall cost of the project is $3,333,586 and is grant funded by an Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) grant. Other local funding sources include SB1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) funds and water enterprise funds for the water infrastructure improvements. Of the overall budget of the project, $2,649,222 will be used for the construction contract award. The project will have no impact to the General Fund.
Attachment(s):
Vicinity Map
Bid Evaluation
Fiscal Impact Statement
Standardized Contract