REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
August 28, 2014
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
THROUGH: ANDREW J. BENELLI, PE, City Engineer/Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Traffic and Engineering Services Division
BY: DAVID CISNEROS, Project Manager
Public Works Department, Traffic and Engineering Services Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the Third Amendment to the Cooperative Agreement with the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) re-allocating funds in the amount of $241,000 from the construction phase to preliminary engineering phase of the Willow Avenue Widening Project, 0.25 miles south of Nees to Shepherd Avenue under the Measure "C" Tier 1 Program (Council District 6)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Council approve the Third Amendment to the Cooperative Agreement with the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) for the Willow Avenue widening project under the Measure "C" Tier 1 Program.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On January 27, 2009, the Council adopted Resolution No. 2009-19 in support of the Measure "C" Short-term Regional Transportation Program. On April 28, 2011 the Council approved a Cooperative Agreement with the FCTA to fund the Willow Avenue widening project. Subsequently this agreement was amended on October 10, 2012 to allocate funds for the right-of-way acquisition phase and on May 29, 2013 for the construction phase. During the design phase the scope of the project was expanded to cover the elimination of the traffic bottleneck on Nees Avenue and pedestrian trail plus the undergrounding of the overhead utilities. The Third Amendment will re-allocate available funds from the construction phase to the preliminary engineering phase to cover the additional cost arising from the expanded scope.
BACKGROUND
In November 2006, the voters approved a 20-year extension of Measure "C", the half-cent sales tax for transportation. On January 27, 2009, the Council adopted Resolution No. 2009-19 in support of the proposed Measure "C" Short-Term Regional Transportation Program. The program and associated handbook was approved by the Council of Fresno County Governments ("COG") on January 29, 2009, and in turn by the FCTA on February 18, 2009. The FCTA prepared a Measure "C" Cooperative Project Agreement which is to be executed by the FCTA and a project sponsor such as the City of Fresno for each specific project. Upon approval by the FCTA Board, the City of Fresno leveraged Measure "C" and Federal grant funds and moved forward to begin work towards this long planned widening of Willow Avenue which is consistent with the 2025 General Plan.
The Willow Avenue Widening Project from Decatur Avenue to Shepherd Avenue will construct three southbound travel lanes, bike lanes, curb, gutter and pedestrian trail within the project limits and eliminate the traffic bottleneck on Nees Avenue. On July 31, 2014, the Council awarded a construction contract to complete the final phase of the project. This agreement will transfer excess funding from the construction phase to the preliminary engineering phase, to supplement the $240,470 Federal funds previously authorized by Caltrans with Measure "C" Tier 1 funds amounting to $241,000.
The Draft Cooperative Agreement has been approved as to form by the City Attorney's Office.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This agreement is to re-allocate funds between two phases of the same project and an environmental assessment is not required. This is a funding mechanism only.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Not Applicable
FISCAL IMPACT
The project is located in Council District 6. The overall cost of the project is $4,378,800 and is funded by a $2,705,170 grant from the Federal Regional Surface Transportation Program, $1,341,000 in Regional Measure C Tier 1 funds and $1,088,000 Developer fees. The project will not have any impact to the General Fund.
Attachment: Third Amendment to the Cooperative Agreement