REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
November 17, 2016
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 A. CISNEROS, Projects Administrator
Public Works Department, Capital Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve a revised funding agreement in the amount of $28 million with the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) for construction of a new overpass over the high-speed rail alignment and the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) tracks at Veterans Boulevard (Council District 2).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Council take the following actions:
1. Approve the attached funding agreement in the amount of $28 million with the CHSRA in the form attached and presented.
2. Authorize the Public Works Director or his designee to execute the agreement on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On September 12, 2013, the Council approved a cooperative agreement with the CHSRA for $25 million to reimburse the City for the cost of constructing a portion of the Veterans Boulevard Overpass over the High Speed Rail (HSR) Corridor and the existing UPRR mainline tracks. Since that time, the CHSRA has made changes to their project which increased the construction costs to build the overpass project. Due to those changes in the project, which surfaced during the time when the agreement language was being finalized, the original September 2013 agreement was never executed by the parties. The City and CHSRA have now finalized the revised agreement language and negotiated a $3 million increase to cover the additional expenses.
BACKGROUND
The CHSRA is proposing to mitigate the closing of the existing UPRR at-grade crossing at Carnegie Avenue by advancing the construction of a portion of the Veterans Boulevard Project, as outlined in the HSR project Environmental Impact Report / Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS). The Veterans Boulevard grade separation project is being managed by City staff and is part of the adopted City budget. CHSRA will reimburse the City for construction costs, testing and Construction Management staff costs. The construction work associated with the project includes extending Bullard Avenue to the future Veterans Boulevard intersection, two lanes of Veterans Boulevard, a bridge structure over the existing UPRR and future HSR tracks, and a roadway connection from Veterans Boulevard to existing Golden State Boulevard.
Construction of Veterans Boulevard, originally known as the Herndon-Grantland Diagonal, has long been a goal of the City of Fresno, as illustrated in the 1984 General Plan and 2025 General Plan. In Fiscal Year 2006, the City undertook the preparation of a Project Study Report using approximately $500,000 in local funds, to take the first step in the Caltrans process toward the ultimate development of the interchange. In November 2006, the 20-year extension of Measure C was passed by the voters of Fresno County. The adopted Measure C Expenditure Plan, which accompanied the ballot measure, included Veterans Boulevard as a Tier 1 Regional Project to be funded with a combination of Regional Measure C, State Transportation Improvement Program, Federal Transportation Funds, and Regional Transportation Mitigation Fee funds.
The Agreement outlines the terms and conditions of cooperation between the City of Fresno and the CHSRA to complete Plans, Specifications and Estimate (PS&E), Right-of-Way (R/W) and construction for a new overpass over the HSR alignment and UPRR corridor for Veterans Boulevard in the City of Fresno. The Agreement limits the work to performing PS&E, R/W and Construction activities for the grade separation and roadway improvements along Veterans Boulevard from approximately one mile south of Herndon Avenue to approximately one mile north of Barstow Avenue. This Project will be implemented as a traditional design-bid-build project. (See the attached map of the project limits). The final design and bid documents for the extension of Bullard Avenue will be complete by January 2017 allowing for that portion of the overpass project to proceed onto construction. The construction of the overpass is anticipated to begin in 2018.
On December 11, 2011, the Council approved an amendment to the Cooperative Agreement with the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) for the Veterans Boulevard/State Route 99 Interchange and Grade Separation, Urban Project N-1. The amendment provided authorization from FCTA for $8.8 million for the PS&E or final design phase of the Project. In June 2013, Caltrans certified and approved the Final EIR. The Project Report for the Veterans Boulevard Project from Shaw Avenue to Herndon Avenue, including a new freeway interchange at State Route 99 and an overpass at the Union Pacific Railroad, was also signed and approved by Caltrans in July 2013. The FCTA and Fresno Council of Governments have also approved a total of $18.8 million in right-of-way acquisition funds for the Project. All property needed for the HSR portion of the Project has been acquired. Right-of-way acquisition for the total Veterans Boulevard Project which includes the Freeway 99 Interchange is currently 80% complete.
The EIR/EIS for the CHSRA Merced to Fresno segment included the selection of an at-grade track alignment, just west of the UPRR tracks through much of northwest Fresno including the area near Shaw Avenue, Carnegie Avenue, and the Veterans Boulevard alignment. At locations such as Shaw Avenue, the CHSRA project proposes to construct a grade separation to carry Shaw Avenue over the UPRR and HSR tracks. This is also the case at other locations further south on the HSR corridor such as McKinley Avenue (overpass), Olive Avenue (overpass), Tulare Street (underpass), Ventura Avenue (underpass) and Church Avenue (overpass). Carnegie Avenue is a short street segment between Golden State Boulevard and Bullard Avenue which was deemed to be infeasible for a grade separation, due to the proximity of Golden State Boulevard and Bullard Avenue. The high volume of traffic utilizing Carnegie Avenue made it also infeasible to close the crossing and re-route as far as Herndon and Shaw Avenues. The City Administration, City staff and CHSRA representatives developed a solution (set forth in the EIR/EIS for the Merced to Fresno segment), of mitigating the Carnegie Avenue at-grade railroad crossing closure through constructing Veterans Boulevard between Golden State Boulevard and Bullard Avenue, including the Bullard Avenue extension from Carnegie to Bullard Avenues.
City staff and CHSRA representatives have agreed for the City to construct the Veterans Boulevard overpass and Bullard Avenue extension given that it is part of the larger City project and will ensure compatibility with subsequent phases of Veterans Boulevard. The City is also currently under contract with Mark Thomas and Company for the design work. The Agreement allows the City to construct the facility with the CHSRA to pay 100% of construction costs including City bidding costs, construction management, inspection and testing.
The Cooperative Agreement has been reviewed by the City Attorney’s Office. The recommended action authorizes the Public Works Director or his designee to execute the agreement, subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney’s Office.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The CHSRA completed the Final EIR/EIS for the HSR corridor through Fresno.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Not applicable because this is not a competitive bid award.
FISCAL IMPACT
There will be no impact to the General Fund or any City operating funds associated with the recommended action. All City costs for services under this agreement will be paid for by the CHSRA.
Attachment:
Project Limit Map
Cooperative Agreement