REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: GREGORY A. BARFIELD, M.A., Director
Department of Transportation
BY: SHANNON M. MULHALL, CA Sp, Projects Administrator
Department of Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Department of Transportation Fresno Area Express (FAX) Bus Stop Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Upgrades Phase B Project:
1. Adopt Environment Assessment No. P26-20261, dated February 25, 2026, a determination that the proposed project qualifies for categorical exemption as set forth in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15301/Class 1 and Section 15302/Class 2, of the State of California CEQA Guidelines.
2. Award a Construction Contract to American Paving Co, of Fresno, California, in the amount of $487,566 for the Department of Transportation Fresno Area Express (FAX) Bus Stop ADA Upgrades Phase B project, within the City of Fresno, and authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all related documents (Bid File #12600141) (Council District 2, Council District 4, Council District 5, Council District 6, Council District 7)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council:
1. Adopt Environment Assessment No. P26-20261, dated February 25, 2026, a determination that the proposed project qualifies for categorical exemption as set forth in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15301/Class 1 and Section 15302/Class 2, of the State of California CEQA Guidelines.
2. Award a Construction Contract in the amount of $487,566 to American Paving Co. located in the city of Fresno, California, as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the construction of the Department of Transportation Fresno Area Express (FAX) Bus Stop Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Upgrades Phase B project and authorize the City Manager of designee to execute all related documents.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Fresno Area Express (FAX) seeks to award a Construction Contract to American Paving Co. for the Bus Stop Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Upgrades Phase B project in the amount of $487,566. This project will include improvements to sidewalk, curb, and gutter to provide improved bus stops in accordance with State and Federal standards and codes. This project is part of FAX’s efforts to improve service, provide passengers with better overall rider experience, and upgrade systemwide bus stops.
BACKGROUND
This project is part of FAX’s efforts to improve service, provide passengers with better overall experience and meet the Department’s obligations under the ADA. The improvements will include repairs to sidewalk slopes, repair and replacement of curb and gutter, and may include the relocation of stops. Where shelters, benches, or trash can exist at project locations, they will be reinstalled at the location unless doing so would violate State and Federal standards and codes.
The FAX ADA Bus Stop Transition Plan was adopted by City Council on September 2, 2021 and committed FAX to improvements to the infrastructure at bus stops systemwide. While the focus of this plan is the removal of barriers to access for people with disabilities, the result of these capital improvement projects are enhanced bus stops and amenities for the whole community. These bus stops are prioritized according to route ridership, access to key services (healthcare, education, food, etc.), and FAX’s commitment to spend a minimum of $500,000 annually.
Engineering design for the Plan was completed for a total of 75 identified bus stops and divided into four phases labeled as Phases A, B, C, and D. Construction of Phase A is complete, Phase C is currently under construction, and Phase D will go out to bid for construction later this year. In Phase B, 17 bus stops will be remediated in five (5) Council Districts as shown below:
• District 2: one (1) location
• District 4: five (5) locations
• District 5: two (2) locations
• District 6: eight (8) locations
• District 7: one (1) location
A Notice Inviting Bids was published in the Business Journal and posted on Planet Bids on December 12, 2025, advertised in local community groups and construction organizations, as well as the Central California Builders Exchange. Five bids were received and opened in a public bid opening on January 13, 2026. American Paving Co. was determined to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
The City Attorney has approved the contract as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff performed a preliminary environmental assessment of the project and determined that it falls within the Categorical Exemptions set forth in CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301/ Class 1 (Existing Facilities), which exempts the repair and maintenance of existing facilities that involves negligible or no expansion of an existing use, and Section 15302/Class 2 (Replacement or Reconstruction), which exempts the replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity.
The proposed project is consistent with Class 1 and Class 2 exemptions because the project proposes improvements to 17 existing bus stops to meet the dimensions of state and federal accessibility requirements, with right-of-way acquisition across five of the stops at various locations within the city limits of Fresno and will involve negligible expansion of capacity and will be located on the same site as the existing facilities. These improvements will add safety features and accessible pathways at each of the 17 bus stops, which will be beneficial to the public who use the FAX bus transportation system.
The area in which each of the 17 existing bus stops is located is not environmentally sensitive, is served by all required utilities and public services, and is surrounded by urban uses. The proposed project includes only minor alterations and accessibility upgrades which will not negatively impact the existing characteristics of the respective areas or the condition of land. The proposed project will positively contribute to promoting reduction in vehicle miles traveled, automobile delays and to greenhouse gas emissions through the further development of multimodal transportation networks.
Based on staff analysis, it has been determined that no adverse environmental impacts will occur as a result of the proposed project. 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 not implemented in this procurement, however, American Paving Co. is a local business located in Fresno, CA.
FISCAL IMPACT
This project has no fiscal impact to the General Fund. The contract will be funded by SB125 Transit Funding Allocation, administered by the State of California.
Attachments:
Environmental Assessment No. P26-20261
Map of Phase B ADA Bus Stop Improvements
Bid Evaluation