REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Randall W. Morrison, PE, Director
Capital Projects Department
SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: Scott p. sehm, PE, Assistant Director
Capital Projects Department, Design Services Division
JOHN STANBOULIAN, Public Works Manager
Public Works Department
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to Friant Road Adaptive Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Project from Fort Washington Road to Copper River Drive, Bid File No. 12400307. (Council District 6):
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption per staff’s determination, pursuant to Section 15301/Class 1 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Award a Construction Contract for the Base Bid plus Add Alternates 1, 2, 3, and 6, for a total construction contract amount of $1,963,964 to A-C Electric Company Inc. of Bakersfield, California
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends the City Council Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines; Award a Construction Contract to A-C Electric Company Inc. of Bakersfield, California, for the Base Bid plus Add Alternates 1, 2, 3, and 6, for a total construction contract amount of $1,963,964 as the only responsive and responsible bidder for the Friant Road Adaptive Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Project from Fort Washington Road to Copper River Drive, and authorize the Capital Projects Director or designee to sign on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Friant Road Adaptative ITS Project will make improvements to five intersections along Friant Road, from Fort Washington Road to Copper River Drive, by improving each intersection’s ability to operate more efficiently and communicate with the City’s Traffic Operations Center. The project will provide the corridor with the ITS infrastructure improvements necessary for the deployment of an adaptive traffic synchronization system which will reduce idling, reduce emissions, and improve travel time along the corridor. Separate from this contract, but as part of the overall Friant Road Adaptive ITS Project, staff will be bringing to Council a contract for the purchase of the Adaptive Signal Control Technology. The project is funded by the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) and Measure C Flexible as local match.
BACKGROUND
The Friant Road, Blackstone Avenue, Abby Street corridor is one of the most traveled and congested corridors in the City of Fresno, connecting businesses, residences, and hospitals with State Route 41, State Route 180, and Downtown Fresno. This Friant Road Adaptive ITS Project will construct the ITS infrastructure for the remaining five intersections along Friant Road, from Fort Washington Road to Copper River Drive. It will deploy state-of-the-art adaptive technology for real-time traffic signal synchronization, similar to the BRT ITS corridors recently constructed and synchronized adaptively (Friant Road, Blackstone Avenue, Abby Street, Downtown Fresno Street and Van Ness Avenue, and Cesar Chavez Boulevard), as well as the Shaw Avenue and Herndon Avenue corridors.
This Friant Road Adaptive ITS Project design phase was initiated in FY2022 when the City of Fresno secured CMAQ grant funding. The preliminary engineering design and project management was completed over approximately twenty-four months by City of Fresno staff.
The scope of the project includes ITS infrastructure and technology improvements at five intersections along Friant Road (Fort Washington Road, East Champlain Drive, East Lakeview Drive, East Copper Avenue, and Copper River Drive). The ITS improvements include advanced traffic signal controllers, vehicle detection upgrades, cameras, accessible pedestrian push buttons, fiber-optic hub equipment, and intersection networking equipment for real-time communication with the Traffic Operations Center (TOC) Advance Transportation Management System. Separate from this Construction Contract, but as part of the overall Friant Road Adaptive ITS Project, staff will be bringing to City Council a contract for the purchase of the Adaptive Signal Control Technology (ASCT) modules. No changes to the existing local roadway street widths are proposed and no right-of-way is needed for this construction.
Staff prepared a Notice Inviting Bids, which was published in the Fresno Business Journal on April 5, 2024, posted on the City’s website, and faxed to eight building exchanges. Project plans and specifications were distributed to 32 prospective bidders. One (1) sealed bid proposal was received and opened in a public bid opening on April 30, 2024 from A-C Electric Company Inc. of Bakersfield, California, and was the only responsive and responsible bidder for the Base Bid of $1,482,674 with Add Alternates 1, 2, 3, and 6, for a total construction amount of $1,963,964.
Based on staff’s assessment of the project scope and associated funding constraints, staff recommends that Council award a Construction Contract to A-C Electric Company Inc. of Bakersfield, California in the amount of $1,963,964 for the Base Bid with Add Alternates 1, 2, 3, and 6, and authorize the Capital Projects Director or designee to sign on behalf of the City of Fresno. The expiration date of the bids is September 2, 2024. If the bids are rejected or expire, the project must be rebid, which will result in a delay of approximately ninety (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 the proposed 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 CEQA Guidelines Section 15301/Class 1 (existing facilities), which exempts projects involving a negligible or no expansion of an existing facility. This exemption applies because this project involves improving efficiency of an existing roadway through coordinating the operation of existing traffic signals to reduce congestion without expansion of the roadway. The project will install conductor cables in existing conduits, communication equipment in existing cabinets, wiring in existing signal cabinets, and signal loop detectors on existing pavement as required. Staff determined under the CEQA Guidelines this project fits within the definition of existing facilities in Section 15301/Class 1, as Categorically Exempt from further CEQA review. 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 is not applicable due to the Federal funding requirements.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Friant Road Adaptive ITS Project from Fort Washington Road to Copper River Drive is located in Council District 6. The overall cost of the project is $2,576,000 and is federally funded by Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program (CMAQ). Required local match is funded by local Measure C Flexible funding. Of the total project cost, $1,963,964 will be used for the construction contract award. All funds necessary for the contract award are included in the current fiscal year budget, as previously adopted by the Council. The project will have no impact to the General Fund.
Attachments:
CEQA Environmental Assessment
Vicinity Map
Bid Evaluation
Fiscal Impact Statement
Standardized Contract