REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
March 26, 2015
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: RANDALL MORRISON, PE, MCE, Special Projects Engineer
Public Works Department, Traffic and Engineering Services Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Veterans Boulevard Grade Separation Project and adjustments to Pacific Gas and Electric Company facilities:
1. Approve an actual cost contract in the amount of $453,000 with Pacific Gas and Electric Company for the adjustment of an overhead electrical tower to accommodate the Veterans Boulevard Grade Separation Project.
2. Approve a Consent to Common Use Agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company for the overlapping area shared by the City of Fresno and Pacific Gas and Electric Company within the Veterans Boulevard Grade Separation Project limits
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council take the following actions:
1. Authorize staff to enter into an Actual Cost Contract in the amount of $453,000 with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company ("PG&E") for the adjustment of an existing overhead electrical tower to accommodate the Veterans Boulevard Grade Separation Project.
2. Authorize staff to enter into a Consent to Common Use agreement with PG&E for the overlapping area shared by the City of Fresno and PG&E within the Veterans Boulevard Project limits.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The preliminary engineering and design work is underway for the Veterans Boulevard grade separation over Union Pacific Railroad ("UPRR") and the future California High Speed Rail ("CHSR"). As part of the preliminary design work, it was determined that the proposed Veterans Boulevard profile does not meet the minimum clearance requirements for the existing PG&E overhead electrical transmission lines. City staff has coordinated with PG&E to determine the required adjustment to the existing utility in order to accommodate the proposed project. PG&E is scheduled to complete the adjustment of these facilities this spring in order to accommodate the Veterans Grade Separation Project which is scheduled to start later this year. The existing PG&E transmission line is located within an overhead easement, which the proposed Veterans Boulevard project will traverse. As such PG&E has requested a Consent to Common Use agreement to record the shared easement areas.
BACKGROUND
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, 2025 and most recently the 2035 General Plans. In FY 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 Fees.
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 PG&E or final design phase of the project. On July 19, 2012 the City Council approved a professional services agreement with Mark Thomas & Company in the amount of $5,489,621 with a contingency of $500,000 for the completion of Caltrans project plans, specifications and estimate for the Veterans Boulevard/State Route 99 Interchange and UPRR Grade Separation Project. On September 12, 2013 the City Council approved an amendment to the professional services agreement with Mark Thomas & Company in order to expedite the design of the Veterans Boulevard grade separation over UPRR and CHSR.
As part of the preliminary engineering work for the Veterans Boulevard grade separation over UPRR and CHSR, City staff coordinated with the various impacted utilities in order to determine relocation or adjustment needs. It has been determined that the existing PG&E overhead transmission main would not have adequate vertical clearance with the proposed project. In order to increase the clearance, PG&E has designed a tower extension to raise the transmission lines. The work will be performed by PG&E.
Staff recommends at this time that the Council approve the Actual Cost Contract with PG&E in the amount of $453,000 for the adjustment of the PG&E tower to accommodate the Veterans Boulevard Project. Staff also recommends that Council approve the Consent to Common Use agreement to establish the overlapping easement rights within the project limits. Both agreements have been reviewed and approved by the City Attorney's Office.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The utility relocation work for this agreement falls under the environmental clearance of the Veterans Boulevard Project. No environmental findings are required for this agreement.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered because PG&E will perform the work on their own facilities and these agreements do not include a bid or award of a construction or services contract by the City.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the Actual Cost Contract will have no fiscal impact upon the General Fund. Funding will come from Regional Measure "C" funding that has already been approved for the project.
Attachments: Actual Cost Contract with PG&E
Consent to Common Use Agreement with PG&E