REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
December 10, 2020
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: JESUS AVITIA, PE, Deputy City Engineer
Public Works Department, Traffic and Engineering Services Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Amendment No. 1 with BKF Engineers, for the engineering design contract on the Herndon Avenue Widening Project from Polk to Milburn Avenue, increasing the contract amount by $117,923, for a total contract amount of $1,039,449. (Council District 2)
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Approve the attached First Amendment to the Agreement on the Herndon Avenue Widening Project between the City of Fresno and BKF Engineers for $117,923, increasing total contract amount to $1,039,449.
2. Authorize the Public Works Director or designee to execute all contract-related documents.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On December 14, 2017, the Council approved a contract with BKF Engineers to prepare plans and specifications to widen the existing Herndon Avenue Bridge over the BNSF railroad tracks. The project will provide for six travel lanes and the addition of a multi-purpose trail, but will also widen the bridge approaches and roadway from Polk to Millburn Avenues. As design progressed, it was determined that additional information was needed on the underground utilities, and on the existing bridge deck pavement section. It is necessary to excavate small holes in the pavement to measure the size and depth of the utilities in several locations. Many of the exiting underground utilities will need to be relocated to widen the structure. Approval of this First Amendment to the Agreement will allow the City of Fresno to reimburse BKF Engineers for the additional utility location services.
BACKGROUND
Herndon Avenue is designated as a six-lane expressway in the City of Fresno 2035 General Plan. Over the past twenty years, the City has widened Herndon Avenue from four to six lanes in segments as funds became available through Federal and State grants, Measure “C”, and development impact fees. The widening of Herndon Avenue to six lanes from State Route 99 to DeWolf Avenue is also a regional project in the Measure “C” Tier 1 Urban program. The remaining four-lane segment of Herndon Avenue between Polk Avenue and Riverside Drive is anticipated to be constructed to six lanes over the next four years. Work is currently being performed to widen the eastbound lanes between Riverside and Hayes. Additional sections of Herndon will be widened with the construction of Veterans Boulevard beginning in 2021. The existing four-lane segment between Polk Avenue and Milburn Avenue, where the overcrossing is located, will soon become the only remaining bottleneck along the route.
The scope of work includes widening Herndon Avenue between Polk Avenue and Milburn Avenue from two lanes to three lanes in each direction, widening the existing bridge over the railroad, constructing a Class I bicycle and pedestrian trail on the north side of Herndon Avenue, utility relocations, retaining walls and associated barrier fencing.
Measure “C” Tier 1 funding in the amount of $1,435,000 was amended by the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) in the 2016-17 fiscal year for an Advance Planning Study (APS) to do preliminary engineering work to better define the project scope and cost estimate related to the widening of the Herndon Avenue/BNSF overpass and associated roadway approaches. The preliminary engineering work included topographic survey work, project management and engineering consultant costs for the preparation of the APS. The APS was completed in November 2014. In December 2017, City Council approved a contract with BKF Engineers to prepare plans, specifications and bid documents to widen the existing Herndon Avenue Bridge over the BNSF railroad tracks.
In accordance with Administrative Order (A.O.) 6-19, staff sent out requests for Statements of Qualifications (SOQ’s) on March 10, 2017, via the Business Journal and published on the City’s website. There were three SOQ’s received and staff interviewed the three respondents. BKF Engineers was selected as the most qualified consultant and staff negotiated a fee of $869,526 and a contingency of $52,000 pursuant to A.O. 6-19 for the preparation of plans, specifications, cost estimates, and to provide bidding and construction support.
BKF and City staff members have now determined that there is a need to field verify the size and depth of the existing utilities. More information is also needed on the existing bridge deck and the pavement on the approaches to the bridge. BKF intends to have a local contractor drill and excavate holes in the pavement in several locations to provide more information on the existing utilities. A survey crew will measure the location and the depth of the utilities, in turn requiring extensive traffic control. Because of the high traffic volumes during the daytime, some of the work will be performed at night, and the holes will be repaired before the street is opened to traffic. BKF’s additional fee for this work is $117,923. This Amendment will increase the total contract amount to $1,039,449.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved this First Amendment to Agreement as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This project is statutorily exempt per Sections 21080.13(a) of the California Public Resources Code, and 15282(g) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was given to the excavation company performing the utility location (potholing) work.
FISCAL IMPACT
This Contract Amendment will have no impact to the General Fund in the 2021 fiscal year. The design contract with BKF Engineers and the proposed Amendment are and will be paid with Measure C Tier 1 funds.
Attachments:
First Amendment to BKF Agreement
Vicinity Map