REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
October 8, 2015
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
THROUGH: ROBERT N. ANDERSEN, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Capital Management Division
BY: JESUS A. GONZALEZ, PE, Project Manager
Public Works Department, Capital Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to Santa Fe Avenue Widening from Palo Alto Avenue to Blythe Avenue, Bid File No. 3323 (Council District 2)
1. Approve the addendum to Environmental Assessment No. EA-13-003;
2. Award a construction contract to Emmett’s Excavation, Inc. of Clovis, California in the amount of $1,038,423.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the addendum to Environmental Assessment EA-13-003 and award a construction contract for the Base Bid, plus Add Alternate 1 in the amount of $1,038,423 to Emmett’s Excavation, Inc. of Clovis, California for the Santa Fe Avenue Widening from Palo Alto Avenue to Blythe Avenue; and authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign and execute the standardized contract on behalf of the City.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno seeks to widen Santa Fe Avenue between Palo Alto Avenue and Blythe Avenue. The project will consist of widening Santa Fe Avenue to two travel lanes in both the north and southbound directions, to alleviate an existing bottleneck. The Council has previously taken action to approve the agreement for the engineering design consultant as well as the right-of-way acquisition associated with the widening to a four-lane arterial. The project is primarily funded with New Growth Area Major Street impact fees and was included in the adopted budget for the current fiscal year.
BACKGROUND
The project will widen Santa Fe Avenue to two travel lanes in both the north and southbound directions, over a one third (1/3) mile span between Palo Alto Avenue and Blythe Avenue. The project will construct travel lanes, two left turn pockets, curb, gutter, a median island and pedestrian curb ramps. Additionally, the project will install a 12” water main, a fire hydrant, irrigation facilities and a landscape irrigation service for future landscaping signage and striping.
Construction documents and specifications were prepared and a Notice Inviting Bids was published in the Business Journal on July 17, 2015, and posted on the City’s website. Advertising efforts resulted in the participation of ten (10) prospective bidders. Ultimately, four sealed bid proposals were received and opened in a public bid opening on August 18, 2015, with the bids ranging from $1,038,423 to $1,420,246. Emmett’s Excavation, Inc. of Clovis, California, submitted the lowest bid in the amount of $1,038,423 and is considered the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The bid results were posted on September 2, 2015, on the City of Fresno Purchasing Division web page.
Staff recommends award of a construction contract to Emmett’s Excavation, Inc. of Clovis, California for the Base Bid, plus Add Alternate 1 in the amount of $1,038,423 for Santa Fe Avenue Widening from Palo Alto Avenue to Blythe Avenue and to authorize the Public Works Director or his designee to sign and execute the standardized contract on behalf of the City. Add Alternate 1 includes a southbound left turn pocket to the Northpointe Church property, consistent with their planned site plan. Because the mid-block left turn pocket is not a component of the development impact fee program, the church elected to contribute toward the project to have the left turn pocket included in the project construction.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
On December 19, 2013, the City Council adopted, EA-13-003, a Finding of Conformity pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15177 and determined that the project as a whole was within the scope of the 2025 Fresno General Plan Master Environmental Impact Report (MEIR) No. 10130 and the Mitigated Negative Declaration for Plan Amendment A-09-02 (Air Quality MND). The inclusion of the water main installation is a minor technical change or addition within the meaning of CEQA Guidelines 15164. As such, on August 22, 2014 an addendum to the environmental assessment was prepared to include the addition of the water main installation and the left turn pocket along southbound Santa Fe Avenue.
This minor technical change does not create environmental impacts beyond those assessed in EA-13-003. In addition (1) No substantial changes are proposed in the project which require major revisions to the previous environmental finding due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects; (2) No substantial changes will occur with respect to the circumstances under which the project is undertaken; and, (3) No new information, which was not known and could not have been known at the time the environmental finding for Environmental Assessment No. EA-13-003 was adopted has become available.
Therefore, Staff has determined that an addendum to Environmental Assessment No. EA-13-003 is appropriate given that none of the conditions described in Section 15162 of the CEQA Guidelines calling for preparation of a subsequent Finding of Conformity have occurred and, new information added is only for the purposes of providing minor technical changes or additions in accordance with Section 15164 of the CEQA Guidelines. Staff recommends approval of the Addendum to Environmental Assessment No. EA-13-003.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because the low bidder is a local business.
FISCAL IMPACT
The project is located in Council District 2. The overall cost of project is $1,589,265 and is funded by $1,339,393 in New Growth Area Major Street Impact Fees, $157,500 in Proposition 111 Special Gas Tax funds, $51,295 in Department of Public Utilities Water Line Funds, $8,752 in Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District Reimbursement Funds and $32,325 from the Northpointe Church. The project will not have any impact to the General Fund. Of the overall budget of the project, $1,038,423 will be used for the construction contract award.
Attachments:
Vicinity Map
Addendum to Environmental Assessment No. EA-13-003
Bid Evaluation
Fiscal Impact Statement