REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: Randall W. Morrison, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Engineering Division
MAGDALENO JIMENEZ, Project Manager
Public Works Department, Engineering Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Veterans Boulevard North Extension Project (Bid File No. 3854) (Council District 2):
1. RESOLUTION - Adopting findings pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15091 and 15093 as required by CEQA Guidelines Section 15096 for the Veterans Boulevard North Extension Phase 4B Project
2. Award a Construction Contract in the amount of $7,085,420.50 to Yarbs Grading and Paving Inc, of Fowler, California, as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council (1) adopt CEQA findings pursuant to Section 15096 and (2) award a construction contract to Yarbs Grading and Paving Inc, of Fowler, California in the amount of $7,085,420.50 as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the Veterans Boulevard North Extension Project and authorize the Public Works Director or designee to execute the contract on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno seeks to construct the Veterans Boulevard North Extension Project, which will include construction of Veterans Boulevard between Wathen Avenue and the Herndon Avenue and Polk Avenue intersection, and the realignment of eastbound Herndon Avenue near Veterans Boulevard. This construction contract is Phase 4B of the overall Veterans Boulevard Project and the fifth and final phase to move into construction. The construction phase of the Project is fully funded by a combination of local Measure C, state Local Partnership Program (LPP), and local Developer Impact Fee funding.
BACKGROUND
Veterans Boulevard, originally referred to as the Herndon-Grantland Diagonal, was originally part of the 1984 General Plan and is now a planned six-lane super arterial in the 2035 General Plan. In recent years, staff has completed the Project Study Report (PSR), Project Report and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and progressed the design of the various phases of Veterans Boulevard from Shaw Avenue to Herndon Avenue. Partnerships with the Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) and Fresno Council of Governments (FCOG) provided funding for completing the final design and right-of-way acquisition. The ultimate Veterans Boulevard Project, from Shaw Avenue to Herndon Avenue, proposes a new partial cloverleaf interchange connecting State Route 99 and Veterans Boulevard, as well as three bridge structures for the overcrossing of State Route 99, Golden State Boulevard, and the Union Pacific Railroad and High Speed Rail corridors. The new roadway will have six travel lanes, a Class I bicycle lane/pedestrian trail on one side and Class II bicycle lanes on both sides.
The first phase of the Veterans Boulevard Project, the Bullard Extension package, which was funded by the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA), was opened to traffic on September 24, 2019. The Veterans Boulevard Grade Separation Project, which is also funded by the CHSRA, was the second phase of the overall project and is under construction as of May 21, 2020. The Veterans Boulevard South Extension Project, which is referred to as phase 4a, was the third phase of the overall project and was open to traffic on March 30, 2022. The Veterans Boulevard Interchange Project, which is phase 3, has been under construction since February 07, 2022. The scope of work within this construction contract includes the Veterans Boulevard North Extension Project. The scope of work includes, but is not limited to: A 6-lane divided super arterial roadway, curb & gutter, concrete median island, traffic signals, trail, streetlights, landscaping and irrigation and storm drain improvements. The roadway improvements will extend Veterans Boulevard from Wathen Avenue to the Herndon Avenue and Polk Avenue intersection and realign eastbound Herndon Avenue to connect to Veterans Boulevard.
The Notice Inviting Bids was published in the Business Journal on June 17, 2022, posted on the City’s website, and sent via fax to nine (9) building exchanges. The plans and specifications were distributed to forty-four (44) prospective bidders. Nine (9) sealed bid proposals were received and opened in a public bid opening on August 02, 2022, with the bids ranging from $7,085,420.50 to $8,193,981.00. Yards Grading and Paving Inc, of Fowler, CA, with their bid of $7,085,420.50, was determined to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The expiration date of the bids is October 5, 2022. If the bids are rejected or expire, the project must be rebid, which will result in a delay of approximately 120 days.
The Veterans Boulevard North Extension Project is funded with a combination of Local Measure C, State Local Partnership Program, and Local Developer Impact Fee funding. The City of Fresno received construction authorization and approval of the project plans, specifications and estimates from Caltrans without the incorporation of the Community Workforce Agreement (PLA). Caltrans and FHWA have not approved the use of the PLA on federal or state funded projects. If City Council decides to reject the construction contract due to the City PLA requirements, there will be a delay of approximately 6 to 9 months without certainty that Caltrans and the FHWA will approve the use of the City PLA. This not only delays the beneficial use of this much needed public improvement but will also put the Project funds in jeopardy due to the time lapse between authorization of construction funding and award of a contract set forth in the grant terms/requirements.
Staff is recommending award of a construction contract to Yarbs Grading and Paving Inc, in the amount of $7,085,420.50, to construct the Veterans Boulevard North Extension Project and to authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign and execute the standardized contract on behalf of the City of Fresno. The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The California Department of Transportation, as Lead Agency, prepared an EIR for the Veterans Boulevard/State Route Interchange Project/Veterans Boulevard Grade Separation Project, identified by SCH No. 2010021054 (the “Veterans Boulevard EIR”). The Veterans Boulevard EIR was certified on June 16, 2013, and analyzed several components of the Veterans Boulevard project, including but not limited to a new interchange at State Route 99 and Veterans Boulevard, grade separated crossings to connect Veterans Boulevard and Golden State Boulevard, the construction of Veterans Boulevard as a six-lane super arterials from Shaw to Herndon Avenues, drainage basins, and landscaping. This approval is to implement Phase 4B of the Veterans Boulevard North Extension Project portion of the overall project.
An analysis has been performed pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 to determine whether subsequent environmental review is required for this project. Based upon this analysis the following findings are made to support the determination that no subsequent environmental review is required:
1. No substantial changes are proposed in the project which will require major revisions to the EIR due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects because the project is being implemented as planned.
2. No substantial changes occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the project was undertaken which will require major revisions to the EIR due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects.
3. There is no new information, which was not known and could not have been known at the time of the previous EIR showing that:
a. The project will have one or more significant effects not discussed in the previous EIR;
b. Significant effects previously examined will be substantially more severe than shown in the previous EIR;
c. Mitigation measures or alternatives previously found to be not feasible are now feasible and would substantially reduce one or more significant effects of the project.
Based upon these findings, it has been determined that a subsequent EIR is not required for this approval.
Pursuant to the requirements of CEQA Guidelines Section 15096(h), the City adopts the findings attached as Exhibit A to the Resolution, as required by CEQA Guidelines 15091 and 15093.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
The local preference was not implemented based on funding requirements of the Federal and state grant requirements on the project.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Veterans Boulevard Project is located in Council District 2. The project will have no impact to the General Fund. The overall Veterans Boulevard Project is being funded through CHSRA funding, various types of Measure C funding, RTMF, State and Federal grant funds and City of Fresno Development Impact Fees. This phase of the project is funded with a combination of local Measure C, state Local Partnership Program, and local Developer Impact Fee funding. The overall cost associated with the construction of this package is $8,598,201.33, of which $7,085,420.50 will be used for the construction contract award. All costs necessary for this contract award are included in the current adopted City budget.
Attachments:
Vicinity Map
Location Map
Resolution Adopting CEQA findings
Bid Evaluation
Fiscal Impact Statement
Standard Construction Contract