REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
January 28, 2021
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
THROUGH: Randall W. Morrison, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Engineering Division
BY: AUSTIN BAIN, EIT, Engineer I
Public Works Department, Engineering Division
SUBJECT
Title
RESOLUTION - Adopt a resolution authorizing the Public Works Director to execute BUILD Grant Agreements in the amount of $10,540,582 for the Veterans Boulevard Project (Council District 2)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt the Resolution authorizing the Public Works Director to execute BUILD Grant Agreements for the Veterans Boulevard Project.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno (City) continues to progress the delivery of various phases of the Veterans Boulevard Project (Project) from Shaw Avenue to Herndon Avenue. Project Phase 1-Bullard Extension was recently completed, while the Phase 2-Veterans Boulevard Grade Separation and Phase 4a-Veterans Boulevard South Extension are both under construction. The proposed resolution will authorize the Public Works Director to execute the necessary BUILD grant agreements once approved as to form by the City Attorney in order to keep the Project on schedule. The three agreements secure the $10,540,582 BUILD grant funding for construction and establish the oversight responsibilities for Caltrans, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the City.
BACKGROUND
Veterans Boulevard, originally referred to as the Herndon-Grantland Diagonal, was 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 through 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 Project proposes a new partial cloverleaf interchange connecting State Route 99 and Veterans Boulevard. 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 Project will include three bridge structures, one to cross over State Route 99, one to cross over future Golden State Boulevard and one to cross over the existing UPRR tracks and the future HSR tracks. Project Phase 1-Bullard Extension was recently completed, while the Phase 2-Veterans Boulevard Grade Separation and Phase 4a-Veterans Boulevard South Extension are both in construction.
In November 2019 the City’s Veterans Boulevard Project was selected to receive $10,540,582 from the Federal BUILD Transportation Grant Program, which provided the final amount needed to fully fund the Project. The three proposed agreements will obligate the BUILD funding for the Project and establish the oversight responsibilities between FHWA, Caltrans and the City. The first agreement is the BUILD Grant Agreement, which obligates the funding at the federal level while defining the grant requirements, including key milestones, reporting requirements and budget. The BUILD Grant Agreement is a three party agreement between USDOT (Grantor), Caltrans (Recipient), and the City (Subrecipient). The second agreement is the BUILD Subrecipient Agreement between Caltrans and the City, which delegates the requirements of the BUILD Grant Agreement to the City as the subrecipient. The third agreement is the Project Oversight Agreement, which establishes the responsibilities for Project oversight and approvals for various items throughout the life of the Project. Due to the size of the Project and the risk level, these responsibilities vary from typical Federal-aid projects to include more FHWA and Caltrans oversight.
Staff is recommending Council adopt the Resolution authorizing the Public Works Director, or designee, to sign and execute the BUILD Grant related agreements and amendments, as approved as to form by the City Attorney’s Office, for the Veterans Boulevard Project.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The California Department of Transportation, as Lead Agency, prepared an EIR for the Veterans Boulevard/State Route 99 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 arterial from West Shaw to Herndon Avenues, drainage basins, and landscaping. A resolution will be brought forward for each phase of the Project at the time of the award of a construction contract for the City Council to adopt the findings related to the specific phase.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable because these agreements do not include a bid or award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Veterans Boulevard Project is located in Council District 2 and will have no impact to the General Fund. The BUILD Grant Agreements provide the necessary funding to fully fund the Veterans Boulevard Project. The Project also includes funding by State Local Partnership Program grants, local Measure C and Regional Transportation Mitigation Fee (RTMF), and local Developer Impact Fee funding. The BUILD Grant funds are included in the current fiscal year appropriations for the Veterans Boulevard Project.
Attachments:
Vicinity Map
Location Map
Resolution