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
ISAAC CAMPOS, Engineer II
Public Works Department, Transportation Project Management
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the First Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement with Provost & Pritchard Engineering Group, Inc., of Fresno, California in the amount of $22,748, for a total increased contract amount of $172,648, with a $10,000 contingency, for professional engineering services and preparation of right-of-way documents for the Blackstone Avenue Smart Mobility Project between McKinley Avenue and Shields Avenue (Council District 7)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve the First Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement (Agreement) dated May 24, 2022, with Provost & Pritchard Engineering Group in the amount of $22,748, increasing the total contract amount to $172,648, with a $10,000 contingency, for the Blackstone Avenue Smart Mobility Project between McKinley Avenue and Shields Avenue, and to authorize the Public Works Director or designee to execute the First Amendment to Agreement on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Blackstone Avenue Smart Mobility Project between McKinley Avenue and Shields Avenue will implement the Southern Blackstone Avenue Smart Mobility Strategy with a complete street design including the construction of protected Class IV bicycle facilities in each direction of Blackstone Avenue. Implementation of a road diet will reduce Blackstone Avenue from three vehicle lanes in each direction to two vehicle lanes, which allows for the addition of the Class IV bicycle facility and other complete streets features. The preliminary engineering, right-of-way, and construction phases are federally funded with a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program grant administered through Caltrans, on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Local match to the grant is funded with the City’s flexible measure C allocation.
As the project progressed, it was determined that the existing design along three intersections does not meet current standards for the Class IV bicycle facility layout and required detection zones. It was also determined that additional right-of-way, legal descriptions, and exhibits would be required for the construction of ADA-compliant curb ramps. Staff recommends approval of this First Amendment in the amount of $22,748, for the additional engineering design services and completion of additional right-of-way documents for the Blackstone Avenue Smart Mobility Project between McKinley Avenue and Shields Avenue.
BACKGROUND
The Southern Blackstone Avenue Smart Mobility Strategy is based on a community-driven process that led to the development of design concepts to improve the corridor. The Southern Blackstone Avenue Smart Mobility Strategy was adopted by Fresno City Council on May 2, 2019. The transformative bicycle and pedestrian concepts included in the strategy includes a road diet on Blackstone Avenue to implement the complete streets concept and install protected bicycle facilities between Shields Avenue and McKinley Avenue. The facilities will connect at University Avenue to the future Class IV bicycle facilities proposed as part of the Blackstone Avenue and McKinley Avenue BNSF Grade Separation.
Grant funding was applied for in November 2019, and the total project cost of $2,055,200 is fully funded by the federal CMAQ grant and local Measure C as the required matching fund. The CMAQ funding is administered by Caltrans on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration. This funding will allow the City to install one mile of Class IV protected bike lane in each direction to activate a critical section of the corridor. Additional improvements associated with the project include installing new curb ramps, traffic calming features, sidewalks, green conflict zone markings, reconstructing median noses and installing elevated bus platforms for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) riders. The project will improve accessibility and support multimodal travel options with the addition of the Class IV buffered bike lane.
In accordance with Administrative Order (A.O.) 6-19, staff executed an agreement with Provost & Pritchard Engineering Group Inc., in May 2022, to perform professional engineering services for the preparation of the plans, specifications, cost estimates, bidding support services and construction support services for the project. As the design progressed, it was determined that the existing design along three intersections does not meet current standards for the Class IV bicycle facility layout and required detection zones. It was also determined that additional right-of-way legal descriptions and exhibits would be required for the construction of ADA-compliant curb ramps. Therefore, the City needs to amend the scope of the Agreement to complete the ultimate design of the project. Staff negotiated the additional scope to the Agreement for an increase of $22,748, which brings the total contract amount to $172,648, with a $10,000 contingency.
Staff is recommending the approval of the First Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement with Provost & Pritchard Engineering Group, Inc., of Clovis, California in the amount of $22,748, for a total increased contract amount of $172,648, with a $10,000 contingency, for professional engineering services and preparation of right-of-way documents for the Blackstone Avenue Smart Mobility Project between McKinley Avenue and Shields Avenue, and to authorized the Public Works Director or designee to execute the First Amendment to Agreement on behalf of the City of Fresno.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the amendment as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378, this item does not qualify as a project as defined by the CEQA guidelines.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented; this is an amendment to an existing agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT
This project, which is located in Council District 7, will not have any impact to the General Fund. The amendment amount of $22,748 will be funded by the federal CMAQ grant and local Measure C allocations. All funds necessary for the contract amendment are included in the current fiscal year budget as previously adopted by City Council.
Attachment(s):
Vicinity Map
First Amendment to Agreement