REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
April 9, 2015
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
THROUGH: ROBERT N. ANDERSEN, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Capital Management Division
RANDY BELL, PE, Capital Projects Manager
Public Works Department, Capital Management Division
BY: JESUS A. GONZALEZ, PE, Project Manager
Public Works Department, Capital Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approve a first amendment to agreement with BKF Engineers in the amount of $76,600 to provide professional engineering services for the evaluation of Class IV bicycle facilities between Downtown Fresno and the Tower District and the preparation of a feasibility study for a Class I bicycle trail along the Herndon Canal and Mill Ditch canal banks and to authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign and execute the standardized agreement on behalf of the City (Council District 1, 3 ,4 and 7)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Council approve the first amendment to consultant agreement with BKF Engineers for the evaluation of Class IV bicycle facilities between Downtown Fresno and the Tower District and the preparation of a feasibility study for a Class I bicycle trail along the Herndon Canal and Mill Ditch canal banks and to authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign and execute the standardized agreement on behalf of the City.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This appropriation of funds will allow City staff to make use of Measure "C" Trails and Flexible funding to perform an evaluation of Class IV bicycle facilities along Van Ness Avenue and Fulton Street between Divisadero Street and McKinley Avenue. The funds will also allow for the preparation of a feasibility study for the construction of Class I bicycle trail segments along the canal banks of the Herndon Canal and Mill Ditch between the Shields Avenue and First Street intersection to the McKinley and Clovis Avenues intersection. The evaluation and study will provide analysis and costs of future facilities segments to determine necessary construction improvements to ultimately complete the Class I and IV bicycle facilities. The results of the evaluation and feasibility study will serve as a significant tool to guide future capital investments along the study segments.
BACKGROUND
The original agreement with BKF Engineers, in the amount of $99,818, was previously approved by the Fresno City Council on January 29, 2015. The scope of the original agreement was for preparation of Class I bicycle trail feasibility studies along Herndon Avenue between Golden State and Willow Avenues and Clovis Avenue between the Dayton Avenue alignment and the Washington Avenue alignment. This amendment to the agreement is a result of the need to evaluate additional locations for potential to accommodate Class I and IV bicycle facilities.
The Fresno City Council previously adopted a Bicycle, Pedestrian and Trails Master Plan ("BMP") on October 28, 2010. The BMP, as well as the City of Fresno 2035 General Plan identified Van Ness Avenue and Fulton Street between Downtown Fresno and the Tower District as future Class I bicycle trail segments. The lack of available right-of-way necessary for construction of City standard Class I bicycle trail segments has resulted in the need for evaluation of the two corridors to establish the potential of each to serve as Class IV bicycle facilities providing connectivity between Downtown Fresno and the Tower District. Class IV bicycle facilities would result in protected bicycle lanes within existing Fulton Street and Van Ness Avenue. Following an evaluation of corridors, a more in-depth feasibility study may be commissioned to identify potential costs, conflicts and segmenting of work for construction of facilities.
Additionally, the BMP and City of Fresno 2035 General Plan have identified the Herndon Canal and Mill Ditch Canal between the Shields Avenue and First Street intersection and the McKinley and Clovis Avenues intersection as future Class I bicycle trail facilities. The feasibility study will analyze and recommend potential improvements and costs to Fresno Irrigation District ("FID") canal banks to accommodate Class I bicycle facilities while continuing to serve as FID facilities.
Staff negotiated an amendment to the existing agreement in the amount of $76,600 for the additional services.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided by California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") Guidelines section 15378, this item does not qualify as a "project" for the purposes of CEQA.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable because this item involves an amendment to an existing agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT
There will be no impact to the General Fund. All Class IV bicycle facilities evaluation costs will be paid by Measure "C" Flexible funding and all Class I bicycle facilities feasibility study costs will be paid by Measure "C" Trails funding.
Attachments: Project Vicinity Map
First Amendment Agreement with BKF Engineers