REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
December 13, 2018
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: RANDALL W. MORRISON, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Engineering Division
SCOTT P. SEHM, PE, Public Works Manager
Public Works Department, Design Services Section
SUBJECT
Title
Approve an agreement with BKF Engineers, Inc., for $456,424 with a contingency of $40,000 for design and preparation of construction documents for the Midtown Trail Segments 1 and 3 (Council District 7; a portion of Segment 3 is within Fresno County).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval of an agreement with BKF Engineers, Inc., for $456,424, with a contingency amount not to exceed $40,000, for the design, preparation of construction documents and construction support for the Midtown Trail Segments 1 and 3, and authorize the Public Works Director or designee to execute the Agreement on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On September 1, 2016, the Council approved the funding agreement to allow Measure “C” funding to be used for the design and construction of the “Midtown Trail” (then referred to as the “Metropolitan Trail”). Recognizing the $9.5 million cost for the entire project would take years to deliver, the project was split into five smaller portions to be designed and constructed as stand-alone projects. A portion of the project funding was provided through grants from the Statewide Active Transportation Program (ATP) for $798,000 and Federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) program for $2,098,200. With this proposed contract, the consultant will prepare complete plans and specifications for the construction of Segments 1 and 3 of the Midtown Trail project, with Segment 1 being the portion from Blackstone Avenue to Fresno Street and Segment 3 being the portion of trail from Shields Avenue and First Street, along Hendon Canal to McKinley Avenue. The scope of the project will include the paved trail surface, signage and striping, landscaping, lighting, and user protection facilities including fencing. Staff recommends approval of the agreement so that engineering design work can be completed and the projects put out to bid as separate contracts.
BACKGROUND
The City of Fresno has developed, as a result of coordinated efforts involving other agencies and trail advocates, the Midtown Trail Project. Upon completion, the project’s five trail segments will have constructed approximately 7 miles of bicycle and pedestrian trails to provide connectivity between the Fresno Area Express hub at Manchester Center and the Clovis Old Town Trail with a planned corridor that follows the Herndon Canal alignment along Shields Avenue, cross-country from Shields Avenue and First Street to McKinley Avenue, then along the Mill Creek alignment south of McKinley Avenue to Clovis Avenue. The final segment of the trail project will then run northerly along Clovis Avenue to the current southern terminus of the Sugar Pine Trail, located north of Shields Avenue at Dayton Avenue.
On September 1, 2016, the Council approved the funding agreement to allow Measure “C” funding to be used for the design and construction of the “Midtown Trail” (then referred to as the “Metropolitan Trail”). Recognizing the $9.5 million cost for the entire project would take years to deliver, the project was broken-up into five segments to be designed and constructed as stand-alone projects.
The scope of services under this agreement will be for design and construction support related work only. Staff received statements of qualifications from three consultants interested in providing engineering services for this project; per Administrative Order 6-19, consultants were short listed and interviewed. Based on the interviews and statements of qualifications, staff has selected BKF Engineers, Inc. for Segments 1 and 3 of the Midtown Trail Project and recommends approval of an agreement for a negotiated fee of $456,424, with a contingency amount not to exceed $40,000, to design and prepare construction documents and provide construction support services.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the consultant agreement as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines, this item is not a project for the purposes of CEQA
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because this project uses federal funding for future phases.
FISCAL IMPACT
The project will not impact the General Fund. The design and construction services costs for the engineering consultant agreement will be paid for with Measure “C” Trails funds. The project funding appropriations in the FY19 adopted City budget are sufficient for the award of this contract. The construction phase will utilize ATP and CMAQ grant funds, as well as Measure “C” Trails funding.
Attachments:
Vicinity Map
Consultant Agreement