REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
December 10, 2020
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
Approve an agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company in the amount of $88,752 to relocate existing overhead electrical facilities out of City of Fresno right of way for the Veterans Boulevard Interchange Project (Council District 2)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve an agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company in the amount of $88,752 to relocate existing overhead electrical facilities out of City of Fresno right of way for the Veterans Boulevard Interchange Project and authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign the agreement on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City acquired a portion of APN 508-020-04S to accommodate the ultimate right of way for the northbound State Route 99 off ramp to Veterans Boulevard. This acquisition was recorded on May, 14, 2018. This portion of APN 508-020-04S, now owned by the City of Fresno, has five (5) existing PG&E poles with overhead facilities located within its boundaries. These poles and overhead facilities must be relocated out of City right of way in order to certify right of way for the Veterans Boulevard Interchange Project. This overhead electrical facility relocation is being fully funded by regional Measure “C” funding through the City’s cooperative agreement with the Fresno County Transportation Authority.
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 with the help of Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) and Fresno Council of Governments (FCOG) with the funding for completing the final design and right-of-way acquisition. The stretch 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.
The first phase of the Veterans Boulevard Project, the Bullard Extension package, funded by the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA), was opened to traffic on September 24, 2019. The Veterans Boulevard Grade Separation Project, funded by the CHSRA, is 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, is under construction as of November 2020. The overall project design is nearly complete and each phase is scheduled to move into construction over the next year and a half.
The City acquired a portion of APN 508-020-04S to accommodate the ultimate right of way for the northbound State Route 99 off ramp to Veterans Boulevard. This acquisition was recorded on May, 14, 2018. This, now City owned, portion of 508-020-04S has five (5) existing PG&E poles with overhead facilities located within its boundaries. These poles and overhead facilities must be relocated out of City right of way in order to certify right of way for the Veterans Boulevard Interchange Project. This overhead electrical facility relocation is being fully funded by local Measure “C” funding.
Staff recommends that the City Council approve an agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company in the amount of $88,752 to relocate existing overhead electrical facilities out of City of Fresno right of way for the Veterans Boulevard Interchange Project and authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign the construction contract on behalf of the City of Fresno. The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the agreement and this report as to form.
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 was not considered because PG&E will perform the work on their own facilities and this agreement does not include a bid or award of a construction or services contract by the City.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Veterans Boulevard Project is located in Council District 2 and will have no impact to the General Fund. This overhead electrical facility relocation is being fully funded by regional Measure “C” funding for the Veterans Boulevard project.
Attachments:
Vicinity Map
Location Map
Utility Agreement