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: SCOTT P. SEHM, PE, Public Works Manager
Engineering Division, Design Section
SUBJECT
...Title
Approve an Agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the amount of $96,789.45 to relocate one Applicant Requested PG&E electrical vault and the necessary conduit for the Audubon Drive and Nees Avenue Dual Left-Turn Phasing Project (Council District 2)
...Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve a contract with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in the amount of $96,789.45 for the Applicant Requested PG&E electrical vault relocation, and authorize the Public Works Director, or his designee, to execute the listed contract on behalf of the City.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Audubon Drive and Nees Avenue Dual Left-Turn Phasing Project will add a second left-turn lane from eastbound Nees Avenue to northbound Audubon Drive to reduce traffic congestion at the recently signalized intersection. The project proposes to realign Audubon Drive to increase the radius of the curve that lies to the north of Nees Avenue to allow additional width for the second eastbound travel lane at Nees and provide proper transition length to merge the two lanes as the roadway continues to the east. Approval of this Utility Agreement will allow PG&E to relocate their existing vault out of the future roadway and place it in the proposed sidewalk area, within right-of-way previously acquired for this project. Construction of the Audubon Drive and Nees Avenue Dual Left-Turn Phasing Project will occur at a later date once design is complete and all of the necessary utility relocations are complete. The Project is funded by local Citywide Traffic Signal Mitigation Impact (TSMI) Fees.
BACKGROUND
Although it was designed and constructed to accommodate dual-left turns, the intersection of Audubon Drive and Nees Avenue currently has only one operational left-turn lane from eastbound Nees Avenue to northbound Audubon Drive due to a lack of adequate roadway on Audubon to receive the second lane of traffic. The Audubon Drive and Nees Avenue Dual Left-Turn Phasing Project will add the second left-turn lane from eastbound Nees Avenue to northbound Audubon Drive and allow the signalized intersection to operate as it was designed. With the recent acquisition of street right-of-way from the northeast corner of Audubon Drive and Nees Avenue and subsequent recording of a public utility easement over the newly acquired real estate, the project is ready to move onto the next phase of the project which will facilitate the relocation of PG&E, Comcast and AT&T facilities from their current location into the utility easement at the back of the proposed sidewalk area and will remove the utilities from conflicting with the proposed street construction. Nees Avenue has sufficient right-of-way to accommodate the second eastbound left-turn lane to northbound Audubon Drive and will require pavement restriping and minor programming changes to the traffic signal.
Upon completion, the proposed street realignment will provide sufficient pavement area to allow construction of the additional receiving lane as well as provide a safe and proper lane drop beyond the curve to allow the two lanes to merge into one thereafter. Class II bicycle facilities, street lighting and restoration of pedestrian facilities will be part of the completed project. Staff recommends the City Council authorize the Public Works Director, or his designee, to sign the agreement on behalf of the City.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff has performed a preliminary environmental assessment of this project and has determined that it falls within the Class 1 Categorical Exemption set forth in CEQA Guidelines, section 15301, for minor alteration of existing public facilities involving negligible expansion at the intersection of West Audubon Drive and West Nees Avenue, and within Class 2 Categorical Exemption set forth in CEQA Guidelines section 15302 as the existing structures and facilities where the new facilities will be located are on the same site as the facility replaced will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the facility replaced, and within Class 4 Categorical Exemption set forth in CEQA Guidelines section 15304 for minor alterations to the condition of the land adjacent to West Audubon Drive and will create a smoother radius and maintain consistency with the City of Fresno General Plan. Furthermore, staff has determined that none of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to this project. City Council adopted the findings of Categorical Exemption per staff’s determination on June 27, 2019.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered because this agreement does not include a bid or award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
The project is located in Council District 2, and will have no impact to the General Fund. The Project is funded by local (TSMI) Fees and the necessary appropriations for this contract are included in the current FY 2021 adopted City budget.
Attachments:
Vicinity Map
PG&E Utility Relocation Contract