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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-18-2014 C6 Railroad Safety TrailCity of San Luis Obispo, Council Agenda Report, Meeting Date, Item Number FROM: Daryl Grigsby, Director of Public Works Prepared By: Dan Van Beveren, Senior Civil Engineer SUBJECT: RAILROAD SAFETY TRAIL TAFT TO PHILLIPS, SPECIFICATION NO. 91111 RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Approve Plans and Special Provisions for the Railroad Safety Trail Taft to Phillips, Specification No. 91111. 2. Accept and appropriate $50,000 in SHA grant funding to the project’s construction budget in Fund 401 to align the project’s budgeted SHA grant funding with the actual amount of the approved SHA grant. 3. Approve the transfer of $300,000 from the Design phase of the project account, and $153,000 from the Construction phase of the Hwy 101 Bridge project account, all in Grant Fund Capital Outlay Fund, into the Construction phase of the project account. 4. Approve the transfer of $275,000 from the land acquisition phase of the project into the construction phase within the Traffic Impact Fee fund. 5. Approve the appropriation of $86,379 into the design phase and $135,000 into the construction phase of the project using $221,379 of available Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA) grant funds within the Traffic Impact Fee (TIF) fund. 6. Approve the use of $140,000 in TIF Reserves to supplement the construction phase of the project in the TIF fund. 7. Authorize staff to advertise for bids and authorize the City Manager to award the contract if the lowest responsible bid is less than the engineer’s estimate of $940,000. DISCUSSION Background The Railroad Safety Trail (RRST) is a Class I Bikeway located adjacent to the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) tracks. The purpose of this trail is to provide bicyclists, pedestrians, and other trail users an off-street route along the railroad corridor. Previous phases of the Railroad Safety Trail have been completed by the City. As a result of those phases, the existing pathway extends from the northern City limits to Taft north of the 101 freeway, and from the railroad station, south to Orcutt Road. The 2013-15 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) contains a project entitled “Railroad Safety Trail - Taft to Pepper”. The project was intended to extend the path along the western edge of California Blvd over the 101 freeway, then behind the California Highway Patrol (CHP) building to a new Nov. 18, 2014 C6 - 1 Railroad Safety Trail - Taft to Phillips Page 2 bridge. The bridge would span the railroad tracks from a point behind the CHP to the intersection of Pepper Street and Phillips Lane. Attachment 1 shows the location of the existing trail and the area of this proposed trail extension. The design of the above project was completed to the 50% level in December 2013. A preliminary engineer’s estimate showed an estimated construction cost of $5,100,000, approximately $3,000,000 higher than the amount budgeted for the project. The primary factor in this estimate was the extensive retaining wall system necessary to support the trail above the steep slopes behind the CHP. Due to this high estimated project cost, staff studied other trail alignments and determined the estimated cost for each of these options. One option identified as both immediately buildable and least expensive, is construction of a two-way trail, known as a “cycle track,” on the western edge of California Blvd to Phillips Lane. The route would turn westward onto the existing Phillips Lane cul-de-sac to the edge of the UPRR right of way, and then cross over the railroad tracks when a new bridge can be built. This bridge will land near the intersection of Phillips Lane and Pepper Street (see Attachment 2). This option is recommended due to its relatively lower cost and its continued value as an on- street trail even if another trail is built adjacent to the railroad tracks in the future. The bridge, which will span the railroad tracks at Phillips Lane, can be designed such that a trail connection to a future pathway along the railroad corridor can be made. This bridge will be designed and installed as part of a future project. Staff continues to meet with UPRR on the feasibility of a trail in the rail corridor. However, there are many obstacles to that option, and the above recommendation allows the City to provide active transportation access in this important corridor. The trail design will be somewhat unusual for the City as it will incorporate two-way cycle travel on the roadway. The design incorporates guidance from the Urban Bikeway Design Guide to increase safety for cyclists traveling against the flow of vehicle traffic. The Guide was developed by the National Association of City Transportation Officials and has been endorsed for use by many agencies. The City’s existing green bike lanes, bike signals, and bike box, are examples of designs incorporated in the Guide. The trail will provide northbound cyclists an alternative to the existing Class 2 bike lane on the east side of California which crosses on and off ramps at the 101 freeway. The project will provide a clear visual buffer between vehicle and bicycle traffic. Some cyclists have been observed traveling in opposition to traffic in this area, so the wider, buffered lanes will provide an improved condition. The northbound bike lane on the easterly side of the street will remain for cyclist preferring that option. Grant Funding & Timely Use of Funds In 2007, the City received a grant in the amount of $495,000 from the Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA) program which is administered by the State. This grant was originally approved to fund a project to construct a new bicycle bridge over the 101 freeway adjacent to the railroad tracks. This project was put on hold in 2010 when UPRR denied the City’s request for an easement to construct the project; however, approximately $153,000 of BTA grant funds remains available for construction of this project. In September 2014, City staff was successful in modifying the scope of the BTA grant which now allows the remaining grant funds to be used on the revised project scope described in this report. C6 - 2 Railroad Safety Trail - Taft to Phillips Page 3 The BTA grant contains a deadline of April 1, 2015, for expenditure of grant funds. In order to make use of the full amount of the grant, the design of the project has been expedited, and the overall project has been phased so that construction can begin in January 2015. This first phase of the project includes only the portion of the pathway from the existing Railroad Trail to Phillips Lane. With construction beginning in January, the project may result in some congestion on California Blvd during the Cal Poly academic year. This is due to the need to complete the project by the grant funding deadline of April 1, 2015. Staff continues to pursue additional grant funding for the second phase of the project which will include the new bicycle bridge over the railroad tracks, and will pursue the completion of that second phase of the project at a later date pending receipt of additional project funding. In 2013, the City contracted with TRC Engineers, an on-call civil engineering consultant experienced in bike path design, to assemble plans and specifications for the project. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The Community Development Department has reviewed the project and has determined that the project is categorically exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15304(h) (creation of bicycle lanes on existing rights-of-way). FISCAL IMPACT The current engineer’s estimate for construction is $1,053,000. A complete breakdown of the project’s construction funding is shown in the following table: Construction Costs:Construction Funding: Construction Estimate:$940,000 Transfer from Land Acquisition (TIF)$275,000 Construction Contingencies $100,000 Transfer from Design (TIF)$135,000 Construction Contract:$1,040,000 SHA Grant $300,000 BTA Grant $153,000 Total Existing Project Funds:$863,000 Materials Testing:$10,000 Printing and other misc. costs:$3,000 Additional SHA Grant Funding $50,000 Total for other costs:$13,000 Use of TIF Reserves $140,000 Total Needed for Construction:$1,053,000Total:$1,053,000 The following table indicates the budget adjustments that are necessary to have the budget reflect the actual funds available and the spending plan. Both Transportation Impact Fees (TIF) and grants are reflected below. C6 - 3 Railroad Safety Trail - Taft to Phillips Page 4 ALTERNATIVES As mentioned in this report, the revision to the project scope is a deviation from the approved Capital Improvement Plan. An alternative to approving this revised scope would be to direct staff to continue to pursue the original alignment. This approach is not recommended due to the exceedingly high estimated project cost of the original alignment, as well as the loss of BTA grant funding which would not be able to be spent by the April 1, 2015 deadline. ATTACHMENTS 1. Railroad Safety Trail & Original Project Alignment 2. Railroad Safety Trail Recommended Alternative C6 - 4 Railroad Safety Trail - Taft to Phillips Page 5 AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW IN THE COUNCIL OFFICE Plans and Special Provisions \\chstore7\team\council agenda reports\2014\2014-11-18\railroad safety trail (grigsby-vanbeveren)\91111 car-adv.docx C6 - 5 C6 - 6 C6 - 7 Page intentionally left blank. C6 - 8