HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 07 - AUTHORIZATION TO ADVERTISE AND AWARD RAILROAD SAFETY TRAIL TAFT TO PEPPER PROJECT SPECIFICATION NO 91375
Department Name: Public Works
Cost Center: 5010
For Agenda of: March 17, 2020
Placement: Consent Item
Estimated Time: N/A
FROM: Shelly Stanwyck, Assistant City Manager, Community Services
Prepared By: Bryan Wheeler, Transportation Planner-Engineer III
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO ADVERTISE AND AWARD RAILROAD SAFETY
TRAIL TAFT TO PEPPER PROJECT, SPECIFICATION NO. 91375
RECOMMENDATION
1. Approve plans and specifications for the Railroad Safety Trail Taft to Pepper Project
(Project), Specification No. 91375 and authorize staff to formally advertise for bids; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to award the construction contract if the lowest responsible bid
is within the publicly disclosed funding amount of $5,070,600; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to award the construction management contract if the lowest
responsible bid is within the publicly disclosed funding amount of $603,750; and
4. Authorize the City Manager to award the railroad services contracts for flagging and
permitting, not to exceed the publicly disclosed funding amount of $110,000.
DISCUSSION
Background
The Railroad Safety Trail (RRST) has long been one of the highest-priority multimodal
transportation projects in the City of San Luis Obispo (City)—a crosstown, dedicated facility for
pedestrians and bicyclists connecting the southern City limits north to California Polytechnic
State University (Cal Poly). Over the past two decades, approximately 40 percent of the total
four-mile trail has been completed and existing portions of the trail are enjoyed by over 1,000
pedestrians and cyclists per day. This Project proposal includes construction of the next segment
of the RRST from Taft Street to Pepper Street. It segment was included in the 2013 Bicycle
Transportation Plan (Attachment A) and supports the current Major City Goal to improve
Sustainable Transportation in the City.
The RRST extension from Taft Street to Pepper Street will encompass about 0.4 miles from the
existing trail alignment on the west side of California Boulevard, near Taft Street, south along
the existing bridge crossing over Highway 101, then shifting away from California Boulevard
behind the California Highway Patrol (CHP) property to a new bicycle/pedestrian bridge
crossing over the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and connecting Phillips Lane to Pepper Street.
A Project vicinity map and bridge rendering shown below (Figure 1 & 2).
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Figure 1: Study Area Map
Figure 2: Rendering of Railroad Safety Trail Bridge over UPRR Tracks between Phillips and Pepper
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Caltrans Active Transportation Program Grant
In 2015, the City applied for a Caltrans Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant for the
Project and was awarded $3.24 million in funding towards Project construction. Over the past
five plus years, the Project progressed with planning, design, environmental review, permitting
and right-of-way acquisition to the current “shovel-ready” stage. After diligent negotiations with
UPRR, the State, and a private property owner, all property acquisition necessary to construct the
Project were completed in summer of 2019. At this time, staff has completed the Plans,
Specifications and Estimates and the Project is ready to be advertised for construction.
Project Scope of Work
The construction package attached to this Report includes plans and specifications for
construction of the RRST between Taft Street and Pepper Street. The designs include the
following elements:
a. Taft Street to Highway 101 Overcrossing – Separated Class I bicycle/pedestrian trail
along the west side of California Boulevard from Taft Street to the Highway 101
overcrossing.
b. Highway 101 Overcrossing – On-street Class IV protected two-way bikeway (“cycle
track”) along the existing California Boulevard bridge crossing over Highway 101. A
metal railing physically separates cyclists from motor vehicles and the existing sidewalk
serves pedestrian travel along the bridge.
c. Highway 101 Overcrossing to Phillips Lane – Separated Class I bicycle/pedestrian trail
shifts behind the CHP headquarters connecting to the Phillips Lane cul-de-sac.
d. Phillips Lane to Pepper Street – A new bicycle/pedestrian bridge connects Phillips
Lane on the north side of the UPRR tracks south to Pepper Street.
e. Other Elements
1. ADA curb ramps and path-of-travel upgrades at the Highway 101 bridge.
2. Widening of the Highway 101 offramp at California Boulevard to provide additional
queue storage (a requirement for Caltrans approval)
3. Resurfacing and re-striping along California Boulevard from Taft Street to the
Northbound Hwy 101 On- and Off-ramps.
4. Lighting system for the Class I trail.
Construction plans, specifications, and engineer’s estimate are provided as City Council Reading
Files as Attachment B thru D.
Next Phases of the Railroad Safety Trail Project
Upon completion of the Project, several gaps will remain along the RRST, totaling
approximately 1.5 miles. With completion of planned and pending development within the
Orcutt Area, the segment of the RRST between Tank Farm Road and the Jennifer Street Bridge
is anticipated to be fully connected within the next few years. This leaves about a one-mile gap
between Pepper Street and the Jennifer Street Bridge to complete the four-mile continuous
crosstown route. The preferred alignment and type of facility to complete this final RRST gap
will be identified in the City’s Active Transportation Plan, which is currently being drafted, and
is scheduled for completion later in 2020.
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Public Engagement
This Project was vetted by the City’s Bicycle Advisory Committee in 2011 and has continued to
be identified as a top project priority each year by the Active Transportation Committee (ATC).
The project was included in the 2013 Bicycle Transportation Plan and 2014 General Plan
Circulation Element, each of which included several public engagement opportunities. During
public outreach activities conducted in fall of 2019 for the upcoming Active Transportation Plan,
completion of the RRST was commonly expressed as one of the highest priority projects for
community members.
Policy Consistency
This project is identified in the RRST Plan, adopted in 2002, the General Plan Circulation
Element, and the City’s Bicycle Transportation Plan (BTP), adopted in 2013.
Construction of this RRST segment furthers the adopted 2019-21 Major City Goal: Multi-Modal
Transportation - Prioritize implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan, pedestrian safety, and the
Short-Range Transit Plan.
CONCURRENCE
The Project has been reviewed by the ATC and is a top priority for the committee to achieve the
City’s Sustainable Transportation Major City Goal. Updates have been provided to the ATC
throughout the project process.
The project came before City Council on August 20, 2019 to approve the transfer of funds from
the Transportation Impact Fee Program to the project. The RRST project was included in the
Citywide Transportation Impact Fee (TIF) program, and staff requested the transfer of
$2,894,163 in total from the Citywide TIF account to the RRST project account to fund the
property acquisition ($496,000) and construction funding shortfall ($2,398,163).
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
An initial study of this Project was conducted, and a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) was
filed to the County of San Luis Obispo on May 19, 2017. All construction plans conform to those
mitigations found in the MND.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: Yes Budget Year: 2017-18
Funding Identified: Yes
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Fiscal Analysis:
RRST- Taft to Pepper (91375)
Project Costs
Construction Costs $4,440,600
Construction Contingencies (15%) $630,000
Total Costs for this Construction Contract $5,070,600
Additional Items Outside Construction Contract (UPRR Items) $110,000
Construction Management & Materials Testing $603,750
Total for Construction $5,784,350
Project Funding
State Funds (Caltrans ATP Grant & SHA Funds) $3,494,000
Local Funds (Citywide TIF & Local Revenue Measure) $2,516,108
Total Available Funds $6,010,108
Funding Sources Current FY Cost
Annualized
On-going Cost
Total Project
Cost
General Fund (LRM) $117,108
State (ATP Grant) $3,244,000
State (SHA) $250,000
Federal $0
Fees $0
Other: Citywide TIF $2,399,000
Total $6,010,108
The total construction cost for this project is estimated at $5,784,350, which includes
construction costs and contingencies related to this bid package ($5,070,600), construction
management and materials testing ($603,750) and related railroad flagging and permit review
costs, ($110,000). Construction Management support for this project will be procured via a
Request for Proposals (RFP) process through the City’s existing on-call construction
management contracts.
To date, $748,717 has been used or encumbered for property acquisition, environmental review
and project design.
ALTERNATIVES
The Council may choose not to authorize advertising for construction at this time. However, this
is not recommended because there is adequate funding for the project, the improvements will
provide a much-desired expansion of the Railroad Safety Trail to Cal Poly for bicyclists and
pedestrians, and this project will set up a critical link for the Railroad Safety Trail to connect
with Downtown San Luis Obispo. Further, if a construction contract is not awarded by June
2020, the City would risk forfeiture of the $3.24 million in Caltrans ATP grant funds.
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Attachments:
a - Project Page from 2013 Bicycle Transportation Plan
b - COUNCIL READING FILE - Project Plans
c - COUNCIL READING FILE - Special Provisions
d - COUNCIL READING FILE - Project Estimate
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A-44
Introduction
SanLuisObispo
Cityof
ImplementationSouthern Area Projects Western Area
2013 Bicycle Transportation Plan
A-45Appendix A: Implementation Projects - Eastern Area
Bicycle Transportation
Network1 4 Western Area ProjectsBicycle Parking and
Support Facilities2 Bicycling Education
and Promotion3 Implementation and
Funding4 Eastern Area ProjectsCentral Area Projects Northern Area Projects
Pave. Mgt. Zone 1 Pave. Mgt. Zone 1
Segment: Taft to Phillips
Project Description: Primary segment - Class I path from Taft to
Phillips. Includes a 250 ft. (approx.) bridge spanning the railroad
tracks from behind the Highway Patrol property, to Phillips St.
Notes: This project segment is a piece of the trail alignment that
was known in previous City of SLO Bike plans as RBP6. The RBP6
alignment ran at grade adjacent to the tracks from Hathway Ave. to
Marsh St. This was also represented as a portion of “Phase 4” of RRM
Design Group 2001 Railroad Safety Trail Project description. See
Appendix H for naming references. *Cost Estimate from the 2011-13
Capital Improvement Plan.
School Zones:
Hawthorne
Bishop Peak
Class: I
Calif
o
r
n
i
a
PhillipsTaft
Hwy. 101Mill
Railroad Safety Trail
Project Length (feet):
1,450
Estimated Cost:
$1,280,000
Segment: Phillips to Marsh
Project Description: Primary segment - Route along Pepper St.,
from Phillips St. to Marsh St. The route will utilize existing surface
streets as either Class III facilities or Bicycle Boulevards limiting motor
vehicle access. A bridge spanning Monterey St. will be constructed to
minimize the route gradient changes.
Notes: This project segment is a piece of the trail alignment that
was known in previous City of SLO Bike plans as RBP6. The RBP6
alignment ran at grade adjacent to the tracks from Hathway Ave. to
Marsh St. This was also represented as a portion of “Phase 4” of RRM
Design Group 2001 Railroad Safety Trail Project description.
School Zones:
Hawthorne
Bishop Peak
Class: III
C
a
l
i
f
o
r
n
i
aPhillips
Monterey
Mill
Marsh
Project Length (feet):
1,750
Estimated Cost:
$3,000,000
Railroad Safety Trail
i
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