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Home My WebLink About12/12/2000, - 1 council agenba CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY HALL, 990 PALM STREET Tuesday, December 12, 2000 7:00 P.M. ADDENDUM ITEMS ADDED: CONSENT AGENDA Council Chamber 990 Palm Street 9. INgTALLATION OF GREEN LED I 1 ,HTS IN TRAFFIC SIGNALS (MCCLUSKEY/ MCDERMOTT/HANSON RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) Approve application to PG&E LED Traffic Signal Rebate Program for purchase costs and installation of green LED signal lights; and 2) Appropriate $67,511 from the General Fund Reserves for the purchase of green LED signal lights; and 3) Direct staff to sole source purchase 578 green LED signal lights from Synchronex via a "piggy back" contract using the purchase bid amounts from the City of San Diego and direct staff to install those lights prior to June 1,2001 10. FQRMA• 17F cni"'^" nIRFCTlnN In STAFF RFI FVANT TQ THE MARSH 4RFFT GARAGE EXPANSION BID AWARD (PRICE) RECOMMENDATION: Give formal direction to staff to bring back to the City Council the bids and contract award for the Marsh Street Garage expansion project. STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO )ss. AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO ) I,LEE PRICE,being first duly swum,deposes and says: That she is the duty appointed and qualifieebul a City of San Luis Obispo and that on December 7,2000 she caused the above Notice to be posted at San Luis Obispo ity 1,San s Obis Lee Price.CMC,City Clerk San Luis Obispo,California ® Regular City Council meetings are broadcast on KCPR,91.3 FM. The City of San Luis Obispo is committed to include the disabled in all of its services. programs,and activities. Telecommunications Device for the Deaf(805)781-7410. Please speak to the City Clerk prior to the meeting if you require a hearing amplification device. For more agenda information,call 781-7103. • council M"°iz • ` aGEnaa izEpoat „® CITY O F SAN LU I S O B I S P O FROM: Mike McCluskey,Director of Public Works Prepared By: Joe McDermott, Streets Supervisor Jim Hanson,Traffic Engineer SUBJECT: INSTALLATION OF GREEN LED LIGHTS IN TRAFFIC SIGNALS CAO RECOMMENDATION: 1. Approve application to PG&E LED Traffic Signal Rebate Program for purchase costs and installation of green LED signal lights. 2. Appropriate $68,000 from the General Fund Reserves for the purchase of green LED signal lights. 3. Direct staff to sole source purchase 578 green LED signal lights from Synchronex via a "piggy back" contract using the purchase bid amounts from the City of San Diego and direct staff to install those lights prior to June 1, 2001. DISCUSSION The City of San Luis Obispo staff recently became aware of a Pacific Gas and Electric energy rebate program for the installation of green LED lights in traffic signals. The program rebates to the City the cost of purchase of the lights only after they have been installed. Installation can be done'by City staff or by contract but only the purchase price is reimbursable. The City completed the conversion of its red LED lights some years ago and has enjoyed the energy savings of that project since. The current program offered by PG&E is better than the previous one offered on the red LED lights. In the previous program, the rebates did not fully cover the cost of purchase of the lights, and thus the decision to participate in that program was based upon energy savings as cost recovery against our expenditures. The current rebate program offers a rebate amount in excess of the purchase price. Thus, energy savings result immediately without the need to offset purchase costs. Two items limit this program. The first is a condition that all green LED lights be installed by June 1, 2001. As with the red LED installation, City staff'will install the lights and we anticipate that our staff can complete the work by the deadline date. The program's second condition or stipulation is that it is a"first come first serve"program. The sooner the City of San Luis Obispo puts its name in for the program the more likely we are to be a part of the rebate program. Thus, staff is asking the Council to endorse this program as soon as we became aware of it and did the proper research. • This program will not provide for amber LED installation and, therefore, the City's signal system will consist of all LED lights except for amber. Because of ease of maintenance issues, staff will slowly replace the amber reflectors with LED lights as they bum out. Once all lights are LED, Council Agenda Report-Installation of Green LED Traffic Signal Lights Page 7 signals should be able to run during time of power outages on battery systems, greatly facilitating traffic flow during those emergencies. Technically, the specification for green LED signal lights is guided by two agencies. The Institute of Transportation Engineers and Cal Trans both set specific standards that should be met before cities, counties or the State should undertake installation. Recent contacts with Cal Trans representatives indicate that the vendor chosen by the City of San Diego, Synchronex, is fully compliant with the ITE standard and soon will be compliant with the Cal Trans standard. As we will be using the same vendor, staff is confident that the lights purchased will satisfy both standards by the time they are installed. At this time Synchronex is the only known contractor that complies with the necessary standards. A stipulation of the rebate program is that the lights must comply with the ITE standards. Accordingly, we are asking the Council to authorize staff to "piggyback"on the City of San Diego's purchase contract with Synchonex. FISCAL IMPACT The cost of the green LED lights are shown below: 192- 12 17 LED's @$157 ea- _ $30,144 307—8" LED's @$8135 ea = $24,974 79 LED arrows @$99.10 = $7,829 • Sub-Total Cost = $62,947 Sales Tax $-4,56x4 Total $679511 The PG&E rebate program will reimburse the City up to $175 for each light after verification of installation and, therefore, the General Fund will be fully reimbursed for this expenditure. The General Fund currently has sufficient funds in reserves to cover this expenditure and still retain a balance within the 20%policy limit. Energy savings are anticipated at$22,784 per year. Should the City not be lucky enough to land in the "first come first serve" group to receive funding, the annual cost savings would result in a three year payback—which is still a very good return on investment. ALTERNATIVES The Council could choose not to install the green LED lights because of the risk that the City may not be selected to participate in the rebate program. However, staff recommends the purchase and installation of the lights anyway. Based upon energy savings, the General Fund would be fully reimbursed in three years and that is still a very good return on an investment. I:car/green led lights •