For City Council Meeting [November 12, 2024]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: G. Michael Milhiser, Interim City Manager
AUTHOR: Tim Sullivan, Director of Public Works
Title
Request City Council to: 1) Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Project Funding Agreement with San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA); 2) Adopt Resolution No. 8304 Amending the 2024/2025 Fiscal Budget to Appropriate a Budget of $922,900 for the I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange Phase II, City Project No. 140813; 3) Approve the First Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. for I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange Phase II, City Project No. 140813, in the amount of $537,288; and 4) Authorize the Interim City Manager to or Their Designee to Execute all Related Documents.
(ACTION)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff requests that City Council:
1. Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Project Funding Agreement with San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA).
2. Adopt Resolution Amending the 2024/2025 Fiscal Budget to Appropriate a Budget of $472,893 for the I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange Phase II, City Project No. 140813.
3. Approve the First Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. for I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange Phase II, City Project No. 140813, in the amount of $537,288.
4. Authorize the Interim City Manager or Their Designee to execute all related documents.
BACKGROUND
In June 2012, the City of Rialto, in cooperation with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), previously coordinated and funded the completion of the I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange Project (the “Interchange Project”).
The Interchange Project is located immediately adjacent to an existing Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) bridge crossing, a local bridge owned and maintained by the City of Rialto. This UPRR bridge crossing is located over the West Colton Yard, one of the largest railroad hubs for UPRR. With the understanding that the LA/Long Beach ports move 40% of the nation’s cargo throughout the United States, much of that cargo is offloaded onto rail cars traveling directly through the West Colton Yard and under the City’s UPRR bridge crossing.
During the design of the Interchange Project, decisions were made to construct a narrower overcrossing to “fit” the eastbound I-10 on/off ramps without impacting the immediately adjacent UPRR bridge to the south of the I-10 freeway. This design was based, in part, on minimizing the cost of the Interchange Project in that widening the UPRR bridge was estimated to cost as much or more than the Interchange Project. Additionally, the UPRR bridge was eligible for funding through the Highway Bridge Program (HBP) based on its assessment at that time by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
Progress with this project stalled due to Caltrans’s determination that the project would not be funded in the HBP, with a cost estimate in 2016 of $24 million for widening or $40 million for replacement. This fact eliminated all external state or federal funding available for the project.
On October 05, 2021, the City of Rialto submitted a formal request to SBCTA to program funding for the Design and Right-of-Way Phases as part of SBCTA’s Update to its 10-Year Delivery Plan.
The City identified the “Widening Alternative” as the Preferred Alternative because replacement of the bridge is not necessary. Under the widening alternative, the bridge will be widened to allow for the extension of the dual northbound left-turn lanes for traffic entering the I-10 westbound on-ramps and related improvements. The total cost estimate to widen the existing UPRR bridge is $33.5 million.
On February 22, 2022, the City Council approved a Project Funding Agreement with SBCTA in the amount of $5,193,156 for the costs related to the Design and Right-of-Way Phases. The City appropriated the remaining 27.4% share in the amount of $1,959,951, for a total project budget of $7,153,107.
On March 2, 2022, the SBCTA Board approved the Project Funding Agreement.
On March 8, 2022, the City Council adopted a resolution amending the Capital Improvement Program to add I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange Phase II, City Project No. 140813, appropriate a project budget of $7,153,107, and approve a Professional Services Agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. (Jacobs) for final design services in the amount of $2,618,927. The project has completed the 65% design milestone. A conceptual rendering is included as Attachment 1.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
Jacobs submitted a proposal to incorporate the additional scope of work incurred to date in collaboration with the City and stakeholders such as Caltrans and Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR). These tasks are essential to completing the design and generally include the following:
1. City requested addition of an exclusive right turn lane from southbound Riverside Avenue to westbound Solver Avenue including cost and environmental analysis.
2. Surveying and site access required by UPRR due to new railroad track configurations.
3. Right of Way engineering and easement documentation due to lack of agency and stakeholder information.
4. Related services to support the 2024 TCEP grant application.
Staff found the scope of Change Order No. 1 critical to completing the project design and the fee contained in the proposal fair and reasonable. Amendment No.1 to the Professional Services Agreement with Jacobs is included as Attachment 2.
In March 2022, Rialto and SBCTA signed a Project Funding Agreement to allocate $5,193,156 in Measure I Valley Freeway Interchange Program funds for the "Public Share." The Public Share represents SBCTA’s contribution toward project design, environmental analysis, surveying, site access, support for the upcoming Trade Corridor Enhancement Program grant application, and right-of-way (ROW)/utility relocation.
The City has identified a need for an additional $670,025 from SBCTA to fully fund its portion of the Public Share. With the proposed Amendment No. 1 to the Funding Agreement, SBCTA's total contribution would increase from $ 5,193,196 to $5,863,181.
The table below summarizes the updated costs for the Public Share phase:
Table 1 - Revised Summary of Estimated Costs
The draft amendment No. 1 to the project funding agreement is set for consideration by SBCTA during the Metro Valley Study Session (MVSS) on November 14, 2024, and will be presented to the Board of Directors on December 4, 2024. A draft of the Amended Project Funding Agreement is included as Attachment 3.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Section 21084 of the California Public Resources Code requires Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"). In accordance with the CEQA Guidelines, the City acting as "Lead Agency" pursuant to CEQA, previously completed an environmental analysis of the potential impacts resulting from widening the UPRR bridge. On April 1, 2015, the City of Rialto approved a Notice of Exemption determining that the project was exempt under Statutory Exemption Section 21080.13 of the California Public Resources Code, which allows for an exemption for projects that reconstruct an existing grade separation.
The Project was initially funded, in part, by federal funds, requiring local oversight by the State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). As a federally funded project at that time, the project was subject to environmental review pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). On April 25, 2016, Caltrans, acting as the lead agency pursuant to NEPA, made an environmental determination that the project does not individually or cumulatively have a significant impact on the environment as defined by NEPA and is excluded from the requirements to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA') or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), has considered unusual circumstances pursuant to 23 CFR 771.117(b) and that it qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion under 23 CFR 771.117, activity (c)(27).
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The City of Rialto has outlined key Goals and Objectives through which the City looks to minimize congestion on the local road network and maintain a circulation system that supports local businesses’ needs. The proposed actions comply with the following Goal and Policy outlined in the City’s General Plan.
Goal 4-1: Provide transportation improvements to reduce traffic congestion associated with regional and local trip increases.
Policy 4-1.1: Establish and maintain standards for a variety of street classifications to serve both local and regional traffic, including Major Arterial Highways, Major Arterials, Secondary Arterials, Collector Streets, and Local Streets.
Policy 4-1.11: Pursue the replacement of the Riverside Avenue bridge over the Union Pacific rail lines with a wider structure to accommodate larger volumes of traffic or to increase safety of crossing traffic.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's Office has reviewed the resolution and approved it as to form.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
The proposed action will not affect the Operating Budget.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
The project is currently funded by a funding agreement with SBCTA in the Special Grant Project Fund, Account No. 22234429-53001, in the amount of $5,193,156. A required local match of $1,959,951 was budgeted through the Traffic Development Impact Fee Fund, Account No. 22504312-53001. The total adopted budget for the project is $7,153,107.
As a result of the proposed Amendment No. 1 to the project Funding Agreement, and subject to approval by the City Council, staff recommends increasing revenue in the Major Capital Grant Fund, Account No. 22234429-47585-140813-30, by $670,025, and appropriating expenditures in Account No. 22234429-53001-140813-30 for SBCTA’s 72.6% public share of these project phases, as per the Project Funding Agreement Amendment No. 1. The City will allocate funding for the 27.4% or $252,875 for the Developer Fair Share from Traffic DIF Account No. 22504312-53001-140813-31.
Upon the adoption of the Resolution and approval of the revised budget, there will be sufficient funds available to approve the First Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Jacobs in the amount of $537,288. This amount will be allocated as follows:
Major Capital Grant Fund Account No. 22234429-53001-140813-30: $390,071
Traffic DIF Fund Account No. 22504429-53001-140813-31: $147,217
Licensing
As part of the initial design, Jacobs has paid the Business License Tax.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff requests that City Council:
5. Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Project Funding Agreement with San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA).
6. Adopt Resolution No.____ Amending the 2024/2025 Fiscal Budget to Appropriate a Budget of $472,893 for the I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange Phase II, City Project No. 140813.
7. Approve the First Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. for I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange Phase II, City Project No. 140813, in the amount of $537,288.
8. Authorize the Interim City Manager or Their Designee to execute all related documents.