For City Council Meeting [January 9, 2018]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Robb Steel, Interim City Administrator
FROM: Robert G. Eisenbeisz, P.E., Public Works Director/City Engineer
Title
Request City Council to Approve the Second Amendment to the I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange Landscape Project with San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA).
Body
BACKGROUND:
The City of Rialto, in cooperation with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), constructed improvements at the Riverside Avenue/I-10 Freeway Interchange. On April 4, 2007, SBCTA and the City entered into a Project Advancement Agreement (PAA Contract No. 07170) for the advancement of the Riverside Avenue/I-10 Interchange Project. Under this agreement, the City agreed to advance 100% of project costs. Approximately 72% of eligible project costs would be subject to reimbursement later by SBCTA.
On June 4, 2008, the SBCTA Board of Directors approved a construction and maintenance cooperative agreement (Contract No. C08164) with the City and Caltrans, which was amended on December 3, 2008, to include minor corrections to the agreement. Under the agreement, SBCTA agreed to provide construction management and administer the construction contract on behalf of the City with SBCTA bearing the cost of its own staff.
On May 10, 2011, City Council approved a Cooperative Agreement (“Agreement” Contract No. C11089) with SBCTA for the I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange Landscape Project, included as Attachment 1. The Agreement describes each agency’s responsibility for the landscaping. Specifically, the City agreed to be responsible for 100% of all project capital and support costs including, but not limited to, “State-furnished material,” State Permit requirements, source inspection, construction management, landscape construction, and landscape maintenance.
The total cost of landscape construction, including construction management, plant establishment and construction landscape maintenance is $1,927,000. Under the terms of the Agreement with SBCTA, the City deposited the full amount required into an Escrow Account for the required work.
On May 12, 2015, City Council approved the First Amendment to the I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange Landscape Project and authorized the City Administrator or his designee to release the remaining funds for the project to SBCTA and close the escrow account.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
The project is currently in the 4-year Plant Establishment Phase. Natures Image, Inc. is the landscape maintenance contractor responsible for the project. The contract with Natures Image is valued at $328,030 with approximately $249,000 earned to date.
SBCTA desires to further amend the agreement to extend its termination date from December 29, 2017 to December 31, 2019 to allow for the completion of Construction Landscape Maintenance and project closeout.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The request is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
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 has reviewed and approved this staff report and the Second Amendment to the Agreement.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
On May 12, 2015, City Council approved the advance payment of funds to SBCTA in the amount of $533,026.15 to complete the construction and landscape maintenance of the I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange project. To date SBCTA has expended $209,018.90 leaving a remaining balance for the completion of the project at $324,006.55.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Second Amendment to the I-10/Riverside Avenue Interchange Landscape Project with San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, extending the term to December 31, 2019.