For City Council Meeting [April 9, 2019]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Sean Grayson, Interim City Administrator
FROM: Robert G. Eisenbeisz, P.E. Public Works Director/City Engineer
Title
Request City Council to Approve a Professional Services Agreement with CNS in the Amount of $246,462.29 for Design of Raised Median Improvements on Baseline Road between Willow Avenue and Meridian Avenue, City Project No. 170812.
POWERPOINT (ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND:
Baseline Road is a Major Arterial roadway with two travel lanes in each direction with a painted center median and a posted speed limit of 40 MPH. The painted center median transitions to left-turn pockets at intersections and mid-block it operates as a two-way left-turn lane that serves driveways on both sides. The designated land-use for property abutting Baseline Road between Willow Avenue and Sycamore Avenue is commercial with multiple access driveways on both sides. Between Sycamore Avenue and Meridian Avenue, the property abutting Baseline Road is the rear of residential uses with no driveway access.
Staff identified the subject portion of Baseline Road as a candidate for safety improvements based on reported collision rates and traffic volumes. On October 20, 2016, staff submitted a grant application to Caltrans under the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) (Cycle 8) for construction of improvements intended to improve traffic safety along this segment of Baseline Road.
Baseline Road is a four lane arterial roadway that serves an area with several schools within one mile, including Frisbie Middle School, Myers Elementary School, Henry Elementary School, Bemis Elementary School, Morgan Elementary School and Preston Elementary School. It also provides access to several commercial retail businesses.
The HSIP guidelines suggest a raised median as an effective countermeasure based upon the traffic volumes and collision data obtained from the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) and Rialto Police department records, intended to reduce the rate of collisions by controlling and managing vehicular access and directing pedestrian crossings away from uncontrolled mid-block locations to controlled locations.
On April 5, 2017, the Transportation Commission reviewed the grant project concept and unanimously recommended approval. On July 24, 2017, staff presented the grant project to the Economic Development Committee (EDC). Both bodies recommended extensive outreach with abutting business owners with a thorough analysis of access to avoid adverse impacts to commercial businesses.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
On September 12, 2017, City Council authorized the release of Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit a consultant to provide professional services required for design engineering, environmental analysis, and preparation of bid and construction documents. Upon receiving the required federal Authorization to Proceed from Caltrans, the Public Works Department issued RFP No. 18-035 on January 11, 2018, soliciting proposals from qualified professional firms to provide the necessary professional services. The City advertised the RFP on Planetbids and on the City’s website and distributed it to various plan rooms throughout southern California.
On Feb 8, 2018, the Public Works Department received eight (8) proposal in response to the RFP from the following firms
• Anderson-Pena, Riverside, CA
• KOA Corporation, Ontario, CA
• KSA Design Studio, Inc., Marina De Rey, CA
• CASC Engineering and Consulting, Colton, CA
• CNS Engineers, Riverside, CA
• Hirsch & Associates, Inc., Anaheim, CA
• Kreuzer Consulting Group, Seal Beach , CA
• Willdan Engineering, City of Industry, CA
In accordance with state law (California Government Code Section 4526) and Chapter 2.48.440 of the Rialto Municipal Code, City Council must make the selection for professional services on the basis of the firm’s demonstrated competence and professional qualifications in accordance with specific evaluation criteria identified in the RFP.
An evaluation panel consisting of a three professional engineers and the City’s Public Works Program Coordinator reviewed and scored the proposals. The evaluators were:
• Azzam Jabsheh- Associate Civil Engineer, City of Rialto
• Saba Engineer, Principal Civil Engineer, City of San Bernardino
• Katie Nickel, Public Works Program Coordinator, City of Rialto
• Ted Rigoni, Senior Civil Engineer, Lockwood Engineering
Based solely on the individual judgment of the evaluators, a clear ranking of the most qualified firms was established and the following firms were invited to an interview:
• Anderson -Pena
• KOA Corporation
• CASC Engineering
• Willdan Engineering
• CNS Engineers
Prior to the interviews, CASC Engineering and Anderson-Pena withdrew their proposals.
On June 6, 2018, the panel interviewed the remaining short list of firms to determine the one most qualified to provide the requested services. The evaluation panel scoring is included as Attachment 1. The evaluation panel identified Willdan Engineering as the most qualified consultant; however, staff was unable to reach an acceptable scope and fee so negotiations terminated with Willdan Engineering and commenced with the second ranked consultant, CNS Engineers. Staff was able to negotiate an acceptable scope and fee for the requested services with CNS Engineers.
CNS Engineers is well versed in providing design services for the project based on prior experience in providing similar services for the cities of Palm Springs, Indian Wells, and Cathedral City. CNS Engineers will develop conceptual design plans based on a traffic engineering analysis and will present it to businesses, residents, and stakeholders through one or more community outreach meetings. The conceptual plan will also be reviewed by the Economic Development Committee and approved by City Council prior to proceeding with preparation of the final construction documents. A draft Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with CNS Engineers is included as Attachment 2. Pursuant to the terms proposed in the PSA, the agreement will terminate in one year.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
Staff and the consultant will coordinate with Caltrans, as the lead agency, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), to make an environmental determination that this 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), and that it qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion in accordance with 23 CFR 771.117(c) pursuant to activity(c)(4).
The project will include a compliance process as required by the Secretary of Resources under Section 21084 of the California Public Resources Code - Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This project is expected to be identified as a Class 1 project that does not have a significant effect on the environment, and is declared categorically exempt from the requirement for the preparation of environmental documents under the provisions of CEQA.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
This action is consistent with Guiding Principle 3A in the General Plan:
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
Approval of this action also complies with the following City of Rialto General Plan Goals and Policies:
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.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the staff report and Professional Services Agreement.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Operating Budget Impact
The proposed action will not affect the Operating Budget.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
The total estimated cost for the design and construction of the proposed improvements is $1,174,800, with HSIP grant funding in the amount of $1,057,320 and a 10 percent local match (Measure I) in the amount of $117,480.
Project funding for the design of Median Island on Baseline Road from Willow Avenue to Meridian Avenue is shown in Table 1.
Table 1
Funds are budgeted and available in the amount of $246,462.29 within Grant Fund Acct No. 223-500-4420-3001-170812-01.
Licensing
A Business License application and payment of a Business License tax at the Professional Service rate in the amount of $304 will be paid by the Consultant prior to execution of the Professional Service Agreement.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council Approve the Professional Services Agreement with CNS Engineers in the amount of $246,462.29 for Design of Raised Median Improvements on Baseline Road between Willow Avenue and Meridian Avenue, City Project No. 170812.