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Community Development Agency, Transportation Division, recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Authorize the Community Development Agency Director, or designee, to approve and sign Reimbursable Agreement DTFH68-15-E-00034, Modification 001, with the Federal Highway Administration, Central Federal Lands Highway Division in the amount of $9,597,500 for the Ice House Road - Pavement Rehabilitation, Phase 2 Project, CIP 72191. The Federal grant portion is 85.65 percent which is $8,220,254 and the County's matching local portion is 14.35 percent which is $1,377,246;
2) Authorize the Community Development Agency Director, or designee, to amend Reimbursable Agreement DTFH68-15-E-00034, Modification 001, for all future minor modifications as necessary throughout the term of the Agreement; and
3) Authorize the Chief Administrative Office to make budget adjustments during the Fiscal Year 2016/17 Budget Addenda process to designate $1,377,246 of Sacramento Municipal Utility District funds that are currently undesignated/unprogrammed.
FUNDING: Sacramento Municipal Utility District funds (14.35%) and Federal Highway Administration Federal Lands Access Program (85.65%). (Federal Funds)
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Community Development Agency, Transportation Division (Transportation), recommending the Board authorize the Community Development Agency (CDA) Director, or successor, to approve and sign Reimbursable Agreement DTFH68-15-E-00034, Modification #001 (Agreement), with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Central Federal Lands Highway Division (CFLHD), in the amount of $9,597,500 for the Ice House Road - Pavement Rehabilitation, Phase 2 Project, CIP 72191 (Project). The Federal Land Access Program (FLAP) Grant portion is 85.65 percent which is $8,220,254 and the County's matching local portion is 14.35 percent which is $1,377,246. These funds will cover Scoping, Preliminary Engineering (PE), Construction (CN), and Construction Engineering (CE) costs.
This Agreement commits the County to a payment of $1,377,246 to CFLHD for Scoping, PE, CN, and CE, and to provide staff labor for Project oversight. This Agreement documents the intent of the parties, sets forth the anticipated responsibilities of each in the Scoping of the Project, commits the County to provide its share of costs in the Project, and complete the Project. This Agreement can be modified and amended by both parties during its term. It is anticipated that minor modifications, such as time frames for completing phases of the Project, will need to be made.
The Board previously provided funds in the amount of $10,000 for the Scoping report and Project delivery plan development under Reimbursable Agreement DTFH68-15-E-00034 and $70,000 for staff oversight. With future budget of estimated PE, CN, and CE costs of $1,367,246, this would bring the County's total participation costs to $1,447,246 for this Project.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On January 27, 2015 (Item 45), the Board of Supervisors allocated $10,000 for the preparation of a Scoping report, agreement, and delivery plan for the Project. At that time, the requested grant amount for the Project was estimated to be $7.7 million. During the Scoping phase of the Project and through discussions with the FHWA CFLHD, it was determined that there were a number of rehabilitation and safety features that could be funded through the grant to improve the safety of Ice House Road.
Added Project features include:
A) Increase percent of pavement structural section reconstruction;
B) Grading and signing numerous pull-out areas;
C) Roadside tree and vegetation removal to improve sight distance and minimize vehicle/animal conflicts;
D) Addition of delineators and chevrons to mark roadside drop-offs;
E) Installation of drop inlets at locations where pipe end sections/catch basins are close to the road;
F) A centerline rumble strip is also being considered; and
G) Drainage culvert repairs and replacement.
These additional items of work, along with a 10% contingency amount, have increased the estimated Project cost amount to $9,597,500. Of this amount, 14.35% or $1,377,246, is the El Dorado County Local Match portion. The remaining 85.65%, or $8,220,254, will be funded by the California FLAP Grant.
On January 30, 2015, the County submitted a FLAP grant application package to fund pavement rehabilitation of a segment of Forest Highway 136 - Ice House Road from Wentworth Springs Road to Peavine Ridge Road within the popular Crystal Basin Recreation Area of the Eldorado National Forest. There are several campgrounds for tent and RV camping. Ice House Road also provides connection to the famous 17.3-mile long Rubicon Trail that extends to Lake Tahoe. The route also connects to Desolation Wilderness, 64,000 acres with 117 miles of hiking trails across the Sierra Nevada.
The FLAP provides funds for work on public highways, roads, bridges, trails, and transit systems that are located on, are adjacent to, or provide access to federal lands. These facilities must be owned or maintained by a state, county, town, township, tribe, municipal, or local government. This program was created under Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). This Program places emphasis on projects that provide access to high-use recreation sites or federal economic generators.
During the 2014 California Call for Projects efforts for the MAP-21 FLAP, many applications were submitted for consideration. On April 10, 2015, the California Program Decision Committee (PDC) came to consensus on selecting Ice House Road as one of the projects for this Program.
The Scoping report was completed in June 2015, and detailed the Project to include PE, CN, and CN for the Ice House Road Rehabilitation Project from Pickett Pen Road, MP 15.64, to the northern section of Wentworth Springs Road, MP 23.94, for a distance of 8.3 miles. The Project is to reconstruct the existing pavement to a width of 24 feet. The current asphalt surface is in an advanced state of deterioration. The general scope of improvements includes milling and pulverization of existing pavement, new asphalt surface with 11-foot lanes and 1-foot shoulders, minor drainage structure improvements, minor embankments stabilization in select areas, clearing, grubbing, signing, pavement markings, delineation, and other safety-related features necessary to meet current design practice. Utility conflicts are not anticipated. The existing corridor is maintained by the County under the permission granted by the U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) via a Special Use Permit.
Program costs and, therefore, the matching amounts from the County, are based on the actual costs to design, permit, environmentally clear, and construct the Project. In addition, all Right-of-Way, Temporary Construction Easements (TCE's), and utility relocation costs are the responsibility of the County and must be completed in advance of the proposed construction. These costs are eligible to be counted towards the County’s local match requirements.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and Federal Lands Highway design standards (as appropriate) will be used to design roadway geometric elements and appurtenances. Design decisions not meeting minimum acceptable standards require approval of the County. The construction contractor will incorporate the best management practices from design into the constructed project, and the County will continue its responsibility for any National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System requirements after construction is complete.
The roadway is open all year due to plowing performed in the winter time, but construction activities will be limited to mainly May to October.
Design and Construction elements include:
A) Acquisition of TCE's for staging and construction access from up to two (2) different ownerships (Forest Service and Sierra Pacific Industries);
B) No utility relocation work is anticipated;
C) It is anticipated that construction will last one season;
D) It is anticipated that traffic will need to be phased with one-way traffic alternated during the day, and two-way traffic opened at night; and
E) The road cannot be closed.
ALTERNATIVES
Should the Board choose not to authorize the CDA Director to sign the Agreement, Transportation will not be able to continue with the Project and accept the FLAP grant funds.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel has approved this Agreement.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
The Chief Administrative Office concurs with staff's recommendations.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The Board of Supervisors approved the $9,667,500 Project budget within the 2016 Interim Capital Improvement Program update on June 7, 2016 (Item 39). The Project budget will include $1,367,246 for PE, CN, and CN; $10,000 for Project Scoping; and $70,000 for staff oversight, for a total County contribution of $1,447,246. The $8,220,254 in federal grant funds will be matched by $1,447,246 in local Sacramento Municipal Utility District funds.
Recommended action item 3 is included to specifically authorize and account for the use of a portion of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) funds as grant match for this project. Currently, adequate SMUD funding is available for the grant match portion of the proposed project; however, this available funding is identified as “undesignated” in the accounting structure. By designating appropriate funds in the SMUD account for this project, these funds will be set aside for the future year grant match requirement. If approved, this revision will be made through the Fiscal Year 2016-17 Budget Addenda process.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
TRANSPORTATION FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) CDA Director, or designee, will sign two (2) originals of the Agreement.
2) Transportation will forward two (2) partially executed originals of the Agreement to CFLHD.
3) Upon receipt, Transportation will forward one (1) fully executed original to the Clerk of the Board for its files.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure
CONTACT
Matthew Smeltzer, Deputy Director, Engineering
Community Development Agency, Transportation Division