Title
Department of Transportation recommending the Board consider the following for the Industrial Drive/Missouri Flat Road Signalization Project, CIP 73366/36105053:
1) Authorize Department of Transportation staff to continue with the interim phase, final design, and construction for the project; and
2) Delegate to the Director of Transportation the ability to:
a) Approve and adopt the Plans and Contract Documents and sign the Plans;
b) Authorize advertisement for construction bids;
c) Award the Construction Contract to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder;
d) Approve and sign the Construction Contract, subject to final review and approval by County Counsel and Risk Management; and
e) Authorize the Director of Transportation to sign an Escrow Agreement, if requested by the Contractor and in accordance with Public Contract Code Section 22300, for the purpose of holding Contract retention funds.
FUNDING: General Fund/Discretionary - Accumulative Capital Outlay (ACO) (36%), Sheriff Discretionary (52%) and Tribe Funds (12%). (Local Funds)
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On March 8, 2016, Legistar 14-0133, Item 27, the Board approved the Public Safety Facility Project (Safety Facility) and associated Environmental Impact Report (2016 EIR), located in the Diamond Springs area, approximately three (3) miles southwest of the City of Placerville. The Safety Facility includes development of a multi-building public facility on approximately 11 acres of the 30.34-acre site for the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department, with a maximum development potential totaling approximately 106,331 square feet.
Construction of the Sheriff's new Safety Facility requires installation of a traffic signal at the Industrial Drive/Missouri Flat Road intersection to accommodate traffic utilizing the facility. The Industrial Drive/Missouri Flat Signalization Project (Project) will install a signal at the intersection of Missouri Flat Road and Industrial Drive, including the installation of a new traffic signal controller and cabinet, detector loops, and widening of both Missouri Flat Road and Industrial Drive to accommodate turn lanes. The construction of this Project is scheduled to take place after Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) relocates conflicting utility poles and lines to a new underground joint utility trench, including AT&T and County conduits. The Project is included in Transportation’s 2018 Capital Improvement Program, which was approved by the Board on June 26, 2018, Legistar 18-0616, Item 61.
The Sheriff's new Safety Facility opened for occupancy in fall 2019. The Transportation Project schedule anticipated starting construction in spring of 2020 and is ready to list for advertisement at this time. The Transportation Project is being delayed due to PG&E’s inability to meet previously agreed construction schedules for utility relocation because of other work priorities.
The Sheriff’s Department and Transportation recognize that traffic improvements should not be delayed due to the increase in traffic volumes and important emergency response access at this intersection. For this reason, Transportation proposes an interim traffic signal phase at this intersection. This proposed interim traffic signal will include installation of temporary poles, suspension cables, and traffic signals that can be installed with the existing through and left-turn lanes and the utilities in place. This interim phase will provide temporary traffic circulation improvements until the final phase of the Project can be constructed and is designed to be compatible with the future phase of the Project. To minimize Project budget impacts, the design is kept simple with minimal throw away cost and utilizes Transportation’s recycled traffic signal equipment in stock. The small additional cost of $100,000 to add this interim phase of the Project is being covered by the Accumulative Capital Outlay Fund. This new phase and budget adjustment to the Project will be included in the next Transportation CIP update.
The estimated cost of this interim construction phase contract is estimated at $167,400 and is within the Transportation Director’s authority for approval of public works construction contracts. Should the construction bids come in higher than the estimate, but within the Project budget, Transportation requests authority be given to the Director of Transportation to award the Construction Contract to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder and construct the Project. Transportation anticipates advertising for construction bids this winter and installing the temporary traffic signals in spring 2020.
ALTERNATIVES
1) The Board could choose to direct staff to not proceed with this interim phase of temporary signals, leave the intersection un-signalized, and only construct the final phase of the Project after PG&E utility relocation, which is anticipated to be complete in 2021 or later.
2) The Board could choose not to approve the interim temporary traffic signal and propose an alternate traffic and safety remediation.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
See Discussion / Background section.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and Risk Management will review and approve the construction bid package prior to advertisement, as well as the Construction Contract prior to award to the Contractor.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item will not result in any change to net County cost. The Project is included in Transportation’s 2018 Capital Improvement Program, which was approved by the Board on June 26, 2018, Legistar 18-0616, Item 61, and is included in the ACO 2019 revised workplan.
TRANSPORTATION FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Transportation will advertise, award, and construct the interim phase of the Project.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure, Public Safety
CONTACT
Rafael Martinez, Director
Department of Transportation