Title
Transportation Department recommending the following pertaining to the US Highway 50/Missouri Flat Road Interchange Phase 1A Project 71317:
(1) Set the Caltrans approved El Dorado County Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Availability Advisory percentage at 3% for this project;
(2) Approve the Plans and Contract Documents subject to modifications approved by County Counsel and Risk Management and authorize Chairman to sign the plans;
(3) Authorize the Director of Transportation or the Right of Way Program Manager to execute, on behalf of the County, all right-of-way certifications required by the State of California, Department of Transportation and the Federal government as necessary for the project;
(4) Authorize advertisement for construction bids upon concurrence by Caltrans;
(5) Authorize the utilization of County owned property in the project area for temporary contractor staging, materials storage and field offices to facilitate construction of the project; and
(6) Authorize the Director of Transportation to approve temporary road closures and detours to accommodate construction staging.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve.
FUNDING: Traffic Impact Mitigation Program Fees, MC&FP Funds, and EID Funds
Body
BUDGET SUMMARY: |
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Total Estimated Cost |
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$28,990,000 |
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|
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Funding |
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Budgeted |
$ 4,600,000 |
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New Funding |
$ |
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Savings |
$ |
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* Other |
$ 24,390,000 |
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Total Funding Available |
$ 28,990,000 |
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Change To Net County Cost |
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$0 |
* To be appropriated in the 07/08 and 08/09 budgets.
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost:
The cost associated for the construction phase of this project is estimated at $28,990,000 which includes the following estimates: bid price of $20,460,000, supplemental items at $865,000, County furnished materials at $265,000, work by PG&E to be paid for by the County at $1,200,000, construction management, survey and materials testing at $3,900,000 and a contingency budget of $2,300,000. The contract also includes both liquidated damage and incentive provisions. The incentive provisions total $99,000 which would be paid out of the contingency budget should the contractor qualify for payment.
Funding for this project is initially through Traffic Impact Mitigation (TIM) Fees except for costs associated with work being performed under the County's construction contract for El Dorado Irrigation District (EID). Under the terms of a previously approved agreement with that agency, EID will fund the cost of those improvements, estimated at $1,000,000.
The TIM fees being used for this Phase 1A project are part of an overall funding plan that will fund transportation improvements in the Missouri Flat area including the Phase1B interchange project. This funding plan, the Missouri Flat Master Circulation and Funding Plan (MC&FP) includes a combination of TIM fees, sales and property taxes from new commercial development in the MC&FP area, and transportation improvement grant funds. The attached Capital Improvement Program (CIP) summary sheets provide a breakdown of the planned funding for both the 1A and 1B projects.
As authorized in the MC&FP, the TIM program has been used to fund early program costs, to be paid back, with interest, from the new sales and property taxes which are planned to be capitalized through the sale of bonds. The anticipated early program costs, or loan amounts, for the subject project are shown as an "Advance" on the CIP summary sheet. Since TIM funds continue to be available for project needs without affecting the delivery of other TIM program projects through the 07/08 fiscal year, and the available bond funding is a small portion of the project costs, incurring the costs associated with bond financing has not yet been necessary. As additional large projects advance through the delivery process and approach construction, the added bond revenue will be needed to reimburse the advances, allowing funds to be available in the CIP toward other projects. Alternatively, sale of the bonds could be advanced for early stages of the project. Over the next several months, Department staff will need to seek the advice and assistance of the Bond Screening Committee to determine the most advantageous time to sell bonds and subsequently advance that effort.
In addition, $11,160,000 in federal Regional Improvement Program (RIP) grant funds have been programmed by the California Transportation Commission (CTC) toward the Phase 1A project. The funds however are not available in this fiscal year so the County has entered into an AB 3090 reimbursement agreement with the CTC and Caltrans allowing the County to advance the Phase 1A portion of the US Highway 50 / Missouri Flat Road Interchange project utilizing local funding sources, to be replaced by funding in a like amount on the Phase 1B project.
There is no cost to the County General Fund associated with this agenda item.
Reason for Recommendation:
Background
The US Highway 50 / Missouri Flat Road Interchange, adjoining roadways and commercial areas currently experience significant traffic congestion and deficient levels of service. The proposed Project will relieve existing congestion, add capacity, and provide safety improvements to the Interchange and adjacent roadways. The Project is included in the Department's Five-Year Capital Improvement Program and is being performed under multiple agreements between El Dorado County and Caltrans, the CTC, adjacent property owners and various utility companies.
The US Highway 50 / Missouri Flat Road Interchange will be constructed in two phases, Phase 1A and Phase 1B. This Project (Phase 1A) will include the following:
1. Construction of a new Missouri Flat Road Overcrossing of US Highway 50
2. Widen Missouri Flat Road (150m south of Perks Court to 100m north of Plaza Drive)
3. Improvements to adjoining roadways and commercial access
4. Improvements to the US Highway 50 ramps
5. Associated utility and facility improvements
A subsequent project (Phase 1B) will make additional improvements to the interchange ramps, widening and seismic retrofitting of the US Highway 50 / Weber Creek bridges, add auxiliary lanes to US Highway 50 between Missouri Flat Road and the Placerville Drive/Forni Road interchanges, and associated improvements.
The Project has Environmental Review approval. The NEPA process was approved by a Finding Of No Significant Impact (FONSI) issued by FHWA on September 4, 2004. The CEQA process was approved by the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors certification of the project EIR on August 31, 2004.
The Phase 1A project required the acquisition of right-of-way from seventeen (17) parcels. The acquisition work necessary to allow the project to advance to construction has been completed. Additional right-of-way will be required for Phase 1B and subsequent acquisitions will be presented to the Board for consideration at a later date.
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Availability Advisory Percentage
When federal highway funds are used on a project, the County must set a DBE availability advisory percentage for the project. Although no federal funds are currently programmed for Phase 1A, staff would like to maintain flexibility on the project to utilize them should they become available. As such, it is recommended that the availability advisory percentage be set at 3% for this project.
Approval of Plans and Contract Documents
The project plans and contract documents have been completed and are under final review by Caltrans. It is anticipated their final review and issuance of an Encroachment Permit will be forthcoming, allowing advertising of the project in early March. Since those documents are not in hand, and may require some modification, it is requested the Board approve the plans and contract documents subject to modifications approved by County Counsel.
Due to the size of the documents they are not included as attachments but have been provided to the Board Clerk for public viewing and review by the Board.
As part of the Caltrans permitting process, the County must certify the land rights necessary to construct the project have been acquired. Those land rights have been acquired for the subject project and a certification has been prepared for approval by Caltrans. Caltrans requests Board authorization for execution of that certification.
Construction Staging / Materials Storage / Field Offices
Typically contract documents will include a provision for the contractor to set up field offices for both contractor and county construction management personnel and an area for construction staging and materials storage. As part of the overall interchange project the County acquired properties along Perk's Court. The contract provisions allow for the contractor to use the most westerly County owned property for a contractor's yard and to maintain access to the two remaining County owned properties at the east end of Perk's Court. The County's construction management team will utilize one of these properties as a field office.
Minimizing Construction Impacts & Public Outreach Efforts.
Maintaining traffic and business access during the construction of this project necessitated careful consideration to the staging of construction. The Department and project design team implemented extensive review and design procedures to address construction related traffic issues. Included as Attachment 3 is a summary of the steps taken and measures included in the contract documents to reduce impacts during construction. Included are such items as detailed staging plans, temporary traffic improvements, restricted work hours and the requirement for night work, liquidated damage provisions for work not completed on time, and incentive clauses for early completion.
Despite these extensive efforts, this project will create extensive and unavoidable construction related traffic congestion. During construction the travel lanes, intersection configurations, turning movements, access locations, signal timing and overall traffic coordination will restrict the areas' traffic capacity beyond its existing condition. The project will include temporary lane and ramp closures, detours of US Highway 50, and short duration closures of Missouri Flat Road during critical elements of work. Travelers will be provided with available detours during such time and access will be maintained to businesses at all times; however, the construction of this project will substantially impact traffic, both at the Missouri Flat Interchange and in the surrounding areas.
The Department's public outreach plan will provide the traveling public, business and property owners, and emergency service providers with information regarding the status of construction, upcoming traffic modifications and alternative routes. The Outreach plan includes on-site changeable message boards, project newsletter, web-site information and public informational workshops; all intended to lessen the impacts of the project construction.
It is anticipated the project will take eighteen to twenty-four months to complete, dependent on weather conditions and other impacts.
The completion of this project will provide for substantially improved traffic and safety conditions allowing for planned growth and economic development. The Department is both eager and excited to bring this project forward to the citizens of El Dorado County.
Action to be taken following Board approval:
1. Upon approval of final contract documents by County Counsel and Risk Management, the Department will present the plans to the Board Chairman for signature.
2. Upon concurrence by Caltrans, the Department will advertise for construction bids and return to the Board for consideration to award the construction contract.
3. Subsequent to approval of this agenda item, and successful award of the contract, the Department anticipates construction beginning in May 2007.
Contact:
Elizabeth B. Diamond, Deputy Director, West Slope Engineering & Project Delivery, ext. 5982