Title
Transportation Department recommending the Board take the following actions regarding the Sawmill 1B Bike Path Project (95148):
(1) Approve the Plans and Contract Documents and authorize the Chairman to sign the Plans, upon approval by County Counsel;
(2) Authorize advertisement for construction bids; and,
(3) Authorize the Director of Transportation to sign an Escrow Agreement, if needed.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve.
FUNDING: California Tahoe Conservancy Grant Funds and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Air Quality Mitigation Funds.
Body
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BUDGET SUMMARY: |
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Total Estimated Cost |
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$2,389,385 |
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Funding |
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Budgeted* |
$2,389,385 |
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New Funding |
$ |
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Savings |
$ |
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Other |
$ |
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Total Funding Available |
$2,389,385 |
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Change To Net County Cost |
-0- |
$0 |
*This amount represents the construction, construction contingency, and construction engineering and administration costs for this project and is included in the adopted 2008 Five-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Subsequent to the preparation of the 2008 Five-Year CIP late last fall, the Engineer’s Estimate increased due to higher bridge and retaining wall costs. There are sufficient funds budgeted in the overall 2008 Five-Year CIP to cover the $114,385 increase.
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost:
There is no Fiscal Impact associated with this agenda item as the Board will not be obligating the County with the current requested action. The obligation will come with the subsequent action of awarding the bid. There is no Net County Cost. Funding for the Sawmill 1B Bike Path Project (Project) will be provided by the California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA).
Funding for the maintenance of the Sawmill 1B Bike Path will be provided through Measures S funds, which are administered by a Community Facilities District Joint Powers Authority that consists of the County, the City of South Lake Tahoe, and the Tahoe Paradise Association. Voters approved Measure S on September 19, 2000 by 69% and $6.5 million in Bond funds are now available to be utilized to maintain new bike trails, acquire, construct, and equip athletic fields, upgrade the Paradise Park facilities, and construct an ice rink.
Background:
On May 22, 2007, the Board approved the award and construction of the Sawmill 1A Bike Path, which was constructed from Santa Fe Road to the entrance of the Lake Tahoe Golf Course in Meyers. The Sawmill 1B Bike Path is the second phase of the Sawmill Bike Path, which upon completion will complete the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) Project # 736.
Reason for Recommendation:
The Project area is located in eastern El Dorado County, in the Tahoe Basin, along the US Highway 50 corridor near the town of Meyers. The Project alignment of the bike path runs along the west side of US Highway 50 from the entrance of the Lake Tahoe Golf Course to Sawmill Road (see attached Project Location Map).
The Project improvements consist of constructing a Class I bike path, bicycle/pedestrian bridge over the Upper Truckee River, sediment traps, rock bowls, culverts, mulch, revegetation, grass-lined channels, and rock-lined channels, retaining wall, rock slope protection, and crossing treatments. A majority of the work will be performed within the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) State Highway 89/US Highway 50 Right-of-Way, with additional work performed within a CTC parcel and within the boundary of a California State Park. No private acquisitions were necessary for this phase of the Project; however, the County is in the process of obtaining Caltrans Right-of-Way through the Caltrans Right-of-Way relinquishment process related to the area where the bridge and retaining wall are proposed to be constructed.
1) Approve the Plans and Contract Documents; Authorize the Board Chairman to Sign the Plans:
In order to complete the construction of the Project during this construction season, the Transportation Department (Department) requests the Board approve the Plans and Contract Documents and authorize the Chairman to sign the Plans. The Plans, Contract Documents, and Plan Cover Sheet for the Board Chairman’s signature are filed with the Board Clerk.
2) Authorize Advertisement for Construction Bids:
At the May 21, 1996 Board meeting, the Board authorized the Department to advertise for erosion control construction bids with bid openings at the Department's Tahoe Engineering Division (TED) office until such time as the Board rescinds said authorization.
While the primary objective of this Project is to provide recreational access and improve air quality, the Project is a Lake Tahoe EIP project and is consistent with the County's objectives related to improving and restoring the Lake Tahoe environment. Therefore, the Department is seeking the Board's permission to advertise for Project construction bids with the bids to be opened at the TED office at 924B Emerald Bay Road in South Lake Tahoe on Friday, June 27, 2008.
The Department will proceed with the bid process and return to the Board for consideration to award the construction contract, pursuant to the Department’s recommendation. The Department anticipates scheduling the construction contract award for the July 1, 2008 Board meeting.
3) Authorize the Director of Transportation to Sign an Escrow Agreement:
Pursuant to Special Provisions Section 5-1.15, "Payments," of the Contract Documents and the State of California Standard Specifications Section 9-1.06, "Partial Payments," the County shall retain 10 percent of the value of work done from each Contractor payment as security for the fulfillment of the contract. Alternatively, pursuant to the State of California Standard Specifications Section 9-1.065, "Payments of Withheld Funds," and pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 22300, the Contractor may request that payment of retentions earned be made directly to an Escrow Agent. The Contractor shall receive the interest earned on the investment.
In accordance with these provisions, the Contractor may request in writing that the County make payment of retention funds directly into an escrow account, which would necessitate an Escrow Agreement. To help expedite this process if requested by the Contractor, the Department requests that the Board authorize the Director of Transportation to execute the Escrow Agreement. Upon satisfactory completion of the contract and upon written notification from the Director of Transportation, the Contractor shall receive from the Escrow Agent all retention paid into the account and any interest earned thereon.
Action to be taken following Board approval:
1) The Board Clerk will obtain the Chairman's signature on the Plans, upon approval by County Counsel and return them to the Department.
2) Upon approval, the Department will advertise for construction bids and open bids on June 27, 2008 at the TED office at 924B Emerald Bay Road in South Lake Tahoe.
3) The Department will forward a recommendation of award for the Board's consideration under a separate agenda item, anticipated for the July 1, 2008 Board meeting.
4) Upon approval of the recommendation, the Director of Transportation will sign the Escrow Agreement, if needed. The Department will make retention payments to the Escrow Agent. After satisfactory completion of the contract, the Director of Transportation will make written notification to the Escrow Agent. All retention paid into and interest earned in the escrow account will be released to the Contractor.
Contact:
Richard W. Shepard, P.E.
Director of Transportation
Concurrences: Approved by County Counsel