Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute all Necessary Documents with the California Department of Transportation to Accept $375,000 in State Funding to Design the Lincoln Avenue/Marshall Way/Pacific Avenue Corridor Improvement Project Stormwater Improvements; and Authorize the City Manager to Execute a First Amendment with Parametrix, Inc. in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $627,000, Including Contingencies, to Provide Additional Technical Services Related to the Lincoln Avenue/Marshall Way/Pacific Avenue Corridor Improvement Project; and
Adoption of Resolution Amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Grants Fund (Fund 222) Budget Appropriation By $375,000 to Transfer Those Funds to the Capital Improvement Budget (Fund 310) for Capital Project C65700 (Lincoln Avenue/Marshall Way/Pacific Avenue Corridor Improvement Project).
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), on April 18, 2023, City Council determined this project was categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c) Existing Facilities (Minor alterations to existing facilities including bicycle facilities) and Section 15304(h) (Minor Alterations to Land and the creation of bicycle lanes on existing public rights of way). None of the events triggering supplemental review under Public Resources Code section 21166 apply. (Transportation 20962743)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda (City) has identified the Lincoln Avenue/Marshall Way/Pacific Avenue (Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific) corridor between Alameda Point at Main Street/Central Avenue/Pacific Avenue and Broadway in the east end of town as a high priority for safety and mobility improvements. Staff recommends that the City Council advance the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Safety Improvement Project by:
• Authorizing the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to accept $375,000 in State funding to design the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Improvement Project stormwater improvements; and
• Authorizing the City Manager to execute a First Amendment with Parametrix, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $627,000, including contingencies, to provide additional technical services related to the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Improvement Project; and
• Adopt a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Grants Fund (Fund 222) budget to appropriate these funds for use on the project.
BACKGROUND
The Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific corridor is over three miles long, serves multiple destinations including schools, bus stops, commercial districts and parks, and is a Tier 1 high-injury corridor in some street sections. The Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Improvement Project goals include improving safety, mobility and pavement while reducing flooding and greenhouse gas emissions. In April 2023, City Council endorsed the design concept, which includes a road diet, a roundabout at Lincoln Avenue/Fifth Street/Marshall Way, pedestrian/bicycle signals, modernized traffic signals, crosswalk improvements, school frontage improvements, stormwater gardens and best practices, street trees, disabled parking, loading zones, improved lighting and bus stop enhancements. Immediate action is occurring on Lincoln Avenue at Walnut Street with the installation of flashing beacons and increased intersection visibility (Exhibit 1). City staff is working with Parametrix, Inc. - formerly Parisi Transportation Consulting - to develop the design for the corridor. In April 2023, City Council authorized a Parametrix consultant agreement for the design work up to 65 percent design, which does not include stormwater improvements. The Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Improvement Project is the result of a multi-year collaborative effort directed by City Council as shown on the project webpage: www.alamedaca.gov/LincolnMarshallPacific <http://www.alamedaca.gov/LincolnMarshallPacific>
To construct the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Improvement Project, it is estimated to cost approximately $20 million to construct, which is an order-of-magnitude planning cost estimate. Due to the size of the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific project, the City is seeking outside funding sources on a continuing basis to fund design and technical work. In June 2023, City staff submitted a Safe Routes for All (SS4A) grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for $20 million including local match, which was unsuccessful. In May 2024, City staff re-submitted the same SS4A grant application after receiving a briefing from USDOT staff who encouraged a re-submittal. City staff expects to hear back from USDOT on the success of the re-submitted SS4A grant application in late 2024.
At this time, staff recommends City Council authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with Caltrans to accept $375,000 in State funding to design stormwater improvements, authorize the City Manager to execute a First Amendment with Parametrix, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $627,000, including contingencies, to provide additional technical services, and adopt a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Grants Fund (Fund 222) budget to appropriate these funds for use on the project.
DISCUSSION
Due to sea level and groundwater rise as well as the increased frequency of atmospheric rivers, the state funds from a state earmark provided by Assemblymember Mia Bonta and managed by Caltrans are recommended to be used to further stormwater best practices including green infrastructure (Exhibit 2). These state funds totaling $750,000 are being split evenly by the Cities of Alameda and Emeryville, which will receive $375,000 each. The Parametrix First Amendment, totaling $627,000, covers three main components (Exhibit 5):
• Stormwater deliverables ($412,291): Alternatives analysis, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, draft 35 percent design plans, quantities, cost estimate and report, preliminary 65 percent design plans, specifications, quantities, cost estimate and design report; and
• Communications conduit design ($50,000): The communications conduit design aligns with the Smart City Master Plan's top recommendation for a redundant communications network/citywide fiber ring, which would interconnect City facilities and infrastructure, supporting various Smart City initiatives; and
• High-priority intersection design ($164,709): 100 percent design completion of high-priority intersections, making them shovel-ready for construction to help secure future grant funding as a first phase of the overall three-mile corridor project.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may consider a range of alternatives:
• Authorize the recommended agreements and budget amendment.
• Authorize the recommended agreements with revisions determined necessary by the City Council and authorize the budget amendment.
• Direct staff to pursue a different approach and return at a future date with revised agreements.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
1. Authorize Acceptance of $375,000 from Caltrans and amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Grants Fund (Fund 222) budget to appropriate these funds for use on the project.
The first component of this agenda item is to request City Council to authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with Caltrans to accept $375,000 in State funding to design the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Improvement Project stormwater improvements (Exhibit 2) and adopt a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Grants Fund (Fund 222) budget for use on Capital Project C65700.
2. Authorize First Amendment with Parametrix
City staff also is recommending City Council authorize a First Amendment with Parametrix, Inc. - formerly Parisi Transportation Consulting, Inc. - to continue design work totaling $627,000 on the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Improvement Project (C65700). In April 2020, City Council approved a contract agreement with Parisi as part of the City’s on-call transportation consultants (Exhibit 3), and the task orders total $357,444 for the concept design work. In April 2023, City Council approved a new agreement, which allows for the design work on the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific project to continue and be under contract with the company under its new name, Parametrix, totaling $1,000,000 (Exhibit 4). The purpose of the First Amendment is to cover the costs of stormwater best practices analysis and design up to 65 percent design drawings for $412,291, communications conduit up to 65 percent design drawings for $50,000 and high-priority intersection design up to 100 percent design drawings for $164,709. The First Amendment amount with these three components totals $627,000, which includes contingencies (Exhibit 5). Table 1 summarizes the Parisi/Parametrix agreement history with a requested authorized amount not-to-exceed $1,984,444.
Table 1: City Council Approved Parisi/Parametrix Agreements
|
Contract |
Approval Date |
Authorized Amount |
Expended as of August 2024 |
|
Original Parisi Contract |
April 21, 2020 |
$357,444 |
$357,444 |
|
Original Parametrix Contract |
April 21, 2023 |
$1,000,000 |
$285,774 |
|
1st Amendment |
Sept 17, 2024 |
$627,000 |
NA |
|
Total |
|
$1,984,444 |
$643,218 |
There is no financial impact to the General Fund for the approval of the Parametrix First Amendment. In June 2021, City Council appropriated $200,000 in Measure BB Local Streets and Roads (LSR) funds as part of the Fiscal Years 2021-23 Capital Improvement Projects Budget. In June 2023, City Council appropriated Development Impact Fee revenues of $500,000, Measure BB LSR funds of $500,000 and Measure BB grant funding of $567,000 as part of the Fiscal Years 2023-25 CIP, for total project appropriation of $1,767,000 for the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Improvement Project. As part of this agenda item, City staff is requesting City Council authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with Caltrans to accept $375,000 in State funding, which will increase the total appropriated funding to $2,142,000 (Table 2). Acceptance of the $375,000 in State funding, adopt a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Grants Fund (Fund 222) budget, and appropriating these monies to Capital Project C65700, Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Improvement Project, will provide sufficient available funds to encumber the First Amendment to the Parametrix agreement. A total of $157,556 in appropriated project funds will remain to cover other project expenses including City staff, outreach, peer review and grant writing.
Table 2: Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Project Budget
|
Funding Source |
Budget |
|
Measure BB LSR (2021) |
$200,000 |
|
Developer Impact Fee (2023) |
$500,000 |
|
Measure BB LSR (2023) |
$500,000 |
|
Measure BB - grant (2023) |
$567,000 |
|
Total Approved to Date |
$1,767,000 |
|
State Earmark (Request) |
$375,000 |
|
New Potential Total Secured |
$2,142,000 |
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Improvement Project is consistent with the General Plan (2021) and makes progress towards meeting the four goals of the Mobility Element, which are equity, safety, choices and sustainability. The project is identified as part of the City’s Active Transportation Plan and listed in the Strategic Plan as project #TIE5. This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
On April 18, 2023, City Council determined the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific project was categorically exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15301(c) Existing Facilities (Minor alterations to existing facilities including bicycle facilities) and Section 15304(h) Minor Alterations to Land and the creation of bicycle lanes on existing public rights-of-way. City Council further found that none of the exceptions to the exemptions apply. None of the events triggering supplemental review under Public Resources Code section 21166 apply.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Since vehicle miles traveled in Alameda is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Alameda, City staff is expecting that the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Improvement Project would have a positive climate impact. The concept is being developed to make it safer and more convenient to bicycle, ride the bus and walk, and to reduce congestion and idling motor vehicles.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with Caltrans to accept $375,000 in State funding to design the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Improvement Project stormwater improvements;
Authorize the City Manager to execute a First Amendment with Parametrix, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $627,000, including contingencies, to provide additional technical services related to the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific Corridor Improvement Project; and
Adopt a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Grants Fund (Fund 222) budget $375,000 to appropriate to Capital Project C65700 (Lincoln Avenue/Marshall Way/Pacific Avenue Corridor Improvement Project).
Respectfully submitted,
Allen Tai, Director of Planning, Building and Transportation
By,
Gail Payne, Project Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Concept Design Vision
2. Funds Transfer Agreement - Caltrans and the City of Alameda
3. Agreement - Parisi
4. Agreement - Parametrix
5. First Amendment - Parametrix