TITLE
Recommendation to adopt Plans and Specifications No. R-6860 for the Ocean Boulevard Advanced Traffic Control System; award the contract to FlatIron Electric Group, Incorporated, in the amount of $1,680,878, plus a 15 percent contingency of $252,132, for a total not to exceed amount of $1,933,010; and authorize City Manager or designee to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary amendments thereto. (Districts 2,3)
DISCUSSION
The proposed project is for the installation of an Advanced Traffic Control System (ATCS) and associated traffic control modifications on Ocean Boulevard from Alamitos Avenue to Belmont Shore as recommended by the City Traffic Engineer. The project will replace aging traffic signal and communications equipment to enhance traffic flow, reduce vehicle delays, improve intersection safety, strengthen pedestrian connections to the beach, and curtail speeding along the Ocean Boulevard corridor from downtown to Belmont Shore. The project includes the following key elements:
· Installation of three new traffic signals facilitating pedestrian and cyclist access to the beach bike path at Ocean and Orizaba, Ocean and Coronado, and Ocean and Loma.
· Implementation of the City's first pedestrian scramble operation at the intersection of Second Street and Livingston Drive. Pedestrian Scramble, or all-way crosswalks, is an exclusive interval in the traffic signal operation where pedestrians are permitted to walk to and from any corner of an intersection.
· Implementation of adaptive traffic signal control software at eighteen traffic signals so that they can adjust in real-time to changing traffic conditions during periods of high traffic volume, as well as provide traffic calming benefits at night or during periods of low traffic volumes.
· Installation of fiber optic communications, vehicle detection systems, and closed circuit television cameras for remote monitoring and adjustment of traffic signals.
This bid was advertised in the Press Telegram on May 31, 2013, and 1,732 potential bidders specializing in traffic control systems were notified of the bid opportunity. Of those bidders, 50 downloaded the bid via our electronic bid system. The bid document was made available from the Purchasing Division, located on the seventh floor of City Hall, the Division's website at www.longbeach.gov/purchasing <http://www.longbeach.gov/purchasing>, and two sets of bid documents were purchased through the Department of Public Works located on the tenth floor of City Hall. A bid announcement was also included in the Purchasing Division's weekly update of Open Bid Opportunities, which is sent to 30 local, minority and women-owned business groups. Six bids were received on July 3, 2013. Of those six bidders, three were a Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE), two were a Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE), none were certified Small Business Enterprises (SBEs), three were Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) and one was a Long Beach business (Local). Bid documents were also sent to several trade publications and plan rooms catering to these groups within the construction industry. FlatIron Electric Group, Incorporated, of Chino, California, has been determined to be the lowest responsible bidder.
Local Business Outreach
In an effort to align with our outreach goal, Long Beach businesses were encouraged to submit bids for City contracts. The Purchasing Division also assisted businesses with registering on the Bids Online database to download the bid specifications. Through outreach, 182 Long Beach vendors were notified to submit bids, of which one downloaded and one submitted a bid. The Purchasing Division is committed to continuing to perform outreach to local vendors to expand the bidder pool.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Linda Vu on August 15, 2013, and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on August 15, 2013.
SUSTAINABILITY
The proposed project is anticipated to reduce vehicle delays by 10 percent. Approximately 36,000 vehicles travel through the Ocean Boulevard corridor every day with an average travel time of twenty minutes. Assuming a 10 percent reduction in travel time, the new traffic control system is projected to save 1,200 hours of engine operations and associated pollution daily. Additionally, the three new traffic signals will improve access to transit services and the beach bike and walking paths, thus facilitating and encouraging residents to leave their cars at home and live a more active lifestyle.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action to adopt plans and specifications on R-6860 and award a contract concurrently is requested on September 10, 2013, to authorize commencement of this Public Works project and ensure that the contract is in place expeditiously. Construction is projected to begin in November of this year and is expected to take approximately four months to complete.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total recommended contract amount of $1,933,010 is currently budgeted in the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Public Works Department (PW), and is funded by $1,159,806 in grant funds from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and a required City match of $773,204 from Transportation Improvement Fees. There will be no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
[Enter Body Here]
Respectfully Submitted,
ARA MALOYAN, PE
ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
JOHN GROSS
DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER