TITLE
Recommendation to adopt Plans and Specifications No. R-7064 for the Willow Street Pedestrian Improvements Project; award a contract to Sully-Miller Contracting Company, of Brea, CA, in the amount of $2,614,750, authorize a 10 percent contingency in the amount of $261,475, for a total contract amount not to exceed $2,876,225; authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary amendments;
Increase appropriations in the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Public Works Department (PW) by $2,180,000, offset by grant revenue;
Increase appropriations in the Transportation Fund (SR 182) in the Public Works Department (PW) by $210,000, offset by funds available; and
Accept Categorical Exemption No. CE-52-10. (Districts 6,7)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into a contract with Sully-Miller Contracting Company, for the construction of the Willow Street Pedestrian Improvements Project (Project).
On January 16, 2007, the City Council authorized staff to apply for grant funding for the Project under the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (Metro) 2007 Call for Projects. A grant for the Project, in the amount of $2,180,000, was subsequently approved by the Metro Board of Directors on September 27, 2007. On January 25, 2010, the Metro Board of Directors executed the Funding Agreement for the Project.
The Project provides pedestrian-oriented improvements to Willow Street including lighting, median and parkway landscaping, signage, bus stops, and crosswalk treatments. The total Project length is approximately 1.1 miles along Willow Street from Golden Avenue to Atlantic Avenue. Median landscape improvements include new trees, drought-resistant planting, water conservation irrigation, color concrete, decorative tile, and a sign. Sidewalk improvements include concrete sidewalks, color concrete, street trees, planter cutouts, newspaper racks, and painted traffic/utility boxes. In addition to the grant-funded Project, traffic calming measures, including bulbouts at two intersections, will be implemented to encourage safer, more responsible driving and slowdown traffic flow, thus improving safety for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.
The bid was advertised in the Long Beach Press-Telegram on July 14, 2017, and 4,471 potential bidders specializing in construction services were notified of the bid opportunity. Of those bidders, 85 downloaded the bid via the City’s electronic bid system. The bid document was made available from the Purchasing Division, located on the seventh floor of City Hall, and the Division’s website at www.longbeach.gov/purchasing. A bid announcement was also included in the Purchasing Division’s weekly update of Open Bid Opportunities, which is sent to 22 local, minority and women-owned business groups. Three bids were received on August 16, 2017. Of those three bidders, none were Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women-owned Business Enterprises (WBEs), or Small Business Enterprises (SBEs), and one was a Long Beach business (Local). Sully-Miller Contracting Company, of Brea, CA, was the lowest responsible and responsive bidder.
Local Business Outreach
In an effort to align with the City’s outreach goal, Long Beach businesses are encouraged to submit bids for City contracts. The Purchasing Division also assists businesses with registering on the PlanetBids database to download the bid specifications. Through outreach, 400 Long Beach vendors were notified to submit bids, of which six downloaded and one submitted a bid. The Purchasing Division is committed to continuing to perform outreach to local vendors to expand the bidder pool.
SUSTAINABILITY
The proposed improvements would make Willow Street more accessible to pedestrians and the surrounding neighborhood residents, thus resulting in less vehicle usage and a reduction of air pollution harmful to the environment per the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program evaluation.
In conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Categorical Exemption No. CE-52-10 was issued for this Project (Exhibit A).
COMPLETE STREETS ASSESSMENT
Pursuant to Assembly Bill 1358 (the California Complete Streets Act), and as a part of the implementation of the Mobility Element of the Long Beach General Plan, the City’s practice is to conduct a complete streets assessment for all roadway construction projects. The Project consists of mainly commercial land uses and sidewalks on both sides with ten bus stops. The proposed traffic calming measures will reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety in the corridor, which would benefit motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy R. Webber on October 6, 2017 and by Budget Analysis Officer Julissa Jose-Murray on October 23 2017.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action to adopt Plans and Specifications No. R-7064 and award a contract concurrently is requested on November 14, 2017, to ensure the contract is in place expeditiously.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total cost of the Project is estimated to be $3,884,086, which includes the contract award amount of $2,876,225, including contingency, and the cost for design, construction management, labor compliance, and project oversight. The total Project cost is supported by $2,180,000 from Metro’s Call for Projects grant; $579,997 from General Capital; $350,000 from Proposition C; $660,000 from Proposition A; and, $114,089 from Measure R. The Metro grant requires a local match of $459,866, which is already budgeted in the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Public Works Department (PW).
Of the total Project cost, $1,494,086 is already budgeted; $914,089 in the Transportation Fund (SR 182) and $579,997 in the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Public Works Department (PW). To implement the Project, an appropriation increase is requested in the amount of $2,180,000 in the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Public Works Department (PW), offset by grant revenue. An appropriation increase is also requested in the amount of $210,000 in the Transportation Fund (SR 182) in the Public Works Department (PW), offset by funds available.
The Parks, Recreation and Marine Department (PR) will be responsible for ongoing maintenance. The estimated annual maintenance cost for the Project is $33,200, and includes irrigation management, plant care and replacement, and weed abatement; seasonal storm and debris clean-up; periodic repair from vehicles and pedestrians; and, necessary water. The management and oversight of the maintenance of these landscaped areas is not a budgeted expense and will ultimately require the addition of staff as the current staffing levels in PR are not sufficient to properly manage these new maintenance areas. Funding for these costs have not been identified, and will be requested as part of the FY 19 budget process. Approval of this recommendation will provide continued support to our local economy. The number of additional local jobs created by the Project will not be known until the contractor completes their hiring and construction has commenced.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
CRAIG A. BECK
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
MARIE KNIGHT
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER