REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Consider Addition of Rail Depression Alternative for Caltrain Grade Separation Feasibility Study and Approve Budget Modification No. 36 in the Amount of $114,451, and Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Contract Amendment with BKF Engineers.
Report
BACKGROUND
On January 31, 2017, Council approved an award of contract in the amount of $663,449 with BKF Engineers for preparation of the Grade Separation Feasibility Study (RTC No. 17-0055). This contract includes $556,357 for basic services, $107,092 for optional video simulation scenarios, and a contingency of $66,345 (10%).
At the Council Joint Study Session with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission held on October 17, 2017, staff presented an update regarding the findings from a preliminary analysis, community feedback received from public meetings, and the results of an online survey. Staff described next steps to move forward with an analysis and refinement of two alternatives at each location: Road Underpass and Road Underpass with Jughandle at Mary Avenue; and Road Underpass Tunnel and Pedestrian/Bicycle Undercrossing at Sunnyvale Avenue, as shown in Attachment 1.
Staff did not recommend the Rail Depression alternatives for further development due to the high estimated cost that makes the project much less competitive for grant funding. This option would also have significant neighborhood impacts related to the construction and operation of a railroad track detour through existing residential areas and traffic impacts associated with the temporary closure of Hendy Avenue and one-lane operation of Evelyn Avenue.
Considering public input, Council requested that the work scope be expanded to advance the Rail Depression alternatives along with the other shortlisted alternatives for Mary Avenue and Sunnyvale Avenue and that staff return with a cost estimate for studying these additional alternatives. Council reasons for requesting that the rail depression option be continued include community support, lower noise impacts, opportunities for creating new open space or developable land, and potential to improve the City’s negotiating position in the capital funding process.
EXISTING POLICY
Consistent with the provision of Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 2.08, contracts for the procurement of services are awarded pursuant to a Request for Proposals (RFP) process, unless otherwise exempt from the competitive bidding. This work is part of an existing contract that was procured through an RFP process.
Pursuant to Sunnyvale Charter Section 1305, at any meeting after the adoption of the budget, the City Council may amend or supplement the budget by motion adopted by affirmative votes of at least four members to authorize the transfer of unused balances appropriated for one purpose to another, or to appropriate available revenue not included in the budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
DISCUSSION
Staff worked with the consultant to prepare a scope of work associated with the Rail Depression alternatives. This scope would expand the feasibility study output from four to six preferred alternatives that are developed to 15% design and analysis.
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Mary Avenue |
Sunnyvale Avenue |
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Alternatives |
• Road Underpass |
• Road Underpass Tunnel |
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Developed Under Existing Scope |
• Road Underpass with Jughandle |
• Pedestrian/Bike Undercrossing |
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Additional Alternatives |
• Rail Depression |
• Rail Depression |
The consultant cost for the additional two alternatives would be $114,501 and would encompass the following tasks:
• Advancing Rail Depression alternatives to a 15% design level including rail, roadway and rail detour alignments, construction staging plans, and right-of-way requirement maps;
• Developing and documenting structural elements associated with 15% design of the Rail Depression alternative at each location;
• Estimating post-construction traffic impacts using advanced modeling; and
• Estimating construction-related traffic impacts of Rail Depression at both locations including driveway movements, detour routing, and peak hour intersection operations.
Should Council choose to move forward with further analysis of the Rail Depression alternatives for both Sunnyvale Avenue and Mary Avenue, a contract amendment (Attachment 2) would be required. Approval would be needed for a budget modification of $114,501, including $103,051 in basic services and $11,450 contingency, to be obtained from Traffic Impact Fees.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budget Modification No. 36 has been prepared to appropriate funding of $114,501 to Caltrain Grade Separation Feasibility Study, funded by Traffic Impact Fees. Amounts listed below reflect unexpended project funds carried over from FY 2016/17.
Budget Modification No. 36
FY 2017/18
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Current |
Increase/ (Decrease) |
Revised |
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Capital Projects Fund/Traffic Impact Fee Sub-Fund |
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|
|
Transfers Out |
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|
|
|
Transfer to the General Fund (Project 832330-Grade Separation Caltrain Crossings at Mary Ave. Study Issue) |
$650,323 |
$114,451 |
$764,774 |
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|
|
|
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Reserves |
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|
|
|
Capital Projects Fund / Traffic Impact Fees Sub-Fund - Capital Reserve |
$19,904,995 |
($114,451) |
$19,790,544 |
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General Fund |
|
|
|
|
Transfers In |
|
|
|
|
Transfer from the Capital Projects Fund/Traffic Impact Fee Sub-Fund (Project 832330-Grade Separation Caltrain Crossings at Mary Ave. Study Issue) |
$650,323 |
$114,451 |
$764,774 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Project 832330-Grade Separation Caltrain Crossings at Mary Ave. Study Issue |
$650,323 |
$114,451 |
$764,774 |
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1) Authorize the City Manager to execute a contract amendment with BKF Engineers to add Rail Depression alternatives to the work scope for further study in substantially the same form as Attachment 2, and approve Budget Modification No. 36 to appropriate $114,451 from the Traffic Impact Fee Fund to further study a Rail Depression alternative for the Sunnyvale and Mary Avenue locations.
This alternative action would keep open two additional design alternatives. The action would allow further consideration of Rail Depression alternatives at an early stage in the project design and analysis process and allow for the impacts of the alternatives to be better understood and communicated to community members and stakeholders. It would ensure that the Rail Depression alternatives are fully vetted along with other shortlisted options. The additional investment is small relative to the total project cost.
2) Do not authorize the City Manager to execute a contract amendment with BKF Engineers to add a Rail Depression alternative to the work scope for further study.
This alternative would exclude the Rail Depression alternatives from further consideration. There are substantial challenges associated with the Rail Depression alternatives including a construction cost several times higher than the other grade separation alternatives and an undetermined source for fully funding the cost of construction. During the life of the construction project, a period of approximately four years, Hendy Avenue between Sunnyvale and Fair Oaks would be closed. Evelyn Avenue between Sunnyvale and Fair Oaks will be reduced to one-lane. The residents adjacent to the railroad track detour will be impacted, additional properties will need to be acquired. Lastly, for many of the reasons described above plus the potential negative impact on train patrons, Caltrain is opposed to the depression of the Caltrain tracks.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 2: Consistent with staff’s previous recommendation, do not authorize the City Manager to execute a contract amendment with BKF Engineers to add a Rail Depression alternatives to the work scope for further study.
Staff
Prepared by: Ria Hutabarat Lo, Transportation and Traffic Manager
Reviewed by: Wayne Tanda, Interim Director of Public Works
Reviewed by: Timothy J. Kirby, Director, Finance
Reviewed by: Terri Silva, Interim Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Alternatives Under Consideration
2. Draft Contract Amendment