May 4, 2004
SUBJECT: Award of Contract for Engineering Services to Study the Feasibility of a Bicycle/Pedestrian Undercrossing of the Caltrain Railroad Tracks at Bernardo Avenue (F0308-03)
REPORT IN BRIEF
Approval is requested for the award of a contract to HNTB Corporation of San Jose to provide an engineering analysis and feasibility study for the Bernardo Avenue Undercrossing Project (Phase I) for the Department of Public Works Engineering Division Project Administration Section (Project No. ST-00/08-04).
BACKGROUND
The Bernardo Avenue Undercrossing Project will construct an underpass of the Caltrain tracks to permit unconstrained north/south bicycle and pedestrian travel along Bernardo Avenue. The total cost for this project has been estimated at $1,300,000. The City is required to make a 20 percent local contribution for a total of $260,000.
On November 12, 2002, Council approved Budget Modification No. 9 (RTC 02-436) to appropriate $110,000 to meet the first part of the City's 20 percent contribution requirement (Capital Project 823910). The remaining $150,000 of the City's contribution is included in the FY 2003/2004 project budget proposal (Capital Project 823911). The outstanding 80 percent needed to complete the project will be allocated by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) from the Bicycle Expenditure Program when the list of Tier 1 projects is updated again in September 2004. The requested contract with HNTB Corporation will provide a preliminary design which will bring the project to a state of construction readiness per VTA requirements.
The complete project consists of two phases: Phase I - Tunnel Alternatives and Type Selection and Phase II - Preliminary Engineering. Phase I includes surveying and mapping, geotechnical considerations, portal locations, impact to surrounding utilities, reconfiguration of impacted streets and potential cost analysis.
Provided that the project is determined to be feasible at the completion of Phase I, Phase II will include the preparation of preliminary plans and sections of the tunnel and ramps and architectural and structural design; the preparation of layout plans for lighting, traffic signals and signing, striping for involved streets, landscaping and mechanical necessary for handling stormwater in the depressed tunnel section, initial environmental studies, a refined construction cost estimate, outline of construction specifications, reviews by City staff, and a Preliminary Engineering Report.
DISCUSSION
Request for Proposals No. F0308-03 for engineering analysis and a feasibility study of the Bernardo Avenue Undercrossing Project was developed by Public Works and Purchasing staff and was directly mailed to twenty-one Bay Area engineering firms.
Proposals were received from four San Jose firms: HNTB Corporation, Nolte Associates, Inc., W. Koo & Associates, Inc., and BKF Engineers, Surveyors and Planners.
Proposals were reviewed by a panel of City staff members; and each proposal was evaluated, based upon the following criteria:
- Proposer's knowledge of railroads, arterial streets and expressways, traffic engineering and structures pertaining to undercrossings.
- The proposed project team's structural engineering experience, experience preparing construction documents for improvements on an operating railroad and experience with the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board.
- Proposer's understanding of the project and the completeness of its scope of services to cover all aspects of preliminary design and feasibility analysis, including environmental and technical specifications.
- Background and experience of the proposed Project Manager and key technical staff.
The firm of HNTB was determined to have the best qualifications to do the engineering analysis and feasibility study. HNTB has offices in San Jose; and the HNTB approach includes technical support from other San Jose area firms, including David J. Powers & Associates for environmental evaluation, Parikh Consultants, Inc., for geotechnical analysis, Fehr & Peers Associates, Inc., for traffic engineering and Rail Surveyors & Engineers, Inc., for land surveying.
HNTB's project experience includes the Caltrain Pedestrian Underpass at Sunnyvale/Lawrence Station, the Willow-Cambridge Bike/Pedestrian Undercrossing in Menlo Park, the BART and UPRR Pedestrian Underpass in Union City as well as other similar projects in northern and southern California. HNTB has considerable experience in working within the railroad right of way for the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain) and Amtrak.
California law requires that selection by a local public agency of private architectural and engineering services shall be on the basis of demonstrated competence and professional qualifications and that agencies shall not request a cost proposal until after the final rank has been determined. For that reason, only HNTB Corporation was asked to submit a final cost proposal.
The requested contract includes only Phase I of the project. If no design is determined to be feasible, Phase II will be canceled. Otherwise, a recommendation for award of contract for Phase II will be presented to Council at a later date. The cost of Phase II is estimated at $120,000.
FISCAL IMPACT
Phase I project costs will be as follows:
Engineering Analysis/Feasibility Study - Project Phase I $79,250
Optional services, as authorized by the Director of Public Works, not to exceed $ 8,000
Total cost $87,250
Funds for this project are available in Capital Project 823910 - Bernardo Avenue Caltrain Undercrossing.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that Council award a contract, in substantially the same form as the attached draft and in an amount not to exceed $87,250 to HNTB Corporation for engineering analysis and a feasibility study for Phase I of the Bernardo Avenue Undercrossing Project.
Prepared by:
Elaine Wesely
Purchasing Officer
Reviewed by:
Jack Witthaus
Transportation and Traffic Manager
Reviewed by:
Mary Bradley
Director, Finance
Reviewed by:
Marvin Rose
Director, Public Works
Approved by:
Amy Chan
City Manager
Attachment
1. Draft Consultant Services Agreement (pdf format)