May 9, 2006

SUBJECT:      Award of Contract To Conduct a Before and After Study of City’s Adaptive Traffic Signal System (F0501-42)

REPORT IN BRIEF

Approval is requested for the award of a contract to DKS Associates of Oakland to conduct a before and after study which will quantify the impact of the City’s adaptive traffic signal system on Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road for the Department of Public Works Transportation & Traffic Division.

BACKGROUND

In 2003, the City implemented a Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic Signal (SCATS) system on Mathilda Avenue from El Camino Real to Ahwanee-Almanor.  The SCATS system allows the traffic signals at the system intersections to adapt and vary cycle lengths, based on changing volumes and traffic demands, with the intent of improving traffic flow.  The City received a Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) grant in the amount of $315,000 to expand this system to six additional intersections on Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road from El Camino Real to Alberta-Harwick.  Part of the grant requirements are that a before and after study be completed to reflect the effect of this SCATS system expansion on travel speeds, travel time and vehicle emissions.

DISCUSSION

In January 2006, the City issued Request for Proposals No. F0501-42 to qualified traffic engineering consulting firms to conduct the before and after study.  The project scope included review of existing field conditions, field visits to the project intersections, development of a comprehensive methodology and repeatable procedure to analyze “before” conditions, a review of current system operations during peak hours, traffic counts as appropriate for the project and the preparation of six working papers/reports.

Proposals were received from Kimley-Horn Associates of Rancho Cordova, TJKM Transportation Consultants of Pleasanton, Fehr & Peers Associates of Walnut Creek, T.Y. Lin International of Oakland, and DKS Associates of Oakland.

A team of City employees evaluated and ranked the proposals, based on adherence to the RFP requirements, the depth of the project team’s experience and its relevance to the project, the proposer’s understanding of project requirements and its proposed methodology, management plan and timeline for the project.  The three highest ranking proposers (Kimley-Horn, Fehr & Peers and DKS) were invited to make oral presentations to the City evaluation team.

The evaluation team unanimously recommends the award of a contract to DKS Associates.  Their project staff has substantially more experience and understanding of the SCATS system (including a senior member who helped develop the SCATS system for the City of Sydney, Australia, in the late 1970s), and has recently completed two SCATS before and after studies almost identical in scope to the City of Sunnyvale’s project.

FISCAL IMPACT

Project costs will not exceed $64,945.  Funds are available in Capital Project No. 826060 – Sunnyvale-Saratoga/Mathilda Avenue Adaptive Traffic Signal, funded by $315,000 in TFCA grant monies and $135,000 in Gas Tax funds.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that Council award a contract to DKS Associates, in substantially the same form as the attached draft and in an amount not to exceed $64,945, to perform a before and after study of the effects of a six-intersection expansion of the City’s Adaptive Traffic System.

Prepared by:

Elaine Wesely

Purchasing Officer

Reviewed by:

Mary J. Bradley

Director, Finance

Reviewed by:

Marvin Rose

Director, Public Works

Approved by:

Amy Chan

City Manager

Attachment

A. Draft Consultant Services Agreement (.pdf)