To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Julie Lucido, Public Works Director
Prepared By: John Ferons, Senior Civil Engineer
TITLE:
Title
Imola Avenue Gateway Enhancement Project
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Receive a presentation for the Imola Avenue Gateway Enhancement Project (Project), and provide feedback and direction to staff regarding the preferred course of action for the Project. Three alternative courses of action include, but are not limited to:
(1) Adopt a resolution authorizing the Public Works Director to award and execute a construction contract with Bortolussi & Watkin, Inc., for the Imola Avenue Gateway Enhancement Project (MS17PW01) in the bid amount of $778,947.75, authorizing the Public Works Director to approve contract amendments and charges for project services up to a total amount not to exceed $934,000, authorizing a budget appropriation in the amount of $245,000, and determining that the actions authorized by this resolution are exempt from CEQA.
(2) Reject the bids and direct staff to prepare a phased project in which a smaller scope of work would be re-bid that would not need the budget appropriation.
(3) Reject the bids and direct staff to work with the Napa Valley Transportation Authority (NVTA) to explore an approach that would allow these improvements to be incorporated into the scope of work for the NVTA Imola Corridor Complete Streets Improvement Plan which will consider design improvements within the entire right of way of Imola Avenue for its entire length from Foster Road to Skyline Park.
Body
DISCUSSION:
Project Background: On December 1, 2015, City staff presented the City-Wide Arterial/Gateway Enhancement Plan to City Council. This presentation included various considerations and steps needed to revitalize several of the City’s entrance gateways and corridors. Discussion items included prioritization of locations in need of enhancement as well as the desire for a consistent plant theme relevant to the City of Napa. As part of this City-Wide Arterial/Gateway Enhancement Plan, Imola Avenue from State Route 29 to South Coombs (Project) was designated as high priority.
On November 7, 2017, City staff presented conceptual plans for the Project to City Council. The objective of the presentation was to develop a consistent planting theme to serve as a guiding document for the Project and any subsequent gateway and corridor projects. Three planting themes were presented and discussed - a “Native California Plant Theme”, a “Formal Plant Theme”, and a “Rock Mulch Theme”.
Council discussions on the planting themes included cost, durability, maintainability, and aesthetics. Council directed that the final planting theme be a version of the “Formal Planting Theme” with more native plants and a wider color palette. This final planting theme is now the baseline for future gateways and corridors; and as desired, City staff can seek City Council input for modifications or additions at varying locations.
The final planting theme was used to develop construction documents for the Imola Gateway Project. The Project scope of work generally consists of applying median landscaping treatment to three median islands and two on/off ramp splitter islands. The work will include demolition, soil excavation, soil backfill, installation of a new irrigation system, hardscape installation, and landscape plantings.
Due to the location of the Project, installation of signal interconnect facilities between three existing signals along Imola Avenue (Imola Avenue/South Coombs, Imola Avenue/Jefferson Street, and Imola Avenue/SR29 on/off ramps) were considered. Installation of signal interconnect facilities is beneficial to the City as it is in the City’s best interest to provide infrastructure for a future hard-wire connection between the intersections. This future hard-wire connection would allow City staff to closely control and monitor the signal operations of all three intersections.
Due to the difference in scope between the planned landscaping scope of work and the signal interconnect scope of work, City staff decided to advertise the Project such that the signal interconnect work was an “Add Alternate” to the bid. Meaning, depending on the bid amounts received, the City could choose to either elect to complete the “Add Alternate” work or not. Due to higher bid prices received, the signal interconnect work will not be pursued.
The engineer’s estimate of probable construction cost for the Project was $563,000 for the Project’s Base Bid and $30,000 for the Project’s Add Alternate Bid. Determination of the lowest and best bid was based strictly on the total Base Bid.
Staff publicly bid the Project in May, and on May 29, 2019, three (3) formal bids for construction were received. The bids were as follows:
|
Bidder |
Base Bid |
Add Alternate |
Location of Bidder |
|
Bortolussi & Watkin, Inc.* |
$778,947.75 |
$63,402.90 |
San Rafael, CA |
|
Marina Landscape, Inc. |
$881,209.00 |
$63,073.00 |
Orange, CA |
|
Wabo Landscape and |
$902,436.00 |
$58,573.00 |
Hercules, CA |
|
Construction, Inc. |
|
|
|
*Apparent Lowest and Best Bid
Differences in the engineer’s estimate and the received bids are attributed to higher mobilization costs, which are due to the entire work zone being within the State of California (Caltrans) right-of-way. The Contractor is also required to obtain a final encroachment permit from Caltrans and thus all their activities will be subject to both City and Caltrans provisions. Furthermore, concrete removal and trenching costs on the received bids were higher than estimated; one indicator for this increase is that responding bidders are landscape contractors and need to subcontract this work since it is outside the scope of a typical landscaping project.
The construction budget is proposed as follows:
Lowest and Best Bid Amount (Base Bid Only, No Add Alternate) $ 778,947.75
Contingency for unforeseen conditions (10% of bid) $ 77,895.00
Construction Management and Inspection $ 25,000.00
Public Works Engineering Staff $ 22,000.00
Materials Testing (Consultant) $ 30,000.00
Estimated Total $ 933,842.75
The contingency, construction management and inspection costs, public works engineering staff, and material testing are each an estimate. The funds can be used interchangeably between the items listed above.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
Alternative 1, awarding the contract to Bortolussi & Watkins, Inc., will require an additional $245,000 appropriation from the CIP General Fund Reserves. The Capital Improvement Program’s General Fund Reserves undesignated fund balance would be reduced to $200,000 at the end of the FY 2020/21. This would result in nearly no capacity for change or additions within the 2-year General Fund Reserves Capital Improvement Program.
Alternatives 2 & 3 would have no fiscal impacts.
SOURCES:
$ 689,000 MS17PW01-57601 Arterial / Gateway Enhancement
$ 245,000 30199-25301 CIP General Fund Reserves
$ 934,000 Total
USES:
$ 934,000 MS17PW01-57601 Arterial / Gateway Enhancement
$ 934,000 Total
CEQA:
City staff recommends that the City Council determine that the Recommended Action is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 (minor alteration of existing public improvements with no expansion of existing use) and 15304(b) (new gardening or landscaping, including the replacement of existing conventional landscaping with water efficient or fire resistant landscaping).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Resolution
NOTIFICATION:
None.