Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: James C. Porter, Director of Public Works
Subject: Middlefield Road Improvement Project
(County Project No. OD420; Project File No. E4931000)
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution:
A) Adopting plans and specifications, including conformance with prevailing wage scale requirements for the Middlefield Road Improvement Project in the North Fair Oaks Area; and
B) Authorizing the Director of Public Works to call for sealed proposals to be received by Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 2:30 p.m., in the office of the County Manager/Clerk of the Board of Supervisors; and
C) Authorizing the Director of Public Works to extend the call for bids and bid opening up to sixty (60) calendar days beyond the time and date originally set forth by the Board of Supervisors.
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BACKGROUND:
On November 5, 2002, this Board adopted Resolution No. 065657, which approved Phase II of the Middlefield Road Underground Utility District on Middlefield Road from Fifth Avenue to MacArthur Avenue. Phase I of the Middlefield Road Underground Utility District from the Atherton Town Limit to Fifth Avenue was completed in 2002. Placing overhead utility lines underground was identified as a high priority and supported by the North Fair Oaks Community Council (Council) before the Underground Districts were formed.
On November 15, 2011, this Board adopted Resolution No. 071714, which adopted the North Fair Oaks Community Plan (Plan). A major component of that Plan is the improvement of Middlefield Road between Pacific Avenue and Fifth Avenue to create a more attractive street with improved pedestrian and bicycle amenities. Subsequently, on July 9, 2013 this Board approved funding (approximately $12,500,000 of Measure K funding) for the Middlefield Road Improvement Project, which includes improvements to the South County Health Clinic (Clinic)/Redwood Junction driveway and intersection improvements.
On October 21, 2014 the Council, through Supervisor Slocum, presented this Board with recommendations regarding the improvements of Middlefield Road between Pacific Avenue and Fifth Avenue and requested that the County proceed with the next steps for the Middlefield Road Improvement Project (Project). The Council’s recommendations included: three traffic lanes; parallel parking; bike lanes; and sidewalks wide enough to accommodate amenities such as benches and other seating, landscaping, street and pedestrian lighting, trash and recycling receptacles, street art, and public spaces. This Board accepted the Council’s recommendations at the October 21, 2014 Board meeting.
On April 11, 2017, this Board adopted Resolution No. 075113 and approved the following four design element recommendations of the Council for the Middlefield Road Improvement Project: buffered bike lanes, 35-foot tree spacing, bulb-outs at intersections, and 12-foot sidewalk widths.
On February 12, 2019, this Board adopted Resolution No. 076420, which certified the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) and adopted the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program to be implemented for the Project. These actions ensure compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act requirements.
DISCUSSION:
The Project consists of the following components: roadway improvements including a new traffic signal system near and including the Clinic/Redwood Junction driveway, pedestrian and bicycle improvements, utility undergrounding, sanitary sewer replacement work, public WiFi along the Project corridor, and replacing the existing streetlights with a new streetlight system. The roadway improvements will reconfigure Middlefield Road between Pacific Avenue and Fifth Avenue from a four-lane roadway to a three-lane roadway (one travel lane in each direction with a center left turn lane) with parallel parking, bike lanes, and wider sidewalks. The wider sidewalks will accommodate the street amenities recommended by the Council (benches, trees and landscaping, streetlights, trash receptacles, street art, and public spaces) and low-impact development for stormwater quality management.
The utility undergrounding work will remove the existing utility poles and overhead utility wires between MacArthur Avenue and Fifth Avenue and relocate the wires to the underground joint utility trenches and vaults, generally in the new southbound travel lane of Middlefield Road with the vaults in the new sidewalk. Sanitary sewer replacement work includes replacing the existing sewer lines between Douglas Avenue and Sixth Avenue as part of the Fair Oaks Sewer Maintenance District’s planned capital improvement work.
The Project requires approvals, agreements, or easements with several agencies/stakeholders, which are ongoing and anticipated to be obtained prior to or during construction. These items are as follows:
1. The underground joint trench in the northern portion of the Project involves crossing the Dumbarton Railroad spur tracks at two locations: adjacent to the Clinic/Redwood Junction driveway and on Middlefield Road. The tracks adjacent to the Clinic/Redwood Junction driveway are owned by San Mateo County Transit District (SMCTD) and Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) has the maintenance and operating rights. The tracks on Middlefield Road are operated and maintained by UPRR. The sewer work also crosses under the tracks on Middlefield Road. The Project requires a Right of Entry Agreement with SMCTD and Crossing Agreements with UPRR. The Department has been working with both entities on these items.
2. When the Clinic at the northern end of the Project was constructed, modifications to the driveway were made. These modifications were not authorized by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which was required due to the proximity of the driveway to the railroad tracks. Because of this, the CPUC has required that certain work be performed as part of this Project, which includes: relocation and modification of the driveway, replacement and relocation of railroad track signal and equipment, and installation of a new traffic signal system with railroad preemption (connectivity of traffic signals to the railroad signal system and oncoming trains). The Project requires an Interconnected Crossing Agreement with UPRR (Agreement) for the signalization of the driveway at the Clinic and the signals to be constructed at Pacific Avenue and Hurlingame Avenue. Once the Agreement is agreed to and entered into, the Department must obtain a General Order 88-B from the CPUC for modification to the existing rail crossing. The work within the Clinic property requires permanent and temporary construction easements from the property owner for modifications to the driveway, the green infrastructure, walkway, and construction of a utility vault. The Department, the Department of Housing, and the Real Property Division have been working to define the specific needs at this location, including what is necessary for this Project.
3. The Project will cross the Hetch Hetchy water supply pipelines on Middlefield Road between First and Berkshire Avenues, which are owned by the San Francisco Public Utilities commission (SFPUC). As a result, a consent letter from the SFPUC is required to work within their right of way at this location. The Department is continuing to work with the SFPUC on this.
4. The Project includes the undergrounding of the overhead facilities owned and operated by PG&E, AT&T, Comcast, Wave, and Verizon. This work is included in the Project Plans and will be completed by the County’s contractor. Agreements must be executed between the County and these entities to address the work and the reimbursement process. These agreements will be presented to this Board at a future date for consideration and execution.
County staff have been working with all these agencies/stakeholders and will include permit/agreement requirements in the Project Plans and Specifications as available because they will describe specific restrictions or criteria that must be met by the County’s contractor.
The Department recommends that this Board approve adoption of the Project Plans and Specifications and proceed for advertisement of the Project, while understanding that there are potential adverse impacts or risk to the Project that could be experienced by proceeding without having all outstanding agreements, easements, and approvals in place. The Department will continue work to obtain all outstanding items, prior to construction commencement; however, the timelines for these approvals are primarily dictated by other agencies’ review and processes. The Department will update the Board on the disposition of the currently outstanding agreements, easements, and permits at the time of contract award, and provide a greater explanation of the potential schedule and cost implications if all permits are not received prior to contract award.
The Plans and Specifications for the Project have been prepared and the Director recommends that this Board authorize calling for bids for the proposed work.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The estimated construction cost of the Project is $28,932,760. The Project will be financed as follows:
Measure K $ 18,694,560
Utility Companies $ 5,505,890
(share of undergrounding
costs including Rule 20A Credits)
Fair Oaks Sewer Maintenance District* $ 4,682,260
California Water Service Company* $ 27,500
Other Utilities $22,550
Total Cost $ 28,932,760
*Reimbursement for the cost of performing work for the Fair Oaks Sewer Maintenance District and California Water Service Company will be through individual agreements with the utility companies.
There is no impact on the General Fund.