HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-03-02 City CouncilCity
City of Palo Alto
Manager’s Report
6
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS
DATE:
SUBJECT:
MARCH 2, 1998 CMR:125:98
REQUEST FOR INCREASE IN CHANGE ORDER AUTHORITY
FOR CONTRACT WITH MCGUIRE AND HESTER FOR BARRON
PARK STORM DRAIN IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, CIP 47712
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council increase the City Manager’s or her designee’s authority to
negotiate and execute one or more additional change orders to Contract No. C8098199 with
McGuire and Hester, the total value of which change orders shall not exceed $260,000. This
represents an increase in staff’s authority from $143,000 to $260,000 for all change orders.
BACKGROUND
On September 22, 1997, Council awarded a contract to McGuire and Hester in the amount
of $1,429,811 for the construction of storm drain improvements in the Barron Park
neighborhood. The project includes installation of new storm drain pipelines, catch basins,
manholes, and valley gutters and associated asphalt concrete pavement restoration. In
addition to the contract award, Council also authorized staffto negotiate and execute one or
more change orders to the contract up to an amount not to exceed $143,000 for related,
additional, but unforeseen work.
DISCUSSION
Construction of the storm drain improvements began in October 1997. Early in the process,
it became apparent that the construction activity was causing significant damage to the
existing pavement on several of the streets in the work area. The damage is primarily
attributable to the substandard thickness of the existing pavement and the large number of
trenches being excavated as part of the project. Most streets in Barron Park were built prior
to the area’s annexation into the City of Palo Alto and do not meet City construction
standards. The existing pavement section, further weakened by trenching, cannot withstand
the weight Of the construction equipment being used on the job. The project includes
extensive trenching for relocation of existing gas, water, and sewer facilities because the
CMR:125:98 Page 1 of 3
location of these utilities interferes withthe installation of the new storm drains. As a result,
the existing pavement is being cut up into smaller sections, further weakening its integrity.
Unless further repairs are made, the streets will be in a rough, uneven condition that could
present a hazard for motorists and bicyclists at the end of the construction period and result
in accelerated deterioration.
McGuire and Hester has submitted a proposal to the City to augment the. pavement
restoration component of its contract by resurfacing four of the Streets impacted by the
project (Whitsell Avenue, Kendall Avenue, La Donna Street, and Orme Street) for a lump
sum price of $117,000. The work would involve pulverizing and recycling the existing
asphalt concrete pavement as base material and resurfacing the full width of the streets
between the new concrete valley gutters. Staff had intended to resurface two of the four
streets as part of the upcoming 1998 Street Resurfacing Project later this summer, and the
other two streets were in marginal condition prior to the storm drain project. Staff has
reviewed McGuire and Hester’s proposal and believes it to be technically sound and a
¯ cost-effective use of funds. Resurfacing the streets as part of the current project would also
eliminate the need to disrupt the neighborhood a second time to perform the work this
summer. Staff has discussed the contractor’s proposal with neighborhood representatives
and has received their support for the full resurfacing.
Staff recommends approval of the contractor’s proposal for additional street resurfacing, but
cannot issue a change order at this time due to limited change order authority. The proposed
change order would exhaust approximately 80 percent of the initial authority granted by
Council. With approximately 25 percent of the project complel~ed, it would not be prudent
to spend so much of the authorized funds at this time. Therefore, staff is requesting an
increase of $117,000 in change order authority to cover the cost of the resurfacing proposal.
RESOURCE IMPACT
Funds for the proposed change order are available in Capital Improvement Project 9630,
Street Maintenance. Two of the four streets to be resurfaced were already budgeted to be
completed as part of the 1998 Street Resurfacing Project..Expenditure of the funds on the
proposed change order will not adversely affect the implementation of the 1998 Street
Resurfacing Project.
Resurfacing of the four streets will substantially reduce the future pavement maintenance
costs for these streets for the next 15 years as compared to current conditions.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The project will have no significant environmental effect for purposes of the California
Environmental Quality Act, as shown in the mitigated negative declaration for the project
approved by the City Council on September 22, 1997. No further environmental review is
required.
CMR: 125:98 Page 2 of 3
PREPARED BY: Joe Teresi, Senior Engineer
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
GLENN S. ROBERTS
Director of Public Works
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
EI~I’~Y ~~ON
Assistant City Manager
cc: Will Beckett, Barron Park Association
CMR:125:98 Page 3 of 3