HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-05-19 City Council (33)of Palo Alto
Manager’s Repor
3
TO:
FROM:
AGENDA DATE:
SUBJECT:
REQUEST
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
CITY MANAGER
May 19, 1997
DEPARTMENT: UTILITIES
CMR:243:97
Request to Proceed with Joint Construction with Pacific Bell to Install
Future Substructure along Forest Avenue between the 700 and 900
Block
This is a request for project approval to install electric substructure jointly with Pacific Bell
along Forest Avenue between the 700 and 900 block.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the Council authorize the City Manager or her designee to proceed with
engineering .to install electric substructure jointly with Pacific Bell between the 700 and 900
block of Forest Avenue. . .
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Approval of this request is consistent with existing policies.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
BACKGROUND
On January 9, 1975; the City of Palo Alto and Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company
entered into an agreement for Joint Installation of Underground Facilities used to supply
services to their prospective customers. This agreement, after several subsequent amendments,
is now known as the "Amended Master Agreement for Installation of Underground Facilities
Systems By and Among the City of Palo Alto, Pacific Bell and Cable Co-op (less than $25,000).
Pacific Bell, as part of their system extension and infrastructure needs, is planning to install
telephone conduits along the 600 block of Cowper Street and between the 500 and 900 block
of Forest Avenue. The City’s electric facilities are currently undergrounded along the 600
block of Cowper Street and between the 500 and 600 block of Forest Avenue (see attached
map). As required by this agreement, Pacific Bell has approached both the City’s Electric
Utilities Department and Cable Co-op to determine whether there is any interest in jointly
installing conduits in the proposed project along Forest Avenue.
The exact cost of the project will not be known until Pacific Bell solicits bids and makes an
award. However, staff’s preliminary review indicates that the City’s cost for the Electric
Substructure in the joint trench proposed by Pacific Bell will be between $100,000 and
$150,000, and therefore requires Council authorization to proceed.
CMR:243:97 Page 1 of 2
DISCUSSION
Staff recommends that the City participate in a joint trench on a portion of Pacific Bell’s project
by installing conduits between the 700 and 900 blocks of Forest Avenue, for use in a future
underground district. The recommendation is based on the following advantages of joint
trenching:
¯Utility congestion in the public right-of-way will be reduced.¯Cost of the electric utility conduit installation is .reduced by 40 percent.
¯The number of times trenching construction will be performed-on the street will be
reduced, thus reducing neighborhood traffic disruption and damage to street surfaces.
This amount exceeds the $25,000 limit of the master agreement. If Council approves
participation in this project, staff will work with Pacific Bell to complete the engineering for the
conduit substructure. Once bidding by Pacific Bell is completed, staff will request Council
approval of a separate agreement between the City and Pacific Bell for construction.
There are insufficient funds in the Underground Extension/Replacements CIP for this project.
When staff returns to Council for approval of the construction agreement, a Budget Amendment
Ordinance (BAO) will be requested as well.
FISCAL IMPACT
Staff’s preliminary review indicates that the City’s cost for the Electric substructure in the joint
trench proposed by Pacific Bell will be between $100,000 and $150,000, and therefore requires
Council authorization to proceed with any plans since it exceeds the $25,000 limit of the master
agreement.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
This project is considered to be categorically exempt as part of Council approval of the
Underground Extensio.n/Replacement CIP and no further review is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A- Map of project site
PREPARED BY: Patrick Valath and Tomm Marshall
DEPARTMENT HEAD APPROVAL:
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
EDWARD J.
Director of Utilities
Assistant City Manager
CMR:243:97 Page2 of 2
APPROVED A.PR 19 0’7
TM
ENGR. MANAGER
ENGR PEV
DRAWN PDD
CHECKED PEV
CONDUIT INSTALLATION
ALONG FOREST AVE.
CITY OF PALO ALTO
CALIFORNIA
SCALE
f"=400’
WORK ORDER DRAWING NO,
APPR