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Home My WebLink AboutStaff Report 7947 City of Palo Alto (ID # 7947) City Council Staff Report Report Type: Consent Calendar Meeting Date: 5/1/2017 City of Palo Alto Page 1 Summary Title: Amend Contract with BKF Engineers Title: Approval of Contract Amendment Number 2 to Contract Number C16158064 With BKF Engineers for a Time Extension From March 27, 2017 to September 27, 2018 for the Embarcadero Road Corridor Improvements Project (CIP PL-15001) From: City Manager Lead Department: Planning and Community Environment Recommendation Staff recommends that Council approve, and authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute Contract amendment Number 2 to C16158064 with BKF Engineers (Attachment A) to extend the contract expiration date from March 27, 2017 to September 27, 2018, for the Embarcadero Road Improvements Project at the Embarcadero Road and El Camino Real intersection. (Capital Improvement Program Project PL-15001, Embarcadero Road Corridor Improvements). Background The Embarcadero Road corridor provides a direct east-west connection between US 101 and Stanford University for visitors to the city and supports local travel with connections to Town & Country shopping center, Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, and El Camino Real (SR 82). The segment of Embarcadero Road between High Street and El Camino Real has been an area of community concern for many years—with three closely spaced traffic signals within 750 feet of one another—at El Camino Real, the Town & Country and Palo Alto High School driveways, and the pedestrian crossing at Trader Joe’s. On October 5, 2015, the City Council authorized a contract with BKF Engineers for the second phase of the Embarcadero Road Corridor Improvements Project, which includes preparation of concept plan lines, final design plans, environmental documentation, construction documents and required permitting from Caltrans, for intersection improvements at El Camino Real and City of Palo Alto Page 2 Embarcadero Road/Galvez Street. Improvements include, but are not limited to, traffic signal modifications, sidewalk realignment, high-visibility crosswalks, signing and striping, bicycle treatments, landscaping and traffic calming elements. On September 19, 2016 (ID# 6952), Council directed staff to move forward with the alternative which included one-way Class IV separated bikeways along Embarcadero Road between El Camino Real and Emerson Street as well as a protected Dutch-style intersection at El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road/Galvez Street.. The design also includes pedestrian improvements at the intersections of El Camino Real, High Street, Kingsley Avenue and Emerson Street. Discussion Following Council direction in September, BKF Engineers has completed 65% design plans and specifications. Design plans have been circulated to all City departments, in addition to Stanford, Town & Country and the Palo Alto School District for their review and comment. The current contract with BKF expired in March 31, 2017 and the amendment will allow for the additional time needed to respond to all of the comments received from various City departments and for Caltrans review and approval. Because El Camino Real (Route 82) is a state highway, Caltrans is the lead agency and design plans need to be submitted for their review and approval in order obtain an encroachment permit needed for construction. Some of the improvements included in the 65% design plans include:  Separated bikeways along Embarcadero Road between El Camino Real and Emerson Street as well as a protected Dutch-style intersection at El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road/Galvez Street.  Raised crosswalk in the channelized right-turn lane from El Camino Real northbound to Embarcadero Road eastbound: slows motor vehicles and increases visibility of bicyclists and pedestrians.  Modified driveway apron at Trader Joe’s driveway: more standard exit-only driveway design reduces driver confusion and increases the visibility of bicyclists and pedestrians.  Addition of stairs on the Town & Country shopping center side of Embarcadero Road: allows for easier pedestrian access to and from path along railroad overcrossing.  Enhanced signage and markings for bicycles at the underpass: more clearly identifying the shared space between bicyclist and pedestrians, better utilizes the constrained pathway opening through the underpass.  Increased curb radius for right turns from eastbound Embarcadero Road into the Palo Alto High School driveway: reduces the amount of motor vehicles driving over curbs and damaging roadway elements.  Improved shuttle stops: on both sides of the street, additional space is allocated for the shuttle stops to avoid impinging on pedestrian and bicyclists’ space. City of Palo Alto Page 3  Existing trees are maintained as much as possible, and proposed to be replaced 1:1 nearby if removed.  Modified Kingsley Avenue approach to Embarcadero Road eastbound: creates a more standard 90-degree intersection with Embarcadero Road to reduce driver confusion and limit the number conflicts with bicyclists, pedestrians and other motor vehicles.  Revised High Street and Emerson Street intersections: reduces conflicts, reduces speed of turning vehicles and increases visibility for pedestrians and bicyclists. Policy Implications The Bicycle + Pedestrian Transportation Plan identifies and prioritizes the development of bicycle and pedestrian improvements. The plan objectives that are advanced by the accommodation of bicyclists along this corridor include:  Objective 1: Double the rate of bicycling for both local and total work commutes by 2020 (to 15% and 5%, respectively).  Objective 2: Convert discretionary vehicle trips into walking and bicycling trips in order to reduce City transportation-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 15% by 2020.  Objective 3: Develop a core network of shared paths, bikeways, and traffic-calmed streets that connects business and residential districts, schools, parks, and open spaces to promote healthy, active living.  Objective 4: Plan, construct, and maintain ‘Complete Streets’ that are safe and accessible to all modes and people of all ages and abilities.  Objective 5: Promote efficient, sustainable, and creative use of limited public resources through integrated design and planning. In addition, the Comprehensive Plan goals, policies, and programs that support the accommodation of bicyclists on Embarcadero include: Goal T-1: Less Reliance on Single-Occupant Vehicles. Goal T-3: Facilities, Services, and Programs the Encourage and Promote Walking and Bicycling. ProgramT-19: Develop, periodically update, and implement a bicycle facilities improvement program and a pedestrian facilities improvement program that identify and prioritize critical pedestrian and bicycle links to parks, schools, retail centers, and civic facilities. Policy T-14: Improve pedestrian and bicycle access to and between local destination, including public facilities, schools, parks, open space, employments district, City of Palo Alto Page 4 shopping centers, and mulit modal transit stations. Policy T-25: When constructing or modifying roadways, plan for usage of the roadway space by all users, including motor vehicles, transit vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Policy T-29: Make effective use of the traffic-carrying ability of Palo Alto’s major street network without compromising the need of pedestrians and bicyclists also using this network. Resource Impact The staff-requested amendment extends the contract to allow sufficient time to respond to comments and for Caltrans approval. There is no funding impact for this contract amendment. The existing design contract with BKF Engineers for $538,547 is fully funded and available in CIP project PL- 15001, Embarcadero Road Corridor Improvements Project. Timeline BKF Engineers has completed 65% level design plans and has obtained comments from various City departments. Staff is also coordinating the design with Town & Country, PAUSD and Stanford University, for their comments. Plans and documents will also be submitted to Caltrans for their review and approval. Design and environmental work is scheduled to be completed by fall 2017. Staff will return to Council for the construction contract award which will include an amendment to the BKF contract for design support during construction. Environmental Review The contract amendment does not require an environmental review; however, given the nature of the proposed improvements for the project, the project qualifies for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15301. The Class 1 exemption covers minor alterations to existing facilities so long as they involve no or negligible expansion of use. Attachments: Attachment A: Contract Amendment (PDF) 1 of 1 Revision July 20, 2016 AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO CONTRACT NO. C16158064 BETWEEN THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AND BKF ENGINEERS This Amendment No. 2 to Contract No. C16158064 (“Contract”) is entered into April 10, 2017, by and between the CITY OF PALO ALTO, a California chartered municipal corporation (“CITY”), and BKF ENGINEERS, a California corporation, located at 255 Shoreline Drive, Suite 200, Redwood City, California, 94065, Telephone (650) 482-6300 ("CONSULTANT"). R E C I T A L S A. The Contract was entered into between the parties for the provision of planning, study and analysis in connection with the widening of the Embarcadero Road corridor project. B. City intends to extend the term by eighteen months from March 27, 2017 to September 27, 2018. C. The parties wish to amend the Contract. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants, terms, conditions, and provisions of this Amendment, the parties agree: SECTION 1. Section 2 TERM is hereby amended to read as follows: “SECTION 2. TERM. The term of this Agreement shall be from the date of its full execution through September 27, 2018 unless terminated earlier pursuant to Section 19 of this Agreement.” SECTION 2. Except as herein modified, all other provisions of the Contract, including any exhibits and subsequent amendments thereto, shall remain in full force and effect. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have by their duly authorized representatives executed this Agreement on the date first above written. CITY OF PALO ALTO APPROVED AS TO FORM: BKF ENGINEERS DocuSign Envelope ID: 1172C85F-67D8-417D-B43A-B033E3329572 Principal/Vice President Brian Scott Certificate Of Completion Envelope Id: 1172C85F67D8417DB43AB033E3329572 Status: Completed Subject: Please DocuSign: C16158064 BKF Amendment No 2 Embarcadero Road Corridor Improvements.doc Source Envelope: Document Pages: 1 Signatures: 1 Envelope Originator: Supplemental Document Pages: 0 Initials: 0 Christopher Anastole Certificate Pages: 2 AutoNav: Enabled EnvelopeId Stamping: Enabled Time Zone: (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) Payments: 0 250 Hamilton Ave Palo Alto , CA 94301 chris.anastole@cityofpaloalto.org IP Address: 12.220.157.20 Record Tracking Status: Original 3/15/2017 10:33:46 AM Holder: Christopher Anastole chris.anastole@cityofpaloalto.org Location: DocuSign Signer Events Signature Timestamp Brian Scott bscott@bkf.com Principal/Vice President Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None)Using IP Address: 23.24.201.106 Sent: 3/21/2017 6:25:23 PM Viewed: 3/22/2017 8:39:59 AM Signed: 3/22/2017 8:40:31 AM Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via DocuSign ID: In Person Signer Events Signature Timestamp Editor Delivery Events Status Timestamp Agent Delivery Events Status Timestamp Intermediary Delivery Events Status Timestamp Certified Delivery Events Status Timestamp Carbon Copy Events Status Timestamp jason Mansfield jmansfield@bkf.com Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Sent: 3/21/2017 6:25:24 PM Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via DocuSign ID: Jeffery Heckathorn Jeffery.Heckathorn@CityofPaloAlto.org Administrative Associate III City of Palo Alto Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Sent: 3/22/2017 8:40:32 AM Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via DocuSign ID: Carbon Copy Events Status Timestamp Shahla Yazdy Shahla.Yazdy@CityofPaloAlto.org Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Sent: 3/22/2017 8:40:32 AM Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via DocuSign ID: Albert S Yang Albert.Yang@CityofPaloAlto.org Senior Deputy City Attorney City of Palo Alto Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Sent: 3/22/2017 8:40:33 AM Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via DocuSign ID: Notary Events Timestamp Envelope Summary Events Status Timestamps Envelope Sent Hashed/Encrypted 3/22/2017 8:40:33 AM Certified Delivered Security Checked 3/22/2017 8:40:33 AM Signing Complete Security Checked 3/22/2017 8:40:33 AM Completed Security Checked 3/22/2017 8:40:33 AM Payment Events Status Timestamps