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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-12-18 City Council (18)TO: City of Palo Alto C ty Manager’s Report HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL 2 FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT DATE: SUBJECT: DECEMBER 18, 2000 CMR: 441: 00 APPROVAL OF A BUDGET AMENDMENT ORDINANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 TO CREATE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM 10121, HOMER AVENUE CALTRAIN UNDERCROSSING PROJECT, AND ACCEPTANCE OF AN AWARD OF $2.3 MILLION IN STATE AND FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that Council: Approve the attached Budget Amendment Ordinance (BAO) in the amount of $100,000, amending the 2000-01 budget to create and fund a new Capital Improvement Program project, number 10121, for the Palo Alto Medical Foundation/South of Forest Area ("Homer Avenue") Undercrossing Project (Attachment A). Accept the award of $2.3 million in grant funds for the Homer Avenue Caltrain Undercrossing capital project number 10121, to be paid on a reimbursement basis from the Federal Transportation Equity for the 21st Century (TEA-21) Corridor Management Program ($2,035,500). State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) grant monies to be provided by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) as matching funds ($263,810). Direct staff to proceed with the project and return to Council at the 15 percent design stage with refined cost estimates for the project to receive Council direction before proceeding further with the project. BACKGROUND The need for a pedestrian and bicycle connection between the new Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) campus and the South of Forest Area (SOFA) neighborhood was first raised during the review of the new PAMF campus. The approved PAMF campus plan includes an area to accommodate a pedestrian/bicycle access/landing area for a future CMR:441:00 Page 1 of 6 crossing and a connection to the existing segment of the bike path built by PAMF on its campus. The project is also supported by policies in the PAMF/SOFA Coordinated Area Plan. A feasibility study was prepared during the SOFA I study which identified a recommended conceptual design and preliminary cost estimate of $2.3 million for construction of the new undercrossing. The study estimated the undercrossing would attract up to 1,800 users a day. In February 2000, Council authorized staff to file an application for $2.3 million in grant funds for the Homer Avenue Caltrain Undercrossing Project from the Federal Surface Transportation Program and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (STP/CMAQ) through the Second Cycle of the TEA-21 Corridor Management Program (CMR: 153:00). In September, the VTA formally notified the City of the approval of the grant funding by the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration and the inclusion of the project in the Metropolitan Commission’s Draft 2001 Transportation Improvement Program. The total amount of grant funding is $2.3 million, including the STP/CMAQ grant of $2,035,500, and an additional $263,810 to be provided by the VTA with funds set- aside for local matching funds. DISCUSSION The Homer Undercrossing will provide bicycle and pedestrian access between the SOFA neighborhood and the PAMF campus, Caltrain station and the Urban Lane bike path to University Avenue. Staff considers this project to be a very high priority due to its relationship to the SOFA Plan, its importance to the City’s bicycle system, and its contribution to realizing the "Dream Team" Intermodal Transit Center plan. The project consists of design and construction of a new pedestrian/bicycle undercrossing of the Caltrain tracks between the Alma Street/Homer Avenue intersection and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. The undercrossing’s proposed alignment and conceptual design were developed in the feasibility study (see Attachments E and F). To facilitate access to the undercrossing from Homer Avenue, the traffic signal will be modified to provide a pedestrian crossing phase across Alma Street. (This work will be undertaken as a separate signalmodification project, funded by the Electric Utility fund). The TEA-21 grant funds must be committed in a construction contract by September 30, 2002. The City must execute an agreement with the Caltrans Office of Local Assistance and work through the Caltrans Federal Aid Process. In order to meet this accelerated timeline, staff must move quickly to begin work on this project. Building upon the base data developed in the feasibility study, the Public Works Engineering Deparmaent has revised and updated the original preliminary 1998 construction CMR:441:00 Page 2 of 6 cost estimate of $2.3 million. The full cost of the project based on the design concept in the feasibility study is now estimated to be in the range of $3.2 to $3.8 million. The increase in the cost estimate reflects refinement of the costs for design, testing, environmental analysis and construction management,, and an escalation factor for construction in 2002. Other new factors must be considered, including the proposed policy that art be integrated into all City capital projects, and that artists be included in projects at the initial stages of design, thereby ensuring that art elements become an integral part of the overall design. Until additional detailed design work is completed, staff is not prepared to ref’me the cost estimate further. Staff recommends proceeding incrementally with the project. The next incremental step would be to hire the design team and pursue the design to the 15 percent stage. At this stage, staff will have developed the project sufficiently to identify any potential right-of-way issues completed the environmental analysis, and taken the project design through the Architectural Review Board process. Staff expects that the 15 percent design work would result in a "bare-bones" (safe and functional) project as close as possible to the available $2.6 million in state, federal and local developer funds already secured for this project. Any enhancements and project add-ons to the basic design would also be estimated. Staff would return to Council at the 15 percent design phase with more complete information on the scope of the project, detailed costs and a more realistic estimate of the amount of City funding that would be required to complete the project. Council would have the discretion to select which, if any, enhancements beyond the basics are included in the f’mal design, and would then decide whether to authorize funding any shortfall between the project cost and the grant and other funds already committed. Council could direct staff to complete the design or cease work on the project. In the event the project is cancelled, it would be necessary for the City to reimburse the State for any TEA-21 funds spent during the design phase. RESOURCE IMPACT Design Phase Staff recommends that Council approve the attached budget amendment to create a new Homer Undercrossing CIP project and appropriate funding to complete the 15 percent design phase of the project. The attached BAO requests an appropriation of $100,000, which will be funded from the Budget Stabilization Reserve. The attached BAO also requests an increase in revenue from TEA-21, which will replace funds advanced from the Stabilization Reserve. Attachment B summarizes the BAO’s approved to date in 2000-01 that impact the General Fund Budget Stabilization Reserve. Complete Project A total of $2,649,310 is already committed to this project from the following sources: $2,035,500 from Federal STP/CMAQ grant, $263,810 from and State STIP and $350,000 in local development mitigation fees ($300,000 from PAMF and $50,000 from the Sheraton to be payable upon commencement of construction of the project). The STIP funds will. cover CMR:441:00 Page 3 of 6 the 11.5 percent local match requirement for the STP/CMAQ funds. Because grant funds are allocated on a reimbursement basis, City funds must be appropriated in the Capital Improvement Program budget and then reimbursed with grant funds. To date, no City funds have been committed to the project. However, at the current estimated project cost of $3.2 to $3.8 million, the funding shortfall for the project could be in the range of $550,000 to $1,250,000. A more accurate estimate of the funding shortfall will be developed when project costs are further refined in the initial design phase. Staff will continue to seek additional grant funds for this project over the next two years with the expectation that a portion of the shortfall could be reimbursed from other outside funds. For example, staff intends to. reapply for ftmding from the VTA for a Transportation Fund for Clean Air grant in 2001, and anticipates that up to $150,000 could be allocated to this project through a successful grant application. Staff will also pursue funding from other potential sources including the Transportation Development Act and Transportation for Livable Communities grants. Notwithstanding the procurement of such additional grant funds, it is highly likely that the City will need to commit City funds in order to leverage the significant level of grant funds already committed. Workload Considerations The Planning Department developed this project to the feasibility study stage. Design and construction of the project will be managed by Public Works Engineering. A detailed analysis of project workload and staffing was recently completed as part of the Infrastructure Management Plan. Existing staff resources have been committed to completing infrastructure projects that are included in the current five-year capital improvement program. The Homer Avenue Caltrain Undercrossing Project can be completed without additional staff’mg resources in Public Works Engineering. However, in order to implement this project within the timeline mandated by the TEA-21 grant, staff has reprioritized work assignments and project schedules for existing. Infrastructure projects in the Public Works Engineering (PWE) Division. This will result in the following adjustments to the existing approved transportation projects and the PWE work program: The E1 Camino/Churchill Avenue Intersection Modifications (CIP 10117) scheduled for design in 2000-01 will be postponed indefinitely. This project will be re-evaluated and prioritized for funding as part of the transportation master plan. The Page Mill!Hanover Intersection Improvements (CIP 19923) scheduled for 2000-2001 will be postponed until 2004-2005. Staffing projections for the Engineering Division completed as part of the infrastructure management plan include $1,000,000 per year for infrastructure projects that could be added to the plan but that were not specifically identified. Proceeding with the Homer Undercrossing will use up this capacity for additional infrastructure projects for the next two and one half years. Other new infrastructure projects that proceed during this time frame CMR:441:O0 Page 4 of 6 would require additional staff’mg resources. This would include projects such as renovation of the Roth Building, Public Safety Building, Downtown Parking Structures, and Library Master Plan. The need for additional staffing resources will be evaluated and requested as each of these projects move forward, and staff will make recommendations to Council as appropriate. POLICY IMPLICATIONS Current Council priorities have established that existing infrastructure projects have priority over new infrastructure projects. Approval of this project would be a change in current Council policy regarding the implementation of the Infrastructure Management Plan. This project is consistent with existing policy, including Comprehensive Plan Transportation Policy T-14: Improve pedestrian and bicycle access to and between local destinations and Program T-21: Study projects to depress bikeways and pedestrian walkways under Alma Street and the Caltrain tracks and implement if feasible. In addition, the Coordinated Plan for the South of Forest Area includes two policies related to this facility: Policy T-13: Support the construction of a railroad undercrossing at Homer and Alma, and Policy T-20: Facilitate implementation of the recommendations of the Railroad Crossing Feasibility Study to improve pedestrian access from SOFA to the PAMF campus and points west. TIMELINE This ’project will need to be implemented on an accelerated timeline in order to safeguard the substantial amount of grant funding which must be obligated in a construction contract no later than September 30, 2002. In order to meet this deadline, staff has identified the following milestone dates: Milestone Council Approval of New CIP project Caltrans Field Review Environmental Certification Right-of-Way Certification Complete Plans and Specifications Final Caltrans Certification of Project Plans Award of Construction Contract Timeline (Qtr/FY) 2n° 2000/01 2nd 2000/01 1st 2001/02 1st 2001/02 3rd 2001/02 4th 2001/02 4th 2001/02 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW An environmental review for the Homer Undercrossing will be conducted prior to obligating the grant funds for this project. CMR:441:00 Page 5 of 6 ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Budget Amendment Ordinance Attachment B: Budget Amendment Ordinances Impacting the Stabilization Reserve Approved to D~ite in 2000-01 Attachment C: Grant Award Notification Letter from VTA dated September 15, 2000 Attachment D: CIP Project Description Attachments E & F: Tunnel Design Options, Homer Undercrossing Feasibility Study, 1998 PREPARED BY:Gayle Likens, Senior Planner Kent Steffens, Assistant Director, Public Works DEPARTMENT HEAD: Director of Planning and Community Environment CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: Assistant City Manager Palo Alto Bicycle Advisory Committee David Jury, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Walt Stringer, Caltrain Joint Powers Board SOFA Working Group Elaine Meyer, University South Neighborhood Group Chamber of Commerce Clement Chen, Sheraton Hotel CMR:441:00 Page 6 of 6 ATTACHMENT A ORDINANCE NO. ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AMENDING THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2000-01 TO PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATION OF $i00,000 FOR HOMER AVENUE UNDERCROSSING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, NUMBER 10121 WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of Section 12 of Article III of the Charter of the City of Palo Alto, the Council on June 19, 2000 did adopt a budget for fiscal year 2000-01; and WHEREAS, the need for a new pedestrian/bicycle crossing of the railroad tracks south of the downtown Palo Alto Caltrain station between the Alma Street/Homer Avenue intersection and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) was identified during the review of the PAMF campus plan; and WHEREAS, the City has secured an award of $2.3 million in grant funds for the Homer Avenue Undercrossing project; and WHEREAS, the grant funds will be allocated on a reimbursement basis and receipt of these funds will not occur until after the City has incurred actual expenses; and WHEREAS, the budget needs to be amended to create and fund a capital improvement project for 15 percent of the design phase of the Homer Avenue undercrossing; and WHEREAS, staff will return to Council at the 15 percent design phase with more complete information on the scope of the project and the amount of City funding that would be required to complete the project; and WHEREAS, in the event that the project is cancelled an additional appropriation of funds will be required to reimburse the grant funds spent during the design phase; and WHEREAS, the additional appropriation of funds from the General Fund Budget Stabilization Reserve is a one-time cost and future year General Fund ongoing maintenance costs are anticipated. WHEREAS, City Council authorization is needed to amend the 2000-01 budget as hereinafter set forth. SECTION i. Capital Improvement Project (CIP) 10121, Homer Avenue Undercrossing, is hereby created. SECTION 2. The sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($i00,000) is hereby appropriated to Capital Improvement Project No. 10121, and the Stabilization Reserve is hereby decreased by $100,000. SECTION 3. Revenue in CIP Project Number 10121 is increased by the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($i00,000) for receipt of funds from the Federal Transportation Equity for the 21st Century Corridor Management Program (TEA-21), which will be received on a reimbursement basis and will replace funds advanced from the Stabilization Reserve to pay project costs. SECTION 4. The transactions in sections 2 and 3 above will have no impact on reserves. SECTION 5. As specified in Section 2.28.080(a) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, a two-thirds vote of the City Council is required to adopt this ordinance. SECTION 6. The environmental review for the Homer Undercrossing will be conducted prior to obligating the grant funds for this project. SECTION 7. As provided in Section 2.04.350 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, this ordinance shall become effective upon adoption. INTRODUCED AND PASSED: AYES: INTRODUCED AND PASSED: AYES: NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT: ATTEST: City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Senior Asst. City Attorney APPROVED: Mayor City Manager Director of Services Administrativ~ Director of Planning Directory of Public Works ATTACHMENT B Budget Amendment Ordinanceslmpacting General Fund Reserves Approved-To-Date in 2000=01 ~=:~ :-Placeholders~=, ¯ ¯ =Already in the Impact on the ¯Estimated -General Fund Future YearBAO Description ~Cost Revenue 200001 Adopted BSR OngolngCosts~Budget Estimated Beginning Budget Stabilization Reserve (BSR) Balance Adopted Budget Addition to BSR Public Safety Building - CIP 19820 Planning Transcription Services Office of Transportation Safety Grant Cubberley Theatre Chiller Replacement - CIP 10120 Arts Council Silicon Valley Grant Police Department Grants (1) Zoning Ordinance Update Friends of the Palo Alto Library Granl Office Space Renovation - CIP 10020 Acquisition of Pinkerton Property Homer Avenue Undercrossing - CIP 10121 $13,385,753 $1,075,000 ($74,000)($74,000) ($40,000)($40,000) ($187,065)$187,065 $0 ($22,000)($22,000) ($5,192)$5,192 $0 ($277,314)S277,314 $0 ($110,000)$110,000 $0 ($59,000)$59,000 $0 $411,000 $156,000 ($255,000) ($400,000) ($10o,000)$100,0o0 $o $40,000 $17,000 $188,000 BSR Balance After BAO’s (1) Of this amount $121,259 will be deposited in the General Fund and $156,055 deposited in the Special Revenue Fund. ATTACHMENT C September 15, 2000 Gayle Likens, Senior Planner City of Palo Alto 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 Dear Project Spdnsor: Congratulations! The Federal High’,vay Administration ~’~d Federal Transit Administration have approved your Second Cycle Corridor Management~ (TSO) grant(s). Your project(s) are now listed in the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s 1999 Transportation Improvement Program (1999 TIP) and the draft 2001 TIP. A listing of all the funded 2"~ Cycle Corridor Management project is attached to this letter. The Corridor Management (TSO) grants are Federal STP/CMAQ funds and are subject to all Federal Requirements, including (but not limited to) NEPA, Federal DBE compliance and pre-award audits. To access the funds, your agency will need to execute an agreement with the Caltrans Office of Local Assistance and work thr’ough the Caltrans Federal Aid Process. Information on the Caltrans Federal Air process is available at www.dot.ca.gov. Caltrans has just implemented a new and more complicated DBE compliance policy. If you have not been certified in the last 6 months, the Federal Aid process can add up to 12 months to the project delivery process. Your grants expire on September 30, 2002. Please contact Caltrans at the earliest possible opportunity. Please contact Caltrans at the earliest possible opportunity. If your project is CMAQ funded, itis be eligible for up to 11.47% in matching funds from the STIP. These matching funds are tied to the years in which your p.roject is programmed in the TIP. If you decide to construct ahead of the programmed schedule, the STIP matching funds can only be advanced one fiscal year. They cannot be "slipped" once you are in the fiscal year in which they are listed. If your project is delayed, you will lose this match. Regardless of phase and/or program year shown in the TIP, your Federal grants expire on September 30, 2002. All Federal funds must be encumbered via receipt of a signed Federal E-76 form from the Caltrans Office of Local Assistance on that date. All unencumbered funds will revert to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Project Sponsors ’whose actions result in the loss of these grant funds to the county will be penalized in later grant funding cycles. You may encumber your Federal grant funds at any time prior to September 30, 3331 North First Street ¯ Son Jose, CA 95134-1906 ¯ Administration 408.321.5555 ¯ Customer Service 408.321.2300 2002, regardless of the actual year in which they are programmed. This flexibility does not apply to STIP matching funds. STIP Matching Funds are state gas tax funds, subject to SB-45’s Use-It-Or-Lose-It provisions. Your STIP matching funds will expire on the last day of the state fiscal year in which they are programmed. The State fiscal year ends June 30. Fiscal Year Programmed Expiration Date 2000/01 STIP Match Funds June 30, 2001 2001/02 STIP Match Funds June 307 2002 2002/03 STIP Match Funds June 307 2003 Please look up your project in the 1999 TIP or 2001 TIP to determine when your projects’ STIP matching funds will expire. The TIP web address is www.mtc.ca.gov/publications/tip/tipind.htm. This page is no__At accessible to the general public by "drilling" through the main MTC homepage, so please bookmark the reference. If you have any programming questions, fell free to contact me by phone at (408) 321-5717 or via e-mail at marcella.rensi@vta.or~. If you have any other questions, contact Amin Surani at (408) 321-7989 or amin.surani@vta.org. Sincerely, Marcella M. Rensi Sr. Transportation Planner SANTA CLARA COUNTY 2ND CYCLE CORRIDOR MANAGMENT PROJECTS All costs rounded to the nearest $1,000s of dollars Sponsoring Agency San Jose Morgan Hill Caitrain Sarat%na San Jose County of Santa Clara VTA County of Santa Clara Campbell Palo Alto San Jose Palo Alto Cupertino Cupertino Sunnyvale VTA Caltrans County of Santa Clara Morgan Hill Sunnyvale Project Title Stevens Creek Bird/Winchester Bird ATMS: Silicon Valley - West Corridor Main Avenue/UPRR Crossing Safety Improvement Replacement of Grade Crossing Warning Predictors City of Saratoga Cit.vwide Signal Upgrade Project Silicon Valley Internet Traveler Information System Bicycle Detection at Signalized Expressway Intersections 1-880 Smart Park at Tasman/Alder Monterey Highway at Masten Av./ Fitzgerald Av. Railroad Crossing Improvements Winchester Blvd Bike Video Detection and Traffic Surveillance Systems Palo Alto Medical Foundation/South of Forest Area Caltrain Pedestrian and Bicycle Undercrossin.q Proactive Signal Timing Program City of Palo Alto NTCIP Traffic Signal System Upgrade City of Cupertino Adaptive Traffic Signal Control System De Anza Blvd. Corridor ATMS Pedestrian Access Improvements Near Tasman LRT in Sunnyvale Monterey Road Transit Stop Improvements TOS Improvements in FremontlSouth Bay Corridor Eastside Community Safety Enhancement Monterey Hwy./UPRR Undercrossing & Bikeway Improvement Wolfe Rd. Traffic Signal Coordination /Radio Spread Spectrum Interconnect TOTAL Cum.PROJECT Fed. Total COST $ 2,748 $357 $3,105 $3,036 $38 $326 $ 3,832 $104 $900 $ 4,217 $50 $435 $ 4,482 $35 $300 $ 4,614 $18 $150 $ 5,394 $101 $881 Total Other Funding/ Local Match 6,058 $86 $750 6,244 $24 $210 $ 8,279 $565 $2,600 $ 8,722 $57 $500 $ 9,607 $115 $1,000 $ 10,492 $115 $1,000 $ 11,288 $104 $900 $ "i!,788 $65 $565 $ 12,231 $58 $501 $ 12,496 $34 $300 $ 12,718 $29 $251 $ 13,072 $354 $ 13,223 $20 $ 170 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ATTACHMENT D This project consists of design and construction of a new pedestrian/bicycle grade-separated crossing of the Caltrain tracks approximately 800 feet south of the Palo Alto Caltrain station platform between the Palo Alto Medical Foundation and the Homer/Alma intersection. The project will provide access from the South of Forest Area (SOFA) residential and commercial areas to the new Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) campus, to the Caltrain station, and to the new bike path constructed by PAMF along Urban Lane which is planned to be extended south to Churchill Avenue. By improving access to the major multi-modal hub the project will encourage and facilitate multi-modal trips. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION The need for a new pedestrian/bicycle crossing of the railroad tracks was identified during the review of the plan for the new PAMF campus. The approved PAMF campus plan includes an area to accommodate a pedestrian/bicycle access/landing area for a future crossing and a connection to the existing segment of the bike path built by PAMF on its campus. In conjunction with the PAMF/SOFA Coordinated Area Plan study, a planning and feasibility study for the pedestrian/bicycle crossing of the Caltrain right-of-way in the vicinity of the Homer/Alma intersection was prepared. It is projected that approximately 1,600 to 1,800 pedestrians and bicyclists would use this facility daily. FUTURE FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS FISCAL YEAR PY Budget 2000-01 2001-02 2002-0~ 2003-04 2004-05 AMOUNT $335,000 TBD COMPONENTS Design Construction Sources of Funding: General Fund with full reimbursement of design phase from Federal TEA-21 grant. IMPACT AND SUPPORT ANALYSIS Environmental: Design Elements: Operating: Telecommunications: An environmental analysis will be required. Project will be reviewed by CIP Design Consultant and is subject to Architectural Review Board and Bicycle Advisory Committee review. Maintenance costs through the Public Works Operations Division. None. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN This project furthers policy T-14 and program T-21 0f the Comprehensive Plan. 451 ATTACHMENT E ATTACHMENT F