Meeting_Body
Planning and Programming Committee
April 14, 2021
Subject
SUBJECT: STATE ROUTE (SR)-57/SR-60 INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer to:
1. Execute Contract Modification No. 2 to Contract No. AE51890001 in the amount of $3,251,665.74 for the SR-57/SR-60 Interchange Improvements project (Project) with WKE Inc. to provide professional services, increasing the total contract value from $25,155,706.72 to $28,407,372.46;
2. AUTHORIZE programming an additional $91 million in Measure M funds for the Project’s Right-of-Way (ROW), mitigation of impacts to the Diamond Bar Golf Course (DBGC) and utility relocation; and
3. AUTHORIZE the CEO or his designee to negotiate and execute all necessary contract documents and agreements to implement the necessary pre-construction components of the Project.
Issue
ISSUE
At its December 2, 2020 meeting, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) awarded $217.9 million in Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) funds to the Project’s construction phase. This award will allow Metro to start construction of the Project in summer 2022. Measure M funds for the construction phase of the Project are not available until Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.
The Project's Design Phase is expected to be completed by November 2021. In order to stay on schedule, programming of additional funds is needed for design and soil testing services to address additional scope required by others, and to advance ROW activities ahead of the construction phase.
A modification to the design services contract is needed to add scope for: 1) services for design support during construction; 2) design of architectural enhancements to retaining walls, soundwalls, Grand Avenue bridge barrier and fencing requested by the City of Diamond Bar; 3) additional soil testing and pavement rehabilitation work within the Project site required by Caltrans Office of Environmental Engineering (OEE).
Background
BACKGROUND
SR-57 and SR-60 merge for a two-mile reach in the vicinity of the Cities of Diamond Bar and Industry. This location has the second highest truck-involved accidents in Southern California and ranked as the fourth most congested freight chokepoint in the nation by the American Transportation Research Institute in 2019. The proposed improvements to the SR-57/SR-60 Interchange include grade separation of the two roadways to improve safety, reduce accidents, and alleviate operational deficiencies.
The Project was listed in the Measure M Ordinance with anticipated construction start date of FY 2025.
The Project Environmental phase started in September 2009. Residents, agencies, and community-based organizations were engaged in the process. Organizations and agencies that participated in the process and contributed to the development of the environmental document included the City of Industry, City of Diamond Bar, County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation, County Sanitation District of Los Angeles County, Native American Heritage Commission, California Transportation Commission, South Coast Air Quality Management District, and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments.
Environmental document was approved in 2013.
In September 2018, Contract No. AE51890001 for Plans Specifications & Estimate (PS&E) services for the Project was awarded by the Board to WKE Inc.
In 2018, staff was successful in securing a TCEP grant totaling $22 million for design and ROW phases of the project, which mandated acceleration of the project development process to fully utilize the grant funds. Design is now 90% complete.
In December 2020, the Project was awarded $217.9 million in TCEP funds for the construction phase, which requires keeping the Project on schedule to fully utilize those funds. The strong support from local, regional, state, and federal agencies, as well as private sector partners was memorialized in the letters of support submitted in support of the grant application. Major supporters included American Trucking Association; California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; Cities of Claremont, Diamond Bar, Industry, San Dimas, and Walnut; Mobility 21; Port of Long Beach; Southern California Association of Governments; San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments; San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership; Los Angeles County Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis; and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The contract modification is needed to:
1. Include design services during construction in the scope of work. These services were not included in the original contract in 2018 because it was not known if construction would start prior to the Measure M FY 2025 anticipated construction date. With the success in securing construction grant funds from TCEP, the schedule can now be accelerated, and Board approval is needed for the inclusion of these professional services.
2. Cover the cost of design for architectural enhancements to the retaining walls, soundwalls, Grand Avenue bridge fencing and a lighted monument sign on Grand Avenue, as well as extended pavement repairs where borings in paved local streets are necessary for soil and groundwater sampling - all requested by the City of Diamond Bar.
3. Cover the cost for a significant amount of additional soil testing and reporting required by Caltrans’ OEE to explore risks associated with Recognized Environmental Conditions (REC) within the Project site. The new testing requirements increased the number of test borings to 1,101 - 653 more than the original plan. Some of these borings are within the median of SR-60, which will require additional Traffic Control and closure of the High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes.
The Project’s environmental document (approved in 2013) identified the need for acquisition of 9.4 acres from the DBGC, reducing the golf course from 171.3 acres to 161.9 acres, and the demolition of an existing maintenance facility. The Project’s Environmental Commitment Record (ECR) included the reconfiguration of the DBGC to maintain 18 holes and not to adversely affect users’ experience. A total of $91 million is required to replace the 9.4 acres from the DBGC, mitigation of impacts to the DBGC and utility relocation activities within the Project area.
Board’s approval of this request is necessary to ensure successful continuation of work.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The SR-57/SR-60 Interchange Improvement scope, schedule, and budget will have no impact to the safety of Metro's patrons, employees or the general public.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Programming of $94,251,665.74 for ROW and Modification No. 2 will be as follows: $89,251,665.74 in Measure M funds - $750K in FY21, $51.8M in FY22, $36.7M in FY23; TCEP funds - $5M for ROW in FY22. These cash flow projections are based on assumptions as of February 2021, subject to advancement of Final Design and the overall schedule of the Project.
For FY21, $9.7M has been budgeted in Highway Program Cost Centers 4720 and 0442, in SR-57/SR-60 Interchange Improvement Project 475002. Staff will work within the department’s current budget to allocate funds for the ROW work needed during the current Fiscal Year.
Since this is a multiyear project, the Project Manager, the Cost Center Manager and the Senior Executive Officer of Program Management - Highway Program will continue to be responsible for budgeting costs in future fiscal years.
Impact to Budget
The source of funds for this Project is Measure M (17%) Highway Funds and TCEP funds from SB1. These funds are not eligible for bus and rail operations or non-Highway capital project expenditures.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The proposed Project is consistent with the following goals of the Metro Vision 2028 Strategic Plan:
Goal 1: Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling by alleviating the current operational deficiencies and improving mobility at the SR-57/SR-60 interchange.
Goal 4: Transform LA County through regional collaboration by partnering with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) and Caltrans to identify the needed improvements on State highways and take share responsibility of development and implementation of highway improvement projects.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may elect not to approve the proposed contract modification. This option is not recommended. Completing the Project's design and ROW activities is necessary to advance the Project and fully utilize the TCEP grant funds. Board approval would allow the Project to move forward.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon approval by the Board, staff will execute Contract Modification No. 2 to Contract No. AE51890001 with WKE, Inc. and proceed with ROW, mitigation and utility relocation activities.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Procurement Summary
Attachment B - Contract Modification/Change Order Log
Attachment C - DEOD Summary
Attachment D - Project map
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Roberto Machuca, Sr. Director (213) 418-3467
Ernesto Chaves, Deputy Executive Officer, (213) 418-3142
Abdollah Ansari, Sr. Executive Officer (213) 922-4781
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Debra Avila, Chief Vendor/Contract Management Officer,
(213) 418-3051
Bryan Pennington, Interim Chief Program Management Officer (213) 922-7449
