Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
MARCH 15, 2017
Subject/Action
SUBJECT: WILLOWBROOK/ROSA PARKS STATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
ACTION: EXECUTE CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS
Heading
RECOMMENDATIONS
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to:
A. EXECUTE Modification No. 6 to Contract No. AE354280011791 with RNL Interplan, Inc. (RNL) for the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station Improvement Project (Project) Design and Engineering Services to complete final design for the Project in the firm fixed amount of $1,391,035, increasing the total contract value from $6,904,331 to $8,295,366; and
B. INCREASE Contract Modification Authority (CMA) specific to Contract No. AE 354280011791 for the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station Improvement Project Design and Engineering Services, in the amount of $250,000, increasing the total authorized CMA amount from $1,151,214 to $1,401,214.
Issue
ISSUE
In October 2015, the Board awarded to RNL a professional services contract (Contract) to complete final design for the Project, the components of which fall under the jurisdiction of Caltrans, Union Pacific, the State Public Utilities Commission and Los Angeles County and involve the acquisition of a portion of the shopping center adjacent to the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station (Station).
Since October 2015, RNL and Metro staff have coordinated extensively with Metro’s internal departments including operations, security, safety, customer service, active transportation as well as the external stakeholders described above. As a result of this process, the advanced design has identified a number of additional issues that must be addressed in the final construction documents in order to meet the needs of the various Project stakeholders. In particular, two components must be added to the Contract: 1) the construction of two cross-over tracks and temporary Overhead Catenary System (OCS) to maintain safe operations during construction and 2) separation of the Project into distinct design packages to meet federal grant deadlines, receive the required approvals from Caltrans and to minimize impacts to Metro patrons. Therefore, staff is recommending a modification to the RNL contract to address these two components.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The Project is a long-standing priority of the Metro Board. In 2011, the Board approved the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station Master Plan and in 2014, directed staff to seek environmental approvals and grant funds to construct the Project. Significant funds have been secured to date including, but not limited to, $10.25 million from the United States Department of Transportation TIGER VI grant program; $2.9 million from the State of California Active Transportation Program; and $38.5 million from the State of California Cap and Trade Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) to be shared with the Blue Line Wayfinding and Signalization Upgrades.
The proposed Project will invest in a significant modernization and enhancement of the Station. Critical to addressing the needs of the Station is the extension of the Metro Blue Line platform to relieve overcrowding and connect to a new proposed Station entrance within the Civic Plaza. The existing bus depots will be consolidated and upgraded with new canopy shelters and lighting. Additionally, the project includes a new, open-air Civic Plaza to serve as a Station “gateway” and house a new Metro Customer Service Center, Security Facility, and Bike Hub. Station-wide site work, landscaping, and signage will be implemented to improve safety and circulation within the Station, and enhance connections to the surrounding community, including nearby medical, educational and cultural assets which are experiencing a renaissance. (Additional information on the proposed Site Plan and Project improvements is provided as Attachment D - Project Summary.)
RNL began work on the final design in January 2016. Since that time, staff and the RNL team have:
• addressed concerns raised by the State’s Public Utilities Commission regarding the addition of a new grade-level rail crossing at the station;
• integrated recommendations from the 2014 study to reconfigure a mezzanine that connects the Blue and Green Line;
• presented the Project at a series of community meetings, held two workshops to gather community feedback on the design, and attended other community events to increase awareness of the Project;
• identified a path forward for Project approvals from third-party partners;
• produced and reviewed 15%, 30% and 60% design drawings; and,
• secured an additional $4.5 million in grants.
Going forward, additional contract authority is needed to respond to two issues. First, early in the process, the RNL team identified the importance of addressing circulation constraints in the mezzanine, which connects the Blue Line platform to the Green Line platform located in the center median of the Century Freeway above. Eighty-eight percent of the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks station patrons pass through this mezzanine, which experiences crowding and significant bottlenecks at stairs, elevator and fare gates. The need to expand the station’s mezzanine was also identified in the 2014 Metro Blue, Green, Red Capital and Operations report, which evaluated several options for expanding the mezzanine.
Including the mezzanine improvements introduced significant constructability hurdles that would require Station closures and costly bus bridging to maintain service. As an alternative, Operations staff proposes that two cross-over tracks and temporary OCS be constructed as part of Blue Line track and signalization upgrades to enable single tracking around the station with no impact on existing headways. Additional civil engineering and signaling design work is needed to pursue the cross-over track approach.
Second, as staff have consulted with Caltrans and other third-party reviewers, it has become clear that the Project must be divided into distinct phases and design packages to ensure safe routes for patrons through the Station and that any delays to one area do not jeopardize the grant funds which require project closeout in calendar year 2021. Additional work is required to separate the overall project design into separate construction packages.
Thus, staff is recommending that the Contract and Schedule be modified to enable RNL to complete a) the design of two cross-over tracks and temporary OCS and b) the completion of multiple design packages to enable project phasing.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The Board action will not have a negative impact on the safety of Metro’s patrons or employees. The Project will increase overall safety and security at the Station by improving lighting and visibility, adding new crossing safeguards and technology, and activating the area with new uses such as the customer service center and the bike mobility hub.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The FY17 budget for Project 210151, Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Improvement, included the funds needed to bring the Project to 60% design level, at which point staff intended to request Life of Project (LOP) approval from the Board, which would include funds to reimburse third-party reviewers, continue design work to produce 100% construction drawings and provide design support through construction. Given the additional scope described above and the unanticipated complexity and coordination challenges with third-party reviewers, staff intends to bring the Project forward for LOP approval once the third-parties and Metro have had more time to further review the design and confirm the project design and construction assumptions.
However, to continue the design phase incorporating the above discussed contract and schedule amendments will require approximately $1.6 million in additional project funds for FY17. The unused funds, identified through the midyear budget process, will be allocated to this Project to facilitate the progress of the design. Since this is a multi-year contract, the cost center manager and the Chief Program Management Officer, are responsible for budgeting the costs in future years.
Impact to Budget
The funding source for the additional funds will be a mix of TDA Article 4 and Federal TIGER grants. The TDA Article 4 funds are eligible for use in bus and rail operations.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may choose not to approve the Contract modification and allow for the final design to be completed as one package without the cross-over tracks. However, staff believes that this alternative will result in significant delays to third-party approvals which would jeopardize the state and federal funds that are in place. Omitting the cross-over tracks would significantly increase uncertainty in project delivery and constructability, which would also likely drive up construction costs. Further, if the cross-over tracks were not to be constructed, staff estimates that a minimum of six weekend shutdowns would be required in addition to delays related to extending single-track operations north and south of the station.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval, staff will execute Modification No. 6 to Contract No. AE354280011791; submit designs for third-party review; and complete its review of project controls and cost estimates in preparation of a LOP request to the Board. The LOP will be brought to the Board for its consideration once the final design is complete.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Procurement Summary
Attachment B - Contract Modification/Change Order Log
Attachment C - DEOD Summary
Attachment D - Project Summary
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Wells Lawson, Senior Director, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-7217;
Timothy P. Lindholm, Executive Officer, Capital Projects, (213) 922-7297
Cal Hollis, Senior Executive Officer, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-7319
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Debra Avila, Chief Vendor/Contract Management Officer, (213) 418-3051
Therese W. McMillan, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-7077
