Staff Report.813-0218 Shannon Rd Ped and Bike Impr
PREPARED BY: James Watson
Interim Town Engineer
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Town Attorney, Finance Director, and Parks and Public Works Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 04/18/2023 ITEM NO: 14
DATE: March 23, 2023
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Consider the Following Actions for the Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway
Improvements Project (CIP No. 813-0218):
a. Approve the Plans and Specifications;
b. Authorize Advertising the Project for Bid Contingent on Receiving Caltrans
Authorization;
c. Authorize the Town Manager to Execute the Second Amendment to the
Consulting Services Agreement with ActiveWayz Engineering for
Additional Engineering Services During Bid, Award, and Construction in an
Amount of $25,238, Resulting in a Total Agreement Amount Not to
Exceed $196,709;
d. Authorize an Expenditure Budget Transfer in an Amount of $133,380 from
available Traffic Mitigation Funds;
e. Authorize an Expenditure Budget Transfer in an Amount of $200,000 from
Available Funds in Fund 461 CIP #816-0420;
f. Authorize an Expenditure Budget Transfer in an Amount of $60,000 from
Available Funds in CIP #813-0221;
g. Authorize an Expenditure Budget Transfer in an Amount of $231,524 from
Available Funds in CIP #813-0231; and
h. Authorize an Expenditure Budget Transfer in an Amount of $219,772 from
Available Funds in CIP #811-9902.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the following actions for the Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway
Improvements Project (CIP No. 813-0218):
a. Approve the plans and specifications;
b. Authorize advertising the project for bid contingent on receiving Caltrans authorization;
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RECOMMENDATION (continued):
c. Authorize the Town Manager to execute the second amendment to the consulting services
agreement with ActiveWayz Engineering (Attachment 1) for additional engineering services
during bid, award, and construction in an amount of $25,238, resulting in a total agreement
amount not to exceed $196,709;
d. Authorize an expenditure budget transfer in an amount of $133,380 from available Traffic
Mitigation Funds;
e. Authorize an Expenditure Budget transfer in an amount of $200,000 from available funds in
Fund 461 CIP #816-0420;
f. Authorize an expenditure budget transfer in an amount of $60,000 from available funds in
CIP #813-0221;
g. Authorize an expenditure budget transfer in an amount of $231,524 from available funds in
CIP #813-0231; and
h. Authorize an expenditure budget transfer in an amount of $219,772 from available funds in
CIP #811-9902.
BACKGROUND:
The Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project would provide pedestrian
and bicycle safety improvements on Shannon Road between Los Gatos Boulevard and Cherry
Blossom Lane. This segment of Shannon Road is a two-lane neighborhood collector street with
high volumes of bicycle and pedestrian traffic when schools are in session. The street is a
popular route for students attending Blossom Hill Elementary, Louise Van Meter Elementary,
and Raymond J. Fisher Middle schools. There are intermittent sections of sidewalk on both
sides of the roadway. Currently, on-street parking is not allowed on Shannon Road between 7
a.m. and 6 p.m., except on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
In June 2018, the Town was awarded a Vehicle Emissions Reductions Based at Schools
(VERBS) federal grant in the amount of $940,100 from the Metropolitan Transportation
Commission (MTC) One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) program distributed through the Santa
Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to partially fund the project. This grant is a
critical source of funding for the construction phase of this project, and it is shown as such
in the adopted FY 2022/23-2026/27 CIP Budget. This is a reimbursement grant whereby
the Town must expend the funds and request reimbursement from VTA. The initial
request for reimbursement must be received by June 30, 2023 to comply with the
requirements of this grant.
On November 5, 2019, the Town Council authorized the Town Manager to solicit design
consultants and negotiate and execute a design consultant agreement in an amount not to
exceed $200,000. ActiveWayz Engineering was selected as the design consultant through the
PAGE 3 OF 7 SUBJECT: Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project (CIP No. 813-0218) DATE: April 3, 2023
BACKGROUND (continued):
procurement process. A consultant services agreement for an amount not to exceed
$126,631 was negotiated and executed with ActiveWayz Engineering to include project
management, survey, alternative analysis and community outreach, utility coordination, final
design, bid support, and construction administration support. On March 1, 2022, Council
authorized the Town Manager to execute the first amendment increase of $44,840 for
additional community outreach efforts and to develop an additional design option based on
the community feedback received (see Exhibit A).
This report recommends a second amendment to the agreement for additional engineering
services during bid, award, construction, and post-construction (see Attachment 1 and Exhibit
B). The original scope was developed with the expectation of greater Town staff involvement
during bid, award, construction, and post-construction. The second amendment would
facilitate greater use of the design consultant to augment Town staff resources.
ActiveWayz developed two concept designs that were presented to the community in 2021 at
meetings on August 26 and September 29. During the community meeting process a third
concept was added to reflect community input. These concepts and project history can be
found on the PPW website at: https://www.losgatosca.gov/2687/Shannon-Pedestrian-and-
Bikeway-Improveme. At its October 19, 2021 meeting, Town Council approved Design
Concept 3 and authorized staff to proceed with final design.
Two additional community meetings were held on November 17, 2021 and January 15, 2022.
DISCUSSION:
The December 2022 engineer’s estimate to complete the proposed work for the Shannon Road
Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project is $1,766,826. The project would improve the
safe mobility of Town residents and visitors and improve storm drainage. The Town has
engaged the public and incorporated ideas generated through community involvement as much
as possible. Grants have been secured to defer costs. Utility owners have been noticed of their
obligation to relocate as necessary to accommodate the project plans.
The Town continues to receive correspondence from residents expressing dissatisfaction with
the design, cost, and environmental impacts, while also receiving balancing general support of
the idea of improvement. Suggestions to improve the plans were often provided including
additional trees and variations in geometric design. Correspondences received prior to April 13,
2023 at 11 a.m. are included as Attachment 2. In an effort to address some of these concerns,
staff has included an add alternate bid item for up to 14 trees along the project route. The
PAGE 4 OF 7 SUBJECT: Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project (CIP No. 813-0218) DATE: April 3, 2023
DISCUSSION (continued):
exact placement and species of trees will be determined in the field in coordination with local
residents and the Town Arborist.
The plans and specifications for the Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements
Project can be viewed on the Town’s website at https://www.losgatosca.gov/108/Capital-
Improvement-Program. Staff is asking for authorization to advertise the project for
construction pending receipt of the E-76 certification from Caltrans which is expected to be
provided within the next 30 days.
Once authorized by the Town Council to advertise for bid, the following is the anticipated
schedule for the project, assuming receipt of the E-76 approval:
Milestones Anticipated Timeline
Advertise the Project for Bid April 28, 2023
Bids Due May 18, 2023
Council to Accept Lowest Bidder June 6, 2023
Award and Execute Agreement June 15, 2023
Start Construction July 5, 2023
Anticipated Completion January 2024
CONCLUSION:
Approval of the recommendations allows the Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway
Improvements Project to move forward for bidding with an option for bidders to identify
additional landscaping and greening opportunities as an add alternate. It is important for the
Town to construct the project to utilize the grants that were received for this project.
ALTERNATIVE:
Alternatively, the Council could direct staff to revisit the design to incorporate additional
comments received. Staff would consider modifications that would add environmental
components to the streetscape by adding small landscape buffers that incorporate trees and
allow the Town to improve water quality runoff, air quality, and neighborhood appeal. This
alternative would necessitate almost complete redesign of the project, incurring additional
design costs and delaying the project to at least summer of 2024. This delay would likely result
in the loss of grants secured and impact the Town’s ability to secure future grant funds.
PAGE 5 OF 7 SUBJECT: Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project (CIP No. 813-0218) DATE: April 3, 2023
COORDINATION:
This project has been coordinated with the Complete Streets and Transportation Commission,
significant public outreach has been conducted, and the project has been coordinated with
the Finance Department.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The FY 2022/23 – 2026/27 CIP Budget for the Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway
Improvements Project requires additional funding for the construction phase. On October 19,
2021, Town Council unanimously approved (see Item 7 of the meeting minutes) the proposed
alternative and a recommended funding strategy that included consolidating funds from other
projects to the Shannon Road project. The scope of each of these projects aligns with
corresponding scope within the Shannon Road project. Staff recommends that Town Council
authorize the transfer of available funds from the CIP projects identified in the fiscal table
below.
PAGE 6 OF 7 SUBJECT: Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project (CIP No. 813-0218) DATE: April 3, 2023
FISCAL IMPACT (continued):
Staff costs are tracked for all projects. Tracking of staff costs allows for accountability in the
costs of projects, recovery of costs from grant funded projects, and identification of future
staffing needs. This project utilizes a combination of full-time budgeted staff and temporary
staff that support fluctuating workloads. The costs for temporary staff will be directly
associated with this project while full-time staff are accounted for in the Department’s
operating budget.
Budget
GFAR 230,000$
Grants 1,114,350$
Utility Undergrounding 119,204$
Transfer from Traffic Mitigation Funds 133,380$
Transfer from Fund 461 - Storm Basin #1 (Considered
with this Staff Report)200,000$
Transfer from CIP #813-0221 (Considered with this
Staff Report)60,000$
Transfer from CIP #813-0231 (Considered with this
Staff Report)231,524$
Transfer from CIP #811-9902 (Considered with this
Staff Report)219,772$
Total Budget 2,308,230$
Costs
Misc. Expenses 500$
Temporary Staff Charges 35,000$
Engineering Services (Previously Approved)171,471$
Engineering Services (Approved with this Staff Report)25,238$
Construction Management Services (7.5%)132,512$
Construction 1,766,826$
Construction Contingency (10%)176,683$
Total Costs 2,308,230$
Available Balance -$
Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements
CIP No. 813-0218
PAGE 7 OF 7 SUBJECT: Shannon Road Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project (CIP No. 813-0218) DATE: April 3, 2023
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is a project defined under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as being
Categorically Exempt per Section 15301(c) Existing streets, sidewalks, trails and similar
facilities and 15304(h) Creation of bicycle lanes on existing rights-of-way. A Notice of
Exemption will be filed. Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the project is
determined to be categorically excluded from a detailed environmental analysis.
Attachments:
1. ActiveWayz Engineering Consultant Agreement Proposed Second Amendment with Exhibit
“A” – Original Agreement and First Amendment and Exhibit “B” - Scope of Services
2. Public Comment