PURPOSE

To request City Council approval of contract documents and award of a construction contract for Bid Schedule No. 1046, Burbank Boulevard/Victory Boulevard Intersection Realignment Project, Phase 3 [RPSTPL-5200 (019)].

BACKGROUND

On June 13, 2000, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 25,768 approving the environmental impact report (EIR) for the Burbank Empire Center and Costco development.  This EIR identified several traffic improvements to mitigate impacts created by the project.  These improvements included modifying five intersections on Buena Vista Street and Empire Avenue (completed in 2002),  and realigning the old �Five Points� intersection at Burbank Boulevard, Victory Boulevard and Victory Place into a conventional  four-corner intersection. 

The City�s Five Points Intersection Realignment Project consisted of three phases:

Phase 1:         Utility relocation/replacement, property acquisition, and intersection realignment design (Completed in 2001)

Phase 2:         Relocation of the West Victory Boulevard connection to Burbank Boulevard, and widening the remaining four intersection legs � the mitigation measure required by the Empire Center/Costco EIR (Completed in 2001 � See Exhibit A)

Phase 3:         Widening the Burbank Boulevard Bridge from North Victory Boulevard to the I-5 Freeway (See Exhibit B)

Phase 2 of the intersection realignment project, which was completed in October 2001, provided interim relief to the increasing traffic demands created by the opening of the Empire Center and Costco.  Before these retail centers opened, the Five Points intersection had peak demand signal cycle lengths of up to 4 minutes or longer.  Today, with the intersection realignment, signal cycle times during peak demand periods are no longer than 120 seconds (2 minutes maximum). 

Public Works had originally intended to begin construction of Phase 3 in January 2003.  However, due to delays in receiving approvals from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the project was not able to go out for bid until late June 2004.   Completion of this Phase 3 bridge widening improvement will provide three (3) additional traffic lanes on Burbank Boulevard, which will further reduce traffic congestion in the area.  Phase 3 includes:
 

• One east-bound lane on each side of the Victory Boulevard intersection

• One west-bound lane on the bridge west of Lake Street

• One left turn lane pocket on each side of the Victory Boulevard intersection
   

Exhibit C illustrates the current lane configuration (before the bridge widening), and Exhibit D shows the intersection lane configuration after the Phase 3 (bridge widening) is completed.

During construction, east and west-bound traffic will be restricted to two (2) lanes on the bridge, maintaining the one left turn pocket at the Victory Boulevard intersection.  Also, the south-bound I-5 Freeway off-ramp will be restricted to two (2) lanes.

The Phase 3 construction work includes asphalt/concrete removals and paving; earthwork and grading; construction of bridge deck and support structure, new bridge barrier railing on both sides of the bridge, sidewalk, curb, gutter; traffic signal improvements; street lighting; signing and striping; and other miscellaneous work.

ANALYSIS

On June 26 & 30, 2004, the City's Purchasing Division advertised for Phase 3 construction bids and on July 27, 2004, three (3) contractors submitted bids, ranging from $4,469,032.00 to $4,826,104.00, as shown on Exhibit E.  Banshee Construction Co., Inc., of Colton, California, submitted the apparent low bid of $4,469,032.00, then subsequently withdrew it on July 29, 2004, due to a significant unit price error in their bid proposal.  Therefore, D. W. Powell Construction, Inc. is the apparent low bidder, having submitted a bid of $4,545,181.00, which is 12 percent above the engineer�s estimate of $4.0 million.  Banshee Construction�s bid withdrawal and the 12 percent over the engineer�s estimate are considered reflective of the recent market escalation in numerous construction materials (concrete, steel, asphalt, lumber, etc.) over the last six months.  Public Works staff has investigated this contractor�s references and has received comments of satisfactory work in completing similar projects.

Construction of this project is planned to occur between January and November 2005.  A contract time of 300 calendar days is established for completion of all contract work, and an interim contract time of 230 calendar days for completion of opening the additional traffic lanes designed for Burbank Boulevard.

The following incentives are provided for the Contractor to attain an earlier opening of the additional traffic lanes:

• The City will pay all additional expenses for inspection services outside the hours of a standard workday (7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.), including weekends and holidays.
   

• The Contractor is entitled to an early completion bonus of $5,000 for each calendar day (maximum $50,000) that the added lanes are open to traffic earlier than the interim contract time of 230 calendar days.  However, the contractor will be penalized $5,000 per day for each day that the added lanes are not open to traffic after the 230-day interim contract period. There is with no maximum total amount of this disincentive penalty.

A public outreach program will be employed throughout the project to inform the public and businesses of the bridge widening construction, traffic delays due to lane reductions, recommended alternative routes.  Street and freeway signage will be posted to notify motorists.

The Public Works Department is currently evaluating proposals from consultants to provide construction management services for this Phase 3 construction project.  Following a selection of the most qualified firm and receiving Caltrans� approval, Public Works will return to request City Council approval to award a Professional Services Agreement in approximately October 2004.

FISCAL IMPACT

Funding for the apparent low bid of $4,545,181.00 for Phase 3 construction is available in Project No. 13557 (Burbank Boulevard Bridge Widening). As with the previous two phases of work, Phase 3 is eligible for 100% federal/state reimbursement through a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) grant of $8,768,000 for the Burbank Boulevard/Victory Boulevard Intersection Realignment Project.  This grant amount was allocated as follows for potential reimbursement:

�        $632,000 by state funding for property acquisition in Phase 1

�        $3,500,000 by federal (88.53%)/state (11.47%) funding in Phase 2 construction

�        $4,636,000 by federal (88.53%)/state (11.47%) funding in Phase 3 construction
 

To date, Phase 1 reimbursement is pending Caltrans approval, and Phase 2 reimbursement of $2,297,170.36 covered the actual total construction costs of that phase.

RECOMMENDATION

Adopt the proposed resolution entitled:

A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK APPROVING AND ADOPTING CONTRACT DOCUMENTS, PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS, AND DETERMINING THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, ACCEPTING THE BID, AND AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT FOR BID SCHEDULE NO. 1046. 

Attachments:              Exhibits A, B, C, D, E

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