Agenda Item Wording:
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Award Design Contract - Authorize the City Manager to award a professional design services contract to Peters Engineering Group in the amount of $376,050 for the design of the Shirk Street widening over Mill Creek project.
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Agenda Date: 05/18/2026
Prepared by:
Estrella Velasquez, Associate Engineer, Estrella.Velasquez@visalia.gov, (559)713-4164
Chris Crawford, City Engineer, Chris.Crawford@visalia.gov, (559)713-4331
Jason Huckleberry, Engineering & Building Director, Jason.Huckleberry@visalia.gov, (559)713-4495
Department Recommendation: Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to award a professional design services contract to Peters Engineering Group for the design of the Shirk Street widening over Mill Creek project in the amount of $376,050.
Summary:
The Shirk Street widening over Mill Creek project will expand the roadway from two to four lanes between School and Hillsdale Avenues. The design includes extending the existing Mill Creek culvert and constructing improvements primarily on the east side of the roadway within existing right of way. This project complements adjacent improvements to continue to upgrade Shirk Street into an arterial roadway, consistent with the General Plan Circulation Element.
Background Discussion:
Shirk Street is designated as an arterial roadway in the City of Visalia’s General Plan Circulation Element and functions as a primary corridor for the industrial park, accommodating both passenger and commercial traffic. Continued industrial and residential growth in this area has contributed to increased traffic volumes. The current construction associated with the Shirk Street capacity enhancement project will widen the roadway from two to four lanes between Riggin Avenue and School Avenue, with a focus on establishing the ultimate eastern alignment. This effort maximized the use of existing right of way and constructed improvements to full width where feasible.
The Shirk Street widening over Mill Creek project represents a continuation of these improvements and will widen Shirk Street from two to four lanes between School and Hillsdale Avenues. The project will primarily construct improvements along the east side of the roadway, within the existing right of way. Development of the west side of the roadway, to achieve the full arterial buildout, will be deferred until adjacent properties are annexed into the city and developed.
To accommodate the roadway widening, the existing Mill Creek culvert, which currently terminates just north of Hillsdale Avenue, will be extended approximately 300 feet to the north. The completed improvements will provide a four-lane roadway configuration that is critical to the overall connectivity along this roadway. This project is one of several planned improvements along Shirk Street between Riggin Avenue and Walnut Avenue. If adjacent segments are completed in advance, the unimproved section within this project area would create a bottleneck and reduce the effectiveness of the overall corridor upgrades.
Consultant Selection and Scope of Work
This project scope was originally advertised in 2019 as RFP-18-19-64 and awarded to GHD. Under GHD’s contract, the project advanced through preliminary engineering, including an assessment of the existing culvert’s structural condition and hydraulic performance and an evaluation of alternatives for undergrounding the open creek. The design progressed to approximately 50% plans, specifications, and estimate (PS&E) stage and an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration was completed to satisfy CEQA requirements. However, the necessary permitting tasks were not completed during this phase, leaving a critical gap in advancing the project toward construction. In February 2026, GHD and the city mutually terminated the original design contract prior to completing the design and associated environmental clearance. As a result, the city engaged Peters Engineering Group to submit a proposal for design services to complete this project. Peters is currently designing the Shirk Street operational improvements project located over the Shirk interchange which is directly adjacent to this project. Following review of their proposal and scope refinement, Peters Engineering Group’s proposed fee of $377,110 was determined to be reasonable. Within their submitted scope and fee, three tasks totaling $74,110 were submitted as optional. Staff will only authorize the optional work if it is determined to be necessary as the design progresses.
Peters Engineering Group was awarded an on-call civil engineering services contract in April 2025, along with five (5) other qualified consulting firms: 4Creeks, Inc., Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group, TRC Engineering, Inc., Lane Engineering, Inc., and CWE. Peters Engineering Group was selected from the on-call list due to their concurrent work on the interim operational improvements along Shirk Street between Hillsdale Avenue and Noble Avenue. Their familiarity with the corridor will minimize rework, ensure consistency between project segments, and provide seamless connectivity from School Avenue to Noble Avenue.
Peters Engineering Group’s scope of work includes advancing the project design from its current 50% level to final construction plans, specifications, and cost estimates for the roadway widening and culvert extension. The consultant will also obtain the required state and federal permits associated with the culvert extension. According to the proposed schedule included in their scope of work, construction documents are anticipated to be completed in March 2027. Upon completion of the consultant’s work, city staff plans to advertise the project, with construction anticipated to begin in fall 2027. Construction is contingent upon securing the required environmental permits, complying with mitigation measures identified in the environmental document, and scheduling work within Mill Creek’s dry season, which generally extends from August through December.
Fiscal Impact:
This project is funded by multiple funds: Measure N (141), Storm Sewer Construction (221) and Transportation Impact (241). As outlined in Table 1: Current Project Funding, the current budget allocation is sufficient to fund the design services contract award to Peters Engineering Group. The fiscal impact associated with this action is limited to the design phase of the project.
See below the project funding breakdown.
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Table 1: Current Project Funding (CP0305) |
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Project Funding Source |
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Measure N (141) |
$343,400 |
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Storm Sewer Construction (221) |
$143,720 |
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Transportation Impact (241) |
$4,611,200 |
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Total Project Funding |
$5,098,320 |
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Previous Design Costs |
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Staff Time |
$80,000 |
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Design Services |
$395,000 |
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Environmental Fees |
$3,000 |
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Total Previous Design Costs |
$478,000 |
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Additional Estimated Project Design Costs |
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Staff Time |
$70,000 |
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Design Services |
$303,000 |
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Design Services (Optional) |
$73,050 |
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Design Contingency (~10% of Design) |
$34,071 |
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Permitting Fees (Estimated) |
$350,000 |
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Total Additional Estimated Project Costs |
$830,121 |
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Total Estimated Design Costs |
$1,308,121 |
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Surplus (Deficit) |
$3,790,199 |
The current estimated cost for construction is $4,996,900 and is currently partially funded. The appropriation amounts needed from each fund for the construction phase is identified in the Capital Improvement Program in the 27/28 fiscal year.
Prior Council Action:
July 15, 2019 - City Council authorized the City Manager to award a professional design services contract for the Shirk Street widening over Mill Creek project to GHD.
Alternatives: An alternative to the recommended action is to deny authorization to award the professional design services contract. However, this may result in this segment of roadway becoming a choke point as the adjacent projects will continue to expand Shirk Street from two to four lanes.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize the City Manager to award a professional design services contract to Peters Engineering Group in the amount of $376,050 for the design of the Shirk Street widening over Mill Creek project.
Environmental Assessment Status: NEPA environmental assessment does not apply.
CEQA Review: Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, Completed Jan 2020, State Clearinghouse Number 2019120469
Deadline for Action: 05/18/2026
Attachments:
1. Project Location Map
2. Consultant Disclosure Form
3. Consultant Scope of Work
4. Draft Professional Services Agreement
Strategic Goal: Indicates which City Strategic Goal(s) this item supports. Check all that apply.
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☐ Economic Vitality |
☐  Organizational Excellence |
☐ Fiscal Strength |
☒  Infrastructure & Growth |
☐  Quality of Life |