Agenda Item Wording:
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Receive a staff presentation on the construction staging plans for the upcoming Caldwell Avenue Improvement Project from Akers Street to Shady Street and provide feedback and direction regarding night work impacts. .
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Deadline for Action: None
Submitting Department: Public Works
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Fred Lampe, Senior Civil Engineer, fred.lampe@visalia.city, 713-4270
Frank Senteno, City Engineer, frank.senteno@visalia.city, 713-4331
Nick Mascia, Public Works Director, nick.mascia@visalia.city, 713-4323
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that City Council accept the staff presentation of staging plans for the Caldwell Avenue Improvements from Akers Street to Shady Street, consider impacts of night work on residents versus impacts to major north/south streets and construction schedule, and accept proposed night work to provide contractor flexibility and more efficient traffic management.
Background Discussion:
The Caldwell Avenue Improvements from Akers Street to Shady Street is part of the larger Avenue 280 corridor widening project sponsored by Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG), County of Tulare, City of Farmersville, and the City of Exeter. The Avenue 280 project extends from State Route 99 to the City of Exeter. The project is being constructed in stages and by different agencies. The original scope of the Caldwell Improvements from Akers Street to Shady Street includes adding median islands, sidewalks, curb and gutter, fiber optic conduit and streetlights. Because of the extent of pavement work associated with the above improvements and to avoid a “checkered look” to the finished project, Staff reviewed the overall condition of the pavement. Upon further research, pavement reconstruction was added not only because of the poor pavement condition within the project boundaries but also to provide the structural strength to carry future designated traffic loading.
Complete pavement replacement adds complexity to the project particularly at major intersections when combined with heavy travel volumes. Construction staging must be planned and coordinated to achieve cost efficiencies while keeping public impacts to a minimum.
The length of this street improvement project is almost 2 miles. The project will have major impacts along the corridor to motorists, businesses, schools, churches, and residents. Construction time is estimated at nine months to a year.
This presentation shows 14 traffic control Phases. Phases 1 and 2 rebuild pedestrian ramps, curbs, and gutters at three signalized intersections. Phases 3, 4, and 5 remove pavement and repave the same three intersections. Phases 6 and 7 rebuild the pedestrian ramps, curbs, and gutters at the remaining three signalized intersections. Phases 8, 9, & 10 remove pavement and repave the remaining three intersections. Phase 11 adds streetlights, sidewalk, curb, and gutter where needed. Phase 11 also repaves the outside traffic lane and bicycle lane. Phase 12 adds streetlights, sidewalk, curb, and gutter where needed. Phase 12 also repaves the outside traffic lane and bicycle lane. Phase 13 adds median islands and repaves inside traffic lanes. Phase 14 adds median islands and repaves inside traffic lanes. After a contract is awarded, the successful contractor may coordinate with the city’s project manager to combine, separate, or re-order the phases to achieve greater efficiencies or to correct any traffic control issues that may be encountered.
Nighttime work with full intersection closures has been used successfully on past city projects. The interchange improvement project at Highway 198 and Akers Street is an example. Intersections were closed at night while pavement was removed and reconstructed. It took approximately three to four nights to complete each of the intersections on that project. Every morning the intersections opened with lower lift asphalt pavement in place for daytime traffic. After paving is complete then utility valves and manholes must be raised to the surface. Staff believes five nights per intersection will be adequate for the Caldwell project.
Full intersection closures at night provide contractors with open access to the work area. Equipment can be moved in and out with greater flexibility. Constructing the intersections at night should decrease the number of days required to complete the project. Closing the intersections at night will also reduce impacts to the major north/south streets during daytime peak traffic. These roads serve numerous schools, businesses, and a large volume of commuter traffic. Construction at night does have negative impacts. Noise generated by construction equipment could be a problem for residences adjacent to the work. Many of the major north/south street intersections are bounded by commercial properties but some also have residents close by.
Staff also requests that night work be made available to minimize seams in the final asphalt pavement course. Staff recommends that night work only be proposed for intersection work, top lift pavement work, and select tasks that may present specific impacts to commuter travel and safety if performed as daytime work.
If night work is approved, staff will include notification of residents adjacent to the affected area prior to that work. Prior notification is essential to residents being able to plan for construction noise. Notification will be done with press releases, website posting, social media outreach, direct mailings, direct phone calls, or flyers as has been done on the City’s other projects, i.e. Santa Fe Roundabout, Akers-198 Interchange, and Demaree and Goshen.
Fiscal Impact:
Adding flexibility to the project phasing may result in lower bid prices as a result from a decrease in the number of working days required to complete the project. A full project budget including anticipated expenditures will be included when the Request for Bid is presented to City Council.
Prior Council Action:
April 15, 2109 - Adopt Resolution No. 2019-21 to identify a road rehabilitation project for Rad Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) 2019-20 funding from the State of California Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (Senate Bill SB1)
Other:
None
Alternatives:
None
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to accept the staging plan presentation and to approve nighttime work as proposed in this staff report and with proper public noticing.
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Environmental Assessment Status:
Complete
CEQA Review:
Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) - State Clearinghouse #2008081126, Notice of Determination (NOD) - Receipt TC0663
Attachments:
1. Location Map
2. Limits Map
3. Phasing PowerPoint