Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute the First Amendment to the Consulting Services Agreement with Mark Thomas & Company, Inc. for Final Design of Phases (Segments) 1 and 2 for Quarry Lakes Parkway (East West Connector), City Project No. 18-04, in the amount of $3,000,000.

This agenda item is in alignment with the following:

Goal C, Strategy 3: Facilitate the build out of the greater Station District Area through the construction of Quarry Lakes Parkway, upgrades to the BART Station, completion of the pedestrian rail crossing and sale and development of City-owned land. 

At the November 19, 2020, Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) Meeting, Alameda CTC staff in partnership with Union City staff, presented the findings of the QLP project.  Following Alameda CTC staff’s recommendation, the full Commission adopted a resolution to: 

1. Commit the remaining balance of 1986 Measure B funding for the East West Connector (I-880 to Mission Blvd) Project to the Quarry Lakes Parkway Project ($69.0 Million) sponsored by Union City and acknowledging that the commitment fulfills the 1986 Measure B funds from the 1986 Transportation Expenditure Plan; 
2. Allocate $4.2 million of 1986 Measure B funds to design phases of Phase 1 (7^th Street Connection) for $2.0 million and Phase 2 (Gateway Connection) for $2.2 million;  
3. Allocate $17.8 million of 1986 Measure B funds to design phases of Phase 3 (11^th Street Connection) for $9.2 million and Phase 4 (Grade Separations and Alvarado-Niles Connection) for $8.6 million with the condition that full funding for all phases of the segment will be identified in the funding agreement; and 
4. Authorize the Executive Director or designee of the Executive Director, to execute a project funding agreement, or agreements, with the City of Union City for the design phases of Phases 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Quarry Lakes Parkway Project up to the amount allocated in the design phases for each segment.

On October 12, 2021, City Council adopted Resolution No. 5841-21 accepting the $4.2 million grant from Alameda CTC’s Project Funding Agreement (PFA) No. A22-0053 and authorizing the use of those funds for Final Design of Phases (Segments) 1 and 2 for the Quarry Lakes Parkway (East West Connector) Project, City Project No. 18-04. Other actions included:

1. Increasing the FY 2021/22 revenue projection in Account Number 4100-91804-44502 (Capital Projects Fund - Misc. County/Local Grants) by $4.2 million.
2. Amending the FY 2021/22 Capital Projects Fund budget by appropriating $4.2 million to Account Number 4100-3199-91804-54110 (Capital Projects Fund - Quarry Lakes Parkway (East West Connector) – Professional Services) for Final Design Services of Phases (Segments) 1 and 2 for the Quarry Lakes Parkway (East West Connector) Project, City Project No. 18-04.

These Alameda CTC and City Council approvals set the framework for the release of a Request for Proposal (RFP) to select a civil engineering consultant with local streets and roads, Complete Streets, and municipal engineering experience through Final Design, Right-of-Way and Construction administered by local public agencies for City Project No 18-04.  On October 14, 2021, the project RFP was released to engineering firms on the Alameda CTC’s Certified List, on November 9, 2021, the Pre-Proposal Meeting was held for interested engineering firms and on November 23. 2021 proposals were due. On December 9, 2021, an interview panel consisting of City staff from City Managers’ Office, Economic and Community Development, Public Works, Union City Transit, and representatives from the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Team (BPAC) and City Ventures unanimously made the recommendation to selected Mark Thomas and Company, Inc. team for the project.   

On January 11, 2022, the City Council, under Resolution No. 5878-22, authorized the City Manager to execute a Consulting Services Agreement, C5833, with Mark Thomas & Company, Inc. for Preliminary Engineering (30% Final Design) of Phases (Segments) 1 and 2 for the Quarry Lakes Parkway (East West Connector) Project, City Project No. 18-04, in the amount of $1,200,000.

The Preliminary Engineering (30% Final Design) effort has allowed the consultant team the opportunity to provide a detailed, extensive review of outdated 2011 East West Connector Project Plans (65%) including CAD drawing files, engineering calculations and technical reports to recommend how to update the Project Plans to current design standards and technical reports using the most current engineering criteria and policies. With this task completed, the consultant team and City staff have a better understanding of the complexities of the project and were able to prepare a fair, detailed Scope of Services and Cost Proposal for the Final Design of Phases (Segments) 1 and 2 for Quarry Lakes Parkway.

Design Revisions

Over the past several months, Mark Thomas’ Consultant Team, city staff along with Alameda County Flood Control & Water Conservation District (ACFC&WCD) have collaborated to revise the overall Quarry Lakes Parkway, Phases 1-4 roadway drainage strategy and design of the bypass from the Line M Flood Control channel located in Phase 1 to the outfall structures into Old Alameda Creek in Phase 2.   Basins to store and treat stormwater have been relocated to the east side of Old Alameda Creek; two (2) Old Alameda Creek outfall drainage structures are also proposed to be modified.  The redesign of the roadway drainage system will direct stormwater discharge into the under-utilized Old Alameda Creek and save on construction costs.  This new concept will create an opportunity to revitalize and restore biological resources within Old Alameda Creek and create trail networks connecting Arroyo Park in Union City to Quarry Lakes Regional Park and the proposed Isherwood Park in Fremont. 

Regulatory Permits

On June 24, 2022, Mark Thomas, City staff and ACFC&WCD staff met with San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) staff at Old Alameda Creek for a site visit meeting, where participants walked along the bottom of the dry abandoned creek to discuss the proposed roadway drainage design strategy and the opportunity to revitalize and restore Old Alameda Creek. Overall, the RWQCB staff expressed support for revised drainage and water quality treatment design.

A City Council Study Session was held on July 12, 2022 for an update of the Quarry Lakes Parkway Project (see Attachment 1). The City Manager provided a project overview with a focus on the proposed drainage strategy and design including the relocation of the proposed water quality basins and the opportunity to revitalize Old Alameda Creek with a proposed new trail system.  The presentation also included an update of Southern Alameda County Rail (SoCo Rail) Study led by Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) on the proposed intercity rail station next to BART with ACE (Altamont Commuter Rail) proposing daily intercity rail service by 2030, connecting the Bay Area to the Central Valley (San Joaquin and Merced Counties).

As recommended by RWQCB, Mark Thomas, City staff and ACFC&WCD staff met on September 8, 2022 at an inter-agency meeting hosted by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, California Department of Fish and Wildlife with along with RWQCB in attendance, as well.  The City Manager and the Mark Thomas team made a formal presentation of the overall revised Quarry Lakes Parkway (Phases 1-4) roadway drainage strategies and design along with presenting the opportunity to revitalize Old Alameda Creek for their review and early consultation (see Attachment 2). The regulatory agencies provided initial concurrence and expressed initial support for the revised drainage strategy and design. 

The regulatory agencies clarified that all the required federal and state permits should cover the entire Quarry Lakes Parkway corridor and cannot be submitted and approved in phases or segments. The agencies also directed the project team to report back with the all the draft federal and state permit applications for their review, discussion and consultation when the Phase 1-4 project plans are updated.  

Presentation to BPAC

Following the meeting with the regulatory agencies, Mark Thomas staff presented the proposed roadway drainage strategy and design to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), including the opportunity to revitalize and restore Old Alameda Creek and create trail networks connecting Arroyo Park in Union City to Quarry Lakes Regional Park and the proposed Isherwood Park in Fremont.  The BPAC members and the public expressed their support for the proposed trail network system along the creek, connecting existing and proposed parks in Union City and Fremont and revitalizing Old Alameda Creek (see Attachment 3). 

Proposed Contract Amendment

The First Amendment to the Consulting Services Agreement with Mark Thomas & Company, Inc. for Final Design of Phases 1 and 2 of  Quarry Lakes Parkway, City Project No. 18-04, in the amount of $3,000,000, will include revising the roadway drainage strategy and design, continue coordination meetings with City staff, the residential developer,  ACFC&WCD, regulatory agencies, City of Fremont, AC Transit, BART, BPAC members and utility companies, preparing construction drawings for finalizing the multimodal design including Layout Plans, Grading Plans, Typical Sections, Roadway Profiles, Construction Details, Drainage Layout, Profiles and Detail Plans, Outfall Structures Plans, Utility Plans, Construction Staging Plans, Traffic Signal & Lighting Plans, Signing and Striping Plans, Landscape and Irrigation Plans, preparing regulatory permits applications, utility agreements, specifications and updating engineering reports and Engineers Estimate required for Final Design.

There will be no fiscal impact to the General Fund. 

The $4.2 million in 1986 Measure B grant funds as identified in the Alameda CTC PFA No. A22-0053, executed on September 7, 2021, will fund 100 percent of the cost for Final Design Services of Phases (Segments) 1 and 2 for the Quarry Lakes Parkway Project. The Consulting Services Agreement, C5833 with Mark Thomas and Company, Inc. approved by City Council on January 11, 2023 allocated $1.2 Million for the Preliminary Design effort with $3.0 million remaining for Final Design.  

The First Amendment to the Consulting Services Agreement with Mark Thomas & Company, Inc., C5833, in the amount of $3,000,000, for Final Design of Phases (Segments) 1 and 2 for the Quarry Lakes Parkway Project, City Project No. 18-04, will be funded from Capital Projects Fund Account Number 4100-3199-91804-54110 (Capital Projects Fund - Quarry Lakes Parkway (East West Connector) – Professional Services).

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute the First Amendment to the Consulting Services Agreement with Mark Thomas & Company, Inc., for Final Design of Phases (Segments) 1 and 2 for Quarry Lakes Parkway (East West Connector), City Project No. 18-04, in the amount of $3,000,000 (Exhibit A).

Marilou Ayupan, Public Works Director

Marilou Ayupan, Public Works Director