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Home My WebLink AboutCVAG - Amnd Rbrsmnt Agmt - PH II of Cook St Imprvmnts (601-05)Contract No. C23760 REQUEST: SUBMITTED BY: DATE: Recommendation CITY OF PALM DESERT PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT CONSIDERATION OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE CURRENT REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE COACHELLA VALLEY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS TO INCLUDE PROJECT PHASING AND A TRIGGERING MECHANISM FOR FUTURE PHASE II COOK STREET IMPROVEMENTS (PROJECT NO. 601-05), AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY TO WORK ON THE AMENDMENT Mark Greenwood, P.E., Director of Public Works July 8, 2010 By Minute Motion: 1. Consider an amendment to the current reimbursement agreement with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) to include project phasing language and a triggering mechanism for future Phase II Cook Street Corridor Improvements; and 2. Authorize the City Manager and City Attorney to prepare the amendment. Executive Summary Cook Street, within our city boundary, currently consists of four lanes between Fred Waring Drive and Frank Sinatra Drive, and six lanes from Frank Sinatra Drive to Interstate 10 with a 6-foot Class II bike/golf cart lane in each direction. In the City of Palm Desert General Plan, Cook Street is designated as a 6-lane arterial with bike/golf cart lanes. Two phases are being developed in the current scope of work for the project. Phase I is for drainage and intersection improvements at the Cook Street/Country Club Drive and Cook Street/Hovley Lane East by eliminating cross -gutters and installing storm drainage lines to improve the safety and traffic flow. Phase II, called the Cook Street Corridor Improvements Project, proposes to expand Cook Street from four to six lanes. Staff Report Consideration of an Amendment to Current Reimbursable Agreement with CVAG on Cook Street Improvements Project July 8, 2010 Page 2 of 3 A consulting firm, Harris & Associates, was hired by the City to prepare the environmental documentation, plans, specifications, and estimates for the entire project. The project is primarily funded with CVAG Measure A Bond Funds and the City's Drainage Funds. Background On March 12, 2009, the City Council selected the "No Project" alternative for Phase II and directed staff not to proceed further with the Cook Street Corridor Improvements, but to continue with the Phase I drainage and intersection improvements at Cook Street/Country Club Drive and Cook Street/Hovley Lane East. This alternative, however, would not preclude the Cook Street Corridor Improvements at a future date. Staff also mentioned in the staff report that Measure A Funds currently programmed and budgeted for the Cook Street Corridor Improvements could possibly be lost. The Phase I improvements will remedy the drainage problem by removing the cross gutters and installing storm drain lines at both intersections. Additions of an eastbound left turn lane on Hovley Lane East at Cook Street and widening the Cook Street/Country Club Drive intersection to accommodate future expansion are also included. Staff has since started the right-of-way/easement acquisition process to obtain six slivers of property at the two intersections. The right-of-way process for the Cook Street/Hovley Lane East intersection is relatively smooth. However, staff has encountered some difficulties at the Cook Street/Country Club Drive intersection. At the northwest corner of this intersection, the subject property owner wants nearly twice the amount of the fair market appraisal value of $100,000. At the southwest corner of Cook Street and Country Club Drive, staff is also unable to move forward with a small easement because the owner's lender will not approve such easement. The main criterion for the reimbursement of Measure A Funds is that the project must be traffic capacity enhancing. A Level of Service (LOS) assessment analysis was conducted to determine if the Phase I project would actually enhance the traffic capacity. Unfortunately, the analysis confirmed that the LOS would remain the same even after the proposed improvements at these two intersections. On June 22, 2010, a meeting led by the City Manager took place with the CVAG Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director to discuss the funding and capacity issues for the Phase I project. In order for Phase I to be eligible for the 50 percent Measure A reimbursement, the Executive Director of CVAG has suggested that an amendment be made to the current agreement between the City and CVAG to require that the Phase II improvements be completed within ten years, or when traffic volumes reach 55,000 per day, whichever comes first. CVAG feels the need to widen Cook Staff Report Consideration of an Amendment to Current Reimbursable Agreement with CVAG on Cook Street Improvements Project July 8, 2010 Page 3 of 3 Street in the future to its ultimate 6-lane configuration in order to be consistent with CVAG's regional arterial plan. Therefore, staff requests that the City Council consider an amendment to the current reimbursement agreement with CVAG to include project phasing language and a triggering mechanism for future Phase II Cook Street Corridor Improvements and authorize the City Manager and City Attorney to prepare the amendment. Fiscal Analysis Not considering such amendment to the current reimbursement agreement could jeopardize the previously designated Measure A Bond Funds. Prepared By: ,✓ /'i�v �l' l� � V Bo Chen, P.E., City Engineer Depart e t H Mark Greeiwood, P.E. Director of Public Works Paul S. Gibson, Director of Finance CITYCOUNCILA1TON APPROVED DENTED RECEIVED OTHER Approval. J3hn/I. Wohlmuth, City Manager MEETIINc D�%(yawl_ VE 11 A',?�(v(> AYES: or_d �fl �/�/ NOES• � t+BSENT: A/CY'%(✓ ABSTAIN: _ __ VERIFIED BY: /7/(,> Original on File with City Gie'rk's Office