TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager
SUBJECT: East Bay Bus Rapid Transit Project Progress Report
BRIEFING ITEM
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider receiving the monthly construction progress report on the East Bay Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project for the month of December 2018.
Body
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
Refer to Attachment 1, for the budget status on the construction contract and professional services contracts supporting the BRT Construction and to view the Funding-Expenditure Cost-to-Complete chart.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
This report is an update on infrastructure and station platform construction, and community outreach/contract compliance.
Bid Package 3 Infrastructure and Station Platform Project Construction
Construction Progress (CP):
Milestone 1 activities in Segment A (42nd Ave to San Leandro Transit Center) have progressed to interim condition status, except in Zone 9. This means the outside area improvements (curb ramps, sidewalks, drainage, signals, communication conduit and road rehab) and median improvements (median curbs, station platforms and roadway reconstruction) are complete. The electrical contractor Mike Brown Electric (MBE) is energizing and activating portions of the new signal system throughout the segment. A total of 18 BRT platforms (six in San Leandro and twelve in Oakland) comprising 15 BRT stations are in interim condition status and being evaluated for bus docking and alignment issues. Construction activities have started in Zone 9 with survey, staking of work areas and pole foundation placement. Major roadway work is expected to start in January 2019.
Milestone 2 activities in Segment B (20th Street at Broadway to 42nd Avenue) continue in Zones 3 through 6 from 2nd Avenue at Lake Merritt to Derby Avenue in the Fruitvale District. Construction activities include building outside area improvements such as curb ramps, sidewalks, drainage, concrete bus pads, road rehabilitation, foundations for the new signal and lighting system, and installation of the communications conduit. The contractor is also working in Zone 3 along E12th St. at 11th Ave to relocate an East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) waterline. Relocations of TPx and Verizon communications lines are being done Zones 1 and 2.
Milestone 3 activities (milling, curb to curb paving, traffic loop installation, canopy installations, signing and striping, etc.) are continuing in Segment A. Curb-to-curb paving is complete. Interim striping is expected to start in early January 2019 and take about 2 weeks. Sixteen (16) canopies have been installed to date.
Looking ahead, the contractor expects to continue, outside area improvements in Segment B, and canopy installation in Oakland.
Off-Street Parking Lots:
The City of Oakland staff is currently reviewing the District staff drafted interim use agreement to transfer the two surface parking lots to the City. Transfer is expected to be initiated in early January 2019.
Construction Management (CM):
City permits needed to start major infrastructure improvements in Fruitvale (Zone 7), (Zone 2) and (Zone 1) are expected to be issued in early 2019. CM team continues to manage utility relocations, maintaining traffic controls work site safety, and enforcing quality control. The CM team and OC Jones are expected to finalize the revised construction in early January.
Northern Layover:
The Northern Layover location is an on-street facility on San Pablo Avenue between West Grand Avenue and 21st Street. Caltrans staff have provided additional details on the clearances required for an Operator Restroom Facility to be located adjacent to one of their structures and are working with the District on a solution that works for both agencies. The District has brought on a consultant to conduct the CEQA/NEPA analysis. The District will finish the CEQA/NEPA analysis before starting the construction in early 2019.
San Leandro Transit Center
The San Leandro Transit Center Project is separately funded by federal and state grants by AC Transit in coordination with BART and the City of San Leandro. The project will reconfigure the bus transit center within the San Leandro BART Station to better accommodate the East Bay Bus Rapid Transit Project (BRT) southern terminus, other AC Transit routes, and other transit services. Construction is expected to start in early 2019 and be complete by July 2019.
Community Outreach and Public Engagement
The Outreach Team continues its daily stakeholder engagement efforts along the BRT corridor, including in-person visits with residents and businesses, email and phone requests for opportunities to present updates, and participation in community festivals and events.
The Outreach Team’s day-to-day focus remains on 1) ensuring businesses/ stakeholders know in advance about the upcoming start of construction; 2) daily monitoring of active work areas to ensure construction impacts are minimized and issues addressed as quickly as possible; and 3) troubleshooting issues reported by corridor stakeholders.
During the month of November and first three weeks of December, the Outreach Team logged the following interactions:
|
OUTREACH TEAM INTERACTIONS |
NOVEMBER 2018 |
DECEMBER 1 - 20, 2018 |
|
Total Number of Interaction Activities logged |
111 |
101 |
|
Number of individual stakeholders interacted with (unduplicated) |
77 |
66 |
|
Total Complaints |
3 |
7 |
|
Access |
2 |
4 |
|
Construction Debris |
1 |
0 |
|
Safety |
0 |
3 |
In addition to the daily activities associated with monitoring construction progress and troubleshooting issues on the corridor, the team continues its efforts to share information with the general public on the status of the project, its many benefits and key features. This includes attending community events and meetings. Below is the list of events attended and presentations made in the month of December.
12/11/2018 - Allen Temple Arms I & II Resident’s Council Meeting
12/15/2018 - Family Bridges’ 30th Annual Christmas Senior Luncheon
Project Labor Agreement/Construction Careers Policy (PLA/CCP)
The project’s local hire utilization percentage has been hovering around 34 percent for the past few months. Although short of the 50 percent goal, AC Transit continues to make progress. The District monitors the contractor and its subcontractors’ routinely submitted good faith efforts to hire local residents to the extent practicable. The region has seen a massive growth in construction projects, limiting the supply of local workers, and as a result, contractors on this project have begun including off-site local hire credit requests, which are now being incorporated into the current percentage.
PLA/CCP Outreach:
12/13/2018 - Cypress Mandela Training Center Pre-Apprentice Graduation
12/14/2018 - Rising Sun Energy Center Graduation
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
This report is a monthly construction update and there are no associated advantages or disadvantages.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
There is no analysis of alternatives required for this report.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
There are no relevant Board actions related to this report.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. BRT Progress Presentation
Approved by:
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Reviewed by:
Denise C. Standridge, General Counsel
Claudia L. Allen, Chief Financial Officer
Beverly Greene, Executive Director of External Affairs, Marketing & Communications
Claudia Burgos, Director of Legislative Affairs & Community Relations
Prepared by:
David Wilkins, BRT Program Director
Steven Jones, BRT Outreach Manager
William Tonis, Director of Project Controls and Systems Analysis
Phillip Halley, Contracts Compliance Administrator