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Agenda Item # 7

BOARD MEMORANDUM

RECOMMENDATION:

Review and comment on the use of Local Program Reserve funds (LPR) in the amount of $500,000 for the South County Circulation Study; and the General Manager executing a contract with URS Corporation for the study for a total value not to exceed $500,000.

BACKGROUND:

VTA’s commitment to conducting this study is documented both in Valley Transportation Plan 2030 (VTP 2030) and the Comprehensive County Expressway Planning Study.   On August 13, 2004, the VTA Board of Directors approved the VTP 2030 Highway Project list.  Included with that list was the staff recommendation to conduct two additional studies in advance of the next countywide transportation plan update.   The South County Circulation Study and the I-880 Corridor Study were highlighted as the two studies recommended to be conducted by VTA.  The South County Circulation Study is the subject of this memorandum. 

The Board of Directors established the Local Program Reserve in March 2000 with an intended use for project development activities such as planning, preliminary engineering and final design of VTP 2020 roadway projects and other special projects as approved.   The LPR was created through the use of federal or state transportation funds being swapped with local Measure B funds to create a pool of readily available local funds for planning and project development activities.  

DISCUSSION:

The objective of the South County Circulation study is to evaluate regional and local automobile traffic and transit service circulation throughout the southern portion of Santa Clara County, including the cites of Gilroy, Morgan Hill and San Jose, the community of San Martin and the unincorporated County areas.  Possible issues for examination include, but are not limited to the following: access for east-west traffic not destined for US 101 to cross over the freeway, arterial connectivity in the corridor, access to US 101 from local roadways, north-south travel patterns and routes along US 101, transportation access needs (related to all modes of travel) for area communities and transportation network needs to serve both local circulation and regional travel demand.

VTA staff is recommending the engineering firm, URS Corporation, to provide assistance to VTA staff on this study.   URS Corporation is on the VTA Board-approved list of prime and subconsultant firms to provide planning and engineering design assistance for the 1996 Measure B Transportation Improvement Program and VTP 2020 Highway Program.  URS Corporation has experience on the SR 25 corridor study in San Benito and Santa Clara Counties and has strong cost estimation and conceptual roadway design skills.  

The study contract will be Time & Materials-based, with a range of wage rates consistent with industry standards for the services provided.    The total contract value is not to exceed $500,000. VTA staff intention is to initiate the South County Circulation Study in the spring of 2005 and complete the study in the spring of 2006. 

ALTERNATIVES:

The Board of Directors could choose not to conduct this study at this point of time.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Following this action, $500,000 will be made available from the Local Program Reserve for the study.

SBE PARTICIPATION:

Based on the limited scope of work and limited subcontracting opportunities, no specific goal has been established for this contract.  Contractors are encouraged to make reasonable efforts to utilize SBEs in its procurement of ancillary services and products associated with the performance of this contract.

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