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Agenda Item # 8

BOARD MEMORANDUM

RECOMMENDATION:

Review and comment on the use of Local Program Reserve funds (LPR) in the amount of $500,000 for the I-880 Corridor Study; and the General Manager executing a contract with Mark Thomas and Company for the study for a total value not to exceed $500,000.

BACKGROUND:

VTA Board Directors at its August 13, 2004 workshop concurred with the staff recommendation to conduct a study of the I-880 Corridor and to prepare a study of local roadway circulation in the South County Area.  The effort to study I-880 also satisfies a commitment made by VTA to Caltrans to study traffic operations along I-880 near The Alameda Interchange as a follow-up to the I-880 / Coleman Avenue Interchange Project.

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 scope of the I-880 Corridor Study will identify traffic operations deficiencies and evaluate a range of solutions for the deficiencies along I-880 between I-280 and US 101.  One specific task of the study will be to evaluate traffic operations in the area of the interchanges of I-880, I-280 and Stevens Creek Boulevard and the adjacent local roadway network.  The application of lower-cost operational solutions related to the traffic signal system and Intelligent Transportation Systems will also be investigated.

VTA staff is recommending the engineering firm, Mark Thomas and Company, to provide assistance to VTA staff on this study.  Mark Thomas and Company 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 Highway Program.  Mark Thomas and Company has experience in this corridor and has performed similar studies with a good project management approach.

The study contract will be a Time & Materials based contract with a range of planning and engineering classification wage rates consistent with industry standards for the services provided.   The total contract value is not to exceed $500,000. The study would commence in the spring of 2005 and be completed by the fall 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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