Submitted By
Bill McKenna, Village Engineer/Assistant Public Works Director
Reviewed By
A.M. Zayyad, Deputy Village Manager
Agenda Item Title
Title
A Resolution Approving a Contract with Alliance Contractors Inc. for Project 24-8, Lot 10 Streetscape, in an Amount Not to Exceed $1,530,772 and Authorizing its Execution
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Overview
Overview
Competitive bids were opened on March 28th for Project 24-8, Lot 10 Streetscape Improvements. Seven contractors picked up bid documents and four bids were received. The low responsible bid was submitted by Alliance Contractors Inc. with a total amount of $1,658,910. The project includes replacing the existing Parking Lot 10 north of North Boulevard between Marion Street and Forest Avenue with a permeable pavement, sidewalk replacement, lighting and electrical improvements, and landscaping. The project is partially funded using Metropolitan Water Reclamation District grant funds. The project is over the available budgeted and staff recommends reducing the scope to fit the available budget amount of $1,530,772.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution.
Background
The construction project will completely replace the pavement of Lot 10 which is located north of North Boulevard between Marion Street and Forest Avenue. The new pavement will be a permeable pavement system allowing water to infiltrate into the surrounding soils. The pavement will use red concrete brick pavers to have a similar aesthetic look as Marion Street. The Village received a grant from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) to construct a permeable parking lot here.
The new parking lot will also change to be a one-way westbound traffic flow through the parking lot. The Village worked with V3 on a traffic study to look at the benefits and impacts of converting the lot to a one-way direction. Making the lot one-way westbound improves the safety and efficiency of the North and Forest intersection area and within the lot itself. It allows for the lot to now have angled parking stalls which are easier to navigate as a driver and safer to pull into and out of when there is only one direction of travel. The one-way condition also allows for the lot to be smaller in width which allows for creating a larger sidewalk space on the north side of the parking lot to be used by the businesses along their frontage and improves the pedestrian accessibility of the area. There does not appear to be any significant negative effects of converting the lot to a one-way condition from a traffic perspective as traffic is currently predominately westbound through the lot and since North Boulevard is already one-way eastbound immediately south of the parking lot.
The sidewalk on the north side of the parking lot will be replaced and widened with this project which will allow for increased outdoor dining and other opportunities and make for a more accessible space. The proposed sidewalk material is a light grey colored concrete with a slightly exposed aggregate to aesthetically blend in with the adjacent bluestone pavers on Marion and contrast well with the red brick pavers of the parking lot.
The project also includes replacing the existing concrete light poles in the island on the south side of the parking lot with black decorative poles matching the rest of the light poles in the business district and replacing older decorative poles along the sidewalk.
The construction project also includes a bid alternate for providing new electric service and cabinets to allow for electrical connections for special events. Currently, large generators are typically rented for annual events that use Lot 10. This new service will allow for events and vendors to plug into a handful of outlets instead of having to rent generators. The new electric service will be metered and billed to DTOP. Generator rentals typically cost DTOP about $6,500 or more for events such as Oaktoberfest. The bid alternate cost for this work is $48,600.
The project also includes four electrical vehicle charging stations, resurfacing North Boulevard from Marion to Forest Ave, repairs to decorative crosswalks at North Boulevard and Marion, and landscaping improvements in the island between Lot 10 and North Boulevard.
The design of the project has been coordinated with DTOP to ensure the project meets their needs and the needs of the adjacent businesses. Construction of the project will be staged to minimize parking impacts but is scheduled to be completed in late summer before the large special events. Some elements such as light poles may extend beyond this timeframe due to longer potential lead times. Work is planned to start in late spring/early summer and be completed by early September.
The low bid of $1,658,910 from Alliance Contractors is over the budgeted amount for the project. Staff is recommending reducing the scope for using traditional concrete instead of the decorative concrete sidewalk (savings of $79,538) and not awarding the bid alternate (savings of $48,600) for the electric service and equipment for special events in order to fit the available budget amount. Should the Village Board recommend including either of these two items in the scope of the project, staff will prepare a Budget Amendment for transferring funds from Fund Balance for these costs at the next available quarterly budget amendment.
Fiscal Impact
The low bid of $1,658,910 from Alliance Contractors is over the budgeted amount for the project. Staff is recommending reducing the scope to fit the available budget amount for the project and using savings from completed projects and deferring work for other surface parking lots in order to fund this project at the reduced scope level.
The FY4 Budget includes $925,000 for the construction of this project in the Capital Improvement Fund and Parking Fund. Staff is proposing to use an additional $315,920 for this project in the Parking Fund for parking lot resurfacing and deferring planned work on other parking lots in 2024. Staff is also proposing to use $126,709 from savings from the recently completed 22-2 Resurfacing of Various Streets Project, $140,000 in savings from the Division Street Resurfacing Project, and $23,143 in additional Capital Improvement Funds for 2024 local street construction in order to fund this project at the reduced scope level.
The Village received a Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Grant which will reimburse the Village $220,000 for costs associated with the construction of the Green Infrastructure of the lot.
A table showing the funds and accounts being used one the project is below.
DEI Impact
Disparities and Impacted Populations:
• The project's focus on creating a more accessible space by widening sidewalks and providing outdoor dining opportunities can benefit individuals with disabilities, elderly residents, and families with young children who may require additional space and accessibility features.
• By replacing older decorative poles and improving lighting infrastructure, the project enhances safety and visibility, particularly for vulnerable populations such as pedestrians and cyclists, thus addressing disparities in public infrastructure.
Environmental Impact:
• The use of permeable pavement and landscaping improvements contribute to environmental sustainability by promoting water infiltration and reducing stormwater runoff, which can mitigate flooding and improve water quality in the area.
• Incorporating electric vehicle charging stations aligns with environmental equity goals by encouraging the use of clean transportation options and reducing carbon emissions, thereby benefiting the entire community.
DEI Endorsement throughout the Village:
• Engaging with the Downtown Oak Park (DTOP) organization and adjacent businesses ensures that the project considers the needs and priorities of local merchants and residents, fostering a sense of inclusivity and community ownership.
• The project's design, which includes angled parking stalls and wider sidewalks, reflects a proactive approach to improving accessibility and enhancing the overall user experience for residents and visitors of all backgrounds.
• The provision of electrical connections for special events and the replacement of older infrastructure with modern, energy-efficient amenities contribute to creating a more vibrant and equitable public space that accommodates diverse community activities and gatherings.
Alternatives
Staff is recommending reducing the scope of the project by using traditional concrete instead of the decorative concrete sidewalk (savings of $79,538) and not awarding the bid alternate (savings of $48,600) for the electric service and equipment for special events in order to fit the available budget amount.
Should the Village Board recommend including either of these items in the construction contract, the Village Board can recommend awarding a contract at a higher dollar amount to include the desired scope of either $1,658,910 (full scope) or $1,579,372 (bid alternate for electric without decorative sidewalk) and direct staff to prepare the necessary Budget Amendments.
Previous Board Action
On September 5, 2023, the Village Board approved an Intergovernmental Agreement by and between the Village of Oak Park and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago for the Design, Construction, Operation, and Maintenance of the Green Alleys and Parking Lot 10 Project in Oak Park, Illinois.
On September 18, 2023, the Village Board approved a Task Order for Professional Engineering Services with V3 Companies, Ltd. for Design Engineering Services for the 24-8 Parking Lot 10 Improvement Project in an amount not to exceed $92,488.
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
N/A
Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
Should the Village Board recommend including the decorative sidewalk item ($79,538) and/or the bid alternate item for the electrical service and equipment for DTOP special events ($48,600) into the scope of the project, staff will prepare a Budget Amendment for transferring funds from Fund Balance for these costs at the next available quarterly budget amendment.
Intergovernmental Cooperation Opportunities
The permeable parking lot included with this project involves the Village working together with MWRD to construct green infrastructure to reduce the amount of stormwater being conveyed in the sewers and treated at the sewer treatment plants which improves the environment by reducing emissions associated with electricity and improves water quality by reducing combined sewer overflows.