REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Eric G. Parra, Interim City Manager
VIA: Chau Vu, Director of Public Works
PREPARED BY: John Nguyen, Senior Traffic Engineer
Subject:
title
Approve and authorize execution of Wireline Crossing Agreement with the Union Pacific Railroad Company for the installation of traffic signal communication conduit on Edinger Avenue (CC-1613) and appropriation of funds
body
Statement of Issue:
On September 8, 2020, the City Council approved a cooperative agreement with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) to design and construct a traffic signal communication project along Edinger Avenue between the intersection of Bolsa Chica Street and Newland Street. This project includes the installation of a traffic signal communication conduit under the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) tracks at Center Avenue, which will require the execution of a Wireline Crossing Agreement with the Union Pacific Railroad Company.
Financial Impact:
The Agreement assesses a one-time fee of $14,950. The total estimated project cost is $6.2 million, which includes work in Huntington Beach, Westminster, Fountain Valley, and Santa Ana. The City’s participation in the project was authorized by the City Council as part of the OCTA cooperative agreement approved on September 8, 2020. The overall City financial commitment to the project is $95,000, which includes the City’s portion of the $14,950 to Union Pacific. This represents 4.5% of the $2.1 million of work within the City and was approved with the prior City Council action. The Wireline Agreement charges were included in the OCTA Project P funding approved on September 8, 2020, and therefore no additional funding is requested as part of this action. Due to the 405 widening project, this project was delayed considerably. Consequently, staff is requesting that Council reappropriate the City’s original costs to Air Quality Management District (AQMD) fund account 20190008.82700.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
A) Approve and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a “Wireline Crossing Agreement, Mile Post: 519.28, Stanton Industrial Lead Subdivision, Location: Huntington Beach, Orange County, California” between the Union Pacific Railroad Company and the City of Huntington Beach; and,
B) Appropriate $95,000 to AQMD fund account 20190008.82700.
end
Alternative Action(s):
Do not approve the recommended actions and direct staff accordingly.
Analysis:
The City applied for and subsequently received grant funding for the Regional Traffic Signal Synchronization Program under Project P with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). The corridor improvements will be on Edinger Avenue from Bolsa Chica Street to Newland Street within Huntington Beach and extends east into the cities of Westminster, Fountain Valley, and Santa Ana as part of a comprehensive traffic signal operations improvement project. The project includes the improvement of traffic signal equipment, fiber optic cables, and the installation of traffic signal communication conduit in order to establish direct communication between the signals along Edinger Avenue and the city’s Traffic Management Center located in City Hall, as well as updates to signal timing and coordination along the corridor. In order to complete this work, a conduit must be installed under the Union Pacific Railroad tracks on Edinger Avenue between Gothard Street and Fortuna Lane to allow for the installation of the fiber optic communications east of the railroad tracks.
A cooperative agreement between the City of Huntington Beach and OCTA for the design and construction was approved by the City Council on September 8, 2020. In order to construct the traffic signal communication conduit under the railroad tracks, a Wireline Crossing Agreement must be executed with the Union Pacific Railroad Company. This agreement defines the construction requirements, legal requirements, and fees assessed by the UPRR. The agreement assesses a one-time fee of $14,950, which will be covered under the OCTA Project P grant funding.
The total estimated project cost within Huntington Beach is $2.1 million and was authorized by the City Council as part of the cooperative agreement on September 8, 2020. The Wireline Crossing Agreement charges were included in the project funding approved on September 8, 2020. Due to delays in the project, staff is requesting that Council reappropriate $95,000 to AQMD fund account 20190008.82700.
Environmental Status:
This action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Non Applicable - Administrative Item
For details, visit www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/strategicplan.
Attachment(s):
1. Project Location Map
2. Wireline Crossing Agreement, Mile Post: 519.28, Stanton Industrial Lead Subdivision, Location: Huntington Beach, Orange County, California
3. Powerpoint