Salinas Rail Project Package 1 - Construction Contract:

1. APPROVE the project plans and specifications;
2. APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Executive Director, subject to approval by Agency Counsel and Caltrans Audits and Investigations, to execute a contract with Monterey Peninsula Engineering in an amount not to exceed $7,487,989, with an anticipated completion date of September 2020, for construction of the Package 1 Improvements at the Salinas Train Station;
3. AUTHORIZE the use of funds from the approved project budget for this work in an amount not to exceed $7,487,989, and $1,123,200 as a contingency fund for change orders; and
4. AUTHORIZE the Executive Director to take such other further actions as may be necessary to fulfill the intent of the contract, including approvals of future modifications or amendments that do not significantly alter the scope of work or change the approved contract amount or term.

On December 11, 2018, the Agency published bid documents for qualified contractors to construct the Package 1 improvements at the Salinas Train Station.   These improvements include enhanced pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular access, and parking improvements as well as the abandonment of Station Place and the extension of Lincoln Avenue from Market Street to Railroad Avenue.  On March 19, 2019, TAMC held the bid opening and received seven (7) bids.

The Monterey County Rail Extension Kick Start project, estimated at $81 million, includes the capital improvements needed to bring new peak hour rail service to Salinas.  At their December 5-6, 2018 meeting, the California Transportation Commission awarded TAMC $11.2 million in State Transportation Improvement Program and Proposition 116 Rail Bond funding for the construction of Package 1 improvements, including construction oversight by MNS Engineers and TAMC staff.  This funding allocation requires that TAMC be under contract with a contractor within 6 months of allocation (by June 6, 2019).  Submitted bids range between $7,487,989 and $9,844,656.

The Transportation Agency for Monterey County, as the local lead agency, grantee agency and owner of the Monterey County Rail Extension Kick Start project, proposes to extend passenger rail service from Santa Clara County south to Salinas.  The rail extension project provides an alternative to the highly congested US 101 corridor to access to jobs, education, and health care, and will improve interregional transportation and regional air quality.

Package 1 of the Monterey County Rail Extension Kick Start project improves pedestrian, bike, vehicular and bus access to the train station, provides enhanced parking, abandons Station Place and extends Lincoln Avenue from West Market Street to Railroad Avenue to provide signalized access to the station.  Demolition of structures in the vicinity of the station was completed by Bowen Engineering and Environmental in November 2018.  

The Transportation Agency's consultants, HDR and BKF, have completed the Package 1 project plans and specifications.  The plans and specifications were amended during the bid process. TAMC staff now recommends Board approval of the plan and specification documents, available via web attachment below.

On December 11, 2018, TAMC advertised for construction bids.  The bid opening was held on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at 12 noon.  The submitted bids are as follows:

The average of all bids submitted is $8,598,640.  The Engineer's Estimate is $8,569,021, within 0.34% of the average bid.  The tabulated bid results are available online at the web attachment below.  MPE is the low bidder and TAMC staff recommends approving the contract with MPE for this work.

The City of Salinas is preparing to relocate the Sanitary Sewer and Storm Drain lines from the existing Station Place to the new Lincoln Avenue Extension.  After utility relocations, the TAMC-hired construction team may begin the staged construction of Package 1.

Attached is the draft contract for Package 1 construction.

• Salinas train station – Call for construction bids