Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway - GHD Contract Amendment #1:

1. APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Executive Director to execute contract amendment #1 with GHD, subject to approval by Agency Counsel, in an amount not to exceed $117,830, for a total not-to-exceed contract amount of $2,792,113, to conduct additional public outreach and engagement;
2. AUTHORIZE the use of Measure X funds budgeted to this project;
3. 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 term or amount; and
4. APPROVE sole source finding.

These additional services and materials require a budget increase of $117,830, which represents a 4% increase over the original 2020 engineering/design contract budget of $2,674,283. In total, the Canyon Del Rey segment design tasks will be funded out of $600,000 in state Senate Bill 1 Local Partnership Program funds and $1.376 million in local Measure X funds. The right-of-way acquisition tasks will be paid from $1.198 million in state Active Transportation grant funds. Construction will be funded out of $9.1 million in state Active Transportation grant funds.

Other FORTAG segments will proceed to final design and construction as matching funds for Measure X (which sets aside a total of $20 million for the entire trail) are obtained. 

The Canyon Del Rey segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project is currently in final design and right-of-way. The Cities of Del Rey Oaks, Seaside, and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District have signed a Master Agreement that supports the current alignment and the ADA access that the project will provide to the Frog Pond. The agreement also incorporates the findings of the certified environmental impact report that found that the project will not harm sensitive habitat in the Frog Pond Preserve.

The project team has held in-person site visits, virtual public workshops and focus groups to hear feedback and concerns directly from Del Rey Oaks residents and the community and received over 300 comments through an online interactive project map. Amongst the comments received have been questions regarding: the safety of the trail and the tunnel, potential impacts to the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve, and whether the trail could be realigned along State Route 218.

The project team has been responsive to these comments and has modified the design to further reduce impacts that do not result in safety or security issues. Examples of these adjustments include reducing the length of the switchback in the Frog Pond to avoid trees and impacts to the existing trail system; and modifying the segment along Carlton Drive to incorporate traffic calming features that will slow speeds on the roadway as well as reintroduce some pockets of on-street parking. The project team recently made a presentation to the Del Rey Oaks City Council that revisited the rejected alternative alignment along State Route 218. After extensive analysis, the team reaffirmed the findings from the environmental document that the State Route 218 alternative is not the safest option, due to the proximity of fast moving vehicles, and further determined that alternative would necessitate the reclaiming of public right-of-way along residential backyards, the removal of at least 160 trees, and result in a significantly higher cost due to the installation of large retaining walls and upgrades that would be required to State Route 218.

Despite the compromises already made to the project and outreach efforts to listen to the community, a group of Del Rey Oaks citizens are collecting signatures to bring forward a ballot initiative in an attempt to restrict bicycle trails in Del Rey Oaks to State Route 218, General Jim Moore Boulevard, and South Boundary Road. Agency staff is not recommending modifications to the approved alignment as it would reduce safety and jeopardize the State grant funds awarded to the project. 

Agency staff is however seeking to amend the existing agreement with GHD, Inc to provide additional public outreach efforts to educate and ensure that correct information about the project is being shared with the community.  With this draft amendment, GHD will provide an additional five physical mailings to Del Rey Oaks residents and businesses, and fifteen electronic newsletters for those who have signed up to be included on the email distribution list.  Each of the mailings will be tailored to focus on different aspects of the project and factually address questions or concerns that have been raised.  The information will also be shared via social media channels and the project website (https://fortag-canyondelrey.com).

Attached are the contract amendment #1, appended scope of work, and the revised budget.