City Council
MEETING DATE: 10/12/2016
TITLE:
Title
Amendments to the Cooperative Agreement with CVAG for the Whitewater Bike Path
End
FROM:
John A. Corella, P.E. - City Engineer
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council approve amendments to the Cooperative Agreement with CVAG for the Cathedral City Whitewater Bike Path to allow the use of South Coast Air Quality Management District CV Link Grant Funds for construction of the project.
Body
BACKGROUND:
On November 16, 2015, Council approved an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) to complete the Cathedral City Bike Path, which is planned on the west bank of the Whitewater River Channel between Vista Chino Drive and Ramon Road. Cathedral City hired the same design and environmental consulting firms that were working on CV Link so that the Cathedral City Bike Path would be designed consistent with CV Link standards. The City paid for the design and environmental work with Caltrans Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA) grant funds. On July 13, 2016, the Cathedral City Council certified the Bike Path Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration Addendum, in compliance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
DISCUSSION:
The City of Cathedral City received six bids for the project, which were opened on August 30, 2016. The lowest bid, from CT&T Concrete Paving, was for $3,165,171.74. The City has $450,000 budgeted for construction of the Bike Path, primarily from a Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA) grant from Caltrans. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) awarded CVAG $17,400,000 in Sentinel Mitigation (AB 1318) funds for construction of the CV Link project. CVAG’s agreement with SCAQMD identifies funding for an “early action segment”. CVAG proposes to allocate the designated early action segment funds and, as necessary, other SCAQMD funds, for construction of the Cathedral City Bike Path. This project will be built to CV Link standards and will be incorporated into CV Link if constructed.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City's share will be $450,000 which is included in the current five year CIP. The BTA funds were awarded in 2009 and must be spent by April 30, 2017. CVAG presented this proposal to the SCAQMD and received preliminary approval. However, in order to utilize AB 1318 funds for project construction, the existing cooperative agreement between CVAG and Cathedral City requires minor changes to be consistent with language in CVAG’s agreement with the SCAQMD. These changes are included in the attached amended Cooperative Agreement. Approval of the changes will assure adequate funding for the Bike Path project.
ATTACHMENTS:
Amended CVAG Cooperative Agreement