TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, Acting City Manager
FROM:
Erick Lee, Public Works Director
Katherine Doherty, City Engineer
Gilbert Gamboa, Principal Civil Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of Resolutions Approving Amendment No. 3 to the Funding Agreement Between the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the City of Manhattan Beach for Additional Measure M Grant Funds for the Manhattan Beach Advanced Traffic Signal System Project in the Amount of $4,963,000 and Amendment No. 2 to the Design Services Agreement with DKS Associates, Inc. for Engineering Services During Construction of the Project in the Amount of $279,615, and Finding the Project Categorically Exempt from CEQA (Public Works Director Lee).
A) ADOPT RESOLUTION NOS. 24-0122 AND 24-0123
B) FIND THE PROJECT EXEMPT FROM CEQA
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council find the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and adopt Resolution Nos. 24-0122, and 24-0123:
1. Approving a Measure M Funding Agreement Amendment No. 3 between the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and the City of Manhattan Beach for $4,963,000 in additional Measure M grant funds to fund the development of design plans, specifications, and construction of the Manhattan Beach Advanced Traffic Signal (MBATS) System Project;
2. Authorizing the City Manager or his or her designee to execute the Measure M Funding Agreement Amendment No. 3 and any subsequent administrative amendments; and
3. Approving Amendment No. 2 to the Design Services Agreement with DKS Associates, Inc. for Engineering Services during Construction in the amount of $279,615 for the MBATS System Project.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The MBATS System Project has a total budget of $17.713 million in the Measure M Fund. Sufficient funds exist for the project, with expenditures anticipated to be fully offset by reimbursements from Metro through awarded grants in their Multi-Year Sub-Regional Improvements Program (MSP). The funds for the project, inclusive of the $4.963 million in grant award contained within Amendment No. 3, are included in the current budget as approved by the City Council. There are no required City matching funds for the project. The Budget and Expenditures Summary for the project is attached to this staff report.
BACKGROUND:
The City’s MBATS System Project is an extension of the South Bay Cities Council of Government’s (SBCCOG) South Bay Fiber Network Project (SBFN). The SBFN will provide a fiber-optic broadband infrastructure “ring” that offers cost-effective, high-speed broadband to municipal facilities throughout the South Bay sub-region. This ring will help improve the region’s transportation and accessibility systems and the networks providing community services to South Bay residents.
Currently, the traffic signals along the City’s main corridors are activated using one or more standard traditional technologies including loop detection, video detection, and pre-set signal timing. These intersections experience significant incoming, outgoing, and through traffic during peak commuting hours each day. The traffic signal controls are limited by dated technologies and advanced traffic signal synchronization is not implemented.
Traffic signal synchronization is a traffic engineering technique that matches the green light times for a series of intersections to enable the maximum number of vehicles to pass through, thereby reducing stops and delays experienced by motorists. With traffic signal synchronization, the intersections along a traffic corridor will coordinate with a designated master intersection to optimize signal timing.
The City’s traffic signals are physically maintained and programmed on-site by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (LACDPW) through a long-standing maintenance service agreement. Using traditional technologies, signal malfunction incidents are not automatically detected or alerted to the signal maintenance team. The signal maintenance team’s response time to incidents usually depends on requests from staff and motorists who observed the incidents.
The City’s MBATS System Project proposes to upgrade and connect signal controller equipment through a fiber optic backbone infrastructure that will support emerging traffic management technologies, such as dynamic signal timing, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, autonomous vehicles, public safety preemption, and other smart city initiatives that can improve traffic signalization and operational efficiencies. The infrastructure will enable enhanced signal timing, relieve congestion during peak hours, improve traffic progression, allow the system to be more responsive to changes in traffic conditions, and prepare for the future of more Internet of Things (IOT) communications. The project will allow City staff and a semi-autonomous control system to remotely monitor and control the signalized intersections to maximize synchronization and minimize backups through real-time data analysis and timing changes. A map of the proposed fiber network is attached.
On June 18, 2019, the City Council received an MBATS System Project update from the Public Works Department regarding the $5.44 million Measure M grant application submitted for consideration. The application identified the fiber network connecting traffic signals throughout Manhattan Beach to Los Angeles County’s Traffic Management Control Center. Given the City’s long-standing maintenance agreement with LACDPW, the MBATS System Project's scope of work was expanded to include the specific traffic signal equipment most compatible with the County’s regional network.
In September 2019, the Metro Board awarded $5.44 million in Measure M Funds to cover the cost of engineering design, environmental clearance, and part of the construction costs for the MBATS System Project. On February 16, 2020, City Council approved the Funding Agreement appropriation of $5.44 million for the MBATS System Project. The finalized Funding Agreement is attached.
In December 2020 as part of the South Bay Highway Program, City staff applied to Metro for additional Measure M funding for $7.31 million to cover the remaining design and construction costs. In September 2021, Metro approved additional Measure M funding for $7.31 million to cover the remaining project design and construction costs and delegated administrative authority to extend the funding lapsing date. In March 2022, Metro staff finalized and approved a Funding Agreement Amendment No. 1 for City approval and execution. In November 2023, Metro staff approved a Funding Agreement Amendment No. 2 for City approval and execution. Funding Agreement Amendments No. 1 and 2 are attached for reference.
DISCUSSION:
Amendment No. 3 to the Measure M Funding Agreement
During the September 28, 2023 Board meeting, Metro approved additional Measure M funding for $4,963,000 to cover the cost of the remaining project construction. In August 2024, Metro staff finalized and approved Funding Agreement Amendment No. 3 for City approval and execution. Funding Agreement Amendment No. 3 is attached.
To accept and utilize these Measure M grant funds, the City Council must adopt a resolution approving the Metro Funding Agreement Amendment No. 3. The attached Funding Agreement Amendment No. 3 outlines the scope of work, expenditures, reporting requirements, and the expected timeline for implementation. The Agreement contains standard boilerplate agreement language similar to previous Metro Funding Agreements approved by the City Council for previous City projects. The attached resolution also authorizes the City Manager or his or her designee to sign the Funding Agreement Amendment No. 3, and any subsequent administrative amendments, if necessary, due to minor variations or adjustments to the terms and conditions.
The previously approved funding amount of $12.75 million is designated to cover the MBATS System Project for the engineering design, environmental clearance, and construction costs. The additional funding of $4.963 million will cover the project’s remaining construction costs. The project involves the design of the complete City fiber network, constructing the fiber backbone infrastructure, and connecting to the Los Angeles County fiber network, as shown in the attached network map. The essential work entails:
• Design engineering services to layout the complete City fiber network;
• Preparing construction plans, specifications, and estimates, which include installation of fiber conduit to each signal;
• Installation of supporting cabinets with switches via fiber patch; and
• Operating equipment.
Amendment No. 2 to the Design Services Agreement with DKS
On April 6, 2021, the City Council awarded a Professional Services Agreement to DKS Associates, Inc. (DKS) for engineering design services. DKS assisted the City in developing designs for discussion with stakeholders including Metro, SBCCOG, LA County, the cities of El Segundo, Hawthorne, Redondo Beach, and Hermosa Beach, internal City departments, residents, businesses, and the school district. Amendment No. 1 was executed to extend the term of the DKS Agreement through June 30, 2026.
Amendment No. 2 will allow DKS to provide engineering services during construction. The DKS team will provide technical support throughout the bidding and construction phases including, but not limited to the following services:
• Attendance at the pre-construction meeting
• Preparation of draft responses to contractor questions
• Response to requests for information (RFIs) during construction and provide clarification to the plans
• Review and response to submittals
• Preparation of exhibits
• Review the contractor’s construction schedule
• Support for contractor change order review
• Plan modification based on construction changes made in the field
• Up to 12 field meetings
• Provide final punch list walk-through support
• Support for as-built upon project completion
The DKS team will provide construction support services and respond to any questions associated with the fiber optic network plans prepared during the construction period including the preparation of issued construction documents, responding to RFIs and submittals, construction meetings, the evaluation of as-built construction, bid document changes, and related construction support services.
The additional services rendered under Amendment No. 2 will increase the contract amount by $279,615, for a maximum compensation of $1,563,032.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
Public outreach meetings have been conducted during the MBATS System Project's design phase to inform the public of the improvements and their benefit to the community and regional traffic circulation system. All public comments and recommendations regarding the systematic design and equipment details were considered, as appropriate, during the design phase. Targeted outreach will occur before the start of construction for residents and businesses located near or adjacent to construction activities.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed Project and associated contract for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). City staff has determined that the Project qualifies for a Class 1(c) categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the State CEQA Guidelines since the Project proposes to upgrade and connect the existing traffic signal controller equipment through a fiber optic backbone infrastructure which is a negligible expansion of the existing use. Therefore, no further environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 24-0122
2. Amendment No. 3 - Metro Measure M
3. Agreement and Amendment No. 1 and 2 - Metro Measure M
4. Resolution No. 24-0123
5. Amendment No. 2 - DKS Associates, Inc.
6. Agreement and Amendment No. 1 - DKS Associates, Inc.
7. Budget and Expenditures Summary
8. Location Map