DEPARTMENT: Transportation
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
title
Authorization To Execute Contract With Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. For Design And Right Of Way Services For Delaware Avenue Reconstruction And Butler Avenue Safe Routes To School Improvements In Mendota Heights And West St. Paul, County Projects 63-33 And 4-18
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize execution of a contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. (Kimley-Horn) for consulting services for County Project (CP) 63-33, County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 63 (Delaware Avenue) Reconstruction and CP 4-18, County Road (CR) 4 (Butler Avenue) Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Improvements, in the cities of Mendota Heights and West St. Paul (Attachment: Project Location Map).
SUMMARY
To promote a safe and efficient transportation system, Dakota County is proceeding with (CP) 63-33, the Delaware Avenue Reconstruction, and CP 4-18, the Butler Avenue SRTS Improvements. County Project 63-33 is the preliminary and final design, right of way acquisition, and reconstruction of CSAH 63 (Delaware Avenue) from Marie Avenue to Trunk Highway 149 (Dodd Road) on the border of Mendota Heights and West St. Paul. The CSAH 63 reconstruction will include roadway modernization, intersection and safety improvements, and drainage improvements and will add separated pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure to the corridor. County Project 4-18 was identified as part of the Dakota County School Travel Safety Assessment, and will add trail and sidewalk to County Road 4 between CSAH 63 and Manomin Avenue in West St. Paul. The Butler Avenue SRTS Improvements will improve safety and accessibility for area students and residents to walk, bike, and roll to St. Joseph’s Catholic School, Heritage STEM Middle School, and other nearby destinations. Due to the adjacent project areas, these projects will be designed and constructed in coordination with each other. Preliminary and final design, public engagement, and right of way acquisition are scheduled for the remainder of 2024 into mid-2026, with construction in 2027.
Scope of Work and Issues to be Addressed. The scope of work for CP 63-33 and CP 4-18 includes preliminary and final design, public engagement, agency coordination, corridor evaluation, traffic analysis, drainage design, data collection, permits, approvals, surveys, identification of right of way needs, appraisals, and right of way acquisition services. The current design of Delaware Avenue in the project area is over 60 years old, currently has many substandard design elements, and lacks off street multimodal facilities. Butler Avenue in the project area also lacks off street multimodal facilities. These projects will bring the roadways up to modern design standards and add multimodal infrastructure which will connect the existing trails and sidewalks on many connecting City and County roadways.
The project area has constrained existing right of way, and a wide variety of improved properties exist adjacent to the project area. Regular coordination, meetings, and negotiations with over 100 individual property owners from single occupancy homes to the Dodge Nature Center and the Somerset Country Club will be required to secure permanent and temporary easements necessary for construction. County and City staff assessed these potential needs along with the projected Physical Development real estate specialist workload and recommended soliciting for a full scope of right of way acquisition services in conjunction with the preliminary and final design proposals. This approach will ensure right of way acquisition service availability within the project schedule and ensure quality coordination between the design team and right of way process.
Consultant Selection and Roles. Dakota County issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the above-noted services on March 29, 2024. The County’s cost-share in the contract is 85 percent. Three (3) proposals were received on April 24, 2024, and were evaluated by staff representing a wide range of engineering design and project management experience from the County and cities of Mendota Heights and West St. Paul. The Kimley-Horn team was selected as the preferred professional engineering consultant based on the following criteria: project understanding, project approach, public involvement, team expertise, quality control, performance on similar projects, and best-value cost. The consultants submitted cost proposals as follows:
Consultant Engineering Cost Hours Engineering Cost/Hour* Right of Way Cost Total Cost
Bolton & Menk $1,143,463 7,367 $155.21 $915,170 $2,123,663
Kimley-Horn $811,425 5,083 $155.99 $1,021,475 $1,832,900
TKDA $869,018 5,404 $154.43 $921,290 $1,790,308
*Consultant expenses reported not included in cost/hour
The proposals were evaluated to determine whether the work plan, hours, and rate structure were sufficient and reasonable to successfully complete the final design and related work. The proposal from Kimley-Horn provided the most responsive and complete work plan, including the hours needed to successfully complete work. The Kimley-Horn costs proposed were considered the most realistic among the three proposals, and the total contract cost was within the range anticipated by staff. City of Mendota Heights and City of West St. Paul staff concur with the selection. More documentation of the proposal process, review team, evaluation criteria and results, and best-value cost evaluation is included (Attachment: Consultant Evaluation Summary).
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff recommends execution of a contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for professional design services for CP 63-33 and CP 4-18 for actual costs not to exceed $1,832,900.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
The adopted 2024 Transportation Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget includes $2,938,050, including carryovers, for CP 63-33 and CP 4-18 for consulting services and right of way acquisition. Sufficient funds are available for this contract and additional work if needed.
☐ None ☒ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, to promote a safe and efficient transportation system, Dakota County is proceeding with County Project 63-33, County State Aid Highway (CSAH) (Delaware Avenue) Reconstruction, and County Project 4-18, County Road (CR) 4 (Butler Avenue) Safe Routes to School Improvements in the Cities of Mendota Heights and West St. Paul; and
WHEREAS, County Project 63-33 is the reconstruction of CSAH 63 (Delaware Avenue) from Marie Avenue to Trunk Highway (TH) 149 (Dodd Road), which will include roadway modernization, intersection and safety improvements, drainage improvements, and will add separated pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure to the corridor; and
WHEREAS, County Project 4-18 was identified as part of the Dakota County School Travel Safety Assessment and will add trail and sidewalk to CR 4 (Butler Avenue) between CSAH 63 and Manomin Avenue to improve safety and accessibility for area students and residents to walk, bike, and roll to St. Joseph’s Catholic School and Heritage STEM Middle School and other nearby destinations; and
WHEREAS, County staff sent a Request for Proposal to three qualified professional consultants; and
WHEREAS, the proposals received were evaluated by County and City staff; and
WHEREAS, the proposal from Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. has the best value costs for the Project and provides all the services needed; and
WHEREAS, City staff from West St. Paul and Mendota Heights concur with the selection; and
WHEREAS, the adopted 2024 Transportation Capital Improvement Program Budget includes $2,938,050, including carryover, for County Project 63-33 and County Project 4-18 engineering consulting services and right of way acquisition; and
WHEREAS, the County’s cost share is 85 percent of the consultant contract; and
WHEREAS, staff recommends entering into a consultant contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for a total contract amount of $1,832,900.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Physical Development Director to execute a contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. to perform final engineering design and right of way acquisition services for County Project 63-33 and County Project 4-18 in an amount not to exceed $1,832,900, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
None.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Project Location Map
Attachment: Consultant Evaluation Summary
BOARD GOALS
☒ A Great Place to Live ☒ A Healthy Environment
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☐ Excellence in Public Service
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT LEVEL
☒ Inform and Listen ☐ Discuss ☐ Involve ☐ N/A
CONTACT
Department Head: Erin Laberee
Author: Bryce LeBrun