CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of RFQ 21-083, Phase III Construction Engineering Services for the North Aurora Road Underpass at the CN Railroad, to TranSystems Corporation, for an amount not to exceed $2,916,312 and for a 54-month term
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: William J. Novack, P.E., Director of Transportation, Engineering and Development/City Engineer
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
North Aurora Road is a minor arterial road with an average daily traffic of approximately 22,000 vehicles. The road is a primary connection between the cities of Naperville and Aurora and provides access to numerous businesses and subdivisions. North Aurora Road between Frontenac Road in Naperville and Pennsbury Lane in Aurora is a traffic bottleneck. It remains the only section of this corridor with a single lane for each direction for several miles on either side. The existing traffic already exceeds the capacity of the current roadway and is expected to grow to nearly 33,000 vehicles per day by 2040.
The City has been working on two projects to improve the North Aurora Road corridor between Illinois Route 59 and Eola Road that are included in the Naperville's Roadway Improvement Plan. The first project, improving the roadway between Frontenac Road and Fairway Drive, was recently completed in 2023 in partnership with the Naperville Township Road District. The second project (which is associated with this agenda item) will improve the underpass at the CN/Wisconsin Central Railroad in collaboration with the Naperville Township Road District and the City of Aurora (as each agency has jurisdiction of a portion of the roadway along the corridor). The scope of these projects consists of widening the existing three lane road to accommodate two traffic lanes in each direction with a center turn lane, multi-use trail, sidewalk, roadway lighting and drainage enhancements.
In November 2005, the Transportation, Engineering and Development Business Group (TED) issued RFQ 06-107 using federal Quality Based Selection requirements to seek out the services of an engineering firm to complete Phase 1 preliminary engineering services to widen and improve North Aurora Road from Frontenac Drive to Pennsbury Lane. Through the procurement process, the City hired TranSystems Corporation to complete the Phase 1 preliminary engineering services. As part of the RFQ, staff had the option to use the services of the successful vendor for the Phase 2 design engineering phase of the project.
The Phase 1 preliminary engineering report evaluated alternatives and established key elements of the project such as the roadway alignment, pavement profile, railroad track and bridge alignment, and property impacts. A public involvement process was also included as part of the study.
Following the completion of the Phase 1 preliminary engineering study, the City applied for state funding. In January 2010, the City obtained $12,000,000 through the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) Grade Crossing Protection Fund (GCPF) which is planned to be applied to construction costs.
With construction funding secured, the City Council awarded RFP 16-135 to TranSystems in December 2016 to perform the Phase 2 detailed design engineering, land acquisition services, and permitting needed to begin construction of the new railroad underpass and roadway widening.
As the Phase 2 detailed engineering design progressed, the City continued to apply for federal funding to help further offset the construction and construction engineering costs. In October 2019, the City obtained $9,800,000 through the federal Surface Transportation Program (STP). Due to project cost increases and unforeseen utility relocations, in October 2023 the City again requested and obtained an additional $10,334,331 through the federal STP program. Also in 2023, the ICC GCPF increased their funding allocation from $12,000,000 to $15,000,000 due to additional funding being available. Through all sources, the City has obtained to date a total of $35,134,341 of outside funding, all of which is to be applied to construction, utility relocation, and construction engineering costs.
Coordination with multiple railroads and utility companies has resulted in many changes to the Phase 2 detailed engineering design that caused delays targeting an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) letting. Phase 2 detailed engineering design plans and specifications for the project are now nearly complete
The construction contract is currently scheduled for the September 2024 IDOT letting pending completion of the necessary agreements between the railroads and various utility companies as well as property acquisition along the corridor. Completion of construction is anticipated in late 2028.
In February 2021, the Transportation, Engineering and Development Business Group (TED) issued RFQ 21-083, Phase III Construction Engineering Services for the North Aurora Road Underpass at the CN Railroad to solicit responses from experienced and qualified vendors to perform required observations, monitoring, and documenting of the contractor's progress on the project from the start of field operations to final completion.
DISCUSSION:
Advertisement Date:
2/2/2021
Notices Sent:
191
Opening Date:
2/26/2021
Planholders:
19
Proposals Received: |1010|
Proposals were received from the following vendors:
Alfred Benesch & Company
Thomas Engineering Group
Christopher B. Burke Engineering Ltd.
TransSystems Corporation
EXP
V3 Companies of Illinois Ltd.
GSG Consultants, Inc.
A Selection Committee comprised of staff from TED, DPU-W, DPU-E, and the City of Aurora evaluated the responses, which were scored based on the criteria set forth in the RFQ:
1. Qualifications and Experience of Potential Personnel (20%)
2. Qualifications and Experience of Construction Inspection (35%).
3. Qualifications and Experience Providing Liaison Functions (15%)
4. Qualifications and Experience Providing QC/QA (10%)
5. Qualifications and Experience Related to Federal Funding (10%)
6. Completeness of Proposal (10%)
After review and scoring of the responses, the selection committee invited the top three vendors, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., EXP U.S. Services, and TranSystems Corporation, to attend interviews. Following the completion of the interviews, the selection committee rescored the vendors. The vendor with the highest qualification score, TranSystems Corporation, is recommended for award. The table below provides a summary of the final qualification scores:
Vendor
Qualification Score
TranSystems Corporation
93.4
EXP U.S. Services
83.6
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.
82.6
City staff met with representatives of the highest-ranking firm, TranSystems Corporation to discuss the project requirements and scope of services more fully, and to seek detailed hours and costs to perform the engineering services. The City of Aurora and Naperville Township staff also reviewed this information. Negotiations on the scope of services, man-hours and costs took place between May and September 2021.
The scope of the construction engineering work for the North Aurora Road Underpass at the CN railroad project includes:
* Coordination with the contractor, IDOT, numerous utilities, and adjacent property owners;
* Documentation and review of materials and quantities; and
* On-site review of the work.
TranSystems Corporation possesses the professional skill to perform the Phase 3 construction engineering of the roadway, railroad, and bridgework elements of this project. They have successfully performed this kind of work on numerous projects using the same team of engineers that they have proposed. Most recently, TranSystems successfully completed the construction engineering of improvements to North Aurora Road Widening project between Frontenac Road and Fairway Drive. The negotiation process has served to match the hours and costs with the detailed scope of the proposed services. The Selection Committee recommends selecting TranSystems Corporation to perform Phase 3 construction engineering services for the North Aurora Road at the CN Railroad project.
The City has obtained state and federal funding to help offset the Phase 3 construction engineering costs. Naperville Township and the City of Aurora will be responsible for their share of the Phase 3 construction engineering services. An amendment to the intergovernmental agreement with Naperville Township and the City of Aurora which addresses the cost share for both the construction engineering and construction phases of the project has been approved by City Council on January 16, 2024, under agenda Item 24-0001.
The anticipated completion date of the project is December 31, 2028.
FISCAL IMPACT:
CIP#: BR005
Engineering Services related to BR005 are expensed to the Architect and Engineering Services account listed below. A total of $1,000,000 was included in the 2024 budget for engineering services related to BR005. Given the term of this contract, expenses will be realized in future years as well as in 2024. It is anticipated the amount included in the 2024 budget will be sufficient for 2024 expenses, and staff will ensure the proper amount is included in future budgets.
Account Number
Fund Description
Total Budget Amount
30282200-531301
Capital Projects Fund
$3,225,010