Report Prepared by: Joe Cardoso, P.L.S., City Surveyor, Engineering Department
Title
SUBJECT: Approving the Cooperative Agreement with State of California, Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for the Highway 59 Widening Phase 1 and Highway 59 Black Rascal Bridge Project (CP200064/CP200065) for Plans, Specifications, and Estimate (PS&E) and Right-of-Way Acquisition
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers approving to authorize a Cooperative Agreement with Caltrans to allow the City to progress and finalize the design plans, specifications, and estimate (PS&E) and acquire the necessary right-of-way for the Highway 59 Widening Phase 1 and Highway 59 Black Rascal Bridge Projects, CP200064 and CP200065.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Approving the Cooperative Agreement for the Highway 59 Widening Phase 1 and Highway 59 Black Rascal Bridge Project; and,
B. Authorizing the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve as recommended by Staff; or
2. Deny; or,
3. Refer to Staff for further evaluation.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Addresses Council’s priority of widening Highway 59 from 16th Street through the Bridges at Black Rascal Creek.
DISCUSSION
The City of Merced has a Federal, State, and locally funded project to replace/widen the bridges over Black Rascal Creek (Highway 59 Black Rascal Bridge) and widen State Highway 59 (Highway 59 Phase 1 - 16th Street to Olive Avenue). The project consists of two separate projects:
• (CP200064) - State Highway 59 (Highway 59 Phase 1 - 16th Street to Olive Avenue)
o The Project consists of widening the existing 2-lane street to a 4-lane street from 16th Street to approximately 600 feet south of Buena Vista Drive. The project will also address the crossing at BNSF Railroad, adding sidewalks, streetlights, Class 2 bike lanes, center medians, drainage, drainage basin and landscaping.
o The project will also relocate portions of the Rascal/Micheal O’Sullivan Bike Path. The relocation of the bike path was vetted through the environmental process and recommended by the public to allow for the widening of the roadway and provide a safer path for pedestrians and bicyclist.
• (CP200065) - Highway 59 Black Rascal Bridge
o The Project includes to replace the Black Rascal Creek Bridge and the South Fork Black Rascal Creek Bridge, currently two separate 2-lane bridges, with a new 4-lane bridge over Black Rascal Creek located approximately 500 feet north of Olive Avenue. The project will also include adding sidewalks, streetlights, Class 2 bike lanes, center medians, drainage, drainage basin and landscaping.
On November 8, 2016, the voters of Merced County approved “Measure V”, a one-half cent sales transaction and use tax to supplement transportation roads and alternative transportation project funding. The Measure V transportation sales tax will be in place for 30 years, expiring on March 31, 2047. The Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG) will administer the apportionment of sales tax funds to the County, six Cities, and the agreed upon regional areas within Merced County.
On June 1, 2020, City Council approved two (2) Measure V Regional Funding Agreements for the Widening of Bridges over Black Rascal Creek (Attachment # 1) and the Widening of Roadway from 16th Street to Olive Avenue (Attachment # 2).
On August 7, 2020, City Council approved Cooperative Agreement #10-0509 (Attachment # 3) with the State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to begin work on the Project Approval Document and Environmental Document. Caltrans provided oversite and this portion of work was completed on February 3, 2025.
In order to allow the City of Merced to receive support and oversight from Caltrans, the City Council must adopt the attached Cooperative Agreement #10-0593 (Attachment # 4), which allows the City to progress into the final design and acquire the necessary right-of-way for the completion of the project.
The City has secured the services of Dokken Engineering to complete the final design and prepare plans, specifications, and estimates for the bidding purposes. Dokken will also prepare all the right-of-way legal descriptions for the right-of-way acquisition.
Staff will request proposals from a Caltrans approved Right-of-Way Agent to assist staff in acquiring the necessary right-of-way.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
These agreements do not require any funding.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Hwy 59 Bridge Widening Funding Agreement
2. Hwy 59 Road Widening Funding Agreement
3. Cooperative Agreement #10-0509
4. Cooperative Agreement #10-0593