ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: September 2, 1998
Author/Local: S. Ono - 7118

Dept. File No. H764-9

CC File No. 1805

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT:	Tender 9815 - Construction of Left Turn Bays on 57th Avenue at Knight Street

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Tender Number 9815 - Construction of Left Turn Bays on 57th Avenue at Knight Street from Columbia Bitulithic Limited, the low bidder, in the amount of $278,745.27, be accepted, subject to a Contract satisfactory to the Director of Legal Services.

B. THAT the Director of Legal Services execute the Contract on behalf of the City. No legal rights shall arise hereby and none shall arise until execution of the contemplated Agreement.

C. THAT the additional project cost of $46,000 for construction of left turn bays on 57th Avenue at Knight Street be approved with funding to be provided from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account 12/31/9825/999 - Burrard, Cornwall to 3rd.

COUNCIL POLICY

Construction contracts over $200,000.00 are to be awarded by Council.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to obtain Council approval to award Tender Number 9815 for the Construction of Left Turn Bays on 57th Avenue at Knight Street and to increase the total project budget from $700,000.00 to $746,000.00.
BACKGROUND

On June 12, 1996, the Traffic Commission unanimously approved left turn bays on 57th Avenue at Knight Street. The purpose of the proposal was to improve safety and reduce shortcutting on local residential streets. The left turn bays will improve safety by improving the visibility of motorists turning left onto Knight Street, and this will reduce accidents. Furthermore, the left turn bays will encourage drivers to stay on 57th Avenue and Knight Street, the arterials; which will reduce shortcutting on the local streets, particularly Culloden. The necessary property acquisition negotiations for the project have been completed and construction can now proceed.

DISCUSSION

Tenders for the construction of Left Turn Bays on 57th Avenue at Knight Street ( Tender Number 9815) were opened on August 31, 1998 and referred to the General Manager of Engineering Services for tabulation.

All tenders were checked for completeness and accuracy and any miscalculations or omissions corrected. Tabulations of the amounts bid, with the lowest bid underlined, are shown below:

1. Columbia Bitulithic Ltd $278,745.27
2. Imperial Paving Limited $297,689.00
3. Jack Cewe Ltd. $376,362.20
4. Pedre Contractors Ltd. $382,353.00
5. Winvan Paving Limited $395,817.00

These bids include 7% G.S.T. and are based on unit pricing of estimated quantities supplied by the Department. Therefore, the actual cost of this tender may vary according to quantities measured during construction. As well, extra or "force account" work, in addition to the unit cost work, may increase the cost of this tender.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The Engineer's anticipated tender for this contract was $351,000.00 which was determined on the basis of averaging the unit prices from four past local improvement street construction contracts including two local improvement street construction contracts in 1997 and 1998. Comparing unit prices over the past ten years indicate that the low bid is reasonable.

The updated total estimated project cost as of August 31, 1998 and including the actual low bid received for construction of the left turn bays is $746,000.00. This estimated cost contains provision for waterworks, traffic signal, electrical, tree planting, landscaping, catch basin adjustments, and unanticipated extra work in addition to the contract price. This additional work will be performed by the contractor, or by City crews. This estimated cost also includes the cost of property acquisition. Funding for the City's share of this work had been approved by Council in June of 1996 and is to come from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account 12/31/9828/999 57th Avenue at Knight Street.

The original project budget approved by Council in 1996 was $700,000. This budget was prepared by the Engineering Department based on geometric YD-627 prior to completion of a topographic survey and preparation of a detailed design for the street works.

The net increase in estimated project cost of $46,000.00 is attributed to the following which was not apparent in the 1996 report to Council prior to completion of the topographic survey and detailed design:

· greater excavation quantities than was assumed in 1996 prior to completion of topographic survey and detailed design.
· greater number of catch-basins required to accommodate drainage than was assumed in 1996 prior to completion of topographic survey and the detailed design.
· greater extent of concrete curb and gutter required to channelize surface runoff over flat longitudinal gradients than was assumed in 1996 prior to completion of topographic survey and detailed design.

The increase of $46,000 is available from funding set aside for widening and construction of left turn bays on Burrard Street between Cornwall and 3rd Avenue. Elimination of the bay at 1st Avenue reduced the cost of this project significantly.

CONCLUSION

The low bid is balanced and consistent with the trend of contract unit prices for the past ten years and supports the recommendation that Contract 9815 be awarded to Columbia Bitulithic Ltd.

The increased project cost is reasonable given the need for additional roadway excavation and runoff water drainage provisions which became apparent following completion of topographic surveys and detailed design

* * * * *

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver