DATE: March 25, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Agreement for Safe Streets for All Consulting Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with TJKM Consulting, to develop and prepare a comprehensive safety action plan, effective upon execution and not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one-year extensions, with a total cost not to exceed $879,039.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will authorize an agreement with TJKM Consulting, to assist the Department of Public Works and Planning staff in developing a comprehensive local road safety action plan.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board may choose not to approve the recommended action; however, Department staff would return to the Board for further direction on alternative options to obtain consulting services. Your Board may direct staff to review and renegotiate certain terms of the recommended agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The maximum compensation for the recommended agreement is $879,039 and will be funded by U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) through the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program. The County is required to fund a 20% match for the project in an amount of $203,770, which will be paid out of the County’s Road Fund. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Design Org 45104513 FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget and will be included in budget requests for the term’s duration.
DISCUSSION:
Fresno County was awarded $815,082 from the DOT through the SS4A grant program. The SS4A grant program requires a 20% ($203,770) County match, making the total project funding $1,018,852. The grant will support the County’s efforts to develop a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (Action Plan) which will also further develop sections of the County’s Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) that was adopted by your Board June 7, 2022.
According to the University of California Berkeley ‘s Transportation Injury Mapping System, between 2017 and 2021, there were 792 traffic fatalities in Fresno County. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of them occurring in the unincorporated portion of the County, while 36% occurred within the City of Fresno, and 6% occurred in the remaining 14 cities. Over the same five-year study period, twenty-seven percent (27%) of all road-related fatalities were bicyclists (31) and pedestrians (184). Based on a review of crash data, pedestrians and bicyclists are overrepresented in fatal and severe injury crashes. Per the United States Department of Transportation Fatality Analysis Reporting System, (US DOT FARS) Fresno County’s death rate per 100,000 of population is 16, which is 34% higher than the statewide average.
An Action Plan is a basic building block to significantly improve roadway safety. The purpose of an Action Plan is to improve roadway safety by developing strategies that significantly reduce transportation-related fatalities and injury accidents for all road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and micromobility users. The development of an Action Plan requires a significant commitment not only from our County but also our partners, particularly our residents and partnering local governments to incorporate input from a wide range of stakeholders impacted by this serious problem in our community. One element of an Action Plan is Leadership Commitment and Goal Setting. Accordingly, the Consultant will meet with each of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. The purpose of the meeting is to solicit input about transportation safety, receive support from Supervisors, and ensure the vision of the Action Plan is aligned across all Supervisorial districts within Fresno County.
The Action Plan will build on the foundation set by the LRSP and will include a plan to devise measurable outputs and outcomes for implementing safety countermeasures, creation of a task force of internal and external stakeholders to develop and monitor the plan, assess current policies and processes to ensure accountability, identify priorities and improve those processes and robust community outreach with the goal of receiving input on traffic safety issues from the public and stakeholders.
On August 12, 2024, Public Works and Planning Department issued Request for Proposal (RFP) 24-039. Bidders were asked to demonstrate their capabilities and qualifications, including experience with SS4A Action Plans and/or similar plans, outreach program development and project management. Bidders also were asked to provide examples of safety plans establishing appropriate experience in project management and administration, including project timelines and organizational plans, goals, and philosophies. The RFP notice was sent to 362 prospective bidders identified by Department staff as possible interested parties and/or past bid participants. The RFP was also published in the Business Journal and on the County’s website.
The RFP closed on September 20, 2024, and four bid responses were received and reviewed by an evaluation committee on October 18, 2024. The committee was comprised of Department staff: a Division Manager, a Program Manager, a Supervising Engineer, a Staff Analyst and a representative from Fresno County Public Health Department and Fresno Council of Governments. The proposals were each evaluated on their merits with respect to capability, qualifications, education, outreach, and project management. After reviewing the proposals, the evaluation committee ranked the proposals, and two firms, HDR and TJKM, were invited to interview. Both firms are experienced and qualified to perform this project. However, TJKM scored higher on the rating criteria stated in the RFP. Accordingly, TJKM was unanimously selected as the most qualified bidder to provide the consulting services. TJKM includes the firms of DKS Associates, VRPA technologies, Inc., Street Plans and Street Simplified as sub-consultants.
TJKM demonstrated thoroughness in its proposal and made recommendations that were appropriate for the County. TJKM also has extensive experience in developing safety programs and plans in numerous jurisdictions. Throughout its proposal and interview, TJKM demonstrated its ability to assist the County in developing an action plan and making recommendations that were relevant and appropriate for Fresno County.
The finalized Action Plan is scheduled to be presented to your Board by July 2026 for adoption. At the presentation, staff will make a recommendation on the goal for a percentage reduction of roadway fatalities and serious injuries in Fresno County and the target date to achieve this goal. Once adopted, the County will be eligible to apply for additional funding to implement a project(s) that is recommended in the Action Plan.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI # 13, June 7, 2022
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with TJKM
CAO ANALYST:
Salvador Espino