DATE: June 24, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Award Contract 25-03-C Houghton Canal Bridge Replacement on N. Chateau Fresno Avenue
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Adopt plans and specifications for Contract 25-03-C Houghton Canal Bridge Replacement on N. Chateau Fresno Avenue, Federal Project No. BRLO-5942(237), and award to the lowest bidder Cal Valley Construction, Inc., 5125 N. Gates Avenue #102, Fresno, CA 93722, in the total amount of $3,099,414.80; and
2. Authorize the Director to execute contract change orders for Contract 25-03-C Houghton Canal Bridge Replacement on N. Chateau Fresno Avenue, not to exceed $210,000 for any one change order pursuant to Public Contract Code 20142, and not to exceed a total change order limit of approximately 13% of the total compensation payable under Contract 25-03-C.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions will authorize the award of a Federally funded Highway Bridge Program (HBP) project. This item pertains to a location in District 1.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the first recommended action is not approved, the project will be delayed or will not be constructed. If the second recommended action is not approved, some portions of construction could be delayed due to the time required to return to the Board for approval of individual change orders.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. This project is 100% Federally funded through the HBP. The contract construction cost is estimated to range between $4,200,000 and $4,800,000. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department of Public Works and Planning - Road Fund Org 4510 FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
The Houghton Canal Bridge on N. Chateau Fresno Avenue (Bridge No. 42C0695 / 04-030) is located 0.5 miles south of Belmont Avenue in the City of Fresno and has been closed since 2023. Built in 1925, the existing bridge is 33 feet long and 24 feet wide and the new bridge will be 40 feet long and 32 feet wide.
The work to be done consists, in general, of widening and reconstructing the approach road, realigning and reconstructing canal access roads, relocating irrigation lines, and replacing the structurally deficient two-lane bridge with a standard two-lane bridge. The new bridge structure will consist of Cast-In-Place, Pre-Stressed concrete slabs which will be supported by a Cast-In-Drill-Hole concrete pile foundation. Two components will be sole sourced, Universal TAU-M Crash Cushions, and Flare End Terminals Type MFLEAT (MASH-compliant Flared Energy Absorbing Terminal). The authorization for the sole sourced components was made by your Board on January 28, 2025.
The project was advertised on May 6, 2025, and a bid opening was held on June 5, 2025. Four bids were received. The low bid of $3,099,414.80 from Cal Valley Construction, Inc. was $1,370,385.87, or 30.66%, lower than the engineer’s estimate of $4,469,800.67. As a Federally funded project, there was a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal of 21%.
A list of bidders and their respective bid amounts is shown below:
Bidder Amount of Bid DBE Commitment
Cal Valley Construction, Inc. $3,099,414.80 39.2%
American Paving Co. $3,442,681.20 16.7%
Viking Construction $3,505,765.82 23.1%
Agee Construction Corporation $6,141,142.00 None submitted
Because of the limited construction window between seasonal irrigation flows, in-channel construction would need to be completed by February 2026. It is anticipated that construction will begin in August 2025 and end in February 2026. Plant establishment work will continue until Fall 2026.
Plans and Specifications were prepared by the Department’s consultant, Cornerstone Structural Engineering Group and are on file with the Department.
Pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Department prepared Initial Study No. 7005, which finds that the project has no significant impact on the environment, and filed a Mitigated Negative Declaration, adopted by the Board on December 15, 2015. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) acting as the Federal lead agency determined the project would not have a significant effect on the environment as defined by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), per 23 CFR 771.117(c)(28).
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
Caltrans provides oversight on Federally funded projects.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #55, January 28, 2025
BAI #34, December 2015
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Location Map
Bid Summary
CAO ANALYST:
Maria Valencia