COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

DATE:

February 4, 2005

BOARD MEETING DATE:

March 1, 2005

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Neil R. Cullen, Director of Public Works

SUBJECT:

Increase in Contract Authorization – Resurfacing of Various Streets in the Emerald Lake Hills and Burlingame Hills Areas (County Project No. RA200 – F-36 [380-1A])

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution authorizing an increase of $16,000 in the “not-to-exceed” payment limit for contract costs for the above referenced project.

Vision Alignment

Commitment: ensure basic health and safety of all.

Goal 7: maintain and enhance the public safety of all residents and visitors.

Authorizing an increase in the “not-to-exceed” contract payments will allow us to finalize the payment to the contractor for the asphalt concrete that was placed on the six (6) streets that were resurfaced as part of the contract work and which improved the overall riding quality of these streets for the benefit of the public.

Background

Previous Board Action

Awarded a contract for the resurfacing of the above referenced streets on August 31, 2004.

History

We have been and are continuing to resurface streets in all the unincorporated areas of the County to both maintain the overall Pavement Condition Index of the County maintained road system as required by your Board’s commitment to the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB 34), and to reduce yearly pavement maintenance which is labor intensive.

Asphalt concrete is measured and paid on a per ton basis for the amount placed, with the contract quantity estimated using an average unit weight of the material multiplied by the average length, width and thickness of the area to be resurfaced. Our experience has been that the amount placed is within ten percent (10%) of the estimated quantity, and any overage is paid for using the contract contingency that is approved by your Board.

Discussion

The roads that were resurfaced in conjunction with this contract are primarily of variable width and uneven grades that were initially upgraded from rock roads to all weather surfaced roads by chip sealing. Additional asphalt was placed on these roads based on the weigh tags for the asphalt that was delivered, and which were collected as paving proceeded. We believe that the variable width and uneven grades were the reason for the overrun in the amount of asphalt used on the project.

The additional asphalt does add to the roads’ structural section and improves the riding quality of these roads, as the surface is smoother and low spots and depressions in the roads were filled providing a thicker structural section than what previously existed. However, we will evaluate alternative construction methods, such as an initial leveling course or specifying a thickness tolerance, to preclude overruns in the future.

County Counsel has approved as to form a resolution that authorizes an increase in the contract payment to pay for the additional asphalt placed, which is estimated to increase the overall payments to the contractor by approximately $16,000 over the original contract “not-to-exceed” amount.

Fiscal Impact

The original contract had a “not-to-exceed” limit of $182,000 which included a ten percent (10%) contingency. The proposed increase in payments to the contractor will increase the not-to-exceed limit by $16,000 to $198,000. This increase is proposed to be financed with Road Funds.

There is no impact to the General Fund.