Staff recommends that City Council award a Contract for Professional Engineering Services to Sanbell in the amount of $652,031.

The City was awarded a Safe Streets for All grant through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as part of the 2023 grant funding cycle. The grant agreement between the City of Billings and FHWA was signed on September 18th, 2024.

Council is asked to consider authorizing and executing a Contract for Professional Services with Sanbell for design services for a suite of Safe Routes to School and bicycle facility projects. The projects are located throughout the City and include 4 neighborhood bikeways, 3 bicycle facility connections, and safe routes to school projects for 12 elementary schools. The safe routes to school projects vary from curb extensions and crosswalk enhancements to trail lighting construction. The grant will also fund a Safe Routes to School educational campaign. The educational campaign is being completed through a separate contract.  A contract amendment for construction contract administration and construction observation may be requested after the project is bid, and the construction duration is determined. The cost of design services is influenced by the federal requirements for the project (environmental review and additional reporting) as well as the safety components of this project. The contract has been reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration. City staff and Sanbell further reviewed the scope of work and found reductions in the scope within the federal reporting, topographic survey, additional design tasks, and project management tasks.

The project includes analysis of multiple pedestrian crossings at mid-block locations or unsignalized intersections. In order to determine the appropriate pedestrian treatment, a detailed traffic analysis is included for each pedestrian crossing of a major (arterial or collector) roadway. Based on the traffic analysis as well as public feedback, appropriate pedestrian crossing treatment will be designed. The scope includes time for a "baseline" design (pedestrian ramps, crosswalk signing and striping) with a separate task to cover more complex designs (example--HAWK signal). A similar approach was used to scope the bicycle facility designs. The "baseline" case includes design for signing and striping improvements. A separate task is provided for a more complex design, such as a protected bikeway, that may be implemented only after extensive public involvement is completed and if budget allows. A budget of $56,000 is included for the more complex designs if necessary. 

The City publicly advertised a Request for Proposals in the Yellowstone County News and on the City Website on December 27th, 2024, January 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th, 2025. The City received three proposals from Sanbell, IMEG, and Kittelson and Associates. Sanbell was selected based on an evaluation and ranking of the proposals by a selection committee. The advertisement and selection for engineering services have followed federal guidelines. The selection was based on firm experience, project manager, key project staff and subconsultants, availability, ability to provide services in Billings, and project methodology and approach. 

City Council may:

• Approve a Contract for Professional Services with Sanbell in the amount of $652,031; or,
• Not approve a Contract for Professional Services with Sanbell. If the contract is not approved, the design for the Safe Streets for All grant cannot be completed. 

Funding for this project is $4,447,529 using $3,557,923 of federal grant funds and $889,606 of City match from gas tax. There are adequate funds to award a contract.