Adopt Resolution #18-027 Approving Plans and Specifications and Authorizing Advertisements for Bids for 2018 Crackseal and Sealcoat Improvements, Improvement Project #18-04

Purpose:
The purpose of this case is to adopt Resolution #18-027 approving plans and specifications and authorizing advertisements for bids for 2018 Crackseal and Sealcoat Improvements, Improvement Project #18-04.
 
Background:
Long-term Street Maintenance Program
Various city street segments receive crackseal and/or sealcoat improvements annually to maximize the life of their pavement sections.
 
Cracksealing protects pavement by preventing stormwater runoff from seeping through cracks in the pavement and joints between the pavement and concrete curb and gutter and utility castings.  This reduces future pavement damage due to wet subgrade soils, especially during freeze-thaw cycles.
 
Sealcoating protects pavement from the negative effects of stormwater runoff, ultraviolet rays from the sun, and oil-based products deposited on the pavement by vehicles.
 
The City’s typical maintenance schedule for public streets includes:

• Crackseal 3 years after construction, reconstruction, or overlays.
• Crackseal and sealcoat 7 years after construction, reconstruction, overlays, and sealcoats.
• Overlay 20 years after construction, reconstruction, or overlays.
• Reconstruct 60 years after construction or reconstruction.

While this is the typical maintenance schedule, it is important to note that Staff reviews the condition of all streets annually and adjusts the schedule of maintenance operations based on actual pavement conditions.
 
Plans and Specifications
Plans and specifications for the 2018 Crackseal and Sealcoat Improvements were prepared in-house as part of Staff’s normal duties.  A copy of the final plans are attached to this case.
 
A total of 22.71 miles of public streets are proposed to receive crackseal and/or sealcoat improvements in 2018.
 
Approximately 7.15 miles of City streets are proposed to receive crackseal improvements in 2018.  In accordance with the City’s typical maintenance schedule, these street segments are primarily composed of streets constructed or reconstructed 3 years ago.
 
Approximately 15.56 miles of streets are proposed to receive crackseal and sealcoat improvements.  Per the City’s typical maintenance schedule, these street segments are primarily composed of streets constructed, reconstructed, overlaid, or sealcoated 7 years ago.  Street segments proposed to receive crackseal and sealcoat improvements in 2018 were selected based on their Pavement and Surface Evaluation Rating (PASER) number, age, maintenance history, and/or location within the City relative to other street segments proposed to be sealcoated.
 
Dresser trap rock is again proposed for all sealcoating in lieu of granite rock chips due to anticipated project cost savings related to decreased availability of granite rock chips.
 
Staff is working with City of Elk River Staff to assign maintenance responsibilities for Jarvis Street, which is proposed to be cracksealed in 2018 as highlighted in green on the attached street data summary sheet.  Staff will be prepared to address this in more detail when Council is asked to approve a construction contract on February 27th.  In the meantime, Staff recommends bidding the project as presented with the City of Ramsey funding 100% of crackseal improvement costs for Jarvis Street, estimated at $4,625.03.   
 
Bids
Staff is proposing to bid the project using a base bid plus three (3) alternate bids.  This is the same approach that was used on the 2017 Crackseal and Sealcoat Improvements project.  This approach allows the City to accept a base bid and potentially one or more alternate bids so all or most of the $500,000 budgeted for this work can be spent without bidding a second crackseal and sealcoat project, which results in higher indirect costs.
 
Streets in the base bid have the lowest PASER ratings and therefore have a higher priority for maintenance.  Streets included as alternate bids are confined to areas D and E as described on the attached estimated project costs summary sheet.  Alternate bids are prioritized such that bid alternate 1 should ideally be approved first, followed by bid alternate 2, and then bid alternate 3. This is primarily due to the proximity from other streets proposed to receive sealcoat improvements.
 
Project Modifications
This year, Staff proposes to award bids and require construction to be completed earlier in the year than in recent years.  Staff believes this should reduce the amount of loose rock that occurs after the work is completed and the streets are swept due to the increased exposure warmer temperatures, which should allow the rock to be better imbedded within the oil before cooler temperatures set in.  Per the project specifications, work may begin on or after June 18th, crackseal and sealcoat work must be completed by August 3rd, and all sweeping and striping work must be completed by August 31st.
 
Staff considered using smaller rock as well, which several cities are using now in an attempt to reduce loose rock on the street surface following sweepings as much as practical.  However, Staff would like to observe the effects of completing construction earlier in the year before shifting to the use of smaller rock.  Staff will evaluate this further before designing next year’s crackseal and sealcoat project.
     
Staff also proposes to fog seal all cul-de-sacs included in the 2018 project.  Numerous metro area cities fog seal over sealcoats in cul-de-sacs due to reported benefits including that the sealcoat looks newer longer, the life of the sealcoat is extended due to reduced loss of rock, and that fewer complaints are received regarding the amount of rock found in garages, homes and businesses after being tracked in on tires and the bottoms of shoes.
 
Other metro cities now fog seal the existing pavement in cul-de-sacs without sealcoating first.  Staff also proposes to try this on up to three cul-de-sacs in this year’s project and to monitor the results to see if this approach is more cost-effective then fog sealing over new sealcoats in the long-term. 
 
Staff is not proposing to fog seal any linear street segments in 2018.  This is because no benefits were observed by Staff upon fog sealing over newly sealcoated streets in Ramsey Meadows 2^nd Addition and the parking lot of Fire Station 1 in 2016, or in 2015 when fog seal was applied over several newly sealcoated street segments.  Based on continued monitoring of these streets and the parking lot at Fire Station 1, Staff believes that the benefits for fog sealing linear street segments do not justify the cost.
 
The final modification Staff is proposing this year is to require the contractor to provide a third sweeping of all sealcoated streets before striping.  This will remove more loose rock before striping, and will potentially reduce one round of sweeping that City Staff completes following the project.  During the last couple of years, Staff has swept sealcoated streets two to three times to remove loose rock upon receiving complaints from the public.

No notifications were required for this case.

Observations:
If Council approves plans and specifications and authorizes advertisements for bids, the bid advertisements will be published in the Anoka Union Herald and in Finance and Commerce on January 26th and February 2nd.  Bids will then be opened publicly on February 20th, and Council will be asked to accept bids and award a contract for construction on February 27th.
 
Alternatives:
Alternative #1 - Motion to adopt Resolution #18-027 approving plans and specifications and authorizing advertisements for bids for 2018 Crackseal and Sealcoat Improvements, Improvement Project #18-04.

Alternative #2 - Motion to deny adoption of Resolution #18-027 at this time.

Attached is a cost estimate for the proposed improvements.  Estimated costs for the base bid plus three alternates totals 623,169.69.  This includes 14% indirect costs for administrative, engineering, legal and financing.
 
A total of $500,000 was budgeted for 2018 Crackseal and Sealcoat Improvements.

Staff anticipates that bid prices will be generally favorable and equivalent to 2017 project costs.  Staff therefore used average unit bid costs based on the 2017 crackseal and sealcoat project bids to estimate 2018 project costs.

No special assessments are proposed with this project.

Staff recommends Alternative Action #1.

The Public Works Committee reviewed the proposed 2018 Crackseal and Sealcoat Improvement project on January 16th and recommended City Council approval of plans and specifications.

Motion to adopt Resolution #18-027 approving plans and specifications and authorizing advertisements for bids for 2018 Crackseal and Sealcoat Improvements, Improvement Project #18-04.