Title
[Contract] Vision Zero School Safety Project (T15235600) [Published for 10-Day Review on 08/21/2026]
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FileID
File ID: 2026-01440
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Location
Location: Districts 3, 4, 5, and 6
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution: 1) approving the Plans and Specifications for the Vision Zero School Safety Project (T15235600); 2) authorizing the City Manager or designee to increase the revenue and expenditure budgets of the Vision Zero School Safety Project (T15235600) by $1,700,000 (Federal Capital Grants, Fund 3703); 3) authorizing the City Manager or designee to increase the expenditure budget of the Vision Zero School Safety Project (T15235600) by transferring $550,000 (Major Street Construction, Fund 2007) from the State and Federal Grant Match Program (T15007200); 4) awarding the construction contract for the Vision Zero School Safety Project (T15235600) to Tim Paxon’s Pacific Excavation, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $1,690,212; 5) authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute the construction contract with Tim Paxon’s Pacific Excavation, Inc., for the Vision Zero School Safety Project (T15235600); 6) awarding a Professional Services Agreement for an amount not-to-exceed $416,535 with UNICO Engineering, Inc. for the Vision Zero School Safety Project (T15235600); 7) authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute a Professional Services Agreement for an amount not-to-exceed $416,535 with UNICO Engineering, Inc. for the Vision Zero School Safety Project (T15165500); and 8) resetting the City Manager or designee’s administrative authority to issue supplemental agreements with WSP USA, Inc. for City Agreement No. 2024-0135.
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Contact
Contact: Luke Fuson, Senior Engineer, (916) 808-6601, ljfuson@cityofsacramento.org; Matt Johns, Supervising Engineer, (916) 808-5760, mjohns@cityofsacramento.org; Ofelia Avalos, Engineering Services Division Manager, (916) 808-5054, oavalos@cityofsacramento.org; Department of Public Works
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Presenter
Presenter: None
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
3-Plans and Specifications - Vision Zero School Safety Project
4-Construction Contract - Tim Paxon’s Pacific Excavation, Inc.
5-Professional Services Agreement - UNICO Engineering, Inc.
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: On February 16, 2021, the City Council adopted the Vision Zero School Safety Study. This study focused on improving safety and access to 20 schools throughout Sacramento. The recommendations in the report were determined based upon a technical review of each site and consultation with school communities.
The Vision Zero School Safety Project (T15235600), based upon available funding, developed plans, specifications, and estimate to enhance pedestrian safety and access at the below listed locations identified by the Vision Zero School Safety Study.
1. Father Keith B. Kenny Elementary School
2. Natomas High School
3. St. Hope Public School PS7
4. Smythe Academy
5. The Met Sacramento High School
6. West Campus High School
7. William Land Elementary School
Funding for the project comes from the federal Community Project Funding (CPF) program. CPF is a source of grants for public transportation projects whose recipients and purposes are specifically identified by Congress in an appropriations act, most recently in the Fiscal Year(FY)22 Consolidated Appropriations Act.
The project was advertised for construction and received three bids. Staff recommend awarding the construction contract to Tim Paxson’s Pacific Engineering, Inc.
The City advertised a competitive solicitation for proposals from engineering consulting firms to provide construction management and inspection services. Three firms submitted proposals, and a panel comprised of staff from the Department of Public Works recommended selection of the top ranked firm, UNICO Engineering, Inc. Selection of an experienced and qualified construction management firm is necessary to ensure the project is appropriately staffed for construction oversight which is anticipated to start following the construction contract award.
WSP USA, Inc. was awarded a professional services agreement (City Agreement No. 2024-0135) to perform final design services on February 13, 2024. Resetting the City Manager’s authority to issue supplemental agreements on City Agreement No. 2022-0710 will allow for efficient accommodation of design support needs during construction.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: The recommendations in this report are in accordance with City Code Chapters 3.56 and 3.60, City Code Section 4.04.020, and Council Rules of Procedure, Chapter 7, Section E.2.d, which requires additional posting time for agreements and contracts greater than $1 million and the following specific policies from the Sacramento 2040 General Plan:
M-1.2 User Prioritization - The City shall prioritize mobility, comfort, health, safety, and convenience for those walking, followed by those bicycling and riding transit, ahead of design and operations for those driving.
M-1.3 - Health Transportation system Options - The City shall plan and make investments to foster a transportation system that improves the health of Sacramento residents through actions that make active transportation, non- motorized modes, high-occupancy, and zero- emission vehicles (ZEVs) viable, attractive alternatives to automobiles that use internal combustion engines.
M-1.9 - Equitable Processes & Outcomes - The City shall ensure that the transportation system is planned and implemented with an equitable process to achieve equitable outcomes and investments so that all neighborhoods one day will have similar levels of transportation infrastructure such as sidewalks, marked low stress crossings, and bikeways.
M-1.11 - Increase Bicycling & Walking - The City shall strive to increase bicycling and walking citywide so that it can meet its equity, reduced vehicle miles traveled, and sustainability goals.
M-1.17 - Improve Bicycle Connectivity - The City shall plan and seek funding for a continuous, low-stress bikeway network consisting of bicycling-friendly facilities that connect neighborhoods with destinations and activity centers throughout the city.
M-1.18 - Bicycling Safety - When designing projects, the City shall prioritize designs that strengthen the protection of people bicycling such as improvements that increase visibility of bicyclists, increase bikeway widths, raise bikeways, design safer intersection crossings and turns, and separate bikeways from driving traffic wherever feasible.
M-1.19 - Walking Safety - When designing projects, the City shall prioritize designs that encourage walking and improve walking safety best practice designs and considerations for efficiencies in walking.
M-4.3 Vision Zero. The City shall use a data driven, “vision zero” approach to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2027, while increasing safety, health, and equitable mobility for all.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: This new infrastructure is expected to create 25.34 total jobs (14.57 direct jobs and 10.77 jobs through indirect and induced actives) and create $3,912,089 in total economic output ($2,465,820 of direct output and another $1,446,269 of output through indirect and induced activities).
The indicated economic impacts are estimates calculated using a calculation tool developed by the Center for Strategic Economic Research (CSER). CSER utilized the IMPLAN input-output model (2009 coefficients) to quantify the economic impacts of a hypothetical $1 million of spending in various construction categories within the City of Sacramento in an average one-year period. Actual impacts could differ significantly from the estimates and neither the City of Sacramento nor CSER shall be held responsible for consequences resulting from such differences.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The Community Development Department, Environmental Planning Services Division has reviewed the Vision Zero School Safety Project, which is a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In compliance with CEQA, the City prepared a Categorial Exemption (CE). The CEQA Notice of Exemption was issued by the County of Sacramento Clerk on October 16, 2024.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): Caltrans issued a Categorical Exclusion (CE) for the Vision Zero School Safety Project on October 30, 2024, confirming conformance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
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Sustainability
Sustainability: The proposed action is consistent with the mobility element of the 2035 General Plan and the Climate Action Plan. The Vision Zero School Safety Project aims to improve safety and mobility options for young people to access school sites, many of whom use active transportation and transit.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: None.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: This work is appropriate for outsourcing because it consists of specialized public works construction services requiring licensed contractors, skilled construction personnel, specialized equipment, and compliance with state and federal public works requirements, including prevailing wage, bonding, insurance, and safety regulations. The Vision Zero School Safety Project includes the construction of pedestrian and traffic safety improvements at multiple school sites, requiring dedicated construction resources and expertise beyond the scope of the City's routine maintenance operations. Procuring these services through a competitively selected contractor ensures the project is completed efficiently, in compliance with applicable construction standards and grant requirements, while allowing City staff to focus on project management, construction oversight, and the delivery of other capital improvement projects. The federal grant funding and local funding are necessary to award the construction contract and to complete construction management, design support, and construction activities. Approval by the City Council is required to perform the necessary budgetary adjustments.
The project was advertised for construction, and a total of three bids were received on June 20, 2026. The results of bids are summarized below:
|
Contractor |
Bid |
|
Pacific Excavation, Inc. |
$1,690,212.00 |
|
Martin General Engineering, Inc. |
$1,917,064.80 |
|
St. Francis Electric, Inc. |
$2,025,187.00 |
The Engineer’s Estimate was $2,230,000. Staff recommend the construction contract be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Tim Paxon’s Pacific Excavation, Inc.
A request for proposals (RFP) was advertised on May 7, 2025, for professional services to provide construction management, inspection, materials testing, and construction staking for the Vision Zero School Safety Project. The City received proposals from three teams: 4 Leaf, Inc., UNICO Engineering, Inc., and Salaber Associates, Inc. Based upon the merits of the written proposals and interviews of the consultant teams, a panel representing staff from the Departments of Public Works reviewed and recommended UNICO Engineering, Inc. as the top-ranked consultant team. Approval by the City Council is needed to award the Professional Services Agreement with UNICO Engineering, Inc.
Approval by the City Council is needed to reset the administrative authority for contract amendments with WSP USA, Inc., to allow them to provide design support during construction.
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: The estimated total project cost to complete construction activities for the Vision Zero School Safety Project (T15235600) is $2,250,000. With the increase in the revenue and expenditure budget by $1,700,000 (Federal Capital Grants, Fund 3703) and the transfer of $550,000 (Major Street Construction, Fund 2007) from the State and Federal Grant Match Program (T15007200), there will be sufficient funding to award the construction contract to Tim Paxon’s Pacific Excavation, Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $1,690,212 and the professional services agreement for construction management services to UNICO Engineering, Inc. for an amount not-to-exceed $416,535 in order to complete the project.
No General Funds are planned or allocated to this project.
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LocalBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): The Vision Zero School Safety Project (T15235600) is federally funded. The City’s LBE policy is held in abeyance.
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