REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: NICHOLAS D. MASCIA, PE, Assistant City Manager Interim Director, Capital Projects Department SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director Public Works Department BY: SCOTT P. SEHM, PE, Assistant Director Capital Projects Department, Design Services Division JASON MILLER, PE, Licensed Professional Engineer Capital Projects Department, Design Services Division SUBJECT ..Title Actions pertaining to the Herndon Canal Metro Trail Project (Midtown Trail), from Shields Avenue to McKinley Avenue (Bid File No. 12601826) (Council Districts 4 and 7) ***RESOLUTION – Adopting the 13th Amendment to the Annual Appropriations Resolution (AAR) No. 2026-159 appropriating $2,757,500 for the Herndon Canal Metro Trail, from Shields Avenue to McKinley Avenue Project in the Public Works Department (Requires Five Affirmative Votes) (Subject to Mayor’s Veto) Award a Construction Contract in the amount of $4,057,437.00 to Avison Construction, Inc. of Madera, CA, as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, for the construction of Segment 3 of the Herndon Canal Metro Trail Project, from Shields Avenue to McKinley Avenue ..Body RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends the City Council 1) adopt the 13th Amendment to the Annual Appropriations Resolution (AAR) No. 2026-159 appropriating $2,757,500 for the Herndon Canal Metro Trail (Midtown Trail), from Shields Avenue to McKinley Avenue Project in the Public Works Department, 2) award a Construction Contract to Avison Construction, Inc. of Madera, CA in the amount of $4,057,437.00 as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, for the construction of Segment 3 of the Herndon Canal Metro Trail Project (Segment 3), Shields Avenue to McKinley Avenue, and authorize the Capital Projects Director or designee to sign a Standardized Construction Contract on behalf of the City. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City seeks to award a construction contract for the construction of the Midtown Trail Project from Shields Avenue to McKinley Avenue. This was previously known as the Herndon Canal Metro Trail Project, which is the name utilized in the grant documents. This construction contract is for Segment 3 of the Midtown Trail program, a planned 7-mile pedestrian and bicycle multipurpose trail comprised of five separate trail segments. Segment 3 will run along the northern and eastern banks of the Herndon Canal from Shields Avenue and First Street to McKinley Avenue and Millbrook Avenue and will include construction of a pedestrian and cycle multipurpose trail, pedestrian amenities, installation of a prefabricated pedestrian bridge, signage and striping, minor road work, installation of Rapid Flashing Rectangular Beacons, driveways, crane pad, concrete curb and gutter, pedestrian scale trail lighting, and landscaping and irrigation. This Construction Contract is for $4,057,437 and is fully funded by a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement grant (CMAQ), Local Measure P, and Local Measure C Trails funding. BACKGROUND On September 1, 2016, the City Council approved a funding agreement authorizing the use of Measure C Trails funds for the design and construction of the Midtown Trail, then referred to as the "Metropolitan Trail." The Midtown Trail is a planned seven-mile pedestrian and bicycle multipurpose trail that will ultimately provide connectivity between the Fresno Area Express (FAX) hub at Manchester Center and the Clovis Old Town Trail near the intersection of Clovis Avenue and Dakota Avenue. The planned corridor begins at the northeast corner of Shields Avenue and Blackstone Avenue, crosses to the south side of Shields Avenue at the Manchester Center entrance, then follows the Herndon Canal alignment along the south side of Shields Avenue from State Route 41 (SR-41) and Shields Avenue to McKinley Avenue and Millbrook Avenue, and continues along the Mill Creek alignment south of McKinley Avenue to Clovis Avenue, where it turns north along the west side of Clovis Avenue to Dakota Avenue. The Midtown Trail was originally structured as five standalone segments to be designed and constructed independently. Segments 2, 4 and 5 have been fully completed. Segment 1, along Shields Avenue between Blackstone Avenue and Fresno Street, was subsequently divided into two phases to maintain compliance with grant funding requirements and to address the complexity of improvements within Caltrans right-of-way at the SR-41 interchange. The portion of Segment 1 from Blackstone Avenue to the west side of State Route 41 has also been completed, leaving only the eastern portion of Segment 1 from State Route 41 to Fresno Street to be bid and awarded, with construction scheduled for calendar year 2027. The five-segment corridor layout, as established in the program's environmental documentation, is summarized below: Segment Limits Status Segment 1, Phase I Blackstone Ave. to Manchester Center Entrance (north side of Shields Ave.) Open to public: November 20, 2023 Segment 2 Fresno Street to First Street (south side of Shields Ave.) Open to public: November 4, 2022 Segment 3 (This Project) First Street & Shields Ave. to McKinley Ave. & Millbrook Ave. (north and east side of Herndon Canal) Fifth segment to enter construction Segment 4 Millbrook Ave. to Clovis Ave. (south side of McKinley Ave. along Mill Creek) Open to public: February 5, 2026 Segment 5 McKinley Ave. to Dakota Ave. (west side of Clovis Ave.) Open to public: July 6, 2022 Segment 1, Phase II Manchester Center Entrance to Fresno Street (south side of Shields Ave.) In final design and ROW; construction Spring 2027 The Project was designed by BKF Engineers (Consultant), with the engineering design phase taking just over seven years to complete. The right-of-way phase was managed by CPD staff and took approximately three years to complete. As a critical component of the right-of-way phase, a Common Use Agreement (CUA) between the City and the Fresno Irrigation District (FID) which addresses the financial, maintenance, operational, and administrative responsibilities of both parties was recorded on January 28, 2022. The environmental determination for the Midtown Trail was previously adopted by the City of Fresno, with an Amended and Restated Environmental Assessment No. P20-01778 adopted by Council on December 10, 2020, and a Notice of Exemption filed with the Fresno County Clerk on December 16, 2020. The Project scope includes construction of an asphalt pedestrian and bicycle multipurpose trail, pedestrian amenities, signage and striping, minor road work, driveways, concrete curb and gutter, pedestrian-scale trail lighting, landscaping and irrigation, and a new mid-block pedestrian crossing at Clinton Avenue featuring a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB). The Project will also construct new drive approaches along the trail banks at street crossings and a new crane pad at the Herndon Canal and Gould Canal junction to improve maintenance access for the Fresno Irrigation District. Additionally, the Project will install a prefabricated pedestrian bridge previously procured through a separate informal bid (Bid File No. 12601324), which will allow the trail to cross over Gould Canal south of Shields Avenue, between First Street and Millbrook Avenue. The bridge vendor will deliver the completed structure to the Project site for placement and installation by the Project's general contractor. Staff prepared a Notice Inviting Bids, which was published in the Fresno Business Journal on June 19, 2026, posted on the City's website, and distributed to three (3) building exchanges. Project plans and specifications were distributed to forty-six (46) prospective bidders. Four (4) sealed bid proposals were received and opened at a public bid opening on August 11, 2026, with bids ranging from $4,057,437.00 to $4,387,637.50. Avison Construction, Inc. of Madera, California, submitted the lowest bid of $4,057,437.00 and was determined to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The expiration date of the bids is October 15, 2026. If the bids are rejected or expire, the Project must be rebid, which will result in a delay of approximately 90 days. Staff recommends the City Council adopt the 13th Amendment to the Annual Appropriations Resolution (AAR) No. 2026-159 appropriating $2,757,500 for the Herndon Canal Metro Trail, Shields Avenue to McKinley Avenue Project in the Public Works Department, award of a Construction Contract to Avison Construction, Inc. of Madera, California, in the amount of $4,057,437.00, as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, and authorize the Capital Projects Director or designee to sign a Standardized Construction Contract on behalf of the City. A standard Construction Contract has been used without modification, in accordance with Administrative Order 4-4. This contract is covered by the Community Workforce Project Labor Agreement (PLA), adopted by Council in September 2021, and the Contractor shall become signatory to the PLA by executing the Agreement to Be Bound. The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved this item. No signature of the City Attorney is required for the standardized construction contract. The standardized Agreement document has not been modified and is certified by the Capital Projects Department as to form. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS Approval of this contract is required for construction of Segment 3 of the Midtown Trail, a portion of the overall Midtown Trail Project. The Midtown Trail Project was previously determined to be consistent with the densities established by existing zoning, community plan or general plan policies, for which an EIR was certified, and therefore was eligible for streamlined environmental review as set forth in CEQA Guideline Section 15183. The City’s determination pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 and findings in support of that determination were prepared as the “Amended and Restated Environmental Assessment No. P20-01778, which was adopted by Council on December 10, 2020. A Notice of Exemption for EA No. P20-01778 was filed with the Fresno County Clerk on December 16, 2020. Segment 3 will be constructed and operated as described in “Amended and Restated Environmental Assessment No. P20-01778”. In this way, this approval was contemplated by the previously adopted CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 determination, and no further assessment pursuant to CEQA is required at this time. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference was not implemented based on the conditions of the federal CMAQ grant. FISCAL IMPACT Segment 3 of the Midtown Trail program is in Districts 4 and 7. The overall cost of the project is $5,718,900 and is funded by a Federal CMAQ grant, Local Measure P, and Local Measure C Trails funding. Award of the Construction Contract for Segment 3 will have no impact to the General Fund. Of the total project cost, $4,057,437.00 will be used for the Construction Contract award. Adoption of the 13th Amendment to the Annual Appropriations Resolution (AAR) NO. 2026-159 will appropriate the necessary funding to award the project in the current fiscal year. Attachments: Resolution - 13th Amendment to Annual Appropriations Resolution No. 2026-159 Procurement Evaluation Form Standardized Construction Contract CEQA Notice of Exemption Amended and Restated Environmental Assessment No. P20-01778 Vicinity Map Location Map