Editor's note: This story is part of an ongoing series that tracks the city's expenditures appearing on upcoming Santa Monica City Council consent agendas. Consent agenda items are routinely passed by the City Council with little or no discussion from elected officials or the public. However, many of the items have been part of public discussion in the past.
City Council will consider several large public projects in a consent calendar that could end up costing $31,830,754.
The Colorado Esplanade, a project aimed at making access between the Santa Monica Pier, Downtown, and the incoming Expo Light Rail's terminus station -- at Colorado Boulevard and Fourth Street -- more pedestrian friendly, could open to the public in January of 2016. Construction is expected to begin in March.
All American Asphalt is expected to get the construction contract to the tune of $13,286,900.
Traffic circles coming to Michigan Avenue
Four traffic circles will likely be coming Michigan Avenue, with construction beginning in late February. The circles, which will be placed at 9th, 10th, 12th, and Euclid streets, are part of the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway (MANGo). MANGo is meant to make east-west pedestrian travel easier along Michigan.
El Camino Construction and Engineering Corporation is slated to get the $357,148 contract for construction of the circles. Construction is expected to be done by May.
California Incline tries again
City officials delayed voting on the California Incline contract during the last council meeting, so it appears, once again, in this consent agenda.
MCM Construction is slated to get a $15,690,211 bid for the construction of the incline while Wallace, Roberts & Todd will get $300,000 tacked onto an existing contract for technical support during the project.
The incline was built in the 1930s and needs to be replaced to meet seismic standards. About 91 percent of the project's cost will be covered by federal grants, city officials said.
Waterpower
The San Vicente Booster Pump Station keeps potable water flowing to the neighborhoods north of Montana Avenue. About five million gallons of that water is stored in the San Vicente Reservoir.
The six booster pumps are powered by electricity from Southern California Edison and when the power goes out an 80-year-old diesel engine is used to run one of those booster pumps, keep the water service going in the area. The engine, city officials say, needs to be replaced by a modern emergency back-up power generator.
Installation of the generator would begin in July and end in December.
Cora Constructors will likely get the $1,744,205 bid for installation of the generator and CivilSource will likely get $147,342 for inspection.
BBB fuel and wash
The Big Blue Bus fuel and wash machine was installed a decade ago. It's open seven days a week and services about 165 buses a night. It's reached the end of its life, city officials said in a report to council.
Council will likely approve a $117,282 contract to have RNL Interplan "modernize the fuel and wash building by replacing the existing bus wash apparatus including all brushes, motors, mechanisms, rollers, pumps, holding tanks and filters," city officials said in a report to council.
BBB paratransit
Big Blue Bus has two medium duty gas-powered buses for Dial-A-Ride paratransit that are about to go out of service.
City officials recommend replacing them with two Compressed Natural Gas-powered buses from Creative Bus Sales. The company would get $187,666 for the buses.
dave@www.smdp.com
