In 2018, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) passed the Innovative Clean Transit regulation which mandates all transit agencies within the State of California to transition their fleet to zero-emission vehicles by 2040. On May 15, 2018, City Council adopted a resolution for Bennett to design an over-night charging/parking station for an all-electric transit fleet as a response to the regulation. The original design was intended to install all charging and electrical infrastructure in the developed portion of the corporation yard that is located on 420 Gregory Lane.

During the course of the initial design work, staff acknowledged the need to have a better understanding of what it is like to operate and maintain the electric transit vehicles. To this end, City staff visited and spoke with multiple agencies who are operating a small number of electric transit vehicles. From these meetings, staff learned some of the constraints and costly mistakes that these agencies have made when electrifying their fleet.

In early 2020, the State of California issued another mandate that requires all on-road vehicles purchased after 2035 to be zero-emission. To avoid any costly errors in the design of the Project, and to account for the electrification of both transit and the City’s other on-road vehicles, staff decided to put the Project on hold and hire a consultant to help identify the improvements necessary to bring fleet electrification to the corporation yard.

Fleet Electrification Conceptual Planning
On April 7, 2020, City Council adopted a resolution for Willdan to provide planning services that will identify the improvements necessary to operate and maintain a fleet of electric vehicles. To operate and maintain electric vehicles at the corporation yard, Willdan identified the following required improvements:

• Sufficient electrical infrastructure to charge an all-electric-fleet  
  • At the time of Project inception in 2018, there were only two trusted electric bus manufacturers, Proterra and Build Your Dream, and their charging technology was not compatible with each other. Because the City received a grant that would allow us to purchase Proterra buses, the City was in the process of designing electrical infrastructure to accommodate an all Proterra fleet.
  • Since then, charging technology has evolved. There are multiple trusted electric bus manufacturers, and the charging technology is becoming more universal. Willdan has modeled the City's routes and provided a list of which manufactures will meet the route requirements. Willdan has also provided what the electrical loads are for the future fleet.

• An expansion to the existing vehicle maintenance building
  • For electric transit vehicles, maintenance is performed on the roof of the vehicle. To perform the maintenance safely and to comply with OSHA requirements, a scaffolding set up is needed. In the existing vehicle maintenance building, there is not enough vertical and horizontal clearance to install a scaffolding set up. The proposed vehicle maintenance building expansion will need to be located where the existing bus wash station is.
• Replacement/Relocation of the bus wash station
  • To accommodate the proposed vehicle maintenance building expansion, and because the existing bus wash is reaching the end of its service life, the bus wash will need to be replaced and relocated. For buses to maneuver efficiently through the new bus wash inside the corporation yard, the new bus wash will need to be located within APN 0031-190-310 and APN 0031-190-300. These parcels are currently undeveloped and located adjacent to the corporation yard.
• Relocation of Transit Parking
  • To charge all transit vehicles over-night so that each vehicle can provide service, each vehicle will need its own plug-in charger while it is parked. The charging infrastructure and all of PG&E’s electrical infrastructure requires a significant amount of real-estate. The installation of this infrastructure will not fit in the current layout of the corporation yard.
  • Parking for all the transit vehicles will need to be relocated on APN 0031-210-670. A portion of this parcel is currently undeveloped. The stockpile yard is currently located in the developed portion of the parcel. Relocating the parking for transit will provide space for the electrical/charging infrastructure required to electrify the City’s on-road vehicles that are parked at the corporation yard.
  • The entrance to the corporation yard for transit vehicles will need to be relocated to the Pennsylvania Avenue/Broadway Avenue intersection for efficient flow of movement within the corporation yard. This will provide a separation between transit vehicles and Public Works operation vehicles so that the turning movements of the transit vehicles does not disrupt any operations to Public Works.
• Relocation of other existing corporation yard facilities
  • To relocate the proposed transit parking, the stock pile yard will be relocated to where the existing transit vehicle parking is located. The existing water division building will also be relocated within the same area.

Engineering design for phase 1 electrification improvements
With the conceptual master planning for the Corporation Yard complete, the phase 1 improvements are ready for design and construction. Bennett’s scope of work on Amendment No. 1 includes environmental clearance, preparation of plans, specifications, cost estimates, project implementation/phasing assistance, bid phase assistance, and utility coordination of the following design improvements:

• Civil improvements of the undeveloped parcels adjacent to the corporation yard (APN 0031-190-310, 0031-190-300, and 0031-210-670). Civil improvements of these undeveloped parcels include pavement, perimeter sound-walls, area lighting, driveway access, underground utility infrastructure, charging infrastructure, and storm water treatment.
• Electrical infrastructure to accommodate the additional load from the future electrical fleet (transit and on-road), proposed expanded maintenance building, bus wash station, and water department building.
• A traffic study to analyze if the Pennsylvania Avenue/Broadway Avenue intersection warrants the installation of a traffic signal.
• The design of a traffic signal as an optional task if the intersection is warranted.
• Hardscape and striping improvements along Pennsylvania Avenue and Broadway Avenue that will allow buses to turn into and out of the new ingress/egress point of the corporation yard.
• Design of a new stockpile yard and bunker area.
• Civil improvements required to relocate the water division buildings, and utility improvements to charge the City’s on-road vehicles.
• Landscaping improvements along Pennsylvania Avenue

Amendment No.1 does not include any architectural services. The proposed vehicle maintenance building expansion, bus wash station, water department buildings will be designed by an architectural design firm through a separate contract.

In 2017, the Solano Transportation Authority (STA) was awarded a $2 million Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) grant through the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) for the electrification of SolanoExpress Intercity Buses. As part of its 2017 TIRCP award, STA has agreed to provide the City with $1.0 million for the planning and design of the city’s Project.

Staff is requesting a 10% management reserve ($73,946.30) to cover unforeseen design scope revisions required as Bennett continues progressing the plans, specifications, and cost estimates. This is critical to ensure the work progresses and meets the state grant deadline to complete design by June 30, 2022.