TITLE:
title
FAIR DRIVE CIRCULATION IMPROVEMENTS - “FAIR DRIVE FOR ALL”, FEDERAL PROJECT NO. CML-5312(112)
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DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/ TRANSPORTATION SERVICES DIVISION
PRESENTED BY: RAJA SETHURAMAN, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
CONTACT INFORMATION: PAUL MARTIN, TRANSPORTATION SERVICES MANAGER, RAMIN NIKOUI, SENIOR ENGINEER, (714) 754-5343
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Award a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) to Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for professional engineering design services for the Fair Drive Circulation Improvements - “Fair Drive For All” project (Federal Project No. CML-5312(112)) for a period of three years, with the option for two (2) one-year renewal, in an amount not to exceed $863,000, in final form as approved by the City Attorney.
2. Authorize a ten percent (10%) contingency in the amount of $86,300 for any unforeseen costs or additional services that may be required by the project.
3. Authorize the City Manager and the City Clerk to accept minor modifications that may be needed and execute the PSA and any future amendments to the agreement.
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BACKGROUND:
The City secured a grant to consider mobility and safety improvements along Fair Drive consistent with City Council goals to strengthen the public’s safety, improve the quality of life, enhance facilities, advance environmental sustainability and climate resiliency, and achieve long-term sustainability. The grant funded project will include community engagement, alternatives analysis, stakeholder input, environmental review, and final design to position for future construction grant funding opportunities.
The Fair Drive Circulation Improvements project (Project) is located on Fair Drive between Harbor Boulevard and Newport Boulevard. Fair Drive is classified as a Primary Arterial on the City’s Master Plan of Streets and Highways and is designated as a truck route within the City. Fair Drive serves a range of land uses such as Costa Mesa City Hall and Police Department, Fire Station #5, Neth Park, the OC Fair & Events Center, Vanguard University, the residential College Park neighborhood, as well as religious institutions and commercial businesses. In 2025, the City applied for and secured federal grant funds for community engagement, planning, and design of safety and mobility improvements along Fair Drive. A total of $679,000 in grant funding was secured through a competitive process reviewed by both the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG).
The Project’s intent is to reenvision the corridor to improve safety and mobility for all travelers with potential improvements including new paving, center medians, intersection improvements, transit stop upgrades, new pedestrian crossings, upgraded crosswalks and bikeways, and traffic signal improvements. The Project will consist of extensive public engagement activities to solicit input from the public and representative stakeholders to inform and refine project features and improvements. The Project will involve multiple distinct phases that include community outreach, alternatives analysis, corridor planning, environmental approval, and final design. There will be coordination with the City’s Active Transportation Committee (ATC) throughout the process. The final design will provide construction-ready documents that can be used by City staff to pursue competitive grant funding for construction. The Project will utilize early community and stakeholder input to identify corridor needs and ensure engineering recommendations address key concerns such as crash history, speeding issues, and difficulty crossing the roadway. Recommended improvements will need to continue accommodating existing and future traffic demand associated with the OC Fair & Event Center and future construction and development activity associated with the Fairview Developmental Center (FDC).
One concern to be addressed during early outreach and planning effort is the need for improved crossing of the roadway. City staff have received many requests from residents of the College Park neighborhood for a controlled pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Fair Drive and Fordham Drive, which serves access to residential uses, Wilson Park, and College Park Elementary School. City staff met with concerned parents and residents focused on the Fair Drive and Fordham Drive intersection crossing during the community walk audit for College Park Elementary School facilitated during development of the City’s Safe Routes to School Action Plan. College Park residents and stakeholders have consistently voiced their interest in addressing speeding concerns on Fair Drive and the need for improved crossings of the roadway. City staff have ensured the Project will include an evaluation and selection of intersection improvements at the intersection of Fair Drive and Fordham Drive, such as a pedestrian hybrid beacon (HAWK signal), traffic signal, roundabout, etc., to facilitate a safe and controlled pedestrian crossing and address speeding concerns.
The Project recommendations and final design will be consistent with the City Council Goals and Priorities, General Plan goals and policies, Active Transportation Plan, Pedestrian Master Plan, Local Road Safety Plan, draft Safe Routes to School Plan, and will anticipate increased traffic demand associated with future development activities Citywide and at FDC. The project includes collaboration with institutional stakeholders to consider traffic associated with key land uses such as Vanguard University, the Police Station, Fire Station #5, and the OC Fair & Event Center. Planned improvements will connect to the recently completed award-winning improvements on Fairview Road from Fair Drive to Newport Boulevard as well as to upcoming improvements on Fairview Road north of Fair Drive, and programmed improvements on Del Mar Avenue and Newport Boulevard.
ANALYSIS:
On June 4, 2026, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on PlanetBids for professional engineering design services for the Project. On July 7, 2026, seven (7) proposals were received by engineering consulting firms to provide the requested services. Proposals were reviewed for compliance with the RFP, and consultants were evaluated based on project understanding, depth of experience, and technical expertise. The proposals were evaluated utilizing the following evaluation criteria and weighting:
• Project Approach and Methodology 40 Percent
• Qualifications and Experience of Firm 20 Percent
• Experience and Record of Success on Similar Federal Projects 20 Percent
• Key Personnel 20 Percent
In developing the criteria and weighting, several factors were considered. The firm’s qualifications and experience performing relevant work of similar scope, size and complexity are important to the success of the Project. The proposed team should include key personnel who are experienced in working on complete streets projects and have experience with federal project development procedures.
All seven (7) consultant proposals were deemed to be compliant with the minimum requirements and were evaluated based on the above criteria. After a thorough evaluation of the proposals, the top three (3) highest ranked consultant firms were invited to participate in interviews. The purpose of the interviews was to assess the consultant’s knowledge, relevant experience, and project approach and methodology as a supplement to evaluating the written proposals. A summary of the evaluation for the three interviewed firms is provided below:
• Alta Planning & Design (Alta):
Alta is a transportation consulting firm dedicated to creating active, healthy communities through planning, landscape architecture, engineering and education/encouragement programs. Alta was founded in California in 1996 and has nationwide name recognition for bicycle and pedestrian planning and design. The firm’s scope of work was organized and their proposal showed they have ample experience working on federally funded complete streets projects from planning and outreach to design. During the interviews, however, Alta staff were unable to properly elaborate upon their project approach and methodology or demonstrate their direct experience working on similar projects.
• CR Associates (CRA):
CRA is a multidisciplinary transportation planning, traffic engineering, and civil design firm specializing in active transportation, complete streets, roadway, transit and public infrastructure projects for municipalities and transportation agencies throughout Southern California. CRA was founded in 2011 with offices in Los Angeles and San Diego. CRA’s proposal was the highest ranked of the seven proposals received. CRA staff performed well, outlining their proposed scope of work and methodology, providing potential alternatives with full corridor-wide exhibits and graphics, and overall providing a well-developed proposal. During the interview, CRA staff had difficulty answering questions, did not demonstrate their expertise in the subject matter, and did not confirm their ability to conduct robust and comprehensive community engagement.
• Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. (Kimley-Horn):
Kimley-Horn is a large engineering and planning firm founded in 1967 with more than 160 offices across North America. Kimley-Horn provided a well-organized proposal with a detailed scope of work. Their proposal outlined different design alternatives with detailed discussion of advantages and disadvantages. The proposed Kimley-Horn’s project team staffing is well-qualified and many engineering disciplines are provided within the company. Kimley-Horn has worked on multiple City projects and has a wide range of experts across multiple offices within Southern California. During the interview, Kimley-Horn was able to showcase their expertise and project understanding, their ability to conduct extensive community outreach efforts, and deliver the multi-phased project through each key stage.
After a thorough evaluation of the top three ranked firms, it was determined that Kimley-Horn possessed the best combination of project approach, qualifications, and experience to lead this complex project. Kimley-Horn was responsive to the requirements in the RFP and is well qualified to perform the requested engineering services. Selection of Kimley-Horn is based on the firm’s proposal, which demonstrates the following:
• A thorough understanding of the project and its scope.
• Substantial experience and technical ability to perform the outlined scope of work.
• A proven track record of project development from planning through community outreach and to design.
• An understanding of the need for the Project to accommodate all roadway users.
Kimley-Horn has been providing engineering services in and around the City of Costa Mesa for over 20 years, including the City’s Local Road Safety Plan and Signal Modernization for Systemic Safety Improvements Project. Kimley-Horn offers a wide range of professional services, and their team of engineers, planners, environmental scientists and technical study specialists have worked together in Southern California to deliver a multitude of projects to public agencies and private developers. Kimley-Horn has demonstrated experience working on complete streets project throughout California and other parts of the country. Kimley-Horn is currently working on the City’s Safe Routes to School Action Plan and Traffic Impact Fee Program Update. Kimley-Horn was ranked 8th on the Engineering New-Record’s 2025 Top 500 Design Firms and their extensive network of professionals across the nation can be utilized to provide high quality deliverables to the City.
The proposal submitted by Kimley-Horn and performance during the interview showed a thorough understanding of the project. Kimley-Horn provided a comprehensive and viable scope of work and schedule that demonstrated an understanding of the project requirements. The proposal documents Kimley-Horn’s technical ability and experience with similar projects and includes a project team consisting of staff with multiple years of experience working together on complete streets projects. Kimley-Horn’s consulting fees were also negotiated with City staff and are competitive and commensurate with the requested services.
Therefore, staff recommends the approval of a PSA to Kimley-Horn of $863,000, with an additional 10% contingency for unforeseen costs and additional design services, for a total not-to-exceed amount of $949,300.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council may elect not to approve the PSA, however this could jeopardize the federal grant funds. The City Council could also choose to readvertise the RFP. City Staff does not recommend this alternative because the City received a competitive number of proposals and negotiated the cost to be competitive and commensurate with the requested services. Readvertising would result in significant delays that could jeopardize the federal grant funds.
FISCAL REVIEW:
The total amount of the proposed agreement, inclusive of contingency, will not exceed $949,300 for the term of the agreement. Funding is available in the Federal Grants Fund (Fund 230) in the amount of $679,000. The remaining $270,300 in funding for the project is available in the FY 2026-27 Capital Improvement budget in the Measure “M2” Fairshare (Fund 416), and Traffic Impact Fee Fund (Fund 214).
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed this report, prepared the proposed PSA and approves them both as to form.
CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES:
This item supports the following City Council Goals:
• Strengthen the public’s safety and improve the quality of life.
• Maintain and enhance the City’s facilities, equipment and technology.
• Advance environmental sustainability and climate resiliency.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Award a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) to Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for professional engineering design services for the Fair Drive Circulation Improvements - “Fair Drive For All” project (Federal Project No. CML-5312(112)) for a period of three years, with the option for two (2) one-year renewal, in an amount not to exceed $863,000, in final form as approved by the City Attorney.
2. Authorize a ten percent (10%) contingency in the amount of $86,300 for any unforeseen costs or additional services that may be required by the project.
3. Authorize the City Manager and the City Clerk to accept minor modifications that may be needed and execute the PSA and any future amendments to the agreement.