Church Street Mobility Enhancement Project

The Stanislaus Council of Governments (hereinafter called StanCOG) is soliciting proposals from qualified consultant firms to provide project approval / environmental document (PA&ED); plans, specifications and estimate (PS&E); right of way acquisition and utility relocation; and design support through construction services for the Church Street Mobility Enhancement Project (Project). The successful proposer will be a full-service team that can provide complete, turnkey services

Project Scope Summary The Church Street Mobility Enhancement Project (Project) will create a new pedestrian network in the disadvantaged community of Empire in Stanislaus County, enhancing safety for all users and increasing active transportation access to schools, parks, the post office, neighborhood grocery, and other retail. The Project will address pedestrian deficiencies identified in the Stanislaus County Community Transportation Needs Assessment prepared in 2021-2022. The assessment identified deficiencies on Church Street, 1st Street, and 2nd Street, with each street providing one travel lane in each direction with on-street parking (paved and unpaved) which have limited pedestrian facilities or no pedestrian facilities. In fact, no sidewalks exist on most of Church Street, 1st Street, and 2nd Street. On the three segments of Church Street where sidewalks do exist, there are barriers to accessible path of travel resulting from non-compliant driveways and obstructions (mailboxes, utility and sign poles). There are accessible ramps and crosswalks at some intersections, but the current design has not been sufficient to overcome resident concerns of excessive speeds along with unsafe crossings of Church Street. Street lighting is sparse or nonexistent and is insufficient for visibly safe nighttime walking. Streetscape landscaping is not present along the corridor. Church Street, 1st Street, and 2nd Street are the primary access points to Empire Elementary School, Empire Regional Park and other public facilities and private businesses. The lack of adequate facilities has discouraged pedestrian activity in the community. The Project will transform the pedestrian environment on key streets in Empire as follow: • Install over 1 mile of new sidewalks along Church Street, 1st Street, and 2nd Street. • Remove and replace ADA non-compliant driveways and sidewalk obstruction on Church Street, 1st Street, and 2nd Street. • Install curb extensions, neckdowns, high visibility crosswalks, flashing stop signs, and rapid flash beacons to improve safety and visibility at crossings, slow traffic on Church Street, and increase driver awareness of pedestrians. • Install street lighting to facilitate nighttime walking. • Install decorative paving at key locations to enhance the pedestrian environment. • Install new curb and gutter where not present. • Replace non-compliant gutters on 1st Street and 2nd Street for vertical separation between the road surface and new sidewalk. • Install drainage improvements with new sidewalks to create positive drainage and avoid ponding of water in the street; and • Construct asphalt rehabilitation where needed to accommodate new and replacement gutter pans and curb extensions. The completed Project will enhance safety for all users and increase active transportation access to schools, parks, other public facilities, neighborhood grocery, and other retail businesses.