Specification (SPEC.): 6616 Engineering Services Trail Crossing at Brook Road/Alan Wood Road at Tees Boulevard, Plymouth Township

1. Summary Montgomery County Planning Commission’s (MCPC) Open Space and Trails Section seeks proposals from engineering consultants for its “Cross County Trail Mid-Block Signalized Crossing – Brook Road/Alan Wood Road” project. The selected consultant will provide engineering services for design and permitting through construction.

This project seeks to improve the conditions of a frequently used mid-block trail crossing to improve trail user safety and bring the crossing into compliance with AASHTO, MUTCD and ADA standards.

The County intends to upgrade the crossing by adding rectangular rapid flashing beacon signals (RRFBs) that are activated by pedestrian-activated push buttons and thermal detection, including audio warnings. Other potential safety measures include pedestrian crossing warning signs for drivers, enhanced/upgraded pavement markings, a refuge island, and safety improvements to the trail, such as ADA ramps, warning signs, staggered gates as trail users approach the crossing, and adjusting where the trail meets Alan Wood Road on the east side of the roadway .

The crosswalk is part of a three-way “T” intersection of Brook and Alan Wood Roads with Tees Boulevard (see Attachment 1). Existing traffic control is limited to a stop sign for traffic exiting Tees Boulevard to access Brook Road south towards Conshohocken or Alan Wood Road north to access Ridge Pike and the Blue Route (I-476).

The selected consultant team will have experience designing mid-block signalized crossings and safety improvements for trail facilities in accordance with PennDOT regulations and all applicable permitting agencies, including Plymouth Township.

2. Project Description The project site is located along an existing 3-mile corridor of Montgomery County’s Cross County Trail (CCT) that begins at the Schuylkill River Trail in Conshohocken Borough, crosses Ridge Pike, and terminates at Germantown Pike in Plymouth Township. The CCT is part of southeast Pennsylvania’s Circuit Trails network and is maintained by staff from the County’s Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites (PTHS) Division (Attachment 2).

The County seeks to improve safety conditions for cyclists and pedestrians at this location with features such as RRFB signals with audio warnings activated by push buttons and thermal detection, ADA ramps, pavement markings, signage, and other treatments that will bring the crossing into compliance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and PennDOT regulations.

Traffic calming measures may be incorporated into the design as appropriate and permissible.

The crossing to be upgraded is located at the intersection of Brook Road, Alan Wood Road (SR

3018), and Tees Boulevard in Plymouth Township. Alan Wood Road is maintained by PennDOT;

Brook Road is maintained by Plymouth Township; and Tees Boulevard is privately owned.

In June 2026, PennDOT completed the repaving of Alan Wood Road (Attachment 3), including installation of a thermoplastic ladder crosswalk marking pattern. Prior to the repaving project, discussions with Plymouth Township indicated that the crosswalk was located on the Brook Roadportion and had been maintained by the township. PennDOT’s straight line diagram is attached(Attachment 4).The only other safety measures in place are several pedestrian crossing signs that had been installed by Plymouth Township at the request of PTHS (Attachment 5).

The trail crossing is used regularly throughout the day by pedestrians and cyclists. The potential for conflict with large trucks is high, as Brook Road/Alan Wood Road connects an industrial area to Ridge Pike near an I-476 (Blue Route) interchange. PennDOT data collected for Brook Road in 2022 identifies AADT at 4,777, with a weekday truck volume of 468. Other crossing safety issues include:

vehicles accelerating down a hill on Brook Road as they approach the crossing; lack of sight distance from Brook Road approaching the crossing; general high speed of vehicles on Brook and Alan Wood Roads, both of which have a posted speed limit of 25 mph; traffic exiting from Tees Boulevard; and the width of the Tees Boulevard intersection. Due to these conditions, the County encourages consultants to consider incorporating traffic calming measures into the project scope, as permitted by the permitting agencies.

In 2017, this intersection was identified in the Montgomery County Trail System Roadway Crossing Safety Improvements study that was completed by Wilson Consulting Group, PC. The improvements recommended for this crossing in the study are attached as Attachment 6.

3. Project Timeline Montgomery County aims to have the crossing project constructed in 2027. To meet this schedule, the crossing plans and receipt of all related permits should be completed by April 2027, or sooner.

4. Scope of Work The selected consultant will be responsible for the tasks identified below for the project design, bid, and construction phases.

a. Design Phase Engineering Services

Task 1: Project management/administration

• Meeting preparation, scheduling, and documentation/meeting minutes o Kickoff meeting with MCPC and PTHS staff and representatives from

Plymouth Township and PennDOT o Project team status meetings – monthly o Prepare and submit a TE-160 application to PennDOT for signal (RRFB) in coordination with County and Plymouth Township o Prepare and participate in a maximum of one public meeting at

Plymouth Township

• Prepare and deliver Notice of Intent to Enter letters to adjacent property owners

• Develop and update project schedule

• Prepare and submit monthly invoices, which shall include a reference to the percent completed for each work task for budgeting purposes

Task 2: Trail user and traffic counts

• To better understand the potential for trail user and vehicle conflicts and inform the safety improvements, the consultant shall conduct trail user and traffic counts to be conducted accordingly:

o Weekday peak morning (2 days) o Weekday peak afternoon (2 days) o Saturday during peak hours (2 days)

Task 3: Identify additional right-of-way needed for construction, either permanent trail easement or temporary construction easement

Land development plans for adjacent properties are available upon request Task4: Brook Road/Alan Wood Road crossing design

• Organize site visits and meetings

• Submit PA One-call request

• Prepare traffic signal plan, to include RRFB flashers triggered by a thermal detection system and push buttons; system to include audio warnings

• Prepare pavement marking and signage plan

• Prepare Chapter 102 Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan

• Prepare associated technical/engineering specifications

• Prepare Right-of-way plan(s) for permanent trail easement or temporary construction easements during construction, to include a staging area Task 5: PennDOT permit approval

Prepare and obtain all PennDOT-required permits (e.g., the mid-block signal (RRFB) crossing), including permit application preparation and coordination with PennDOT staff; Anticipated permit application fees should be incorporated into the consultant’s proposal

• Note: It is assumed that this project will not require right-of-way plans to be reviewed by PennDOT and the project will not require PennDOT right-of-way clearance

Task 6: Other agency coordination

• Coordinate with PECO about tying into existing infrastructure for signal power

• Coordinate with other utilities/regulatory entities, as needed, including, but not limited to:

o Agencies identified on PNDI report o Montgomery County Conservation District o Plymouth Township

b. Bid Phase Services

• Prepare a list of the project’s bid items; identify quantities needed for each item

• Provide construction cost opinion, to include materials, labor, and administrative costs plus 10% contingency

• Provide to County the final sealed engineering plans and technical/engineering specifications, per Task 4 above

• Provide to County the final right-of-way plans per Task 4 above

• Review and analyze submitted construction bid

c. Construction Phase Engineering Services

1. Construction Phase Administration Perform shop drawing reviews, up to two rounds per shop drawing Respond to Requests for Information (RFI) during construction and make recommendations on unforeseen construction and design issues Coordinate with project team (County and contractor) prior to start of construction regarding permitting agency requirements as they pertain to project schedule

Schedule and facilitate pre-construction meeting; coordinate invitation list with County project manager; prepare and distribute meeting minutes

Facilitate bi-weekly progress meetings; record and distribute minutes Review and transmit correspondence between design engineer, contractor and

County, as needed Review and recommend approval of contractor progress payment applications and forward materials to County for payment; ensure receipt of proper payment documentation

Prepare and submit all permit-related reports, as applicable Close out all permits after final inspection by agencies Maintain copies and archive records and reports. Provide all documentation in electronic format for the County’s files. All project close-out documentation must be delivered to the County within one month after the completion of construction.

2. Construction Oversight Oversight team members shall have PennDOT Concrete Certification and

NECEPT Bituminous Certification and previous experience with inspecting new and reconstructed roadways and/or trails to ensure quality of construction Oversight team members shall meet the requirements of all permitting agencies, as appropriate Assess progress during construction, including review of field reports, test reports, and constructed materials, measurement of placed materials, review of work progress estimates with contractor, and field review of RFIs; anticipate at least 1 site visit per week until project is completed

Evaluate change order requests; analyze for potential schedule and financial impacts

Monitor contractor’s performance and initiate corrective actions and recommendations, as appropriate Coordinate and conduct final inspection with all permitting agencies and County, establish final punch list and oversee its implementation

5. Project Funding

Funding for this project is allocated in Montgomery County’s capital budget. No federal or state funding will be used for the design or construction of this project.

6. Submittal Requirements To be considered for this work, consultants must submit a proposal that contains the following:

A. Qualifications, including specific experience of the individuals listed for each position that constitutes the project team as it relates to the project scope

B. Project team organizational chart C. Demonstrate understanding of project concept and approach D. Scope of services with narrative description for each task and deliverable E. Anticipated project schedule F. Consultant fee broken down by task, staff hourly rates, and reimbursable expenses. Fee shall include any assumptions, including additional services not specifically referenced in the scope of work which may be required.

G. Client references (3)

7. Evaluation Criteria and Process Evaluation Criteria The following criteria will be used to evaluate offers:

• Specific experience of the individuals listed for each position that constitutes the project team with emphasis on their background with designing signalized crossings and related safety improvements; reviewing shop drawings; managing bid phase and construction phase activities; and familiarity with PennDOT and County procedures and specifications. (40%)

• Understanding of project, including methods and procedures proposed to improve safety at crossing location, permits to be obtained, and estimated timeline for PennDOT permit review and approval (30%)

• Commitment to quality control and clear communication throughout all phases – design, bid, and construction (20%)

• References (10%)

Evaluation Process Montgomery County’s Office of Procurement is responsible for advertising the Request for Proposals, coordinating pre-bid activities, and overseeing the award of contract.

Proposal narratives will be reviewed and scored by staff in MCPC’s Open Space & Trails and Transportation planning sections prior to releasing the cost proposal. After evaluating the narrative and cost proposals, MCPC may interview a short list of firms.

This is a “Best Value” solicitation. The County will award a contract to the responsible consultant who can accomplish the requirements set forth in the RFQ in a manner most advantageous to the County considering all non-price factors described herein, and price. The County will select the offer that represents the best value to the County based on the comparative analysis and an integrated assessment of proposals against all source selection criteria in the solicitation.

The County is concerned with striking the most advantageous balance between technical merit (“quality”) and cost to the government (i.e. price). All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are more important than cost or price. However, the importance of price could become greater depending upon the equality of the technical proposals. If competing technical proposals are determined to be essentially equal, price could become the controlling factor. The County may award a contract to other than the lowest priced offer or other than the highest technically rated offer.

Once a consultant has been selected, the contract for design services will be awarded at a County Commissioners meeting.

Upon execution of the design services contract, MCPC Trails and Open Space staff will issue Notice to Proceed to the selected consultant.

8. Pre-bid Meeting A pre-bid meeting will be held to discuss the project in more detail with Montgomery County staff from Procurement, the Planning Commission, and PTHS. Attendance is optional. Parking is available in The Proving Grounds’ Field 6 parking lot off Tees Boulevard (Attachment 7).

9. Attachments

• Attachment 1 – Aerial of crossing at intersection of Brook and Alan Wood Roads at Tees

Boulevard

• Attachment 2 - The Circuit Trails map of Cross County Trail segment

• Attachment 3 – Photo of Alan Wood Road milling – crosswalk removed

• Attachment 4 – PennDOT Straight Line Diagram for Alan Wood Road

• Attachment 5 – Google Street Map images of crossingAttachment 7 – Arial of Pre-Bid Meeting

Location and Parking