City Council Rejects Bids for Raymond Avenue Traffic-Calming Project After Costs Soar

The City Council rejected all bids submitted for a planned traffic-calming project on North Raymond Avenue after the lowest qualified proposal exceeded the project’s budget by more than $150,000.

The project, launched under the city’s Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP), will see the installation of nine removable speed tables and a temporary median to address chronic speeding between Montana Street and Grandview Street. The Department of Transportation identified the corridor as a priority area for improvements following community feedback and traffic studies.

Two bids were received before the April 25 deadline—one for $93,875 and another for $274,361. However, the lower bid was deemed non-responsive due to a misunderstanding involving the specified construction materials. That left the $274,361 bid as the only viable option, which far exceeded the project’s allocated $120,000 budget.

In light of the budget shortfall, city staff are recommending that the council reject both bids and proceed with a more cost-effective approach.

Instead of the initially proposed rubber or plastic speed tables, the city has already installed asphalt versions. Asphalt was originally avoided due to concerns about its performance over the concrete street base.

However, coordination with an upcoming Pasadena Water and Power undergrounding project has changed that outlook, as the entire roadway is now expected to be resurfaced with asphalt once utility work is completed.

The temporary vertical median will still be installed as planned, using low-profile plastic curbing that allows for driveway access.

City officials said portions of the traffic-calming improvements are already in place, with the full project now moving forward under the revised scope.

Here are the other items that passed on Monday’s consent calendar.

• A contract worth up to $451,781 to All American Asphalt for reconstruction and drainage improvements at the City Yard Facility’s northeast parking lot. The project, located at 233 W. Mountain St., includes widening the car wash area, installing cross gutters to improve drainage, and reconstructing the driveway approach. The contract includes a base bid of $376,484 and a 20% contingency of $75,297 to cover potential unforeseen conditions. All American Asphalt has completed $18.9 million in similar paving projects for the city over the past 11 years. Staff confirmed the contractor holds a valid license and is in good standing with the California Department of Industrial Relations. Phase One of the project, which included the installation of a sanitary sewer lateral, was awarded under a separate $111,875 contract and is expected to be completed this month. Construction for Phase Two is anticipated to begin in September and finish in October.
• A contract of up to $1.08 million to Ray Gaskin Service Inc. for parts, repairs, and services related to the city’s fleet of New Way refuse packer trucks. The five-year contract includes a $900,000 base amount and a $180,000 contingency to accommodate any unforeseen change orders. The contract will support ongoing maintenance of the city’s residential refuse collection vehicles, many of which are equipped with New Way packing bodies. According to city staff, while most vehicle repairs are handled in-house by the Building Systems and Fleet Management Division (BSFMD), highly technical or specialized repairs — particularly on heavy-duty equipment like refuse trucks — are outsourced to reduce vehicle downtime and maintain service reliability. The contract allows for on-site and off-site repair services as well as the purchase of OEM parts specific to New Way refuse systems, which include hydraulic, electrical, body, and arm components. The contract also authorizes the City Manager to make no-cost amendments and time extensions if needed.
• A five-year contract worth up to $840,000 with National CNG and Fleet Service LLC to provide lubrication services for the city’s fleet of residential refuse collection vehicles. The contract includes a base amount of $700,000 and a $140,000 contingency to cover potential change orders. It is designed to ensure consistent preventative maintenance—such as greasing suspension systems, joints, and driveshafts—on frontloading, sideloading, and rearloading refuse trucks operated by the Department of Public Works’ Resource Recycling and Recovery Division. The lubrication services are essential to minimizing wear and tear on critical components like packing blades and actuator arms, which can suffer damage from dry pivot points and bearings. Officials say the contract will reduce equipment downtime and allow city technicians to focus on more complex repairs. The city’s Building Systems and Fleet Management Division manages maintenance for more than 1,100 vehicles and outsources highly technical work on an as-needed basis to maintain operational efficiency. City staff determined the bid was responsive and compliant with procurement requirements. The contract is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), as it does not represent a project with potential environmental impacts.
• A no-cost agreement with Ford Motor Company that will provide the city with temporary loaner vehicles to replace those lost or damaged during the January wildfires. Under the proposed Long-Term Equipment Loan and Evaluation Agreement, Ford will loan the city a fleet of vehicles — including eight Ford F-250 trucks, two Ford Explorers, two Ford Rangers, and one Ford F-450 — for up to nine months. The donation, valued above $10,000, is being offered to support the city’s recovery efforts and to recognize Pasadena’s role in the wildfire response. According to city staff, the agreement outlines terms for delivery, maintenance, insurance, and return of the vehicles. The vehicles will be used by departments including Public Works and Housing, whose fleets were impacted by the fires. Fleet maintenance will be handled by the city’s Building Systems and Fleet Management Division, which has experience servicing similar makes and models. The vehicles are expected to be delivered immediately upon council approval. The donation complies with the city’s administrative rules regarding gifts and equipment valued over $10,000 and was reviewed by the City Attorney’s Office. Officials said accepting the loan aligns with Pasadena’s operational goals and is in the public’s best interest.
• A seven-year, $1.4 million contract with Enterprise Fleet Management Inc. to lease up to 19 undercover vehicles for the city’s police department. The leased vehicles will be used by the department’s Special Investigation Section (SIS) and Street Crimes Unit (SCU), which require unmarked vehicles for surveillance and enforcement efforts targeting narcotics trafficking, gang activity, and career criminals. The use of leased vehicles allows for frequent rotation, reducing the risk of identification as law enforcement vehicles. The vehicles will be used exclusively for operations requiring plainclothes officers and discreet transport, city staff said, underscoring their importance to public safety and investigative work.
• A resolution authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute all agreements necessary for procuring insurance coverage essential to city operations, shifting away from the previous annual approval process. The change allows the City Manager to secure policies that protect against a wide range of risks, including property damage, general liability, workers’ compensation, pollution, cyber incidents, and medical malpractice, without requiring last-minute City Council approval in late June. City officials said the shift is aimed at creating a more efficient and strategic procurement process ahead of the July 1 start of each fiscal year, when most policies renew. Insurance renewals have historically been subject to tight timelines, leaving little room for council review before coverage lapses. The new resolution also grants an exemption from Pasadena’s competitive bidding ordinance, citing professional service provisions in the City Charter. Alliant Insurance Services, the city’s broker of record, will continue working with staff to obtain favorable premium rates and policy terms from viable carriers. According to the Fiscal Year 2026 Recommended Operating Budget, Pasadena has allocated $12.3 million for insurance — a projected 28.3% increase over the prior year, reflecting anticipated rate hikes across the industry. Though the authority to negotiate insurance renewals is being delegated, the City Manager’s Office will provide an annual report to the City Council outlining the city’s insurance portfolio, risk exposures, cost drivers, and any significant changes in coverage.
• A resolution Monday establishing Pasadena’s Gann Appropriations Limit at $428,695,773 for Fiscal Year 2026, as required by California law. The resolution also sets the city’s appropriations subject to the limit—primarily tax-funded expenditures—at $194,962,153, leaving the city $233.7 million under the calculated maximum. The appropriations cap, known as the Gann Limit, was established by Proposition 4 in 1979 to restrict the amount of tax revenue state and local governments may spend each year. It requires cities to return excess revenues to taxpayers if they surpass the limit. In accordance with state law and the League of California Cities Uniform Guidelines, Pasadena calculated the new limit using two factors: a 6.44% increase in California per capita income and a 0.41% increase in the city’s population. The resulting 6.88% increase raised Pasadena’s limit from $401.1 million in Fiscal Year 2025 to $428.7 million in Fiscal Year 2026. Only General Fund expenditures funded by tax proceeds are subject to the Gann Limit. Capital improvement and debt service costs are excluded, resulting in the lower figure for appropriations subject to the limit.