Council approves nearly $600,000 design amendment for L Street improvements; project to include dedicated bike lane under Union Pacific right-of-way

Antioch City Council on Aug. 12 approved a fourth amendment to the design consultant agreement with BKF Engineers for the L Street Improvements project, adding roughly $597,000 and bringing the total design contract to about $2.4 million.

Public Works staff described the L Street work as a multi‑phase program that will eventually widen the corridor in two major segments and construct a continuous Class 2 bike lane through Phase 2, which requires crossing a Union Pacific right‑of‑way. "There will be some retaining walls in the area, to make it passable by bike as well as with pedestrians," a Public Works representative said. Staff said phase‑one construction segments are scheduled to begin within months, with phase‑two advancing as right‑of‑way and grant work are completed.

Council members questioned the long schedule and cumulative design cost: the contract series began in 2020 and now totals about $2.4 million for more than five years of design work. "Why is it taking five years and $2.4 million and we're still doing design?" Councilmember Freitas asked. Staff replied that the project has multiple funding sources, complex right‑of‑way needs and environmental work and that recent grant awards (roughly $13 million from CCTA for phase two) expanded the scope.

Resident Andrew Becker, in public comment, criticized earlier assumptions in the project’s Safe Streets program and said a required Class 2 bike lane should have been anticipated. "That's the whole point of a class 2 in the Safe Streets NOFA," he said, and urged the city to consider rail‑banking the line as an alternative long‑term solution.

Council approved the BKF amendment 5‑0. Staff said they will expand public outreach and present updated timelines and exhibits at follow‑up community meetings and at council presentations.