Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Utilities Department

 

TO:

David Corliss

Debbie Van Saun

FROM:

Chris Stewart

CC:

Bob Skinner, Philip Ciesielski

Date:

February 21, 2006

RE:

February 28, 2006  City Commission Agenda

 

 

Please include the following information to the City Commission the downtown waterline improvements scheduled for this year.  BG Consultants  will attend the  commission meeting on February 28, 2006, to provide the update and answer any questions.  Attached to the staff memo is information from BG providing current project information.

Update of 2006 Downtown Waterline Improvements :

 

 

Project History

The current project includes waterline improvements along   In addition to the waterline work, the Public Works and Park and Recreation Departments have included electrical and irrigation improvements on the west side of Massachusetts, between 6th and 7th street.

 

BG Consultants was retained by the Utilities Department in 2004  to complete a  preliminary design report http://www.lawrenceutilities.org/downtown.shtml) for waterline improvements along 6th Street,  Tennessee to Massachusetts  and Massachusetts street,   6th to North Park Street.    The plan was completed in fall of 2004 with a recommendation to improve the waterline in three years. A public meeting with the downtown association and businesses was conducted after the completion of the design report to solicit input and before the beginning of each construction phase.

 

The final report recommended a three phase construction schedule that included the following work:  The first phase of the project, completed in 2005, included improvements along  6th Street, from Tennessee to Massachusetts; Massachusetts, 6th to 7th Street  and 7th Street, Massachusetts to New Hampshire;  the second phase for 2006   included waterline improvements along Massachusetts,  from 7th to 9th  and 9th from Vermont to Kentucky .  The segment along 9th street has been delayed to a later date due to the cost increases projected in this year construction activity and the potential to add waterline improvements from Kentucky to Tennessee.  The third phase of waterline improvements in 2007 will include Massachusetts from 9th to North Park and possibly the portion along 9th street.  In addition to the waterline work, the contract includes electrical and irrigation  improvements  requested by Public Works and Parks and Recreation Department. 

 

Project Status   The plans and specifications are nearing completion and the consultant will soon be ready to set a  bid date.  To that end, an update to the project is being presented to the Commission.  As with the past project in 2005, the consultant has  considered other events for the downtown area in the development of the specifications and schedule.  The proposed schedule (at this time):

 

Advertise -  March 13                                       Bid Letting – April 4  

Notice to Proceed  - May 22                               Begin Const – May 22

End Construction –  October 6, 2006   

 

A final bid date will be set at a future City Commission meeting.

 

Fact sheets will be mailed to each business (see attached) and a public meeting will occur approximately 2 weeks before start of construction to provide business owners an opportunity to meet the contractor and discuss the project improvements / schedule.     

 

Project Details        Representatives from BG Consultants will provide an overview of the project at an upcoming meeting.  This will include detail items such as traffic / pedestrian control;  schedule for completion; liquidated damage clauses ; working days; routing and location of the waterlines and general overview of the project. 

 

Additional work items provided in the 2005 improvements that will be utilized in this phase include: signage to guide motorists on how to access Massachusetts; use of informational signage, websites and maps to inform patrons about the project; establishing a work group to meet on a regular basis to ensure that concerns of the downtown businesses were being addressed promptly; ensuring availability of the traffic control plan via websites and the media; discussing the project with neighborhood association and inviting businesses and neighborhood association to the preconstruction conference.

 

Project Funding:  Funding for this project will come from the non-bonded construction fund for 2006 waterline improvements with participation from Public Works.  The Utility Department fund provides for approximately $1,100,000 per year for improvements to  replace aging waterlines in the Distribution system.   

The estimated cost from BG Consultants :  waterline replacement - $710,000;  street reconstruction - $148,000; electrical - $315,000; irrigation - $57,000  (total project cost estimate - $1,230,000)

 

Action Request.  Receive update from BG Consultants concerning the 2006 Downtown waterline improvements.

 

 

Thank you for your assistance.  Please advise if you have any questions.