City of Lawrence

Utilities Department 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:              David Corliss, ACM, Administrative Services;

                        Debbie Van Saun, ACM, Community Development Services

 

FROM:         Chris Stewart

 

CC:                        Roger Coffey, Michael Tubbs, Bob Skinner

 

DATE:           March 24, 2005

 

RE:                  2005  Downtown Waterline Improvements

 

Please include the following item on the consent agenda for the March 29, 2005 City Commission meeting.

 

Award  Bid for 2005  Downtown Waterline Improvements  :

 

Project Description:   The current project includes waterline improvements along 6th Street, from Tennessee to Massachusetts; Massachusetts, 6th to 7th Street  and 7th Street, Massachusetts to New Hampshire.  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.

 

Project History:  BG Consultants was retained by the Utilities Department  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.

 

The final report recommended a three phase construction schedule that included the following work:  The first phase is the current project as described above;  the second phase in 2006 will include waterline improvements along Massachusetts,  from 7th to 9th and  9th from Vermont to Kentucky; the third phase of waterline improvements in 2007 will include Massachusetts from 9th to North Park. In addition to the waterline work, the contract includes electrical and irrigation  improvements  requested by Public Works and Parks and Recreation Department. 

 

Project Status:    Final plans and specifications were completed by BG Consultants and a bid date was set by the City Commission.  Several Contractors requested plans for the project.  However, the final bids included prices from two contractors. The bid amount and associated engineer’s estimate are provided below:

Contractor                            Base Bid       

Nowak Construction             $ 780,783.95 

Garney Construction            $ 1,338,298.50

Engineer’s Estimate             $ 861,524.30 

Several Add Alternate prices were provided to allow the Public Works Department and Parks and Recreation Department to evaluate additional work to the base project. These additional items included electrical construction on the east side of Massachusetts street and a pipe sleeve for a future underground irrigation system.  The alternates were not accepted for the project at this time.  These items are noted on the attached recommendation letter and bid tab from BG Consultants.

BG Consultants  reviewed the bids  and provided a recommendation to award the project to the low bidder, Nowak Construction Company in the amount of $780,783.95. 

Project  Details:   A previous presentation to the City Commission provided an overview of the project and some of the specific details of the work.  The discussion items in the presentation  included 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 discussion items were brought to staff attention  through the City Commission meeting and have been addressed by staff.  This included items such as signage to guide motorists on how to access Massachusetts; use of mini billboards, 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.

 

Staff has received the KDOT permits for the crossing under 6th Street and the Railroad Agreements for the  railroad crossing at 6th and Vermont.  Execution of the railroad permits is in process at this time. Fact sheets and informational letters and an invitation to the preconstruction meeting will be mailed to the downtown businesses within the next week.  At this time, we anticipate the work to begin by mid April and finish around mid August.  This information will be posted on the project website after the preconstruction meeting.

 

Project Funding:    Funding for this project will come from the non-bonded construction fund for 2005 waterline improvements.  This fund provides approximately $1,000,000 per year for improvements for replacement of aging waterlines in the Distribution system.

 

Action Request.  The Utilities Department is seeking approval from the City Commission to award the project to the lowest responsive bidder, Nowak Construction, and authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract agreement in the amount of $780,783.95.