DATE: April 1, 2016
TO: Board of Mayor and Aldermen
FROM: Eric Stuckey, City Administrator
Paul Holzen, Director of Engineering
Jonathan Marston, Assistant Director of Engineering
SUBJECT:
title
Report on Public Involvement Plan for the Columbia Avenue Widening and Improvements Project (WS 4-12-16)
body
Purpose
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information to the Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) concerning the Public Involvement Plan for the Columbia Avenue Widening and Improvements Project.
Background
On January 28, 2016, the BOMA approved a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) (COF Contract No. 2016-0015) with Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon, Inc. (BWSC) for the Preliminary Engineering (PE) Phase of the Columbia Avenue Widening & Improvements Project.
Along with survey, planning, analysis and preliminary engineering, a large focus of this PE Phase will be on public involvement. The last public meeting held for this project was in 2008. The Transportation Planning Report (TPR), which recommended improvement options for Columbia Avenue, was completed and approved in 2010. Because this planning work was done so long ago, we want to thoroughly re-engage the public to assess the true needs of the various stakeholders along this corridor.
Through this process we are planning three (3) public meetings to discuss the project. The first public meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 2016. This first meeting will allow the project team to remind the public of the need for this project. This initial meeting will also allow the project team to listen to concerns and feedback from the public. This information will then be used to help guide the design process. We currently anticipate holding the second and third public meetings in fall 2016 and winter 2017, respectively. It is important to remember that our team will be meeting, as needed, with individual stakeholders along the corridor throughout the project
Financial Impact
The PSA (COF Contract No. 2016-0015) with BWSC for the PE Phase of the Columbia Avenue Widening & Improvements Project was approved in an amount not-to-exceed $1,070,450.00. The project is 100% reimbursable (80% Federal Funds and 20% State Funds) through the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). As with any reimbursable project, the City must first pay for the services and then request reimbursement. As a part of Resolution 2014-13, the BOMA approved $821,500.00 in General Obligation Bonds for the Columbia Avenue project. Staff anticipates requesting reimbursement throughout the project.
Recommendation
rec
Staff formally presents the Public Involvement Plan for the Columbia Avenue Widening and Improvements Project to the BOMA and general public and encourages participation throughout the project.