Title
Reallocate Unexpended Funds from Chapel Hill High School Homestead Road Multiuse Path Project Ordinance No. 13 / FY 2022-23 and Authorize a Contract for Repair of the Pedestrian Bridge.
PURPOSE: Request Town Council approval to reallocate unexpended funds from the Chapel Hill High School Homestead Road Multiuse Path Project (Ordinance No. 13/FY 2022-23) to repair the pedestrian bridge and authorize the Town Manager to execute a contract to complete the repair.
end
Department
DEPARTMENT: Public Works Department; Finance Department
end
Council Direction
COUNCIL DIRECTION:
_X_ Race/Equity __X__ Climate _X__ Comprehensive Plan ____Other
Council Direction Statement
Completion of the Homestead Road-Chapel Hill High School Multiuse path (Homestead-CHHS-MUP) has been a long-standing goal of the Town. The path, in use since 2018, provides the community with a safe route to school. The Town is committed to improving walkability and bikeability through greenway expansion as detailed in the Comprehensive Plan, Carrboro Connects which supports multimodal travel and furthers the Town’s commitment towards racial equity and climate action.
end
Information
INFORMATION: The Town celebrated the opening of the Homestead Road-CHHS Multi-Use Path with a ribbon-cutting in August 2018 and completed most administrative closeout tasks in 2019. However, some final punch list items were delayed due to contractor claims filed in 2019, which led to mediation and a settlement with the Town in late 2020/early 2021. The project, funded by the FHWA, was administered by NCDOT as part of its Locally Administered Transportation Improvement Projects, with NCDOT overseeing the closeout process.
On June 6, 2023, the Town Council approved Ordinance No. 13 / FY2022-23, providing up to $237,000 to complete the project closeout with NCDOT (see Attachment A). Public Works collaborated with NCDOT on the remaining requirements. On September 5, 2024, Stephen Robinson, PE, CPM, Division Project Manager for NCDOT Division 7, informed the Town, “The Division has completed the reviews of the remaining punch list items, and all the corrections appear to have been made. The Town can now proceed with their closeout documents, including the request for concurrence with acceptance.” After NCDOT’s final reviews, the project closed with $232,930 in unspent funds. The Town’s Planning Department submitted the project acceptance to NCDOT and is awaiting final confirmation.
On August 15, 2023, a fallen tree damaged the pedestrian bridge’s support timber cribbing system along the multi-use path. Temporary shoring was installed by Public Works in September 2023 to reopen the bridge for pedestrians but the installation a new truss is required to repair the pedestrian bridge. The reallocation of the unspent project funds, in the amount of $116,462.00 will provide the necessary funding to complete the repair.
On October 15, 2024, the Town issued an Invitation to Bid for repairs to the bridge truss, including:
• Removal of the damaged truss section,
• Removal of temporary shoring, and
• Installation of the replacement segment.
Staff have taken steps to reach minority and women owned business enterprises (MWBE) by advertising the bid opportunity on the North Carolina Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) website. Bidders were required to make good faith efforts to include MWBE subcontractor participation and to provide documentation of outreach and participation.
Bids for the project were due on November 5, 2024, at 2:00 pm EST. The Town received two responsive bids and three responses from contractors indicating they were not interested in bidding the project. Bids were reviewed by Town staff. Town staff recommends contracting with Central Builders, Inc. of Mebane for bridge repair services as they submitted the lowest bid.
end
Fiscal and Staff Impact
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for the completion of the Homestead Road-CHHS Multi-Use Path project was allocated through Ordinance No. 13 / FY2022-23. A portion of the remaining unexpended funds, in the amount of $116,462.00, will be reallocated to cover the contract for the necessary repairs to the pedestrian bridge. The remaining unspent funds, amounting to $116,468.00, will be returned to the General Fund in accordance with Ordinance No. 13 / FY 2022-23.
end
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION: Town Council approve the Resolution (Attachment B) to reallocate the unexpended Homestead Road-CHHS Multi-Use Path funds in the amount of $116,462.00 to repair the pedestrian bridge and authorize the Town Manager to execute the contract.
end