The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has begun widening improvements to Franklin Rd. between Moore’s Lane and Concord Rd. In order for the new roadway alignment to be constructed, various utility lines need to be relocated out of the planned construction area. Of these utilities, the City owns water and sewer lines located within the planned construction boundary that must be relocated. Under TDOT regulations specific for this project, the agency will reimburse the City for all direct construction costs associated with relocating water and sewer lines, up to an amount not to exceed $3.5 million. Exceptions include costs associated with “betterment” of existing water and/or sewer lines and limited reimbursement for engineering inspection services. For engineering costs, TDOT will reimburse the City for all relocation design and survey costs, but limit reimbursement of engineering inspection costs to construction work associated with water & sewer lines that currently exist within City owned utility easements (as opposed to lines currently within the TDOT right-of-way).
In September 2016, the Board of Commissioners approved an agreement with TDOT outlining projected utility relocation engineering costs to be reimbursed. Since that time, numerous design conflicts between various utilities (water and sewer, gas, electric and communications) have been discovered. For example, Piedmont Gas and Brentwood Water line design locations conflicted in numerous places requiring the two utilities to get together and work out the conflicts. Once resolved in concept, a revised construction plan is required to be prepared and submitted to TDOT for approval.
Accordingly, H&D Engineers, the City’s water and sewer design engineer, has revised their design fee for updating the water line relocation plan from $30,718.36 to $54,372.74, or an increase of $23,654.38. And, an increase to the sewer line design fee of $14,6369.39 which increases the original contract amount from $64,833.79 to $79,470.18. Thus, the total fee increase proposed is $38,290.77. Below is an updated summary of City costs associated with water and sewer utility relocations. The revised fees are highlighted in red:
| |
|
REIMBURSABLE |
|
| WATER |
TOTAL COST |
AMOUNT |
CITY COST |
| Engineering |
$54,372.74 |
$54,372.74 |
$0.00 |
| Inspection |
$68,076.20 |
$26,549.72 |
$41,526.48 |
| Construction |
$879,863.38 |
$838,912.35 |
$40,951.03 |
| TOTAL WATER |
$1,002,312.32 |
$919,834.81 |
$82,477.51 |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
REIMBURSABLE |
|
| SEWER |
TOTAL COST |
AMOUNT |
CITY COST |
| Engineering |
$79,470.18 |
$79,470.18 |
$0.00 |
| Inspection |
$68,076.20 |
$12,934.48 |
$55,141.72 |
| Construction |
$1,308,545.69 |
$1,291,220.69 |
$17,325.00 |
| TOTAL SEWER |
$1,456,092.07 |
$1,383625.35 |
$72,466.72 |
| |
|
|
|
| TOTAL PROJECT |
$2,458,404.39 |
$2,303,460.16 |
$154,944.23 |
The proposed increase in design fees shown above has been submitted to TDOT for review and we have been given preliminary approval. Note the increase in design fees qualify for 100% reimbursement under the TDOT agreement and therefore the overall project cost to the City’s water and sewer fund is not affected.
Staff is recommending approval of the enclosed supplement to the original agreement with TDOT for increases in design fees with H&D Engineering. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Chris Milton, Director Water Services. |