Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Works

 

TO:

David L. Corliss

FROM:

Charles F. Soules, PE

CC:

Diane Stoddard, Cynthia Wagner, Jonathan Douglass, David Cronin

Date:

December 14,2012

RE:

Iowa Street (US-59 Highway), 15th Street (Bob Billings Parkway) to Yale Road – Street Reconstruction & Geometric Improvements City Project No. PW1012

 

Introduction:  The original pavement section of Iowa Street from approximately 200 feet south of Harvard Road to Irving Hill overpass was built in 1952 and has been milled and overlaid several times.  During the winter of 2009/2010 this section of Iowa experienced significant deterioration and subgrade failure. As a result, on April 27, 2010 the City Commission authorized staff to proceed to reconstruct Iowa from Yale Road to Irving Hill overpass. 

 

Current Pavement Conditions:  In 2010 Iowa St. was milled and overlaid to maintain the surface. Currently the road is rutting and shoving, again indicating base failure. With any moisture and the winter freeze/ thaw cycles, we will likely see extensive failures and potholing. Delaying the project will increase maintenance efforts. Bob Billings Parkway/15th St. is in similar condition with extensive cracking and pothole repairs already.

 

Project Description:  This project includes the complete reconstruction of Iowa Street from the Irving Hill overpass to Yale Road and 15th Street east of Iowa to Engel Road and Bob Billings Parkway (BBP) west of Iowa approximately 600 feet. Reconstruction includes full depth pavement removal and 10-inch concrete replacement, curb and gutter, subgrade preparation, storm sewer, sidewalks and drainage improvements.  A sewer main on 15th Street will need to be relocated and the water main on BBP from Iowa to the west will also be replaced. The improvement details include:

 

Iowa St (attached plan and profile)

  • Two lanes north and southbound at 11’ wide
  • 12’ wide center turn lane
  • 6’ sidewalk on the west side and 6’ sidewalk on the east side from Harvard to University, and from 15th St. to the Irving Hill overpass
  • Intersection improvements at Bob Billings Parkway/15th Street to include dedicated right turn lanes in all directions, dual left turn lanes on north and southbound Iowa (intersection detail attached)

 

15th St / BBP (attached plan and profile)
  • Reconstruction of Bob Billings Parkway west of Iowa approximately 600’, including a 10’ shared-use path from Crestline to Iowa
  • Reconstruction of 15th Street east of Iowa approximately 800', including a dedicated right turn lane to Engel Road
  • Relocation of sewer main on 15th Street
  • Reconstruction of water main on BBP

 

 

Project Cost Estimate

Construction Cost Estimate

Engineering and Survey Costs

$6.09 million

$443,545

Total Project Cost

$6.53 million

 

Project Funding

Infrastructure Sales Tax

$1.0 million

 

General Obligation Bonds (Resolution 6889)

$1.25 million

 

Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Federal Funds

$1.2 million

 

Surface Transportation Program (STP) Federal Funds

$3.0 million

 

KU Participation for 15th St turn lane and shared-use path

$0.21 million

 

Total Project Funds 

$6.66 million

 

 

Project History:  See attached Timeline.

 

 

Schedule / Project Phasing:  on November 8, 2011 the City Commission approved the traffic control plan. The project is broken into several phases (see attached phasing plan):

 

-       February 1 through May 20, Phases 1A and 1B will be completed. Phase 1A/B are the north and south bound lanes of Iowa from Irving Hill overpass north to the beginning of the west bound turn lane at the intersection of BBP.

Traffic control will include a single lane in each direction on Iowa Street. BBP and 15th will remain open.

 

-       After commencement (May 20th) and prior to classes resuming (August 16th) Phases 2A/B will be completed. These phases include the reconstruction of the intersection at Iowa and BBP / 15th St and completion of BBP west approx. 600 feet and 15th Street east to Engel Road.

During this time 15th street and BBP will be closed to traffic at Iowa; Iowa street will continue to have one lane in each direction. The traffic will be free flowing on Iowa as the signal will be removed.

 

-       BBP will only be closed approximately 600 feet west of Iowa. The contractor will need to maintain access to the church and 2112 BBP (which includes some apartments and chiropractor)

 

-       Liquidated damages in an amount of $2500/day will be assessed for every day after August 16th that the intersection is not open.

 

-       While 15th / BBP is closed traffic will be detoured using 6th Street, 23rd Street and Kasold. (detour map)

Traffic on Kasold Drive will likely increase due to people avoiding construction on Iowa Street.

 

After Phases 2A / B are completed the entire intersection of Iowa and 15th will be open to unrestricted traffic. Additionally Iowa south of the intersection, BBP and 15th Street will all be open to unrestricted traffic

 

-       Phases 3, 4, 5 will be completed between August 16th and Nov 16th.

 

 

Other factors that favor the recommendation of closure of 15th Street / BBP include:

 

-       During the Kasold project between 15th and 23rd Streets, the contractor for that project had proposed at the beginning of that project, that if Kasold were closed (versus carrying traffic through the project) the project could have been completed six months earlier and for approximately $1 million less.

-       The project will improve the grades on BBP, it would be difficult to carry traffic through this area while building adjacent to the traffic.

-       During project development, B&W and staff evaluated trying to maintain traffic through 15th and BBP as well as Iowa. This would add at least 4 phases to the project which would take an additional 4 months or more.

-       Additional phasing and longer construction time adds additional costs in traffic control and does not efficiently use contractor resources.

-       A sewer main in 15th Street (east of Iowa) does need to be lowered and will necessitate a closure of 15th for a period of time anyway to complete this work.

-       Trying to keep a lane open on 15th /BBP and Iowa will mean maintaining the signal in the intersection. Traffic on both these streets will back up significantly during stopping cycles to allow traffic to move through the intersection.

-       All movements right/ left and through will not always be able to be maintained especially left turn movements would have to be prohibited or traffic would not move.

 

 

Project Status: 

-       Plans are complete.

-       Utilities have been relocated.

-       Easements have been acquired.

-       The project plans are printed and will be advertised for bid Wednesday,

December 19, 2012.

-       The bid opening is January 17, 2013 

 

Additional Considerations:

-       During the closure of BBP at Iowa, the City plans on replacing the water main from Kasold to Crestline. The water main will be installed under the outside eastbound lane on BBP. Subsequent to completion of the water main, the two eastbound lanes will be reconstructed similar to the westbound lanes completed in 2001. One lane of traffic east and westbound will be maintained and all turning movements.

-       Design is currently underway to reconstruct the intersection at 23rd and Iowa. This project will have a construction schedule of spring through fall of 2014.

 

Issues: It was brought to staff’s attention that there is some concern with the current phasing plan and closure of BBP. In discussions with KDOT’s Bureau of Construction, their estimate of the time to complete this project under the project schedule is very tight. The estimators expect that the contractor will need to work extended hours every day and six days a week to meet this current schedule. As mentioned above, to keep traffic open on BBP would extend the project several months.

 

If the City desires to change the sequencing/phasing and/or traffic control plan, these are not minor plan changes and cannot be made by addendum. The project is too complex to ask contractors to establish a bid without a complete / clear plan. KDOT would pull the project from the January letting. Plans would need to be revised, reviewed, and the project would be placed back in the queue. The time frame would be more than likely May / June and construction would extend into 2014.

 

The City could, by addendum, offer an incentive for the contractor to complete the intersection, Phase 2A/B, for each calendar day that the intersection is opened to unrestricted traffic prior to the August 16th. A maximum could be established. Funding would have to be from the 2013 Street Maintenance Program, reducing the number of streets that could be maintained in 2013.

 

Action Requested: Pending discussion of the project issues / concerns, the City Commission should provide City staff with direction to proceed with the current project as planned or any changes / revisions that should be made.