Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Parks & Recreation Department

TO:	Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager
CC:	Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager Ernie Shaw, Interim Director, Parks & Recreation Eileen Horn, Sustainability Coordinator
FROM:	Mark Hecker, Assistant Director, Parks and Recreation
DATE:	September 15, 2015
RE:	Burcham Park River Trail Project– change order

The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department requests Commission approval on a change order for Burcham River Trail project. The proposed change would upgrade the entire trail along the river to a 10-foot wide concrete multi-use path. The project that is currently under construction was bid with 1200 linear feet of concrete path and 2200 linear feet of an asphalt milling path. With the high rain totals and occasional flooding that has occurred in Lawrence in 2015, this area of park along the river has been constantly wet. After observing this site for nearly a year, staff believes concrete provides a better long-range surfacing option for this park area. The proposed change would eliminate the asphalt millings section and replace it with concrete at an additional cost of $78,650.  

Project Background

In March of 2015, the City Commission approved bids for the proposed Burcham River Trail Project at a total cost of $107,950. The Sunflower Foundation is providing a grant of $49,775 to assist in funding this 0.64 mile multi-use path along the Kansas River. This trail would connect to the recently constructed Outside for a Better Inside trail in Sandra J. Shaw Community Health Park adjacent to Burcham Park. The Burcham Park River Trail will also provide recreational and physical activity for citizens, as well as be a multimodal transport, providing access to destinations such as Downtown, the levee trail, LMH and the Kansas River. 

The project received widespread community support for the grant application, and included letters of support with our application from:  The Sustainability Advisory Board, Livewell Lawrence, the Douglas County Health Department, Friends of the Kaw, Jayhawk Audubon Society, Kansas Wildlife Federation, Dads of Douglas County, Run Lawrence, Bert Nash Mental Health Center, Outside for a Better Inside, and the Pinckney Neighborhood Association.

Bid Information –Bid #B1508

RD Johnson Excavation – Original Bid                  $107,950

Proposed change order                                       $78,650

          New contract total including change order  $186,600

Project Funding

The $186,600 project will be funded with $49,775 for the Sunflower Foundation and $136,825 from Sales Tax Reserve.

Action Requested

Authorize a change order totaling $78,650 to RD Johnson Excavation for installation of additional concrete trail on the Burcham River Trail Project.