Subject
title
Authorization for the City Manager to Execute a Cost Sharing Agreement with MDOT SHA for the Final Design of the Hurley Bridge Replacement Project
end
Department
PW - Traffic & Transportation
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Mayor and Council authorize the City Manager to execute a cost sharing agreement (Attachment 1) with Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) to utilize federal aid for the final design of the Hurley Bridge Replacement Project.
Discussion
The City has a capital improvements project for the replacement of the Hurley Avenue Bridge. This is a 60-foot, long-span bridge over the Watts Branch Tributary, located in the northwest region of the City. The preliminary design for the structure has been completed in the previous design stage of the project. The upcoming final design stage will complete the design for the bridge structure, the adjoining roadway plans, and stream restoration for the immediate area around the bridge abutments. The completion of the final design will allow the city to advertise the project for construction bids.
Due to the condition of the bridge, the City is eligible for federal aid for the design and construction for the replacement of the structure. MDOT SHA administers the federal aid and requires an executed cost sharing agreement at each phase of the work, which includes preliminary design, final design, and construction. Federal funds will cover 80 percent of the cost of the project, and the City is responsible for the other 20 percent. The final design will be completed by one of MDOT SHA’s on-call consultants, Stantec. City staff and MDOT SHA negotiated with Stantec for the scope of services and the resultant cost for the final design of the project. The total cost of the final design contract is $744,758.14. The City’s share of 20 percent for the final design equals $148,951.63. For full design, including both the preliminary phase already completed and the final design being authorized now, the total cost and the City share are $1,033,848.13 and $206,769.63, respectively.
The City and MDOT SHA have a Master Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for federal aid projects that became effective on February 1, 2018. A supplemental agreement to the Master MOU that is specific to the Hurley Bridge Replacement Project was executed on August 20, 2021. Finally, the cost sharing agreement for the preliminary design was fully executed on September 29, 2021. This current cost sharing agreement would supersede the previous one and join the other documents to formalize the agreements between the City and SHA for the project. Attachment 3, Attachment 4 and Attachment 5 are the abovementioned MOU and agreements.
Funding for the design of this project is included in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. The inclusion in the TIP allows the design stage of the project to move forward while utilizing the federal funds.
Mayor and Council History
This is the first time this item has been brought before the Mayor and Council.
Procurement
This procurement is exempt from competitive procurement per Section 17-87(5) of the City Code, because it is a grant or contract with another public body.
Fiscal Impact
Sufficient funds are budgeted and currently available through the Hurley Avenue Bridge Rehabilitation CIP project, TE16. (Attachment 2)
Next Steps
Upon authorization by the Mayor and Council, the City Manager would execute the cost sharing agreement with MDOT SHA, and then MDOT SHA representatives would sign the agreement. Once fully executed, the city’s Procurement Division would issue a purchase order with MDOT SHA, and design would begin using the MDOT SHA on-call consultant, Stantec.