CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA

Background: The Virginia Department of Transportation has agreed to provide funding for preliminary engineering for the design of a grade separated interchange at the intersection of the proposed Meadow Creek Parkway and the U. S. 250 Bypass. Preliminary engineering includes the range of design from concept development, through the completion of biddable construction documents. VDOT has also agreed to allow the City of Charlottesville to administer this project. A draft Request for Proposal has been prepared and the City is ready to move to solicit design services.

Discussion: City Council discussed design services for the Meadow Creek Parkway approximately 18 months ago. At that time, City Council indicated that it desired for the preliminary drawings prepared by Will Rieley to be the basis for the preliminary engineering designs that were solicited. The draft RFP directs a successful engineering firm to use the Will Rieley report as a beginning point for the consideration of alternatives for the design. Changes suggested by City Council on February 7, 2005 have been incorporated.

Council also asked that the December 11, 2000 letter from Mayor Caravati to VDOT be updated and forwarded again to VDOT and the County Board of Supervisors. Attached to this memo is a revised letter with new status and/or comments shown in bold italics.

Budgetary Impact: The VDOT Six-Year Plan includes $1,551,000 for engineering for this project. It is not anticipated that the design will cost that full amount as budgeted. The City share of the cost will be no more than 2% of the contract amount.

Recommendation: Staff recommends that City Council take the following steps to move the interchange project forward:

• Approve the Request for Proposals.
• Appropriation Ordinance Approval.
• Adopt the Programming Resolution (attached) and authorize the City Manager to sign the Project Agreement authorizing the City to manage the preliminary engineering phase of this project.
• Approve the Steering Committee for the project and appoint members (Can be done at a later date).

Attachments:

• Draft Request for Proposal
• Programming Resolution
• Appropriation Ordinance

Note: Reformatted for web posting by Peter T. Kleeman (March 5, 2005)