Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to modify an existing contract with GPD Group (Ord. 1280-2018, June, 2018) to provide detailed engineering services and construction documents for the Franklinton Loop---Souder Avenue Connector.
Background: This Stage Two modification will develop the final plans for construction of the project, including bridge plans, permitting, and a trail along Souder Avenue, from Broad Street to the Scioto Trail. The Department was awarded a grant for $3.1 M from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission in 2016 to assist towards construction of a trail connection to the Scioto Trail for the Franklinton community, from Broad Street to Dublin Road. The project will build a pedestrian bridge across the Scioto River from the north bank, and continue to Broad Street along a 10’ wide trail. The Franklinton community in this corridor is experiencing a transformation with new dense mixed-use developments of housing and large scale employment centers.
The city began engagement with the community several years ago to address the unsafe conditions for cyclists and pedestrians, including the existing two-lane Souder Avenue Bridge over the Scioto River. Connectivity to the regional trail system and upgrading the neighborhoods active transportation network was listed as one of the community’s highest priorities. The project will coincide with major development projects in the West Broad Street/Souder Avenue area, as well as a corporate campus development for the Souder Avenue/McKinley Avenue which is set to bring 2,000 jobs to the community within the next three years.
The project is being developed using ODOT and FHWA design standards. During Stage 1 planning in 2018 (Ord. 1280-2018, June, 2018 authorized GPD for $197,500.00) public engagement was conducted with the community at-large and a final preferred plan was chosen to advance to detailed design. Recreation and Parks’ Stage One Preliminary Engineering plan was approved by ODOT in September of 2019. The project is set for construction in 2022.
Bids were advertised through Vendor Services, in accordance with City Code Section 329, on January 6, 2018 and received by the Recreation and Parks Department on February 20, 2018. Bids were received from the following vendors:
Company Status Amount
2LMN (MAJ) Design, N/A
Dynotec (MBE) Design, N/A
Korda Engineering (MAJ) Design, N/A
GPD Group (MAJ) Design, N/A
JMT (MAJ) Design, N/A
OHM (MAJ) Design, N/A
In accordance with City Code, a selection team evaluated the proposals and recommended GPD Group be selected to perform the work. The firm was chosen based on their reference projects, experience, qualifications, availability, timeline, and project approach.
Principal Parties:
GPD Group
1801 Watermark Drive, Suite 210
Columbus, OH 43215
Kevin Grathwol, (614) 210-0751
CCN: 3471515226
Exp. 2/12/20
Emergency Justification: An emergency is being request in order to enter into said modification as the grant funding for this project requires that the project be ready to construct in 2022.
Benefits to the Public: The Souder Avenue Bridge is a heavily used bike/pedestrian route, with regional trails on both banks of the Scioto River. The two lane bridge is recognized widely as one of the city’s most unsafe, narrow crossings. Manual trail counts were conducted in July 2016 and found that the average daily use of the Souder Ave Bridge by pedestrians and cyclists was approximately 250 uses per day. This equates to roughly 90,000 uses annually. These numbers place the Souder Ave bridge connection near the top five busiest counted sections in the Columbus trail system. The Broad Street/Souder Avenue corridor is also experiencing major redevelopment, and the neighborhood strongly supports increased safety and access to the regional trail system, jobs, parks, and downtown. The project will design a new separated facility to accommodate cyclists, runners, and walkers as part of an overall Franklinton Loop network to connect people to and from an underserved community.
Community Input/Issues: The Department conducted extensive outreach involving public and private stakeholders in the Franklinton community including:
Columbus Economic Development, Planning, Public Service, Health Departments
Private developers (Mt. Carmel, Cover My Meds)
Franklinton Development Association
Franklinton Trade Association
Franklinton Civic Association
YAY Bikes
Experience Columbus
A public open house was held on September 17, 2019.
Area(s) Affected: Franklinton
Master Plan Relation: This project will support the mission of the Recreation and Parks Master Plan by improving access to trails and greenways corridors. Improving the environmental health of the city’s waterways; improving recreational access to streams; providing long term protection corridors for water quality and trail development.
Fiscal Impact: The expenditure of $197,500.00 was legislated for the Franklinton Loop - Souder Avenue Connector project by Ordinance 1280-2018. This ordinance will provide funding that will modify the previously authorized amount by $726,728.14. $726,728.14 is budgeted and available from and within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 to meet the financial obligations of this contract modification. The aggregate total amount authorized, including this modification, is $1,105,783.00.
Title
To authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to modify an existing contract with GPD Group to provide detailed engineering services and construction documents for the Franklinton Loop---Souder Avenue Connector trail project; to authorize the transfer of $726,728.14 within the Recreation and Parks Bond Fund; to amend the 2019 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1326-2019; to authorize the expenditure of $726,728.14 from the Voted Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($726,728.14)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize and direct the Director of the Recreation and Parks to modify an existing contract with GPD Group, previously authorized byOrd. No. 1280-2018, June, 2018, to provide detailed engineering services and construction documents for the Franklinton Loop---Souder Avenue Connector trail project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer of $726,728.14 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within the Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend 2019 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1326-2019; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $726,728.14 from the Voted Bond Fund 7702; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Recreation and Parks Department in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to modify the existing contract as the grant funding for this project requires that the project be ready to construct in 2022, adding to the preservation of public health, peace, property and safety; NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Recreation and Parks be and is hereby authorized and directed to modify an existing contract with GPD Group (Ord. 1280-2018, June, 2018) to provide detailed engineering services and construction documents for the Franklinton Loop---Souder Avenue Connector trail project.
SECTION 2. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 5. That the transfer of $726,728.14 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within the Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the 2019 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1326-2019 is hereby amended as follows in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this ordinance and future projects.
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current / Change / Amended
Fund 7702 / P510908-100000; Clean Ohio - East Linden Grant Match (Voted Carryover); $0 / $180,900 / $180,900 (to match cash)
Fund 7702 / P510128-100000; Northeast Multigenerational Recreation Center (Voted Carryover); $932,000 / ($126,800) / $805,200
Fund 7702 / P510316-100000; Greenways Projects (Voted Carryover); $419,028 / ($419,028) / $0
Fund 7702 / P510908-100000; Clean Ohio - East Linden Grant Match (Voted Carryover); $180,900 / ($180,900) / $0
Fund 7702 / P510310-100001; Franklinton Loop - Souder Avenue Connector (Voted Carryover); $0 / $726,728 / $726,728
SECTION 7. For the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $726,728.14 or so much thereof as may be necessary to pay the cost thereof, be and is hereby authorized from the Voted Bond Fund 7702 in object class 06 Capital Outlay per the accounting codes in the attachments to this ordinance.
SECTION 8. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.