CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA
                  CITY COUNCIL AGENDA



  Agenda Date:        August 15, 2022

  Action Required:    Public hearing and Appropriation

  Presenter:          Jeanette Janiczek, UCI Program Manager

  Staff Contacts:     Stacey Smalls, Director
                      Jack Dawson, City Engineer
                      Tony Edwards, Development Services Manager
                      Jeanette Janiczek, UCI Program Manager

  Title:              Belmont Bridge Replacement Project – Appropriation of $2,697,398 (1 of 2
                      readings)


Background
On May 16, 2005, the City entered into an agreement with the Virginia Department of Transportation
(VDOT) to participate in the Urban Construction Initiative (“First Cities”) Program (UCI). Through this
program, the City is responsible for administering its urban system construction program – design,
right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, and construction. The Belmont Bridge Replacement project
is one such project being administered under this program. The project is under construction with a
contract executed with Caton Construction Group’s (CCG) on June 16, 2021.

The Belmont Bridge Replacement project is currently on schedule to meet its Final Completion Date
of January 25, 2024. Due to the constrained project area and the need to maintain traffic/access, the
first stage of construction has been focused on preparatory activities for the reconstruction of the
mainline bridge.

     A temporary parking lot has been established with an entrance off of East South Street to
      allow for the closure of the parking lot under the bridge and on-street parking to create space
      for construction activities and storage of materials.
     The majority of public utilities have been relocated to allow vehicular traffic to be moved to the
      western bridge (the first of four major traffic shifts) and demolition of eastern bridge.
     Stage 1 private utility is underway and Stage 2 will begin soon to allow for
      stormwater/sidewalk construction along the east side of 9th/Avon Street as well as
      reconstruction of East South Street.
     Excavation has been conducted for the southern pedestrian underpass, the extension of the
      northern pedestrian underpass, the staircases in the northeast quadrant and the retaining wall
      system.


CCG has started to build the new eastern bridge – the two piers have been completed, the southern
abutment/retaining wall has begun, the first of three sets of beam/girders has been placed (over Old
Avon), production of the southern pedestrian underpass is underway, footers/stem walls being
poured for the northern pedestrian underpass extension and the NE staircase system has
begun. The eastern bridge will be opened to traffic in November 2022 and work will then begin on
the western, two bridges.

Discussion
On June 7, 2021, Council approved an appropriation of $4,280,739 in state funds from the State of
Good Repair (SGR) Local Bridge funding program bringing the total allocation to the Belmont Bridge
project to $35,380,782 in federal, state, and local funds. This allowed the City to award the
construction contract and provided additional funds needed to cover other necessary project
expenditures such as construction engineering inspection services and contingency fund. The VDOT
had pursued two funding streams to ensure the project could move forward – the State of Good
Repair (SGR) Local Bridge funding program and the Demonstration Repurpose VA200 (DEMO)
funding program. The City has now been notified that we have also received $2,697,398
in DEMO funds.

City Council can choose to accept the funding for the Belmont Bridge project or return the funding to
the VDOT. City staff recommends accepting the award based on:

      the current utilization rate of the contingency fund for added work (additional waterline and
       duct bank work needed, full rebuild of the signal at East Market due to timing of East High
       Streetscape project, expenses related to resequencing activities, etc.)
      current phase of construction – the first of three bridges just starting construction with bridges
       being a high risk, high dollar activity
      current state of the economy with supply chain issues, historic inflation levels and staffing
       shortages.


Staff will continue to mitigate these risks to both budget and schedule to ensure the City’s interests
are protected and the goals of the project accomplished. At the end of the project, remaining funds
will be reconciled and reported to City Council.

Alignment with City Council's Vision and Strategic Plan
Approval of this agenda item upholds the City’s commitment to create “a connected community” by
improving upon our existing transportation infrastructure. In addition, it would contribute to Goal 2 of
the Strategic Plan, Be a safe, equitable, thriving, and beautiful community; Objectives 2.3. Provide
reliable and high quality infrastructure and 2.6. Engage in robust and context sensitive urban
planning.

Community Engagement
There has been significant engagement throughout project planning process through a Steering
Committee, project specific public meetings, coordination with City boards/commissions and public
surveys. A Design Public Hearing was held on May 24, 2018 and the Design Concept accepted by
City Council on July 16, 2018. The Board of Architectural Review granted a Certificate of
Appropriateness on August 20, 2019. Prior to commencement of construction, a Citizen Information
Meeting was held on August 11, 2021 to discuss maintenance of traffic for both vehicles and
pedestrians, construction schedule and sequencing. Progress reports, future traffic notices as well
as historical meeting information can be found on www.belmontbridge.org.

Budgetary Impact
Currently, the total Belmont Bridge project funding allocation is $35,380,782 using a combination of
federal, state, and local funds. With the additional award of Federal funds from the Demonstration
program, the total funding allocation for the project is now $38,078,180, and the appropriation will be
amended as follows:

Funding Allocations
(as of June 2021)        Federal      $3,181,234
                         State        $19,150,933
                         Local        $13,048,615
                      TOTAL        $35,380,782
Funding Allocations
(revised August 2022)   Federal (*) $5,878,632
                        State       $19,150,933
                        Local       $13,048,615
                      TOTAL      $38,078,180

(*) This amount is increased by the funds to be received through Demonstration funding.

The increase in federal allocations will be reimbursed once expended.

Per Va Code Section 15.2-2507, this proposed appropriation requires notice to be placed in
the local newspaper seven days prior to the Council meeting.

Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of the appropriation.

Alternatives
City Council could choose to not appropriate the additional Demonstration funding and return the
funds to the VDOT.

Attachments
1.   Approp - Belmont 082022