Several budget amendments totaling nearly $835,000 for construction of the first mile of the Peachtree Creek Greenway were approved this month by the City Council. Officials say despite the new expenses the project remains within the $7.99 million budget approved last year.
The new expenses will be covered by a $1 million contingency fund built into the Greenway budget, according to Project Manager Moe Trebuchon. “Everything presented in included in the total budget for the project,” he told the City Council at its March 12 work session. The council approved the funding later during its regular meeting.
Trebuchon said work continues to stay on schedule with plans to open the “model mile” between North Druid Hills Road and Briarwood Road by the end of this year.
Changes approved by the council:
- A change order for Lewallen Construction for pedestrian bridge railing and lighting for the Peachtree Creek Greenway in the amount of $326,717.57. Lewallen was awarded the $7.99 million contract to build the first segment of the Greenway in October.
- An agreement with Atlanta Gas Light to relocate an unmarked gas line in the Greenway construction area in the amount of $83,038.29.
- A change order with Chattahoochee Consulting for enhanced soil field testing services in the Greenway construction area for an increase of $50,000.
- A purchase agreement with Railroad Outdoor for the purchase of the billboard located near the intersection of Buford Highway and North Druid Hills Road in the amount of $375,000, as was agreed to with letter of intent authorized at the Feb. 12 council meeting. The billboard is located along the Greenway path. City officials are not yet sure what it will do with it. Money for this expense came from the $10 million Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta paid to the city for the abandonment of right-of-way on Tullie Circle and Tullie Road as part of the build out of its North Druid Hills medical campus.
Trebuchon said about 500 feet of an unmarked Atlanta Gas Light gas line was discovered during construction on Federal Emergency Management Agency flood plain property adjacent to the Jackson Square condos and near Peachtree Creek. The spot where the gas line was found is where the bridge will connect to that side of the creek from Corporate Square, and where columns and foundations need to be built.
Moving and redesigning he bridge around the gas line would be a significantly higher cost than paying to relocate the gas line, he said. He said he was not sure why the gas line was not indicated on an Atlanta Gas Light survey of the property, but old infrastructure can get lost in maps and surveys over the years. The city is required to pay for the relocation and AGL was responsible for finding the low bidder, Trebuchon said.
The city originally wanted to seek federal funding for the pedestrian bridge and lighting but decided to forgo that process due to time constraints. The change order of $326,717.57 adds that scope of the project to Lewallen to complete.