Sandy Springs City Council approved using $1 million in supplemental grants from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) to cover the rising design costs for the PATH400 multi-use trail extension north from Atlanta to I-285.
The PATH400 project will extend the existing 5.1-mile path from Loridans Drive north to the GA 400/I-285 Interchange. TSPLOST (Transportation Special Local Option Sales Tax) funds are being used to leverage state and federal grant opportunities. As a tier one project in TSPLOST II, Sandy Springs projected its share of the costs to be $4.4 million.
Public Works Director Marty Martin said the city asked ARC in October 2022 for $400,000 to cover the cost of environmental mitigation credits that the project requires. Another $600,000 was sought when the design consultant submitted a change order in March. Both grants were awarded by ARC, with a requirement that the city provides a 20 percent local match.
“Those dollars are required to cover both the increase in the design and engineering support with the final task order,” Martin told the council during its Jan. 19 meeting.
The council also approved a fourth task order with Heath & Lineback Inc. to complete final construction plans, specifications, and estimates for the project.
Preliminary engineering now is projected to cost $2.8 million, with $567,600 of that total coming from a local match.
Construction costs are estimated at $16.4 million, with a little more than $1.8 million of that coming through a local match by the city.