Title/Name/Summary
LaGrange Road Corridor Improvements - Budget/Scope analysis and considerations
History
The Village began discussions with IDOT about enhancing LaGrange dating back to at least 2009-2010. During this time, the Village, its’ consultants and IDOT have engaged in numerous meetings to discuss what the additional enhancements entail, how/who will build the enhancements and the costs associated with the improvements.
During this time, the Village took the lead role in improving the intersection of 143rd Street and LaGrange Road. This project was done independently by the Village as part of an IDOT permit. The enhancements are the basis of the currently approved LaGrange Road Corridor Improvements project (LRCI). Some slight modifications have been made in the design elements since the intersection improvement process but the aesthetics are essentially the same.
As the LRCI Project proceeded through the IDOT Phase II design process the Village made the decision to separate its’ enhancement work from IDOT’s project (prior to 2012 and the 2013 IDOT letting). In doing so the Village was required to design, permit and construct the enhancements along LaGrange Road independently of the IDOT contracts.
During the 2012/2013 Village budget process a total enhancement budget was discuss and established at $15M. $6.5M was obligated to the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) work within the IDOT contract, ie, paths, street lights etc. The remaining $8.5M was obligated to the independent Village enhancements. Approximately $1M dollars was budgeted for construction oversight. The Village approved V3 to perform the oversight on behalf of the Village since they were involved in the design and construction of 143rd and LaGrange.
As IDOT’s project was bid and the Village was in the final stages of the IDOT permit approval process (2013), it became very apparent that, given the timing and magnitude of the IDOT work, it would be very difficult for the Village to bid out the entire 6.5 mile corridor enhancement plan as one large project. The main factor in this was the inability to predict 1-2 years in advance what stage the IDOT project would be in to provide the Village contractor any certainty when and what can be constructed. As we have seen, there have been numerous plan changes to the IDOT work which does affect the Village enhancement work. We also wanted to recognize the benefit of completing all work (Village and IDOT) concurrently to minimize the overall construction impact to the LaGrange Road corridor and businesses.
With this in mind, the Village approved funding the enhancement work in 3 years - 2014, 2015 and 2016. The Village also approved to transfer V3’s construction oversite services to a Construction Manager contract which allows V3 to prepare and bid individual bid packages to “fit” the IDOT construction schedule. This has allowed V3 and the Village to construct various elements during the IDOT project instead of simply waiting for IDOT to be done and then spend another construction season or two working in the corridor. To date the Village has built the following:
--Main irrigation line in the medians south of 159th,
--Installed the electric conduit in the medians south of 159th,
--Planted trees along the east parkway south of 159th,
--Installed the stone base for the median brick pavers south of 159th
--Built the foundation walls at 167th and 171st,
--Built the colored concrete and brick paver work at the corners of 171st and 167th
V3 has solicited bids and has a large portion of the remaining work currently under contract. Utilizing the bid prices received a total project cost of the designed and permitted work is expected to be $12.5M. Based on allocation of dollars to date, this equates to approximately $3.0M dollars over the current budget.
Factors that potentially have impacted the 2013 anticipated enhancement budget:
--Inflation and labor increases
--Uncertainty of IDOT’s construction schedule.
--High-than-expected bid prices
--Additional refinement of plans and scope of work required to complete the planned enhancements
Recently Village staff met with Trustees and the Mayor to review potential scope reductions to the LaGrange Road Enhancements. There are two scenarios that highlighted the discussion;
A. Eliminate the enhanced trail connection at the NW corner of 179th and LaGrange (connection to the grasslands path)($160K), eliminate the median wall between 159th and 161st ($400K), reduce the median wall between 149th and 151st ($130K), eliminate the tower feature at the NW corner of 147th($50K), and eliminate the irrigation north of 143rd ($340K). Total reduction of $1,080,00.
B. Eliminate the enhanced trail connection at the NW corner of 179th and LaGrange (connection to the grasslands path)($160K), eliminate the median wall between 159th and 161st ($400K), reduce the median wall between 149th and 151st ($130K), eliminate the tower feature at the NW corner of 147th ($50K), eliminate median brick south of 159th and north of 143rd ($600K), and eliminate the irrigation north of 143rd ($340K). Total reduction of $1,680,000.
As a construction team (Village and V3), we are confident in the approach taken to execute this project. The Construction Management delivery that is underway has proven to be the best method to execute the Village’s enhancement work as work areas become available by IDOT. The overall progress of IDOT’s work is monitored and discussed continually between all team members to define windows of opportunity to complete the Village enhancements.
Staff is seeking guidance from the Village Board which project reduction scenario to implement.
Financial Impact
There is no financial impact for FY2016. Additional funds will be sought as part of the FY2017 budget. As of now two projects highlighted in the FY2017 budget total $5M; Wolf Road Phase II Engineering and the Ravinia Avenue Extension south to LaGrange Road. Both projects can be pushed back to accommodate the additional funding for the LaGrange Road corridor.
I move to recommend that staff proceed with the La Grange Road enhancements as originally submitted, less about $500,000 in field reductions, and that the estimated $2.5M in additional funding be included in the FY 2017 Capital Improvement Plan budget;
Or
I move to recommend that staff proceed with Option A as outlined above, for an estimated total reduction of $1,080,000, and that the estimated $1.9M in additional funding be included in the FY 2017 Capital Improvement Plan budget;
Or
I move to recommend that staff proceed with Option B as outlined above, for an estimated total reduction of $1,680,000, and that the estimated $1.3M in additional funding be included in the FY 2017 Capital Improvement Plan budget.
Recommended Action/Motion
I move to approve recommending staff proceed with the La Grange Road enhancements as originally submitted, less about $500,000 in field reductions, and that the estimated $2.5M in additional funding be included in the FY 2017 Capital Improvement Plan budget.