Jefferson County transportation staff asked the Board of County Commissioners to approve a purchase order not to exceed $795,195.65 for design services on West Coal Mine Avenue between Pierce and the county line.

The request, presented by Evan Brown, assistant director of transportation and engineering, would fund a consultant-led design to upgrade the roughly one-mile segment to the county's major collector template. "This design contract will address the drainage concerns," Brown said, and will add or improve elements the roadway currently lacks, including drainage infrastructure, pedestrian facilities, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps, and possible new traffic signals at two intersections.

County staff told commissioners the procurement office solicited cost proposals from the four firms on the county's master engineering services contract and recommended Felsburg Holt & Ullevig (FHU) as the consultant for the work. Brown said the county may also need to coordinate utility pole relocations and acquire right-of-way easements as part of the project.

Staff described the scope as a corridor-level design effort to bring the segment into conformance with the county's major collector standards, improve an existing emergency signal near a fire station and evaluate whether two other intersections merit signals based on traffic counts. The presentation noted "very little pedestrian infrastructure on the entire south side of the road," adding that the design will include missing pedestrian crossings and upgraded ADA ramps.

Commissioners did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript. After the presentation there was verbal support from commissioners in the room: "That's great. Any questions on this one?" and later, "Okay. Great support. Thank you," according to the meeting record. The transcript does not show a formal motion or recorded tally.

Next steps the presenters described include issuing the purchase order to the recommended consultant and advancing the design phase; the timeline and construction funding sources were not specified in the record.

Clarifying details recorded in the meeting: the county solicited proposals from four on-contract engineering firms; the recommended consultant is FHU; the proposed purchase order ceiling is $795,195.65; the project limits are Pierce to the county line (about one mile); potential needs include utility pole relocation and right-of-way acquisition.