Opelika approves $1.87 million bid for Waverly Parkway pedestrian-bicycle path, authorizes TAP grant application for next phase

Opelika City Council members awarded a contract of $1,869,197.20 to SEDAC and authorized submission of a Transportation Alternatives Program grant application to the Alabama Department of Transportation for phase 2 of the Waverly Parkway shared‑use path project.

The action follows staff presentations that described the Waverly Parkway project as a multi‑phase effort to build an oversized sidewalk and improve roadway drainage, curb and gutter, and surface conditions along a corridor that will ultimately link Floral Park to the Creekline Trail.

City staff explained the work will be built in phases: phase 1 covers Dunlop Drive to Veterans Boulevard and is the construction contract the council approved; phase 2 would extend the shared‑use path from Veterans Boulevard to Creekline Park; phase 3 would seek to extend the trail to Floral Park. "Phase 2 will take this shared use path from Veterans all the way to the Creekline Park," staff said during the presentation.

Council members were also asked to approve the submittal of a TAP grant application to ALDOT to fund the next construction phase. The resolution to authorize that grant submittal appeared as Resolution No. 3 on the council agenda and was put before the council for a roll call vote.

The contract award for phase 1 was recommended by staff after a bid opening; according to staff, the bid was mailed to 16 vendors and three bids were received, with SEDAC submitting the low bid that met specifications. During the presentation a staff member noted "this installs a shared use ... to the roadway" and emphasized concurrent roadway improvements such as drainage and curb and gutter.

Council action combined contract awards and the grant authorization in separate agenda items: the council approved the construction contract (low bid to SEDAC for $1,869,197.20) and subsequently approved the resolution authorizing staff to submit the TAP grant application to ALDOT for phase 2. Staff said the grant application deadline was at the end of the month.

Procurement items on the agenda also included related municipal lighting contracts: staff recommended awarding a lighting contract (Hall of Fame lighting) to Urban Utilities after a bid opening that drew two responses from 13 vendors notified; similarly, a seasonal lighting contract (Halloween lighting) was recommended to Irving Utilities following a bid process. Those contracts were presented separately and were described by staff as having met specifications.

Staff identified the projects as part of ongoing capital and facilities work; the council’s approvals allow contract execution and grant submittal to proceed. No construction start date was specified in the meeting record.

Details of bids and procurement recommendations are recorded in the meeting agenda and minutes. Questions about project timing and grant award outcomes were referred to staff for follow‑up.