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Council approves engineering contracts for ADA sidewalks, Louisiana Avenue overlay and airport hangar roof
Summary
The council approved three separate contracts: engineering design for Southwest 13th Street ADA improvements (TIB-funded), engineering design for Louisiana Avenue overlay (TIB-funded), and a roof replacement for Airport Hangar K; TIB grants and TBD funds will cover most matches.
The Chehalis City Council approved engineering agreements and a repair contract during its Feb. 10 meeting for sidewalk and roadway upgrades and an airport hangar roof replacement.
Council authorized a design contract with Gibson Olsen for the Southwest 13th Street Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvement project (Phase 2). The city described the project as sidewalk, ADA ramp and connectivity work along 13th Street from Market Street toward the interstate, funded in part by a Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) grant. The engineering contract was presented as a lump sum; staff said TIB would cover 80% of engineering costs and the city would fund the remaining 20% with Transportation Benefit District (TBD) dollars. At the meeting staff and councilors clarified the city’s match amount and noted the contract also covers survey and utility coordination.
The council also approved an engineering services agreement for the Louisiana Avenue overlay project (Chamber Street through the first roundabout). Staff said the project includes asphalt replacement, curbing, restriping and replacement of noncompliant ADA ramps; TIB will fund 90% of the engineering costs and the city’s 10% match was proposed to come from TBD funds.
Separately, the council approved replacement of the roof on Hangar K at the Chehalis Airport. Staff said the hangar roof is old and leaking and that the city has selected a contractor (on an MRSC roster) with an estimated cost of $38,800 plus related costs.
Councilors asked why engineering fees were required when the work appears to be sidewalk or overlay construction; staff explained that ADA ramps require site-specific engineering, surveys, utility coordination and design to meet current codes, and that many grants require completed design to release construction funding. One councilor asked for better consistency in how CIP line items and funding are presented; staff said the budget process will be revised to improve transparency and that capital projects funded by grants will be brought back to council at design and at construction phases for approval.
Each contract passed on voice vote; the posted motions and staff recommendations are recorded in the meeting minutes. The council also heard that the Thirteenth Street Phase 2 design is expected to be out for bid in June 2025 with construction targeted for summer 2025 and project closeout by December 2025.
