Staff seeks six-month extension from TDOT for River Overlook project amid NEPA change, engineering closeout

City Manager Scott Collins told council staff wants authority to ask the Tennessee Department of Transportation for a six-month extension on the River Overlook project procurement timeline.

Collins said engineers are near completion of the project's environmental work. He told the council the Transportation Alternatives Program requires funds to be obligated after the bid process and that the current schedule has the city going to bid and presenting bids to council in January; staff prefers to request a six-month extension so the city will not be forced to seek additional extensions later.

Collins also said an executive order from President Trump "eliminates, in essence, the environmental justice portion of the NEPA phase," but added that environmental work remains necessary and that the team had a productive meeting with project engineers. Collins said staff planned to ask the council to authorize city representatives to meet with TDOT to request a six-month extension.

Ending

Staff asked council to endorse pursuing the six-month extension with TDOT and said staff would return with any necessary resolution or request language for council action.