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FDR Boulevard phases reach procurement milestones; county says construction work can start as permits and acquisitions clear
Summary
County staff told commissioners that phases 1A and 1B of the long-planned FDR Boulevard are near award or out to bid, while phase 1C was funded in FY2016. Land acquisition for later phases remains pending design completion and commissioners asked when traffic relief would occur.
St. Mary's County officials told commissioners on Nov. 10 that the multi-phase FDR Boulevard project has moved from planning into procurement for early segments, but full construction depends on permitting and property acquisition.
George Erickson, the county's CIP project manager, reported that phase 1A was about to be awarded, 1B was out to bid and that phase 1C received $3.8 million in FY2016 funding. Erickson said roughly $3.5 million of the county's current unexpended FDR balance is committed to those initial phases and another $2.8 million to $3 million is earmarked for land acquisition once the phase 3 design is complete and commissioners authorize purchases.
Erickson told the board the county has secured most property for phase 1 without resorting to condemnation, and that MOU support from State Highway would assist property acquisition in phase 3. On a planning timeline question, a county official estimated multi-phase delivery that could make sections available to traffic in calendar 2019 depending on permitting and procurement schedules.
Commissioners pressed about why large budgeted sums could sit unspent for years. Staff answered that budgeting construction dollars immediately after design is a common practice to show commitment and to preserve funding, but added that staff will recommend reprogramming in the FIN reserve when forecasted cash flows show money will not be spent in the near term.
Ending: Staff said they will return with updated cash-flow and procurement schedules tied to key milestones for award and property acquisition so commissioners can weigh acceleration or reprogramming choices.
