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Council approves $107,000 survey amendment for Thornburg Drive alley replacement project
Summary
Council authorized adding legal survey work and boundary monuments to the Thornburg Drive alley rehabilitation contract, increasing professional services by $107,000 to avoid property‑line ambiguity during deep trenching and utility replacement.
The Laramie City Council voted Jan. 23 to add survey and boundary monument work to the professional engineering services agreement for the Thornburg Drive alley priority replacement project.
Why it matters: the alleys are narrow — about 14 feet wide — and utilities are up to 10 feet deep, staff said. With trees, fences, storage sheds and other obstructions in the alley, city engineers recommended property‑line monuments and additional survey work to protect adjacent residents and contractors and reduce the risk of boundary disputes during excavation.
What the council approved: Amendment 1 adds $107,000 to the agreement for additional survey activities and property boundary monument placement, bringing the total contract to $280,506. The motion passed with seven yeses, zero nos and two absences.
What staff said: Director Webb explained the alley alignment is curved, making construction difficult, and that an earlier lining technology installed roughly 15 years ago is now failing. While the amendment funds survey work for every adjacent property, Webb said the city will only expend the money where surveys are needed. He described outreach plans: door‑hanger notices about the timeline, direct contact with residents who have known conflicts, and options for residents to move small structures back onto private property after the city’s survey establishes boundaries.
Council questions and public impact: Councilors asked about frequency of similar contractor failures and whether company parts would be available for earlier liner repairs; Webb said the original lining company is out of business and replacement parts are no longer widely available. Councilors also pressed for another round of public notices and Webb said the city typically provides notices two to three weeks before construction and expects significant outreach because of anticipated disruption.
What’s next: staff will proceed with the additional survey work as needed, notify affected residents in advance, and incorporate findings into final construction plans. Staff emphasized the construction schedule will be staged to limit simultaneous excavation and that some excavated material will be staged in the alley and moved as sections are completed.
Ending: the vote funds preconstruction survey steps intended to reduce legal and construction risk; council and staff said further outreach to residents will follow.
