Council approves budget amendment for Indian Trail Complete Street project as CSX review delays construction

The Town of Indian Trail Council on Monday approved an amended Capital Improvements Program ordinance and associated budget amendment for the Indian Trail Complete Street project, a move staff said was needed to cover additional design, permitting and right‑of‑way costs while CSX and utility coordination continue to delay the work.

Town engineering staff briefed the council on technical hurdles and new costs. Todd Hunsinger said CSX requested an updated review of the railroad crossing package, adding unexpected consultant fees, and that NCDOT returned extensive signal design comments that require coordination with an adjacent DOT signal project. Hunsinger also listed upcoming utility relocations — including a short water main relocation east of the railroad tracks and a nearby gas main — that must occur before some construction phases. He said the project has approval for surface construction but the second permit submittal is on hold until CSX’s updated review is complete.

The budget amendment adds modest design contingencies and payments to additional consultants, including a utility design subcontract and a CSX maintenance agreement estimated at $21,450. Hunsinger described an unpaid contract balance that left little remaining design contingency and asked the council to authorize roughly $104,279 to complete the design phase and related consultant work; the staff memo included a revised funding breakdown that relies on federal, CRTPO and town funds and noted an earlier federal reimbursement of $1.18 million for right‑of‑way work.

Why it matters: council members said the project has been long‑running and residents expect visible progress. Council member Todd Barber and others pressed staff on schedule and cost management; Hunsinger and the manager described limits created by coordination with state and federal agencies, utilities, and CSX. Hunsinger warned the town is contractually liable for approximately $700,000 under the original funding split if additional right‑of‑way and construction costs are incurred and reimbursed to the limit of the agreement.

Council discussion covered condemnation and mediation status for several parcels needed for right‑of‑way. Hunsinger reported scheduled mediations with two property owners and ongoing negotiations with others, and said some utility relocation work will proceed (water main first, then gas) once a pre‑construction meeting is set. He also noted the county will pay 100% of a separate local sewer improvement estimate of $1.5 million; the town’s reimbursable portion for water/sewer improvements was shown as about $500,000 in staff slides.

Council member Dennis Gay and others defended the town’s prior land purchases and appraisals when residents raised questions about earlier downtown property acquisitions during public comment. Hunsinger and the manager said an appraiser had valued one parcel significantly above the purchase price and that a local developer later offered more than the town paid.

The action: Council member Crystal Puholic moved to approve the amended Indian Trail Complete Street ordinance and the corresponding budget amendment as presented; the motion passed with the council’s unanimous voice vote.

Looking ahead: staff said CSX’s requested updated review will determine how soon the remaining permit submittals can proceed and recommended the council consider where to draw the line on ongoing reimbursements once federal right‑of‑way funding is exhausted. Hunsinger recommended the town reassess whether to continue feeding future construction reimbursements from the right‑of‑way line item or to allow construction reimbursement to be reduced as right‑of‑way reimbursements reach their cap.