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Committee endorses stamped concrete aesthetic for Drakes Creek (Stop 30) bridge; project remains on multi-year schedule
Summary
The committee approved using a plain stamped concrete finish for the Drakes Creek (Stop 30) bridge and discussed schedule, right-of-way holds and decorative options. Project remains estimated at about $7 million with a potential two-year construction window after procurement.
The Capital Projects Committee voted unanimously to pursue a plain stamped concrete aesthetic (option 1) for the Drakes Creek Stop 30 bridge and directed staff to proceed with that aesthetic as part of the ongoing project planning.
Sarah, the project lead, said Drakes Creek Stop 30 Intersection improvements are ranked No. 4 in the city's transportation capital improvement plan and currently carry an overall estimated construction cost of about $7,000,000. She said the project is in right-of-way acquisition; of the 13 tracts identified, 11 closings are complete and two mortgage releases remain outstanding. "We have the agreements; we're just waiting on the mortgage releases for those two," Sarah said.
Sarah attributed an approximately one-year slide in the anticipated groundbreaking schedule to the right-of-way process and an array of required approvals, including GNRC and FHWA obligations if additional funding is needed. She estimated construction would take about two years once started. Committee members stressed the need to accelerate right-of-way work where possible; staff described a 10-day letter tool that can prompt mortgage holders to act, but warned it has trade-offs.
Committee members discussed decorative and low-maintenance options for the bridge. Sarah said consultants prepared several options; planning staff recommended fixtures with top shields to reduce glare and preserve dark-sky considerations. The committee agreed preference for a low-maintenance stamped concrete finish that better matches the city's aesthetic but noted the budget will determine feasibility. "If it's $175,000, it's quite acceptable; if it's a million dollars, the conversation is over," one member said.
The committee approved a motion to proceed with the project and to adopt the plain stamped concrete aesthetic option as its preference; the vote was unanimous.
Staff noted the project is 80/20 grant-funded for some phases and that more detailed cost estimates will be updated as design and bidding progress. When the committee asked about communication with nearby neighborhoods, staff committed to community outreach similar to previous corridor projects once construction nears.
The committee asked staff to evaluate stamped/colored concrete costs before final budget decisions and to present options to the committee or BOMA if additional funding or GNRC/TDOT coordination is needed.
