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West National Avenue project estimate falls; state grant share shrinks and city share rises as design refines costs
Summary
City staff told the Public Works Committee that refined engineering estimates reduced the project’s total estimate by $2.61 million, while the state grant share fell by $5.6 million and the city’s share rose by about $2.99 million due largely to clarified utility and lighting costs.
The committee reviewed a revised state municipal agreement for the West National Avenue reconstruction project and heard staff explain why the cost estimate changed as the design reached the PS&E (plans, specifications and estimate) stage.
David Tapia, major projects manager for DPW, said the project’s latest estimate shows a total decrease of $2,610,400 in project cost, with the state (grantor) share decreasing by $5,601,527 and the city share increasing by $2,991,128. Tapia said the shift stems from refined utility cost estimates and updated unit prices as the design progressed: "As the designers are going through and estimating what they think cost will be...as the design gets tightened up and actual quantities are calculated, then, based on current unit prices...a final estimate is put together," he said.
Committee members sought a line‑by‑line comparison of the earlier estimate and the current numbers. An alderman said she wanted the committee to receive a detailed reconciliation before council consideration so members could see where increases and decreases occurred.
Tapia said the city’s share increase relates mostly to utility work, temporary street lighting and community utility components the city funds at 50 percent. He said the project will submit final plans in August and go to bid in November; the city intends to proceed with approval but provide the requested reconciliation to the committee prior to council.
A motion to approve the revised agreement moved forward and the committee approved the file after discussion: “hearing no objection, so ordered.”
