Derby approves design contract for Woodlawn Boulevard upgrade, pledges curb, storm sewer and turn lanes

Alex Lane, Derby city engineer, presented a design contract to rebuild Woodlawn Boulevard from Winding Lane north to 50 Fifth Street, saying the roadway has poor drainage, pavement failures and a misaligned intersection at the north end.

Lane said the project will upgrade the corridor to an urban standard with curb and gutter, storm sewer, and turn lanes into the Northbrook subdivision; the design contract was budgeted in the CIP at $300,000. He recommended the Boffman Company based on prior local experience and committee scoring and asked council to authorize a fee not to exceed $280,000, noting negotiations could lower the final amount nearer $260,000.

"We'd like to improve that. So, along with that, the pavement is in bad condition ... what we intend to do is upgrade this section to an urban standard," Lane told the council, describing curb-and-gutter and storm-sewer work and alignment of a north-end offset.

Council members asked about tree removal and the existing pedestrian sidewalk; Lane said trees in the right-of-way will need to be removed but the sidewalk will be maintained and the curb-and-gutter work will create more usable sidewalk area. Council member Tripp and others pressed for clarity about floodplain constraints on adjacent parcels; Lane said some parcels include floodplain and that developer plans and connections remain under discussion.

Council member Coleman moved to authorize execution of a design contract with Boffman Company in an amount not to exceed $280,000. The motion passed 8-0.

Staff will complete contract negotiations and return for project scheduling and design-phase oversight; the CIP line item remains budgeted for design at $300,000.