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Council briefed on second amendment to Rowlett Road cycle-track agreement, city share about 24%
Summary
City staff told Garland City Council members the second amendment to a Dallas County project agreement reflects higher bid prices and splits funding roughly 29% TxDOT, 47% Dallas County and 24% City of Garland; staff said contingency is included and a further amendment would share overruns.
City staff told the Garland City Council on Jan. 21 that a second amendment to the project-specific agreement with Dallas County for the Rowlett Road Cycle Track is based on actual bid prices and increases the local share of the work.
Michael, a city staff member presenting the item, said on the call that "TA set aside funding would pay for approximately 29% of the project. Dallas County, 47% of the project. And the city of Garland, 24% of the project based on this on the the calculations." He also said the county built a contingency into the bid to cover potential construction surprises.
The amendment follows an earlier, smaller amendment tied to an engineer's revised opinion of probable cost before the county advertised the work. Council members pressed staff on the size of the increase. Councilman Hedrick asked why the original estimate was so far off; Michael told the council that recent bids, especially for paving, have come in significantly higher — "some 15%, even 1 bid was 20% came in higher than estimated" — and that most of the work on the project is paving and sidewalks.
Staff said the county had not yet awarded the contract and therefore had not released bidders' prices. The presentation made clear the contract includes contingency and that, if a third amendment becomes necessary for field surprises, "it would be expected that the city and county would share in that cost on that 3rd amendment as well." No formal vote was taken at the work session; staff said the amendment is expected to come back to council for formal approval in early February.
Why it matters: the funding split affects the city's capital commitments for a multi-jurisdictional roadway and bicycle facility. Council members expressed concern about rising construction costs and asked staff to monitor contingency needs and the potential for further amendments.
Details and next steps: staff will return with the formal second-amendment item for council action in the first week of February. The contract language presented to council ties TxDOT Transportation Alternatives set-aside funding, Dallas County contribution and the city share to the actual bid results and a contingency line for overruns.
