Committee approves $1.22 million engineering agreement for utility relocations tied to ALDOT bridge project

The Tuscaloosa City Public Projects Committee approved an engineering services agreement with Hazen and Sawyer totaling $1,217,595.17 to relocate city utilities needed for the ALDOT Woolsey-Fennell bridge replacement project.

Brian, a staff member who presented the item, said the city began engineering work last year and that the lead engineers who had been on the project moved to Hazen and Sawyer. "This engineering services is a 100% reimbursable under the current reimbursable agreement with the state," Brian said. He told the committee the design is about halfway complete and that a preliminary design has been submitted and is under review.

Committee members asked why the change in firm was requested; Brian said the engineers who started the design left their former firm and moved to Hazen and Sawyer and the city wanted the same personnel to continue. The presenter said the team was coordinating with permitting agencies and described the schedule as targeting a spring letting for the city project while the state was looking at a summer letting.

Another presenter noted a recent ALDOT update providing a budget increase for the overall bridge program from about $100 million to roughly $132 million and said ALDOT had secured additional state and federal funds. The committee discussed the timeline; ALDOT representatives had indicated a 2026 letting window.

A motion to approve the agreement passed by voice vote. No roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.

The agreement is tied to an ALDOT-led bridge replacement; committee discussion emphasized maintaining continuity of engineering staff and that work on the city—s utility relocations will be reimbursed under the state agreement. The committee did not set any additional conditions during the approval.