City authorizes engineering design work for utility relocations tied to planned Market Street bridge replacement
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Summary
The commission considered authorization for Barge Design Services to prepare utility relocation plans ahead of TDOT’s planned State Route 34 (West Market Street) bridge replacement; TDOT’s Chapter 86 process would pay relocation and the city may pay a betterment fee to upsize a 12" water line to 16".
The Johnson City Board of Commissioners reviewed an engineering‑services authorization on Nov. 6 to hire Barge Design Services to prepare water and sewer design plans for utility relocations associated with the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s planned Market Street (State Route 34) bridge replacement over CSX Railroad.
Director John Lane explained that TDOT’s process requires utilities to submit A‑date plans; the project is planned for construction in calendar year 2029 with TDOT milestones in 2028. Because the relocation is a Chapter 86 project, TDOT would pay for required utility relocation; the city could elect a betterment — Lane said the city would pay only the incremental cost to upsize an existing 12‑inch water main to a 16‑inch main where beneficial to the system.
Lane said engineering services now will allow the city to secure its place in TDOT’s process and to plan the utility betterment efficiently; construction would occur after TDOT’s bidding and contractor selection in 2028–2029. The commission asked clarifying questions and the staff said it would return with construction‑administration details after contractor selection.
Why it matters: Relocation planning now preserves the city’s ability to coordinate needed water and sewer upgrades on a state bridge project and to capture TDOT funding for required relocation work while pursuing system improvements via betterment.
What was not resolved: Design authorization was the agenda item; detailed construction costs and the final betterment price were not in the record and will be determined later in design and bidding.
