Council authorizes manager to sign $214,978 engineering contract for West Smithfield trail

The Town of Smithfield council authorized the town manager to sign an engineering contract with Kimley Horn for the West Smithfield multi‑purpose trail, a project funded through a CMAQ grant that requires a 20% local match for eligible costs.

Bill (staff) told the council that seven responses were received to the RFLOI, Kimley Horn was the highest‑rated firm and negotiations produced a lump‑sum engineering fee of $214,978.83. The contract includes acquisition and right‑of‑way fee schedules: initial acquisition at $500 per parcel (capped at $9,000) and a right‑of‑way unit rate of $3,000 per parcel (capped at $54,000). Staff warned that full acquisition costs depend on final design and parcel impacts; if acquisition hits the contract maxima the phase total would be $277,978.83 and the town’s 20% share for that phase would be approximately $55,595.77.

Councilmembers raised alignment and safety questions, asking whether the path would cross busy corridors and how the project would connect to sidewalks on Wilson Mills Road. Staff said final location decisions would be refined at the kickoff meeting with the consultant and with DOT concurrence. Council voted to allow the manager to sign the contract so the engineering phase can proceed.

Staff said DOT concurrence on firm selection has been completed and that the next steps are final design and right‑of‑way determination. The CMAQ program covers most costs; staff will return with further budget details and acquisition estimates as design progresses.