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Roseburg commission backs revised Douglas Avenue/Deer Creek bridge change order and seeks ODOT right-of-way study
Summary
The Public Works Commission recommended the City Council authorize a revised change order with ODOT for the Douglas Avenue/Deer Creek Bridge, agreeing to increase the city match to about $1.5 million to cover design overages, and voted to request an ODOT right-of-way liaison study to clarify acquisition costs.
The Roseburg Public Works Commission on a unanimous recommendation told the City Council to authorize a revised change order for the Douglas Avenue/Deer Creek Bridge project, increasing the city’s match to approximately $1.5 million to cover engineering and design cost overruns.
Staff said the total project remains about $12.4 million, down from an earlier figure of roughly $12.6 million, and that the local bridge program asked the city to increase its match to cover a design overage of about $256,923. "We’re still getting a $12,400,000 bridge that is in desperate need of replacement," the presenter said, calling the structure obsolete and unsafe for pedestrians.
Commissioners pressed staff on the source of the roughly $206,000 shortfall. Staff said $1.3 million is reserved in the transportation budget and that the urban renewal district has funds that could be used to reduce pressure on transportation funds. When questioned about the change-order labeling, staff acknowledged an error in the memo and clarified the additional city funds are for engineering/design rather than right-of-way acquisition.
During discussion Commissioner 5 characterized the state program’s late request for additional local match as "holding us hostage," a claim staff responded to by saying the state program appears to be dealing with reduced federal funding and that the program had not provided a detailed explanation for the change.
After approving the recommendation to forward the change order to council, the commission voted to request an ODOT right-of-way liaison study so the city can get an estimate of any property acquisition costs before the project advances. Chair and staff said the liaison report would identify properties and provide cost estimates and that staff would ask the ODOT project manager for the information rather than making a formal written request.
The commission’s recommendation will be delivered to City Council for final action; staff said the revision is intended to keep the bridge replacement on track while the city seeks additional information on right-of-way impacts.
