Tuscaloosa City Council approves final engineering amendment for Northern Riverwalk Phase 2

Tuscaloosa City Council approved an amendment to the engineering services contract to complete design and provide construction-phase engineering for the Northern Riverwalk Phase 2 project, a staff presentation said. The amendment, introduced as agenda item 1 and recorded at $518,680, was described by staff as funding McGifford to move design from 90% to 100% and to provide observation and testing during construction.

"This should be the final amendment for this contract," Speaker 3 said during the presentation, explaining the work covers final design revisions and construction engineering to ensure compaction and quality. Staff described the project as roughly 1.6 to 1.7 miles of new 12-foot-wide paved multi-use path that will extend the existing Northern Riverwalk (Phase 1) near Randall Park to the pedestrian bridge at McRites Ferry Road, largely following current water- and sewer-maintenance roads.

Council members asked procedural and budget questions; Speaker 4 noted there is a separate finance-committee item to place the budget for construction. After a motion, the council approved the amendment by voice vote. The item moves next to finance for budgeting and will allow staff and the consultant to complete final design and begin construction-phase oversight once procurement and funding are finalized.

Funding and procurement details were discussed but not finalized in the record; the finance committee item was identified as the next procedural step.