Council approves GDOT construction agreement for Path 400 Phase 2; project largely federally funded

Council approved a construction agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation to proceed with construction of Path 400 multiuse trail Segment 2, moving the project toward a summer notice-to-proceed.

Public works director Marty Martin (label 13) told council the construction agreement formalizes the funding and responsibilities needed to start construction of Segment 2 (Windsor Parkway to north of Baroque Circle). Martin said GDOT will fund approximately 80% of the project, cited in the staff presentation as $14,286,730.40, while the city's local match was listed as $3,571,682.60. In addition, Martin said the city has about $2.1 million identified for construction engineering inspection and materials testing and has received a $750,000 HUD earmark to support the project.

Martin said design is complete, the project is permitted and the construction contract has an award to FS Scarborough that council had previously endorsed. He described the project as a locally administered federal-aid project overseen by GDOT/FHWA and said construction is expected to be delivered through a roughly three-year contract once the contractor receives notice-to-proceed this summer.

Council members asked whether the design guidelines could influence aspects of the path project; Martin said the Path 400 segment is within state-owned right-of-way and subject to state and federal standards, limiting the city's ability to change major design elements at this stage though there could be limited streetscape or furniture enhancements.

Next steps: with the construction agreement approved, staff will finalize remaining agreements and issues with GDOT and give the contractor notice to proceed later this summer.