City awards $901,634 design contract for Roberts Drive sidepath phase 1

The City of Sandy Springs on May 19 approved a staff recommendation to award a design contract to Atkins Realis USA for the Roberts Drive sidepath phase 1 project (S2123) in the amount of $901,634.17.

Public Works Director Marty Martin told the council the project — funded in part by federal funds from the Atlanta Regional Commission through GDOT and matched locally — will extend a 12-foot-wide concrete side path, add landscaping, street trees and mid-block pedestrian crossings to improve pedestrian access from Dunwoody Place to Roberts Drive. The RFQ process shortlisted four firms; Atkins Realis received the highest evaluation score under GDOT’s qualifications-based, consensus scoring method and negotiated scope clarifications to align price with an internal independent estimate.

Martin said staff reviewed Atkins’ scope and negotiated changes to match the city’s independent cost estimate and clarified the level of service. Council members asked about the inability to view other firms’ price proposals (a standard outcome of qualifications-based selection) and requested future transparency to see staff estimates compared with awarded prices. The public-works director estimated design work would take approximately two years, with concept work presented to the public in about one year.

Council voted to approve the contract and authorize the city manager to execute it. Staff said adequate local matching funds are available in the project account and that GDOT oversight will be required for the federally funded elements.