Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Staff reports progress on Firefly Trail phase 3; MLK greenway segment moved into federal grant process
Summary
Transportation staff reported near‑completion of concrete work on Firefly Trail phase 3, utility‑related delays on a culvert replacement, and confirmed the MLK greenway segment has preliminary engineering funded via a federal grant and is on a GDOT schedule to be let for bidding around 2030.
Todd, a Transportation & Public Works staff member, updated commissioners on two major active‑transportation projects. He said concrete work on Firefly Trail phase 3 (Hancock to Moss) is about 98% complete for one segment and the contractor is finishing culvert replacement in a later segment; utility relocations remain the primary cause of delay, and staff anticipate finishing late April to early May if utilities are cleared.
On the Greenway Trail MLK Jr. Parkway segment (North Avenue to East Broad), staff explained the project advanced to a federal grant preliminary engineering phase. Todd said GDOT has the project on a schedule to be let for bidding around 2030 and that construction could require an additional 18 months, placing likely completion in the early 2030s. Staff clarified that the current grant covers preliminary engineering for the trail segment and does not include full bridge replacement; bridge replacement would require separate bridge grants or local match funding.
Commissioners discussed coordination to ensure the trail ties into street crosswalks and sidewalks at North Avenue and asked staff to confirm whether sidewalk widening and the crosswalk improvements are included in the funded plans or require additional design work. Todd said he would confirm the design scope with project managers and North Avenue designers.
Staff warned that federal funding brings additional design requirements and longer procurement and environmental review timelines (NEPA), which can make federally funded projects slower and more expensive to design than locally funded projects. Commissioners agreed to track grant timing and consider tradeoffs between securing outside funding and maintaining schedule control for local priorities.
Other staff updates included the bridge feasibility report for several local bridges and the need to pursue separate replacement or design grants for full bridge projects; staff also noted an interchange sidewalk warranty issue reported to GDOT and that project managers would follow up.
