City of Ann Arbor hires firm for $3.6 million to help manage Stadium bridges replacement project
A company called Parsons Brinckerhoff Michigan Inc. will be paid $3.6 million to help manage the East Stadium Boulevard bridges replacement project.
The Ann Arbor City Council voted 10-0 Monday night to approve a contract with PBM for project management and construction engineering services.
The council also voted 10-0 to approve a third amendment to a contract with Northwest Consultants Inc. for nearly $610,000 worth of additional construction engineering and design engineering services for the project, which is slated to start later this fall.
Homayoon Pirooz
Homayoon Pirooz, head of the city's project management unit, said the city issued a request for proposals for project management services in January that netted offers from six firms. City officials selected PBM based on its past experience with similar projects.
Pirooz said the city needed to retain the services of a team with expertise in bridge and structural engineering, as well as underground utility and roadway construction. He said the services provided by PBM, when augmented with the expertise from NCI, should provide the seamless construction engineering and project management services needed.
To date, the City Council has approved $1.6 million for planning and design engineering services with NCI. With the latest amendment, that goes up to $2.2 million.
Pirooz said he expects crews to begin work on the project around Oct. 3, with a detour and the closure of the Stadium bridges to all traffic starting Nov. 28.
South State Street also is expected to be closed to traffic for two weeks at that time to demolish the bridge and install storm sewer that is needed in a future phase of the project.
East Stadium Boulevard is expected to reopen to traffic around Nov. 14, 2012. Final completion of the project — including final restoration, completion of pavement markings and other related tasks — is expected around May 30, 2013.
The council is expected to approve an agreement with the state in August that defines each party's rights and responsibilities. At that time, Pirooz said he'll provide council members with an update on the project budget and financing plan.
The construction engineering services for the project are expected to be funded from a combination of sources, including the street reconstruction millage, alternative transportation fund, major street fund, as well as the water, sewer and stormwater funds.
Council Member Tony Derezinski, D-2nd Ward, was absent.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.
Comments
Bill
Fri, Aug 19, 2011 : 3:10 p.m.
How much art will be a part of this project?
15crown00
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 1:58 p.m.
that's an awful lot of money to manage a bunch of cement trucks and a whole lot of semi skilled workers.
Joslyn at the U
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 11:47 p.m.
Wow who voted for these clowns in city council or the mayor for that fact. Ann Arbor you are a true glutton for punishment.
Skyjockey43
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 10:52 p.m.
Better yet, check out how the Japanese are repairing all their infrastructure in months after total devastation. The city of Ann Arbor should feel ashamed and humiliated. Also, while I'm glad that the bridge is finally being taken care of, I'm not sure I'd be all too thrilled if I were a taxpayer in Boise, Idaho knowing their tax dollars were going to a fairly affluent college town such as this to repair a bridge that our fair city has been neglecting for decades.
Bogie
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 6:15 p.m.
I would love to see A2.com ask questions of these people. I mean, come on, one of the other comments referring to a bridge being built over the Tennessee river for less!!! That is sad, and the politicians around here, wonder why people are moving down near the Tennessee river. I sure would like to see more investigative reporting.
rcastentman
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 5:05 p.m.
In Tennessee, they're replacing this bridge over the Tennessee River: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Memorial_Bridge" rel='nofollow'>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Memorial_Bridge</a> at a cost of $21.5 million. It's over 1800 feet long and has to be high enough for barges and ships to pass under. Just sayin'.....
racerx
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 2:45 p.m.
This is a welcome changed. Remember how long both of the replacements of the Broadway Street bridge and the Huron Parkway bridge took and the associated problems afterwards? Seemingly, city staff was overwhelmed with those projects. Glad to know however that construction will begin after Nov. 28th., end of football season!
Sooze
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 1:06 p.m.
Yes to Will Warner. When the bridges were built there was lots of RR traffic, but no more. One train a day (usually at 2am) does NOT require a multi-million dollar bridge nor is State any busier than all the other streets that have normal intersections. Before it is too late reconsider doing away with the bridges and having a flat roadway with one barely used railroad gate on Stadium. Check out the train schedule and all the gates in town to see if this is feasible.
CynicA2
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 5:56 p.m.
Perhaps you are new to Ann Arbor, but these issues were fully debated, here and elsewhere, 1-2 years ago. Basically, it boils down to traffic engineering considerations, and the fact that the railroad has absolutely no interest in granting right of way for a grade crossing there. It is sooooo settled.
CynicA2
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 5:42 p.m.
Actually, this rail line is quite active, though mostly during evening and night-time hours. Railcars are shuttled back and forth through downtown on and off, all night long. You must not live near downtown, or you would hear all the horn-blowing that drives everyone nuts, but is mandated for safety reasons. Drunks and locomotives don't mix.
Plubius
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 12:46 p.m.
Unreal. I bet a competent engineering firm could build the bridge for $3.6M. What an incredible joke - sadly, those of us paying the bill are not laughing. (Please don't say that the project is federally funded - where do you think that money comes from if not our pockets?) The other thing which is truly amazing is that they are planning on the project's lasting for 19 months. When the Santa Monica Freeway collapsed, they had is repaired in less than 70 days. And that bridge is significantly larger than the rinky-dink bridge being replaced here.
Skyjockey43
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 10:40 p.m.
Better yet, check out how the Japanese are repairing all their infrastructure in months after total devastation. The city of Ann Arbor should feel ashamed and humiliated. Also, while I'm glad that the bridge is finally being taken care of, I'm not sure I'd be all too thrilled if I were a taxpayer in Boise, Idaho knowing their tax dollars were going to a fairly affluent college town such as this to repair a bridge that our fair city has been neglecting for decades.
zip the cat
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 12:12 p.m.
What are we paying Mr pirooz and his fellow engineers to do Get out of your glass house and do your job and there will be no need to hire outside help Wow!!!!, When will the circus end
a2roots
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 6:50 p.m.
This is not some backyard project that can be managed by a small staff. There are plenty of other projects going on that also need their attention.
Bertha Venation
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 12:40 p.m.
Hopefully, when we all get smart and vote out city council!
Will Warner
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 11:40 a.m.
I have no expertise in traffic engineering, but I wonder if just removing the bridge is an option. I can't remember the last time I saw a train on those tracks, so I'm thinking a railroad crossing gate there would be up most of the time. And this would permit the direct intersection of Stadium and S. State. Also, got to be cheaper.
CynicA2
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 5:39 p.m.
Actually, this rail line is quite active, though mostly during evening and night-time hours. Railcars are shuttled back and forth through downtown on and off, all night long. You must not live near downtown, or you would hear all the horn-blowing that drives everyone nuts, but is mandated for safety reasons. Drunks and locomotives don't mix.
foobar417
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 1:33 p.m.
The tracks are still active. The RR is a private property owner. The city is not entitled to an at-grade crossing. The RR has shown no interest in granting one. The city engineers have looked at and rejected an at grade crossing. Much of this is detailed on previous threads of previous articles and on the city's webpage.
Forever27
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 12:59 p.m.
I believe those tracks are still active, albeit minimally.
DonBee
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 10:32 a.m.
$5.8 million of $23 million in design and management. That is beyond the usual 20 percent when the project is finished, and ground has not been broken yet. "Danger, Will Robinson" -Robot, Lost in Space