Title
Approving a Weiss Lane Roadway Improvements Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with Travis County and authorizing the City Manager to execute same.
Summary
The current ILA was approved following the City's 2014 General Obligation bond election in November 2014 approving funds to collaborate with Travis County to construct Weiss Lane safety improvements. The scope included rehabilitation of the existing two lanes, the construction of 4-foot shoulders on both sides and left turn lanes at roadway intersections. The ILA further defined project development and project management roles and responsibilities of the city and the county in which the city was to be the lead jurisdiction with requirements for concurrence at various stages of the project. This ILA does not consider the narrow bridge at Wilbarger Creek. This bridge is a separately managed project exclusively under the purview of Travis County.
As both projects were advancing through design simultaneously, a number of challenges were identified related to this bridge and implementation of the Weiss Lane project. Staff approached Travis County with these concerns and represented a willingness to take the lead on this project as well.
Among the challenges to the project imposed on the city are as follows:
- Bridge replacement, dictating need for detour, implications to the city (signal construction) and residents of city and county
- Bridge location and proximity to the city’s 24” wastewater force main
- Bridge elevation, such that it may be susceptible to inundation and creating backwater issues
- Bridge width, originally only scoped to be 2 lanes wide without shoulders, it was to be increased to include 4’ shoulders. Ideally, it should be constructed with 3 lanes or to support future expansion to 3 lanes, but also include pedestrian facilities since the transportation plan shows Weiss Lane as a 6-lane corridor (ultimately).
In our meeting, these challenges were discussed and we mutually identified the following path to resolution by proposing revisions to the ILA to address these issues:
- Travis County would cease work with Atkins on the bridge component and permit the City of Pflugerville and its consultant (LJA) to resume the project.
- Travis County would reallocate unspent funds to the City, approximately $700K. The engineers estimate for construction is approximately $900K.
- Pflugerville would design / construct the bridge to the appropriate elevation to clear the 100-year event so as not to create a detrimental impact to the floodplain.
- Pflugerville would retain the existing bridge until construction of the new bridge is complete, mitigating the need for a road closure.
- Pflugerville would exert full control of the project to ensure that the force main is not adversely affected.
- Pflugerville would accept responsibility for any additional costs incurred as a result of these changes.
In addition, the following advantages would result. First, no extensive road closure would be necessary to construct the bridge west of the current location. Second, it is no longer necessary to accelerate the construction of traffic signals at the SH 130 Frontage Roads and Pflugerville Parkway. The overall project scope would not be affected which is to construct 4 lanes from Kelly Lane to just north of Wilbarger Creek. There will then be a transition from the four lane section to two lanes to E. Pecan Street.
Status
City and County staff have been collaborating to yeild the final revised agreement, attached and recommended for approval. Approval by Travis County Commissioners Court is also required.
Prior City Council Action
The existing ILA was approved by Pflugerville in November, 2014. A summary presentation of the proposed changes was provided to the City Council in the April 26th Worksession.
Deadline for City Council Action
N/A
Projected Future City Council Action
No additional action is anticipated.
Fiscal Impact
The improvements to Weiss Lane are being funded with General Obligation Bonds approved by voters in 2014 and 2015. Staff anticipates additional design costs for the bridge and redesign of portions of the roadway transition to be $115,000.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends approval.
Drafter
Trey Fletcher, AICP
Assistant City Manager