Update on Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project Copyright 2014
City of Dubuque Action Items # 6.
ITEM TITLE: Update on Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project
SUMMARY: City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is providing an update regarding the proposed
construction schedule for the Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration
Project.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
❑ Upper Bee Branch Creek Construction Schedule-MVM Memo City Manager Memo
❑ Staff Memo Staff Memo
❑ Map Supporting Documentation
THE CITY OF Dubuque
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Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2007-2012-2013
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Upper Bee Branch Creek Construction Schedule
DATE: December 29, 2014
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is providing an update regarding the proposed construction
schedule for the Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project.
// ',J� k�4
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
THE CITY OF Du� bu�que
DUB L All-AmeoicaNy
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Masterpiece vra the Mississippi 2.007,„,,r,,,,,,
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer � �-
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DATE: December 29, 2014
SUBJECT: Upper Bee Branch Creek Construction Schedule
(CIP#7201654 �)
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an update regarding the proposed
construction schedule for the Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project.
DISCUSSION
It is standard practice to construct conveyance improvements such as the Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project from downstream to upstream, from lower to upper.
Construction of the downstream Lower Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project was
completed in the fall of 2011. It stopped just south of the property owned and operated
by Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). Construction of the Upper Bee Branch Creek
Restoration Project was to follow with construction of the first part through the railroad
property up to a point just south of Rhomberg Avenue (Part 1) followed by the second
part from Rhomberg Avenue to 24th Street (Part 2). Therefore, the City has been
working diligently to reach an agreement with CPR regarding the design of Part 1
through CPR property in order to proceed with construction of the Upper Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project.
On October 31, 2014 CPR responded to the City's September 10, 2014 design
submittal. CPR did request changes to the proposed construction specifications.
However, they stipulated that "if the modifications and responses (identified by CPR)
are incorporated, CPR will accept the construction documents.” The City's design
engineers characterized the response from CPR as a conditional acceptance of the
documents. The requested changes have been incorporated and resubmitted to CPR in
Early December 2014. Once CPR accepts the design through their property, a
Construction & Maintenance Agreement can be finalized and the City could initiate
bidding. At best it will take several weeks to a few months to reach that point which will
be too late to construct Part 1 of the Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project
through CPR property in 2015 and too late for the entire Bee Branch Creek Restoration
Project to be substantially complete and functional by the end of 2016.
Anticipating this possibility, the design engineers looked into the feasibility of
constructing the upstream portion of the Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project
before the downstream portion through CPR property. Again, in general it is best to
construct conveyance improvements from downstream to upstream. This is because
building the upstream conveyance first can:
• Create a bottleneck, minimizing the benefit of the upstream conveyance until the
downstream conveyance is complete;
• Create downstream flooding when more runoff is conveyed to an undersized,
downstream facility;
• Make it more difficult for a contractor to manage stormwater during construction
of the project; and
• Add cost to the project.
The City's engineering design team was able to develop an approach that would enable
the City to move forward with the construction of the Upper Bee Branch Creek
Restoration Project upstream of the CPR property. It involves construction of a
temporary connection to the existing Bee Branch storm sewer just upstream of CPR
property. From this temporary connection, a box culvert will be extended to the north
through Garfield Avenue. Construction of the Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration
Project would then proceed in the desired fashion from downstream to upstream, from
Garfield Avenue to 24th Street. The temporary connection would:
• Result in some flood prevention benefits due to the upstream conveyance
improvements;
• Prevent the upstream improvements from flooding downstream property; and
• Provide the construction contractor the means to adequate manage stormwater
through the construction site.
While the actual cost of the temporary connection is estimated to be between $250,000
and $300,000, it would be offset entirely by the simple cost of inflation that would occur
if the Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project is delayed for yet another year. The
temporary connection could also ease the construction of the full-scale transition
structure to be built just upstream of CPR property and potentially lead to some cost
savings associated with construction of the improvements through the railroad property.
The other financial implications associated with the schedule have to do with the
schedules and timelines set forth in various funding/grant agreements. The City could
risk the loss of$3 million in grant funding if the substantial completion date is delayed
beyond 2016.
Construction plans are currently being developed for the Upper Bee Branch Creek
Restoration Project which will now entail all improvements north of the CPR property.
The work associated with the Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project will be done
under three contracts:
1. Grading, Utilities (water main, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer relocation), and
Streets;
2
2. Structures (bridges, box culverts, etc.); and
3. Hike/Bike Trails
The proposed schedule at this time is to ready the first two contracts in order to initiate
bidding in March of 2015. Due to the funding, the third contract will follow as an IDOT
letting later in the fall.
The City will work towards finalizing an agreement with CPR as soon as possible
following their acceptance of the design of the improvements through CPR property.
Ideally, this can be accomplished in the next few months so that bidding of the Upper
Bee Branch Creek Railroad Crossing Project can proceed in the fall of 2015 in time for
construction to start in early 2016.
Over the next few months the City plans to host multiple public meetings where City
staff will provide a project overview, explain the Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration
design, and share the tentative construction schedule. The meetings also provide an
opportunity for citizens to ask questions and share information.
Prepared by Deron Muehring
Cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Deron Muehring, Civil Engineer II
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