TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Krishna Namburi, Interim City Manager
FROM: Brian D. Martin, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
title
Cooperative Improvement (Utility) Agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation for water and fiber optic utility construction on the Salem Center Street Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project.
Ward(s): 1
Councilor(s): Tigan
Neighborhood(s): West Salem Neighborhood Association, Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization (CANDO)
Result Area(s): Safe, Reliable and Efficient Infrastructure
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SUMMARY:
summary
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is undertaking a project to seismically retrofit the Center Street bridge over the Willamette River. The City has a waterline attached to the Center Street bridge crossing the Willamette River. City staff have negotiated an agreement to pay ODOT to replace the existing waterline on the bridge with a larger seismically resilient waterline. Additionally, the City has buried water and fiber optic utilities in ODOT rights-of-way (ROW) in conflict with planned construction. The City has negotiated for ODOT to relocate these utilities under the agreement.
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ISSUE:
Shall the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute the attached Cooperative Improvement (Utility) Agreement with ODOT for replacement of City water and fiber optic utilities in association with the ODOT’s Salem Center Street Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
That City Council authorize the City Manager to execute the attached Cooperative Improvement (Utility) Agreement (CIA) with Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to replace the City water and fiber optic utilities in association with the ODOT’s Salem Center Street Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The Center Street bridge waterline is one of three waterlines crossing the Willamette River that supply Salem’s water distribution system in West Salem. All three waterlines have been identified as potentially vulnerable in a major seismic event. Additionally, the City’s Water System Master Plan (master plan) identified the need for a 36-inch waterline crossing of the Willamette River. ODOT’s project to seismically retrofit the Center Street bridge provides Salem a beneficial and cost-effective opportunity to replace and upsize the waterline on the bridge to provide increased resiliency and capacity for water supply to West Salem. The City proposes to pay ODOT to replace the existing 22-inch waterline with a new 36-inch waterline.
The City has buried waterlines and a fiber optic line located in ODOT’s ROW along Front Street NE, Center Street NE, and Salem-Dallas Highway NW. These utilities conflict with ODOT’s planned construction for the project - specifically the new bridge footings and support structure. The City is responsible to relocate these utilities as a condition of our occupancy of ODOT’s ROW per Oregon Administrative Rules 734-055-0045.
The buried waterlines in conflict include an existing 24-inch waterline that connects to the waterline crossing the bridge. This waterline was previously identified in the master plan to be upsized to 36 inches; therefore, we are recommending this improvement to also occur at this time. The City proposes to pay ODOT to relocate and upsize the waterlines. The estimated cost for ODOT to relocate and upsize the waterline on the bridge and the buried waterlines in conflict is $6,900,000.
The City also proposes to pay ODOT to relocate the fiber optic line in conflict. The estimated cost for ODOT to relocate the fiber optic line is $100,000.
Including the utility work in the ODOT contract simplifies the coordination and leads to more efficient delivery of the project.
The City will deposit the total estimated costs of $7,000,000 in a Local Government Investment Pool account and actual costs will be reconciled upon completion of the project. Water distribution improvements are funded with Utility Rate funds programmed in the CIP. Existing funds within the Public Works Transportation operating budget or 2022 Safety and Livability Bond funds for redundant fiber optic system improvements are available to fund the relocation of the fiber optic line.
BACKGROUND:
ODOT’s project to retrofit the Center Street bridge over the Willamette River to ensure it remains serviceable following a major seismic event will be completed in two phases. Phase 1 includes retrofitting the sections of the bridge over the Willamette River and east of the river. ODOT is scheduled to begin construction on Phase 1 in 2026. The estimated project cost for Phase 1 is between $130 million and $200 million. Phase 2 will include retrofitting or replacing the section of the bridge west of the Willamette River and is currently unfunded.
Allen Dannen, PE,
City Engineer
Attachments:
1. Attachment 1 - Cooperative Improvement (Utility) Agreement: OR22: Center Street Bridge Waterline Replacement - Bridge No. 00123K; Key Number: 21705