Consideration and Approval of Contract:  Lone Tree Overpass Project - Award of the Fourth Amendment to the Design-Build Contract with Ames Construction to add GMP 2 in an amount not to exceed $25,688,601.15.
 

1. Award of the Fourth Amendment to the Design-Build Contract with Ames Construction to add GMP 2 in an amount not to exceed $25,688,601.15; and 
2. Approve a time extension of 1,227 calendar days; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.

The Lone Tree Overpass Project ("Overpass" or "Project") has been under design since 2021 and involved extensive coordination with project partners (BNSF Railway, Arizona Department of Transportion, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), City Council, City Boards and Comissions, and the public. This effort has resulted in a design for new rail improvements from Ponderosa Parkway to San Francisco Street, an extension of Lone Tree Road north to a new intersection with Route 66, a new overpass over the rail corridor and future Rio de Flag, and protected bicycle/pedestrian intersections and advanced multimodal improvements per the City's Active Transportation Master Plan.  

This Fourth Amendment for Phase I of the Project will provide for the first phase of construction work which will complete improvements on Lone Tree Road from Brannen Avenue south to O'Leary Street. This contract also includes several items which contribute to the future Phase II of the project, including engineering post design services and esthetics coordination and production in anticipation of Amendment 5.  

The Lone Tree Overpass Project (north of Butler Avenue) is currently budgeted in FY2024-2025 in the amount of $31,436,856 in the Transportation Fund (Prop 420), Account Number 047-10-112-3054-6. The Lone Tree Corridor Project (south of Butler Avenue) is currently budgeted in FY2024-2025 in the amount of $9,369,767 in the Transportation Fund (Prop 419), Account Number 048-10-118-3495-6. The cost for the public art design will be provided from the Beautification, Arts, and Sciences Program, Account Number 051-07-212-3567-5 with total project budget of $1.3 million in FY2024-2025.

The total contract for Amendment four is split accordingly:
 

PROJECT	ACCOUNT	COST
Lone Tree Overpass	047-10-112-3054-6	$10,574,380.77
Lone Tree Corridor	048-10-118-3495-6	$14,864,220.38
Beautification/Art	051-07-212-3567-5	$250,000.00
	TOTAL	$25,688,601.15

 
The Lone Tree Corridor Project (south of Butler Avenue) is projected to be over budget by approximately $5 million and staff will need to re-prioritize projects within Proposition 419 funding to balance this overage as part of FY2025-2026 budget process.

A previous City Council reviewed options for the Lone Tree Overpass Project and directed staff to prepare ballot language for a $73M bond project to be funded through secondary property tax in the 2018 election, which was passed by the Flagstaff voters.

On February 2, 2021, the City Council awarded the Design-Build to Ames Construction.
On September 7, 2021, the First Amendment to the Contract was approved.
On March 1, 2022, the Second Amendment to the Contract was approved.
On February 21, 2023, the Third Amendment, GMP 1, was approved. 
 

1. Approve the Fourth Amendment to the Design-Build Contract with Ames Construction as presented; or, 
2. Reject the Fourth Amendment and direct staff to re-negotiate the terms and fee structure with Ames Construction.  

The Lone Tree Overpass has been a planned project for over two decades in the Flagstaff community. The Lone Tree Overpass Study, which evaluated conceptual design options for the bridge and adjacent surface streets was completed in 2010. The goal of the Project is to provide better connectivity for the City's transportation network and provide a grade-separated crossing over the BNSF Railway corridor and the future Rio de Flag channel, which increases safety and convenience for vehicular and multi-modal commuters. 

The Overpass project also coordinates with the future planned improvements of the Lone Tree Corridor reconstruction, which was studied in a report completed in 2006. The Lone Tree Corridor and Overpass serves to connect the southern area of town with the Route 66 corridor and provides an option that reduces congestion on other roadway corridors, including Milton Road.  The two projects were integrated in design and construction to provide and cohesive and coordinated improvement north and south of the Butler Avenue Intersection along Lone Tree Road.

In November 2018, the voters were asked to approve a ballot measure to fund the Overpass (Proposition 420) and a separate ballot measure to fund the Corridor Improvements (Proposition 419). Both propositions passed.

In the fall of 2020, Ames Construction was selected by a six-member evaluation committee as the most qualified service provider for the Project pursuant to the evaluation and ranking process per A.R.S. sec. 34-603.

On February 2, 2021, Council awarded the Design-Build Contract with Ames Construction, on September 7, 2021, the First Amendment was approved, and on March 1, 2022, the Second Amendment was approved. These initial contracts included scope for preliminary roadway/bridge/intersection/rail design, agency coordination, right-of way acquisition and relocation, utility/drainage design and coordination, Economic Impact Study, public involvement, surveying, environmental clearances, and geotechnical analysis. The Third Amendment provided for an early construction work package that includes cost for demolition of existing buildings, railway shoring design, and contingencies for subsurface utility investigation, esthetics and public art design, environmental clean up.

This Fourth Amendment will deliver a substantial portion of the construction, which includes all underground, roadway, and multimodal improvements from Brannen Avenue south to O'Leary Street. 

Livable Community - 
Provide amenities and activities that support a healthy lifestyle.
Achieve a well-maintained community through comprehensive and equitable code compliance and development.

Environmental Stewardship - 
Strengthen Flagstaff’s resilience to climate change impacts on built, natural, economic, health, and social systems
Implement and enhance sustainable building practices, waste diversion programs, alternative energy programs, and multimodal transportation options

Goal T.I. Improve mobility and access throughout the region.

• Policy T.1.1. Integrate a balanced, multimodal, regional transportation system.
• Policy T.1.2. Apply Complete Street Guidelines to accommodate all appropriate
• modes of travel in transportation improvement projects.
• Policy T.1.3. Transportation systems are consistent with the place type and needs
• of people.
• Policy T.1.4. Provide a continuous transportation system with convenient transfer
• from one mode to another.
• Policy T.1.5. Manage the operation and interaction of all modal systems for efficiency, effectiveness, safety, and to best mitigate traffic congestion.
• Policy T.1.6. Provide and promote strategies that increase alternate modes of
• travel and demand for vehicular travel to reduce peak period traffic.
• Policy T.1.7. Coordinate transportation and other public infrastructure investments efficiently to achieve land use and economic goals.
• Policy T.1.8. Plan for development to provide on-site, publicly-owned transportation improvements and provide adequate parking.

Decreased Dependence on Cars - DD-1 - Create inclusive networks for walking and biking that are continuous, attractive, safe, comprehensive, and convenient for people of all ages.

• Fund and implement the Active Transportation Master Plan.
• Fully fund bike and pedestrian infrastructure capital improvements to create complete and comfortable bike and pedestrian networks, safe routes to school improvements, and a complete and comfortable system of pedestrian crossings and sidewalks.
• Convert appropriate streets to multi-modal and complete streets through road diets or creating multi-modal lanes. When right-of-way is limited, redistribute the available space to accommodate more users and better reflect climate priorities.
• Create an integrated system of protected lands, the Flagstaff Urban Trail System, and trail corridors that support mode shift, public health, and affordable living.

None

None