RECOMMENDATION: The General Services Department recommends approval of final contract amount of $2,518,502.00 and acceptance of work on contract with Gadberry Construction Company, Inc. for Brays Bayou TIGER #6 – Trail Improvements (MLK-OST) - 5.51% over the original contract amount and within the 10% contingency.
SPECIFIC EXPLANATION: The General Services Department recommends that City Council approve the final contract amount of $2,518,502.00 or 5.51% over the original contract amount, accept the work and authorize final payment to Gadberry Construction Company, Inc. for construction services relating to the Brays Bayou TIGER #6 – Trail Improvements (MLK-OST) for the Houston Parks and Recreation Department.
PROJECT LOCATION: Along Brays Bayou from Martin Luther King Blvd. to Old Spanish Trail (534 E-G)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This project constructed 1.6 miles of new 10’ wide concrete trail along a segment of Brays Bayou from Martin Luther King Blvd. to Old Spanish Trail. The scope of work also included associated grading and drainage work, retaining walls, protective canopy under RR crossing, trail signage, shared use trail segment and cart path to connect to the University of Houston Energy Campus with the main campus; cart crossing at center median of Wheeler Rd.; a trail head, fencing, bollards, guardrails, landscaping and irrigation.
AIA Engineers, LTD was the design consultant for the project.
CONTRACT COMPLETION AND COST: The contractor completed the project within 400 days: the original contract time of 270 days plus 130 days approved by Change Orders. The final cost of the project including Change Orders is $2,518,502.00, an increase of $131,502.00 over the original contract amount.
PREVIOUS CHANGE ORDERS: Change Order Nos. 1-4 added trench drains to control water seepage across the trail; removed and replaced unsuitable soil, and 49 LF of existing concrete paving downstream from Lidstone Road; constructed 120 LF of concrete flume along the trail; removed one large tree; modified sidewalk connection at Spur 5; removed 377 LF of existing sidewalk and modified existing sidewalk along Wheeler Ave.; installed traffic buttons along Wheeler Avenue and at the UH Energy Campus; added wider trail transition and turning radius to access ramp, modified metal canopy, surveyed curb wall for future railing, paid remobilization cost as contractor was forced to relocate because of conflicts with Harris County Flood Control District contract and added noncompensable days to contract for inclement weather.
DBE PARTICIPATION: The contract contained a 12% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal in compliance with federal grant regulations. According to the Office of Business Opportunity, the contractor achieved 37.95% DBE participation and was assigned an outstanding rating.
WBS No: F-TIGER4-0006-4
DIRECTOR’S SIGNATURE/DATE:
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C. J. Messiah, Jr.
General Services Department
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Stephen Wright
Houston Parks and Recreation Department