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CHANGE ORDER NO. ONE TO CONTRACT K-1314-48: BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AND MARCUM'S NURSERY INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $1,200 FOR A REVISED CONTRACT PRICE OF $154,230 FOR THE ROBINSON UNDERPASS LANDSCAPE AND IRRIGATION PROJECT AND FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROJECT.
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BACKGROUND: The Robinson Street Underpass Project is a General Obligation Bond Project that was approved by the voters in March, 2005. The project boundaries are approximately 500 feet west of Flood Avenue to 500 feet east of Stubbeman Avenue. The City secured federal funding for the project from four sources: (1) the Transportation and Community and System Preservation (TCSP) Program, (2) two line items in the SAFETEA-LU legislation, which was signed into law by the President of the United States in 2005, (3) Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) and (4) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funding.
On October 25, 2005, City Council approved Contract K-0506-82, a project agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) in order to secure federal funds for the Robinson Street Underpass Project. This project removed the at-grade railroad crossing on Robinson Street by rebuilding Robinson Street underneath a new railroad bridge. This project also provided additional turn lanes at the intersections of Flood Avenue/Robinson Street and Stubbeman Avenue/Robinson Street (see the attached location map). On December 22, 2009, Council approved Amendment No. 1 to Contract K-0506-82, a Project Agreement with ODOT for the construction of the Robinson Street Grade Separation Project.
The total budget for the Robinson Street Underpass Project included funding for the landscaping project; however, past projects managed by ODOT that included landscape and irrigation pay items typically had higher unit prices. Landscape and irrigation projects bid and managed by the City tend to bring lower contract prices and a better finished product. Therefore, the City chose to manage the contract for landscaping and irrigation improvements following completion of the infrastructure project for the Robinson Street Underpass Project. The infrastructure portion of the Robinson Street Underpass Project was substantially completed in December 2012 with a final construction cost of $16,317,350. The total project cost including design engineering, right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation is $26,674,800.
On November 12, 2013, City Council approved Contract K-1314-48, a Construction Contract with Marcum's Nursery for the Robinson Street Underpass Landscape and Irrigation Project for $153,030.
DISCUSSION: Since temperature determines when each type of plant or tree can be installed, the contract time was split up to install trees in the winter and shrubs and grasses in the spring. Between December and February, Marcum's Nursery installed four different types of trees, 61 in total, prepared the flower beds and installed most of the irrigation system. In late March after temperatures reached appropriate levels, the contractor planted seven different species of shrubs and grasses in flower beds in the median and around the retaining walls, and installed the remaining irrigation system.
Five of the trees planted died and have been replaced. It was determined that the soils south of Robinson Street and west of the railroad tracks do not drain very well. Because of this, the trees roots were staying saturated, killing the trees. The final change order for $1,200 is for additional irrigation sprinklers needed to replace the previously installed drip lines which were supplying too much water. These sprinklers will prevent the soil from becoming saturated and thus, will not kill the new trees.
The Robinson Street Underpass Landscape and Irrigation Project construction began in December, 2013 and was considered substantially complete in August 2014. Changing out the drip lines for the new sprinklers cost $1,200, increasing the contract to $154,230 or a 0.80% increase. Funds are available in the Robinson Street Railroad Grade Separation Utility (account 050-9065-431.67-01; project TR0203).
RECOMMENDATION No. 1: Staff recommends approval of Change Order No. 1 increasing Contract K-1314-48 with Marcum's Nursery by $1,200.
RECOMMENDATION No. 2: Staff further recommends final acceptance of the Robinson Street Underpass Landscape and Irrigation Project, Contract K-1314-48, with Marcum's Nursery.