Burlington City Council heard an update from the city’s Public Works department on the Champlain Parkway project during Monday night’s meeting.Champlain Parkway, once completed in its entirety, would connect downtown Burlington to Interstate 189.Director of Public Works Chapin Spencer, joined by city engineers and project leaders, shared the nearly $41 million joint-bid made by S.D. Ireland and Kubricky Construction for the initial phase that they’d like to begin this summer.This first phase would take place in the city’s South End, between Home Avenue and Kilburn Street. The benefits from this phase, project leaders said, include: A new 25-mph grid street between Home Avenue and Lakeside Avenue A new storm water pond and new storm water sand filter New shared use paths A new midblock crosswalk Pine St & Arts RiotAn enhanced Pine Street Undergrounded utilities on Lakeside Ave between Pine St and new portion of the Champlain Parkway City Councilors expressed concerns over the bid price. The initial estimate for this phase was over $26.5 million. The 57% jump was attributed to Covid-19 supply shortages, inflation, energy impacts due to the war in Ukraine, as well as the city’s unattractiveness to contractors. “It just feels like, based on the numbers that we’re shown, we’re somewhat getting gouged in the sense that this price is not being set by the cost of doing the work its being set by the market dynamics and the limited supply of contractors,” Councilor Jack Hanson, East Ward, said. “The fact that there is one bidder, they can go really high with that and still get the job so it’s a tough pill to swallow.”Director Chapin added that he is interested in working with city council on ways to present Burlington as a more ideal location for contractors to bid on projects. He pointed to the city’s dense population as one major reason companies don’t want some projects. If this phase is approved, they’d plan to begin before July 1 with a completion date around October 2024.
Burlington City Council heard an update from the city’s Public Works department on the Champlain Parkway project during Monday night’s meeting.
Champlain Parkway, once completed in its entirety, would connect downtown Burlington to Interstate 189.
Director of Public Works Chapin Spencer, joined by city engineers and project leaders, shared the nearly $41 million joint-bid made by S.D. Ireland and Kubricky Construction for the initial phase that they’d like to begin this summer.
This first phase would take place in the city’s South End, between Home Avenue and Kilburn Street. The benefits from this phase, project leaders said, include:
- A new 25-mph grid street between Home Avenue and Lakeside Avenue
- A new storm water pond and new storm water sand filter
- New shared use paths
- A new midblock crosswalk Pine St & Arts Riot
- An enhanced Pine Street
- Undergrounded utilities on Lakeside Ave between Pine St and new portion of the Champlain Parkway
City Councilors expressed concerns over the bid price. The initial estimate for this phase was over $26.5 million. The 57% jump was attributed to Covid-19 supply shortages, inflation, energy impacts due to the war in Ukraine, as well as the city’s unattractiveness to contractors.
“It just feels like, based on the numbers that we’re shown, we’re somewhat getting gouged in the sense that this price is not being set by the cost of doing the work its being set by the market dynamics and the limited supply of contractors,” Councilor Jack Hanson, East Ward, said. “The fact that there is one bidder, they can go really high with that and still get the job so it’s a tough pill to swallow.”
Director Chapin added that he is interested in working with city council on ways to present Burlington as a more ideal location for contractors to bid on projects. He pointed to the city’s dense population as one major reason companies don’t want some projects.
If this phase is approved, they’d plan to begin before July 1 with a completion date around October 2024.
