Dear Community Members:
On Tuesday, 5 October 2021, the Flagstaff City Council approved Change Order 4 to the design contract for the J.W. Powell Specific Plan Study. This approval provides the time extension and funding for Peak Engineering Inc., the engineering consultant, to develop, evaluate, and cultivate 30-percent design of an alternative alignment for the new JW Powell roadway extension. This potential realignment of the roadway would relocate the future regional arterial from the rural residential neighborhood along the South Fourth Street Corridor. The scope of this change order will include the conceptual roadway design, design of the public utilities, a re-evaluation and exhibit of the resource protection resources, a revision of the preliminary drainage analysis, and an updated construction cost comparison for the proposed alternative alignment. This level of design will provide a comparison to the original alignment design work as presented to City Council in October 2020.
Upon completion of the 30-percent design of an alternative alignment, the design consultant, along with City Staff, will present to City Council on which alignment to move forward with into the Planning Phase, Phase 2, of the JWP Specific Plan Study. The 30-percent design will allow the design team and City Council to be able to compare the estimated cost of construction and other factors for the original alignment versus the alternative alignment.
Over the next year, as the 30-percent design work for the alternative alignment is underway, the design team will continue meetings with property owners.
The decision on the final roadway alignment will ultimately be made by City Council through the Regional Plan Amendment (Specific Plan) process.
Thank you for your patience while the design team continues to work on the project design.