City Hall’s finance committee will meet Monday to discuss, among other things, a substantial increase in the cost to design and get permits for a pedestrian and bike bridge through the marsh on U.S. 17. The finance committee makes recommendations to the City Commission. It does not have the final say on financial matters.
The committee is made up of Brunswick Mayor Cosby Johnson, Commissioner Felicia Harris and Finance Director Kathy Mills. Currently, a concrete bike and pedestrian path extend from the Sidney Lanier Bridge to Overlook Park on the east side of the road. The sidewalk continues from there on the west side. The bridge would allow for cyclists and pedestrians to continue on the east side of the road on connect to the path on the F.J. Torras Causeway.
Initially, the estimated cost for the design and permit phase was $1.2 million, with Georgia Department of Transportation grants paying for 80% of the cost and the rest coming from SPLOST 2016 revenue. The city contracted with DRMP, Inc., to handle both tasks.
“During the preparation of the original design agreement, several assumptions were made regarding the design, alignment and other aspects of the trail,” a memo from city Public Works Director Garrow Alberson says. “During the concept development portion of the project, DRMP and the project team found that many of the assumptions were valid while others were significantly changed.”
The revised estimate is $2.05 million. If GDOT agrees to give the city further grant funding for the program, the city’s match will increase from around $240,000 to over $400,000. Alberson’s memo suggests pulling that additional funding from SPLOST 2022 proceeds.
