The Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously voted to approve a construction contract in the total amount of $754,160 to fund the addition of sidewalks and bike lanes making it safer for Riverdale Elementary students to bike and walk to school.
The project is 100 percent funded using state grant funds.
This Capital Improvements Project is an effort to increase safety for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists within the Riverdale school zone. Construction is funded through the State of Tennessee’s Safe Routes to School Program. Work is expected to begin May 28 and be completed by the beginning of the new school year in August. Planned improvements include:
- Poplar Estates Parkway – installation of pavement markings and signage to include bike lanes on both sides from Poplar Avenue to Corsica Road. No sidewalk will be constructed along this section.
- Miller Farms Road – installation of sidewalk, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps, driveways, crosswalks and signage along the west side from Apple Valley Road to greenway trail north of Hollow Fork Road.
- Great Oaks Road – installation of sidewalk, ADA curb ramps, driveways, crosswalks and signage along the south side from Poplar Estates Parkway to greenway trail at East Churchill Downs,
- Neshoba Road – installation of pavement markings and signage to include a bike lane on the south side from Riverdale Road to trail just east of Tamarack Lane. No sidewalk will be constructed along this section.
- Oak Run Drive – installation of sidewalk, ADA curb ramps, driveways, crosswalks and signage along the north side from Riverdale Road to Miller Farms Road.
In 2016, the BMA approved a Safe Routes to School agreement with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) for phase one of the design and construction of sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks and signage within a one mile radius zone of Riverdale School. In 2017, the BMA approved an agreement with TDOT for phase two of the project. In January of 2018, the BMA approved a Professional Services Agreement with the Pickering Firm for design services related to both phases of the project.
The design of phase one was 90 percent complete and the design of phase two was completed and put out for bid during the summer of 2018. Construction bids were ultimately rejected due to being considerably over budget and the project was placed on hold until funding shortfalls were addressed with TDOT.
TDOT recommended that both phases of the project be bundled into one bid package, which would allow for economies of scale benefits on some of the smaller quantity items and potentially lower construction bids.
In March, the project was put back out to bid and GCM, Inc. provided the lowest bid in the amount of $754,160.
