Ann Mallek forwarded the following email to me the other day; it contains a lot of good information. What questions do you have for Mrs. Mallek? Will you be asking her these questions on Monday?
Safe routes to school:
The official “kick-off” meeting, required with VDOT, was conducted February 7th ; we have a copy of the fully executed “grant” agreement and notice to proceed. The physical survey has been completed. I was informed that if we want to design in-house (as I had planned) I must submit a “finding of public interest” justification for VDOT approval. We recently completed interviews for our “term” (on-call) contracts for civil engineering and environmental services and will be finalizing our selections this week. I have submitted our procurement process to VDOT to see if it would be acceptable to use one of these “term” contract engineers to prepare the plans. If VDOT says “no” and we decide to use a consultant, then we’ll need to do a separate advertisement for requests for proposals and consultant interviews. It’s unfortunate but it’s all part of the strings (or web) attached to grant funding.
Expected bid time for parking lot on library site:
Site plan review is in progress and will be reviewed by the ARB in March. Construction of the parking lot is stilled anticipated this summer.
Expected moving of utilities for streetscape: underway now?
I have 4 utility easements remaining that I’ve been actively pursuing but progress has been slow. Two for CenturyLink and two for Dominion Power.
Expected work on streetscape?
Phase 2A – Main Street “substantially complete” and contractor is addressing punch-list items from the staff and VDOT inspection. Construction will be complete in March, then we’ll start gathering documents needed to submit for VDOT acceptance.
Phase 2 – Crozet Avenue: Utilities must be moved and all right-of-way acquired before we’ll get VDOT approval to move into the construction phase. I have 5 property owners whom
I’ve been working with to obtain their signatures. One signed on Friday and the documents are being FedEx’d and I’ve been working with owners mortgage company to coordinate their signatures. I’m looking at the feasibility of alternatives to realign a drainage easement, requested from another property, to minimize impacts. I
I’ve been working a long time to resolve the owner issues for one right-of-way dedication and I’m hoping to get word that they’re ready to sign later this week. Negotiations for right-of-way dedications from Crozet Methodist and Blue Goose have been delayed by VDOT. VDOT had a parking plan prepared (by our consultant) to serve as the cost basis for their acquisition of the Jarmans Gap Road right-of-way. It also was to serve as a means to demonstrate how the Church and Blue Goose future parking plans and our proposed shared entrance onto Crozet Avenue would work in concert. However, VDOT has not allowed our consultant to release the drawing to the Church until VDOT made a new offer. It’s my understanding that the VDOT’s attorney has sent the appraisal/offer information to the Central Office and is pushing to expedite approval to prevent us further delay.
Jarman’s Gap construction continues this summer with the short term closing for the culvert.
VDOT is currently on schedule to begin construction this summer.
Other projects?
Crozet Stormwater basin project construction is expected to begin this summer.
Thank you.
The above is from an email between Ann Mallek, our representative on the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and Jack Kelsey, Transportation Engineer with the Office of Facilities Development and is posted with permission. I edited it a tiny bit for structure but not content.
