HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 01-24-2017 - 13-8 - Information Item - Status of Eubanks Road Waste & Recycling Facilities ProjectMemorandum
To: Board of County Commissioners
From: Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Management Director
Subject: Information Report – Status of Eubanks Road Waste & Recycling Facilities Project
Date: January 24, 2017
This memorandum is provided as an update of the status of the Eubanks Road Waste & Recycling (W&R)
Facilities construction project. This project marks the second and final of the planned District Centers
that provide expanded services and longer hours of operation. The next W&R Center reconstruction
project is planned for FY 2017/18 and consists of the High Rock Road W&R Center becoming the first
Neighborhood Center, which would maintain fewer hours of operation and less comprehensive services.
This project includes the modernization of the existing Eubanks Waste & Recycling Center to include the
installation of stationary compactors, improved loading for various waste and recyclable materials,
sanitary facilities and improved amenities for staff, incorporation of the Household Hazardous Waste
operation currently located on the southern portion of landfill property, site paving, improved public
safety and handicapped access and other operational efficiencies. Additionally, textiles, food waste,
cooking oil and plastic film services are added.
This construction project was originally planned to commence in FY 2014/15, but was delayed due to
permitting and design related delays, including a value engineering application. The project was first bid
in February 2016 and the lowest bid received was $782,142 over the budget of $3,175,858. Staff then
proceeded to obtain another engineering firm and a performed a comprehensive evaluation and
substantial redesign of the project. A second bid was conducted with a low bid of $3,318,000 received
from DH Griffin of Greensboro in October of 2016.
Through several weeks of negotiation and additional value engineering a final bid price of $3,100,000
was achieved. An attachment delineates elements of this negotiated price reduction. Additionally, the
$214,000 cost of the stationary compactors is managed as recurring capital as are other stationary
compactors currently utilized by the department. These compactors were planned to be acquired
outside of the construction bid in order to reduce purchase costs. Staff is proposing to utilize the
$75,858 balance from the project budget to help fund the compactors cost. An allowance of $62,000 is
also contained in the project budget in the event unsuitable soils are encountered that will also be made
available to fund the compactors if not needed for construction. So the compactors may have a net cost
of only $76,142.
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As a point of information, the Eubanks W&R Facilities project costs exceed the costs of the previously
completed Walnut Grove Church Road W&R Center project by about $1,650,000, not including
engineering consulting services or land acquisition costs. Several reasons explain this cost difference:
• Includes relocation of the landfill entranceway and scale house operations
• Being located in the Town of Chapel Hill planning jurisdiction created additional design and
construction requirements and standards and an extended approval process
• Includes the extension of sewer connections
• Includes additional z-wall slots
• A four year timeframe from establishing the current project budget and an almost three year
construction delay resulted in project cost inflation (costs were not escalated or increased for
inflation over that time period)
• Includes additional storm water structures required to meet the regulations for storm water
control in Chapel Hill.
• Includes both east and west bound turning lanes required to address NCDOT standards for the
projected traffic volumes obtained from a comprehensive traffic impact analysis.
• Walnut Grove Church Road center had an existing large concrete pad that was preserved that
Eubanks does not have
• Includes a much larger HHW facility(service relocated from south side of Eubanks) with loading
dock to accommodate the large quantities of material received at Eubanks Road
• Includes additional amenities that were incorporated based on lessons learned from Walnut
Grove Church Road Center e.g. larger and better placement of center operator observation
building, storage shed for site equipment and shelters at the compactors for center operators.
• The Eubanks Road Center requires a substantial amount of fill material to make the site useable.
Much of the filling operations required to make the Walnut Grove site work was coordinated by
County Staff and free clean structural fill generated from an area construction site.
A preconstruction meeting with DF Griffin is scheduled for January 31. A Notice to Proceed would be
issued at or immediately following this meeting. Erosion control device installation, land clearing,
deconstruction and cut-and-fill activities would begin the first week of February. The project should be
completed in November/December of 2017.
Temporary Center Operations
A temporary W&R Center will be established at the Future Millhouse Road Park property on Millhouse
Road. This center will provide reduced services for the duration of project construction to include yard
waste, electronics recycling and municipal solid waste. The hours of the temporary site will mirror the
hours of the Eubanks Road W&R Center (6 days/week). Due to operational restrictions on the
temporary center residents with recyclables will be directed to the recycling drop off sites of which
Cedar Falls on Weaver Dairy Road is the closest. Residents with scrap tires, clean metal, clean wood,
waste oil, bulky wastes, etc. will be diverted to another W&R Center or the facilities located at the
landfill.
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Public Notification and Outreach
A comprehensive public notification and outreach plan will be implemented to include the following:
• At the Eubanks Road W&R Center prior to construction
o Signage announcing the eminent closing and planned reconstruction of this center
o Site plan of the new center layout posted for public information
o Flyers handed out to users providing details of the project, timeline, temporary center,
recycling options, etc.
• General outreach prior to construction
o Letters to property owners and residents/businesses located within 1,500 feet of the
Eubanks Road W&R Center
o Information posted on Solid Waste Management web site relative to the project
o Press releases and articles in local publications and e-news, radio announcements and
interviews, paid advertisements, etc.
o Coordination with Orange County’s Community Relations Department to amplify
outreach efforts
• During Construction
o Signage at the closed center announcing the location of the temporary center
o Signage at the temporary center
o Social Media updates
o Flyers available at temporary center to inform residents of issues related to the project
o Notification to Chapel Hill/Carrboro Transit, Chapel Hill Public Works and to Morris
Grove Elementary of Eubanks Road travel interruptions while turning lanes are being
constructed
Periodic updates on progress of the construction progress will be provided to the BOCC and SWAG
throughout the period of construction. Feel free to contact staff with questions or suggestions as
necessary.
Attachment: Memorandum of Negotiation
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