ReVision Florence Streetscape Project and ODOT Paving Set to Begin February 2019

Continuing the vision of what Florence can be, the ReVision Florence streetscape project and associated ODOT paving project have combined, with a schedule to begin construction in February. The end result will be a welcoming gateway for visitors and community members to experience Florence and all it has to offer.

Alex Hodge Construction, Inc, of Bend is the contractor for the $6.4 million project. ODOT will manage the construction process. The Florence Urban Renewal Agency (FURA), the City of Florence, project engineering consultant Murraysmith, and ODOT will continue coordination throughout construction.

Background

The initial bidding period in June 2018 resulted in bids that exceeded the $7.4 million project budget. Since then, the FURA (represented by the City of Florence) and ODOT worked with the project’s engineering consultant, Murraysmith, to revise several components of the project before rebidding in October. Changes included revising the timeline, lane restriction changes, and design modifications. FURA and ODOT combined the streetscape project and the ODOT paving project into one comprehensive project with a single construction bidding process and contractor. This allowed savings in mobilization and construction costs, as well as reducing some of the work needed for temporary features that would have been needed between two separate projects.

The FURA Board was committed to keeping the ReVision Florence streetscape project within the $7.4 million budget, which includes design engineering, right of way acquisition and administration, design review, construction, construction engineering, fixtures, and contingencies.

On November 15, 2018, the combined ReVision Florence and paving project bids were opened. Alex Hodge Construction, Inc. of Bend, Oregon, was the low bidder and was awarded the contract

The bid breakdown by agency for biddable construction items and the construction related anticipated items, including construction engineering and contingencies, are below.

The construction costs for the streetscape portion of the total project are within FURA’s ReVision Florence construction budget.

Next Steps

Construction updates will be provided after a mid-January pre-construction meeting is held and the contractor’s schedule is developed. To sign up for updates on this project and other City items, visit www.ci.florence.or.us/newsletter/subscriptions. We look forward to providing further updates in February 2019.

About ReVision Florence

The Florence Urban Renewal Agency (FURA), the City of Florence, and ODOT have been working on ReVision Florence since 2015. ReVision Florence’s goal is to improve the streetscape along the Highway 101 and 126 corridors. Spending the day in Historic Old Town Florence is accompanied by scenic views, historic architecture, and a pedestrian friendly downtown core with shopping, open space, and great people. Venture just a few blocks north onto our highway corridors and you will experience an expanse of pavement and cement that is not in line with the amazing features of our community.

This project is envisioning what Florence can be. The goal is to improve our community’s first impression to our visitors and our lasting impression to our community members! FURA and the City are committed to showcasing Florence as a gateway and enhancing the tourism experience for our visitors. Florence serves as Lane County’s gateway to the Pacific Ocean and all coastal amenities. Florence is also the gateway to Lane County for visitor travelling along Highway 101 from both the north and south.

Improvements will include the addition of gateways, public art, plazas, wider sidewalks, ADA accessibility, bicycle lanes, and other traffic calming techniques. It will enhance multi-modal transportation options along Highway 101, while simultaneously creating a more inviting, livable, and vibrant community. Funding for ReVision Florence consists of FURA, State, Federal, and Lane County funds.                  

To find out more about ReVision Florence, visit www.ci.florence.or.us/urbanrenewal/revision-florence.