Item 10GCity of Southlake, Texas
I1/ 5 a NVA • C ' \ - 13 ON 31
January 14, 2004
TO: Billy Campbell, City Manager
FROM: Malcolm Jackson, Director of Community Services (x. 1527)
SUBJECT: Approval for use of Park Dedication Funds to relocate historical Denton County
bridge to cross drainage channel in west Bicentennial Park
Action Requested: City Council review and consideration to use park dedication funds to relocate
historical Denton County bridge to cross drainage channel in West
Bicentennial Park.
Background
Information: The Denton County Road and Bridge Department has been undergoing a
systematic analysis of mainly rural bridges in the county that have outlasted
their usefulness for vehicular traffic. Most of those bridges were installed right
at the turn of the century and have gained historical significance. As such, the
county wishes to preserve them when they are removed and replaced in the
next year. The county has offered these bridges on a first -come, first - served
basis to mainly municipalities who may have a use for them for pedestrian
traffic over streams and /or on trail routes. Community Services staff submitted
a form of interest to the county earlier this year and has recently been informed
that the bridge scheduled for replacement at South Hickory Creek and Donald
Road in far northwest Denton County is available. The county will dismount
the bridge from its current abutments and place it on heavy transport provided
by the City. The City would be responsible for the transport of the bridge and
any costs associated with securing it in its new location.
Staff feels like the benefit of having a means of pedestrian access to the
previously unused western portion of Bicentennial Park is a tremendous
benefit for the cost involved. The bridge is constructed of iron rails roughly 6'
high on each side and has a concrete base. It measures 66' in length and is 17'
wide. As a point of reference, the bridge crossing the drainage channel on the
trail on F.M. 1709 in front of the park was new construction as part of the Trail
Bond Package, is less than half as wide as the Denton County bridge, is several
feet shorter, has no concrete base, and cost roughly $60,000. Staff estimates
the following costs would be associated with relocating the Denton County
bridge:
Item
Unit
Number of
Units
Estimate
Heavy transport from Denton County to
Bicentennial Park
Each
1
$12,000
Concrete footings and abutments at Bicentennial
Park
Each
1
$5,000
Engineering costs for abutments and footings
Each
1
$2,000
Contingency
$1,000
TOTAL
$20,000
Financial
Considerations: Staff recommends the Council designate an amount not exceeding $20,000
from Park Dedication Funds to relocate the Denton County bridge. It would be
impossible to construct a bridge of that size and durability in the future for any
amount roughly three times as great and possibly much more.
Financial Impact: Since the Denton County bridge was designed for school bus traffic and to
withstand flood water damage, its use as a pedestrian bridge should be virtually
unlimited, and therefore incur very little, if any maintenance costs.
Citizen Input/
Board Review: Parks and Recreation Board recommended approval (8 -0) of this item at their
January 12, 2004 meeting.
Legal Review: Not applicable.
Alternatives: (1) Designate up to $20,000 from Park Dedication Funds to relocate the bridge
to Bicentennial Park
(2) Decline participation in the Denton County Historical Bridge Program.
(3) Any other combination of participation and funding recommendations.
Supporting
Documents: Photos of the bridge at its existing location will be presented during the slide
presentation.
Staff
Recommendation: City Council review and consideration to use park dedication funds to relocate
historical Denton County bridge to cross drainage channel in West
Bicentennial Park