Commission authorizes RFPs for River Race Drive, Parking Lot K expansion and Lincoln–Pike trailway work

The commission on June 9 authorized staff to issue bundled requests for proposals (RFPs) to design and engineer the remaining River Race Drive improvements, expand Parking Lot K and study a trailway extension from Lincoln Avenue north to Pike Street.

Becky and engineering staff said bundling the projects is expected to create procurement efficiencies and encourage consultant interest. The River Race Drive work would finish a remaining one-way stretch and expand the city parking lot where 208 and 210 West Washington were previously acquired and cleared. The trailway component (Lincoln to Pike) is less prescriptive: staff asked consultants to evaluate alternatives for a pedestrian crossing of Lincoln and other alignments; one option discussed was a pedestrian bridge beneath Lincoln Avenue.

Staff proposed a tentative procurement timeline: advertise in mid‑June, allow roughly three weeks for proposals and aim to have a selection and contract recommendation by the August meeting. Commissioners authorized staff to proceed and discussed volunteer reviewers for the scoring panel.