Telkwa is preparing to connect the Cycle 16 trail to the village.
The 12-kilometre, paved, multi-use trail linking Telkwa and Smithers is currently wrapping up Phase 1 and has recently paved the route extending from the Bulkley River Bridge to Laidlaw Frontage Road.
In 2021, the village had WSP complete a concept design for the Cycle 16 Phase 4 multi-use pathway. This will connect Phase 3 of the Cycle 16 project from the village’s north boundary to the existing path at Eddy Park.
Council has committed $60,000 for the detailed design of phase 4 with the intent to have a shovel-ready project for future grant opportunities.
At the May 9 council meeting, council approved the award of the contract for the detailed design to WSP at a cost of almost $56,000, with the remaining budget of about $4,000 to be allocated as a project contingency.
“We are recommending awarding the detailed design contract to WSP, as they completed the concept design, and they’re doing all the other phases of the Cycle 16 project,” director of operations Lev Hartfeil told village council. “So they’re in a position to provide the best value to the village and the best product for this project.”
In a report to council, Hartfeil said staff asked WSP to put together a proposal to complete the detailed design work, including geotechnical investigation and reporting, drainage design, detailed trail design, a Class A cost estimate, and support with stakeholder management including the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, utility companies, and property owners.
Last month a proposal from WSP was received with a total estimated fee of $55,843 plus GST.
The fee for the majority of the project tasks is a maximum upset fee, however, the fee for coordinating BC Hydro utility relocations is only an estimate, since the level of effort on that task is largely dependent on BC Hydro rather than WSP.
Hartfeil told council he is comfortable with the contingency covering hydro relocations.
READ MORE: Cycle 16 breaks ground on Smithers to Telkwa multi-use trail
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