Title
An Ordinance approving a sole source agreement between the City of Lee’s Summit and Clarkson Construction Company for the construction of the Mouse Creek Trail Tunnel, for an amount not to exceed $2,972,134.26 and authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement for the same.
Body
Issue/Request:
An Ordinance approving a sole source agreement between the City of Lee’s Summit and Clarkson Construction Company for the construction of the Mouse Creek Trail Tunnel, for an amount not to exceed $2,972,134.26 and authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement for the same.
Key Issues:
• Public Works Engineering has coordinated with the Parks and Recreation Department and GFT, Inc (“Engineer”) to design a grade separated crossing of Pryor Road for the Mouse Creek Trail Tunnel (“Project”).
• Clarkson Construction Company is actively constructing the Pryor Road Improvements project from Longview Road to Hook Road pursuant to Bill No. 24-209 dated November 19, 2024.
• Public Works Staff requested a quote for construction of the Mouse Creek Trail Tunnel from Clarkson Construction Company.
• Public Works Staff worked with Clarkson Construction Company to value engineer the work and found cost-saving alternatives that reduces the price by about $139,000.00.
• There are time and cost benefits to Clarkson Construction Company performing the construction of the Mouse Creek Trail Tunnel.
• The City desires to award the construction contract for the Mouse Creek Trail Tunnel to Clarkson Construction Company via sole source agreement.
Proposed Committee Motion:
I move to recommend to the City Council approval of an Ordinance approving a sole source agreement between the City of Lee’s Summit and Clarkson Construction Company for the construction of the Mouse Creek Trail Tunnel in the amount of $2,972,134.26 and authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement for the same.
Proposed City Council Motion:
FIRST MOTION: I move for a second reading of an Ordinance approving a sole source agreement between the City of Lee’s Summit and Clarkson Construction Company for the construction of the Mouse Creek Trail Tunnel in the amount of $2,972,134.26 and authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement for the same.
SECOND MOTION: I move for adoption of an Ordinance approving a sole source agreement between the City of Lee’s Summit and Clarkson Construction Company for the construction of the Mouse Creek Trail Tunnel in the amount of $2,972,134.26 and authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement for the same.
Background:
A grade separated trail crossing of Pryor Road is in the best interest of public safety. A tunnel for the Mouse Creek Trail was identified as the preferred solution to a grade separated crossing of Pryor Road. It was contemplated and conceptually designed during the Pryor Road Project design process. The tunnel was contingent on available funds. Until the Pryor Road Project received an additional $10M in grant funding, the tunnel was not afforded in the project budget. When additional grant monies became obligated to the Pryor Road Project, the tunnel was then pursued to join into the Pryor Road Project as Pryor Road had already advanced through bid and is currently in construction to meet its associated schedule commitments. The additional grant money allowed the City to move its local dollars from the Pryor Road Project to fund the tunnel. The tunnel has no grant money, but is fully funded in the project budget. The CIP was also amended and adopted to include the tunnel. The tunnel design has been completed and easements acquired for construction.
Clarkson Construction Company is constructing the Pryor Road Improvements project, which directly overlaps the proposed Mouse Creek Trail Tunnel location. Because Clarkson is currently responsible for reconstructing the roadway over the proposed tunnel, there are substantial advantages to having them complete the tunnel work rather than procuring a separate contractor through a new competitive bid. Clarkson was the lowest bid on the Pryor Road Project. The Pryor Road Project has significant federal grant money involved and while the Mouse Creek Trail Tunnel could have been a change order on the Pryor Road Project, it would have then been subjected to federal reviews and approvals, extending the overall project delivery timeline and incurring significant unnecessary costs. A negotiated sole source contract alternative to the typical contract change order is a lawful approach that avoids the federal and MoDOT processes.
Clarkson is already mobilized, familiar with the site, and managing the work sequencing in this corridor. Under a traditional rebid, the project could end up with two contractors working in the same constrained area, resulting in doubled equipment costs, additional mobilization expenses, and higher overhead charges. A rebid would also delay the Pryor Road Project, regardless of selected contractor, because the Pryor Road improvements in this area cannot occur until the tunnel is constructed. The sequencing of construction has been coordinated with Clarkson to incorporate the tunnel into the Pryor Road Project. Pryor Road Project delays would also add cost.
Additionally, coordinating two separate contractors within the same work zone would introduce schedule risks and potential conflicts in the work sequencing. Clarkson’s current involvement allows the tunnel construction to proceed without delays tied to contractor onboarding, site coordination, or competing priorities. The continuity of having a single contractor maintain control over both the roadway and tunnel activities ensures tighter schedule management, reduces the likelihood of claims or scope gaps, and streamlines communication and decision-making. If the Pryor Road Project is delayed for a rebid or change order process associated with the tunnel, not only do the costs increase for the Pryor Road Project, but the timeline is drastically extended over the winter season. Those delays also impact other projects, such as Ward and Persels, that are pending the full reopening of Pryor Road. Further delays to those other projects could increase project costs on those other projects and potentially jeopardize federal funding associated with those other projects. The timing and schedules of all projects are coordinated and sensitive to seasons, school schedules, and maintenance of traffic during construction to minimize public disruptions.
The City has received a bid from Clarkson for the work and gone through a value engineering process to look for cost-saving alternatives. Clarkson was able to lower their bid price by nearly $139,000 by incorporating minor design changes to the tunnel.
Timeline:
Start Construction: September 2026
End Construction: December 2026
Presenters
Nikia Chapman-Freiberger, Senior Staff Engineer
Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of an Ordinance approving a sole source agreement between the City of Lee’s Summit and Clarkson Construction Company for the construction of the Mouse Creek Trail Tunnel in the amount of $2,972,135.40 and authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement for the same.
Committee Recommendation
Committee Recommendation: [Enter Committee Recommendation text here]