The Process – Grant Avenue Parkway

Beginning with an extensive community-wide visioning phase for the project, the process of implementing the project will progress through four distinct phases.

PHASE 1

Community Visioning

Set the project criteria.

This phase will set the project criteria by outlining what the community sees this project becoming. Residents, neighbors, business owners, developers, schools, parks, non-profit agencies and more will collectively take part in identifying the areas of opportunity and concern along the Parkway route. This public engagement phase will help the City zero in on a list of specific goals for the project to achieve, as well as planning and development recommendations for properties in the periphery of the Parkway.

This phase will include a series of community engagement events, presentation tour, and a City-wide survey.

PHASE 2

Develop Concept

Propose the project direction.

A third-party project consultant team will perform a community analysis including a Risk Assessment, Corridor Evaluation, and Environmental Assessment per requirements of the federal BUILD grant. This analysis involves in-depth data gathering within the project area. Combined with public input from Phase 1, this data will be used to propose a feasible concept and a set of vision and goal statements. In addition, Forward SGF Planning Consultants will help to establish strategies to facilitate the development of new businesses, venues and places to live that are anticipated as a result of the Parkway improvements.

PHASE 3

Proof of Concept

Set the project direction.

A status report on the progress of the project will be presented to the community along with the opportunity to review and offer feedback on the proposed concept, vision and goals. The City will also begin a discussion of development plans and incentives for the corridor that may correspond with the construction of the Parkway. As part of the Forward SGF comprehensive planning initiative, the city is committed to increasing the overall quality of life in Springfield, through a focus on planning, design and placemaking. The Corridor Plan will establish recommendations and best practices for new development that will complement and leverage the improvements envisioned for the Parkway.

PHASE 4

Project Delivery

Deliver a high-quality project – on time and on budget.

Issue a request for qualifications (RFQ) for Design-Build teams consisting of engineers, designers, architects and construction professionals. Choose selected teams to prepare detailed project proposals based on information provided in Phases 1-3. Teams will compete to present the best design, timeline and cost required to make the project a reality. The winning Design-Build Team will prepare a final engineering design before construction begins. Construction activities and impacts will be scheduled out and communicated with the community.

What is the Design-Build project delivery method?

According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, Design-Build (DB) is a project delivery method in which the design and construction services are contracted by a single entity known as the design-build contractor. It has been used in vertical construction for many years, but is relatively new to transportation projects. Design-Build provides a single point of responsibility in the contract in an attempt to reduce risks and overall costs to the project owner. The selection of the design-build contractor is based on qualifications of the design engineer and contractor and the overall best value of the proposal based on the established end-result goals of the project.

How does it compare to Design-Bid-Build?

The City’s traditional approach for construction projects involves either City staff or an engineering consultant to develop the design plans. Then, the plans are made available to the contracting industry to submit bids for construction. The lowest responsive bid wins the contract. The Design-Build approach enables the designer and contractor to work together in development of the best buildable plans for construction. Construction work begins as the pieces of the design are ready. This overlapping of design and construction reduces the overall delivery schedule to achieve the end product faster.

Learn more about Design-Build from MoDOT.