HomeMy WebLinkAbout2027-002 Policies for City Funded Construction ProjectsOctober 9, 2026 Report No. 2027-002
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
City-funded Construction Projects & Neighborhood 2&6 Capital Project
SUMMARY:
On August 18, Mayor Pro Tem Stevens submitted a two-minute pitch to look at implementing new
policies for City-funded construction projects specifically using Neighborhood 2 & 6 as a case
study to review what went right, what went wrong, and how we can improve our processes moving
forward.
BACKGROUND:
Project History
On November 5, 2019, the 2019 Bond Election approved $70 million in funding for roadway
reconstruction projects. A commitment was made by the City to expense all funding by the end of
2026. Based on previous City Management and City Council direction, the segments were placed
into packages and Capital Projects utilized alternative procurement delivery methods to help with
preconstruction and construction activities.
The Neighborhood 2 Project consisted of 76 segments and the Neighborhood 6 Project consisted
of 42 segments for a total of 118 roadway segments (the “Project” or “Neighborhood 2&6”).
Because of the size and complexity, the construction manager at risk (“CMAR”) project delivery
method was chosen to provide contractor input during design, help mitigate risks, provide
additional cost certainty and economies of scale, and optimize the schedule of the Project.
On November 1, 2022, the City executed contracts with engineering firm Kimley-Horn and CMAR
Sundt Construction Inc. to begin the design phase services for Neighborhood 2&6. During initial
design conversations, it was determined that due to its large size, the project would be broken out
into three smaller packages or Guaranteed Maximum Prices (“GMPs”). This concept would allow
for construction to start sooner and deliver the commitment of overall Project completion by end
of 2026. GMP 1 focused on a small group of neighborhood segments that allowed construction
crews to adapt to residential work. It also included a street-only segment within the University of
North Texas (“UNT”) that took advantage of summer work. GMP 2 added additional UNT and
neighborhood work that again was phased around the UNT semester schedule and keeping crews
working within the project in the residential areas. GMP 3 added the remaining segments, which
had numerous franchise utility relocations, including the replacement and retirement of an Atmos
Energy low pressure system.
Neighborhood 2&6 is primarily located on the western quadrant of the city bound to the south by
Interstate 35E, west by Bonnie Brae, north by US380 and as far east as Locust. This Project was
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identified as high-risk in terms of external stakeholder communications because it included
extensive construction within the UNT campus and affected multiple local businesses within the
Project limits.
Project Scope
The Neighborhood 2&6 project scope was full depth reconstruction of 118 street segments. The
scope included road reconstruction with subgrade stabilization, asphalt paving, concrete curb and
gutter, and driveway replacements (limited to driveways that were within the existing right of
way). The project adhered to a comprehensive approach aimed at limiting future construction
disruptions by replacing other aging public infrastructure within the limits of the Project area. This
included replacing existing aging water and sanitary sewer lines, select stormwater infrastructure,
limited sidewalk improvements and street lighting.
Project Cost and Quantity Analysis
Neighborhood 2&6 reconstructed over 37 lane miles of roadway, 3.5 miles of sidewalk, replaced
4.75 miles of water line, and 4.5 miles of wastewater line. Additional improvements, including
street lighting upgrades and stormwater infrastructure, were completed with this Project. Overall
project cost to date including design, construction, inspections, and staff time totals just over $85
million. All three GMPs are projected to come in under budget with total project savings of just
under $2 million.
Quantity Analysis (Length in Linear Feet):
Street Reconstruction
55,798
Concrete Sidewalk
17,484
Storm Drain
1,547
Water Line
24,933
Sanitary Sewer Lines
23,939
Project estimated valuation at completion:
Design Cost and CMAR Pre-Construction Services $5,750,000
Construction Cost $79,100,000
Inspections Cost $1,150,000
Project Management Time $350,000
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Total Cost $86,350,000
Timeline for project:
• Design Phase Completion and Advertised for construction bids:
o GMP-1 completed Q3 2023
o GMP-2 completed Q1 2024
o GMP-3 completed Q4 2024
• City Council approval of Construction Phase Contracts:
o GMP-1 on November 14, 2023
o GMP-2 on May 7, 2024
o GMP-3 on December 17, 2024
• Notices to Proceed (“NTP”) for Construction Start:
o GMP-1 start construction December 15, 2023
o GMP-2 start construction May 20, 2024
o GMP-3 start construction January 13, 2025
• Construction Completion
o GMP-1 completed March 20, 2025 (101 days ahead of schedule)
o GMP-2 estimated final completion October 2026 (on schedule)
o GMP-3 estimated final completion October 2026 (estimated 39 days ahead of
schedule)
DISCUSSION:
Project Communication
Timely communication through construction plays a critical role in keeping residents, businesses
and the general public informed on when, where, and how they may be impacted. The
Neighborhood 2&6 project provided valuable opportunities to refine and strengthen the City’s
construction notification process. The following outlines the procedures implemented at the start
of construction and the improvements made throughout the project to enhance communication and
better serve the community.
Original Procedure
1. Preconstruction Public Meeting. Notices sent out to impacted property owners and anyone
within a .25-mile radius of an impacted street.
2. Initial forty-eight-hour notice for pre-traffic control, initial mobilization, and general
information per Drawings & Specifications via door hanger.
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3. Forty-eight-hour notice for water outages per Drawings & Specifications via door hanger.
4. Forty-eight-hour notice for lime mixing via door hanger.
5. Forty-eight-hour notice for asphalt placement via door hanger.
Updated Notification Process
The notification process was expanded in spring of 2025 to provide residents and businesses with
a clearer, step-by-step understanding of construction activities, anticipated impacts, and available
project contacts. These notices were provided, via door hangers, 48 hours prior to the activity
unless otherwise noted.
1. First Notice: Pre-traffic control and initial mobilization for water and/or sewer work.
2. Second Notice, if applicable: Water or sewer installation, including scope-specific
contacts.
3. Third Notice: Service connection activities, including scope-specific contacts.
4. Fourth Notice: Water-outage impacts associated with new tie-ins, including scope-
specific contacts.
5. Fifth Notice: Earthwork mobilization, including scope-specific contacts.
6. Sixth Notice: Lime mixing, including scope-specific contacts.
7. Seventh Notice: Twenty-four-hour notice for asphalt base placement, including scope-
specific contacts.
8. Eighth Notice: Concrete mobilization, including scope-specific contacts.
9. Ninth Notice: Driveway approach reconstruction, including scope-specific contacts.
10. Tenth Notice: Twenty-four-hour notice for asphalt cap placement, including scope-
specific contacts.
This expanded approach was intended to help residents and businesses understand the sequence of
work, the expected effect on daily access and activities, and who to contact with questions.
Supplemental communication tools included the creation of SundtDenton.com and QR codes
placed on traffic control devices. The website provided residents with project contacts, progress
photographs, and street-closure information. Updates for project progress were also posted to
Discuss Denton monthly and bi-weekly during peak construction.
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UNT Coordination Activities
• Weekly coordination meetings with Sundt, the City of Denton, UNT stakeholders, and
DCTA.
• Began: December 16, 2024
• Ended: August 3, 2026
• Agenda included: review of current and upcoming construction activities in and around
UNT that could affect campus operations and bus service that consisted of frequent onsite
coordination walks. Review of maps and schedules for current and future impact areas to
support planning and coordination.
• Remote and in-person workshops were held bi-weekly with Sundt, the City of Denton,
UNT stakeholders, and DCTA for the reconstruction of Union Circle.
• More than 85 hours of meeting time, excluding meeting preparation. This doesn’t include
the many daily or weekly onsite meetings that occurred.
Union Circle Planning
• Approximately 18 months of planning and more than a dozen meetings.
• The construction schedule was reduced by more than half to accommodate UNT access
needs, from 50 weeks to 22 weeks.
Campus Access and Safety Support
Coordination with UNT supported advance planning for:
• Temporary crosswalks and ADA pathways that could shift as construction progressed.
• Advance notification to students regarding pedestrian-route changes.
• Enhanced pedestrian protection during reconstruction of major campus thoroughfares.
• Additional wayfinding and traffic control measures, including chain-link fencing, No
Parking, one-way, and stop signage as needed.
UNT Letter of Appreciation
UNT provided a Letter of Appreciation (Exhibit 2) to acknowledge and thank the City for its
collaboration and communication throughout the project.
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Project Lessons Learned
The following items were identified during the construction of Neighborhood 2&6 and are
intended to support proactive planning and help improve coordination, communication, safety, and
constructability in future projects.
Future project initiatives to be implemented from lessons learned during Neighborhood 2&6
include updated communication requirements for contractors, enhanced community outreach via
Discuss Denton, and coordination with Marketing and Communications to provide notifications
to the broader Denton community. The Capital Projects department is currently working through
the reclassification of a position that focuses on communications for projects including project
updates and providing responses to public questions and concerns. Updated communication
requirements and expectations for contractors will be included in the next updates to the City’s
general conditions. Other project specific items are listed below.
1. Conduct street segment-specific stakeholder workshops for high-impact work. For
segments such as Sunset Avenue, consider remote or in-person workshops with
representatives from each affected business before construction begins. Workshops should
review the construction sequence, access plans for patrons, anticipated water outages, and
expected outage durations. The Union Circle workshop model provides a useful example.
2. Prioritize direct outreach for resident and business communication. The project
website and QR code provided useful supplemental information; however, door-to-door
notifications were the most effective method for reaching residents and businesses. Future
communication plans should continue to use direct outreach as a primary tool.
3. Coordinate directly with property managers. For apartment complexes and other multi-
tenant properties, coordinate directly with property managers to help ensure tenants receive
timely construction, access, utility-outage, and schedule notifications.
4. Plan temporary pedestrian and ADA routes in advance. Temporary crosswalks and
ADA pathways may be needed on multiple street segments, particularly near universitates,
schools, and businesses. These routes should be planned in advance and adjusted as
construction progresses, allowing students and other pedestrians to be notified before
changes occur.
5. Provide enhanced protection and wayfinding near universities. Major thoroughfare
construction through university campuses may require measures beyond standard
construction fencing. Consider chain-link fencing, additional wayfinding, No Parking
signs, one-way signs, stop signs, and other measures appropriate to maintain student and
faculty safety.
6. Prepare for elevated public-facing coordination needs. High-impact work can result in
heightened concerns from residents and businesses. Future planning should include
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advance coordination within City departments, clear escalation procedures, and, where
appropriate, arrangements for law-enforcement standby support.
7. Include landscape and irrigation follow-up in project closeout. After sod installation,
notify residents and complete irrigation testing within 14 days so that any needed repairs
can be identified and completed promptly.
8. Provide sufficient notice for road closures. Road closures require a minimum of two
weeks’ advance notice for inclusion in the City-produced and distributed Closure Report.
9. Use a consistent process for vehicles left in work zones. When vehicles remain in an
active work zone, provide written notice at least 72 hours in advance, photograph the
vehicle, and post No Parking signage. If the vehicle remains after 48 hours, notify the
Denton Police Department of the potential need for towing.
10. Plan supplemental work-zone speed-management measures. The Denton Police
Department does not provide work-zone speed-limit enforcement. Where conditions
warrant, plan for additional signage, protective measures, or truck-mounted attenuators.
11. Additional advance-coordinated franchise utility relocations. Items identified in
demolition drawings as “Relocated by Others,” often involving franchise utilities, should
be reviewed well in advance of construction need.
a. Atmos Energy had a significant relocation effort associated with this Project that
began roughly 12 months prior to the start of construction in overlapping areas.
This work took more than two years to complete including a sub-contractor
termination mid project. This additional major work led to increased construction
fatigue once the City project was mobilized.
12. Reviewing Street Segment Lengths: Reviewing individual street segment lengths and
breaking the segment up block by block to help reduce the residential impacts from
construction.
Neighborhood 2&6 Community Engagement and Support
As part of building relationships within the project team and in the community, personnel from
each group took part in volunteering and supporting local Denton businesses and charities. Local
Business and Resident Support by Contractor
• Scripture Street / Mr. Chopsticks: After learning that construction impacts were
contributing to reduced business, Sundt brought project crews to Mr. Chopsticks for lunch
to support the business.
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• 327 Egan / Norman’s: Sundt observed that an elderly resident had difficulty walking from
curbside parking to the home. Through the Sundt Builds with Purpose program, Sundt
constructed a driveway with smoother access.
• Sunset: Supported potentially construction-impacted small businesses through more
than $500 in local purchases, along with numerous crew lunches.
• Arbor of Denton: Ordered specialized signs to assist residents entering and exiting the
apartment complex.
• Carriage House Assisted Living: Provided them with an Edible Arrangement to thank
them for their patience. Removed and replaced deteriorated lead walks to improve resident
access. Completed irrigation and sod repairs extending beyond construction limits where
needed.
UNT Recognition for coordination and support
• Sundt received the Off-Campus Friend of DSA award 2025.
• Sundt became a 2026 Company Sponsor for the UNT Department of Mechanical
Engineering.
Volunteer and Community Activities
• LovePacs: Capital Projects, Kimley-Horn, and Sundt donated food, supplies, and
necessities to families with youth.
• Keep Denton Warm: Capital Projects, Sundt, and Kimley-Horn participated in 2023.
• Our Daily Bread: Volunteered in December 2023 with Capital Projects, Sundt, and
Kimley-Horn.
• Shiloh Gardens: Sundt volunteered in 2025.
• Keep Denton Beautiful: Sundt participated in 2025 and 2026.
• Denton County Friends of the Family: Sundt supported through a back-to-school drive
and the 2026 golf tournament.
• Heart for Homes: Sundt participated in 2025 Heart for Homes Christmas baskets.
Sundt Foundation and Community Contributions
Quarter Name of Organization * City State Award
Amount
Q1 2023 Denton County Friends of the Family Denton TX $3,000
Q1 2024 Our Daily Bread Inc. Denton TX $5,000
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Q1 2025 Sleep In Heavenly Peace, Inc. Denton TX $5,000
Q2 2025 Cumberland Youth & Family Services Denton TX $6,000
Q4 2025 Hearts & Homes Denton TX $10,000
Q1 2026 Sleep in Heavenly Peace Denton TX $5,000
Q2 2026 Giving Grace Denton TX $10,000
2026 Golf
Tournament Denton County Friends of the Family Denton TX $150,000
Q3 2026 Cumberland Youth & Family Services Denton TX $10,000
2023 Denton Turkey Trot 2023 Denton TX $500
2024 Denton Turkey Trot 2024 Denton TX $500
2025 Denton Turkey Trot 2025 Denton TX $500
2026 Denton Turkey Trot 2026 Denton TX $1,000
Total $206,500
CONCLUSION:
Neighborhood 2&6 is the largest single roadway and utility project delivered and represents a
significant milestone for the Capital Projects Department. Neighborhood 2&6 directly impacted
more than 5,000 Denton residents, 6,000 UNT student residents, 4,000 UNT faculty/staff, and
countless roadway travelers. While the Project provided valuable insights and lessons learned for
future initiatives, it was ultimately a success, completing ahead of schedule and under budget while
delivering high-quality infrastructure that will serve the Denton community for years to come.
Upon receipt of the Informal Staff Report, Mayor Pro Tem Stevens may indicate if the information
provided satisfies their request. If the response does not satisfy the request, the item will be
considered by the Agenda Committee for placement on a future Work Session agenda and/or
routing through an appropriate board, commission, or committee.
STAFF CONTACT:
Seth Garcia, PMP,
Director of Capital Projects & Street Operations
Seth.Garcia@cityofdenton.com
(940) 349-8938
REQUESTOR: Mayor Pro Tem Stevens
STAFF TIME TO COMPLETE REPORT: 10 hours
Exhibit 1: Project Map
Exhibit 2: UNT Letter of Appreciation
CITY OF DENTONNEIGHBORHOOD 2 & 6IMPROVEMENTSPACKAGE 1NORTH
3PROJECT LOCATIONKEY MAP