The Tallahassee City Commission will consider authorizing a $9.5 million water and sewer infrastructure project along Bannerman Road when commissioners meet on Aug. 26.
The proposal, included on the commission’s consent agenda, would authorize the city manager to negotiate and execute a Joint Project Agreement with the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency. The agreement would coordinate city utility improvements with Blueprint’s Northeast Corridor Connector: Bannerman Road Project.
Blueprint’s project calls for widening Bannerman Road from Quail Common Drive to Preservation Road, constructing medians and turn lanes between Quail Common Drive and Meridian Road, and adding multimodal transportation and stormwater improvements.
Construction is currently expected to begin in late 2027.
The road improvements will affect existing City of Tallahassee water and sewer infrastructure, requiring some utilities to be relocated or adjusted. Rather than simply move the affected infrastructure, city officials are proposing significant upgrades to the water and wastewater systems while the roadway is under construction.
The city plans to replace an existing 10-inch water main with a 12-inch main, which officials say will increase water system capacity and improve pressure in the area.
The larger portion of the investment involves wastewater infrastructure. The city plans to install a new 24-inch sewer force main as part of a broader regional wastewater system improvement.
Of the estimated $9.5 million city cost, approximately $1.5 million is associated with water improvements and $8 million with sewer improvements. The estimate includes construction, inspection, staff and project management costs.
Funding has already been identified in the city’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan through Water System Engineering and Wastewater Collection Engineering master funds and the Northeast Forcemain and Pump Station Improvements project.
Blueprint will separately pay for utility relocation work made necessary by the road construction. The city’s $9.5 million expenditure is associated with the additional water and sewer upgrades it is choosing to undertake in conjunction with the project.
According to the agenda item, combining the utility and roadway work under one construction contract is expected to improve coordination, reduce potential construction conflicts and minimize disruptions to motorists. City officials also expect the joint approach to produce cost efficiencies compared with undertaking the utility improvements separately.
The agreement between Blueprint and the city would establish responsibility and terms for both the utility relocations required by the road project and the additional utility upgrades being funded by the city.
City staff recommends approval of the agreement. Because the item is on the consent agenda, it could be approved along with other consent items without separate discussion unless a commissioner requests that it be pulled for consideration.
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