December, 2007
In other matters, Wilbur Smith Associates have awarded Town and Country Construction of Greenwood the Cox Avenue, downtown streetscape project. Town and Country came in with a base bid of $394,896.83. Mayor Johnnie Waller stated that the plan includes the corners of Savannah Street and Cox Avenue. He went on to say that he hopes that a large clock will be included in the plan as well as a new welcome sign. Certified letters have been sent to owners (Watts and Chadwick) of two buildings in need of repair on Cox Avenue. Building owners have until January 27 to comply or fines will be enforced, Waller said.
September, 2007
The downtown streetscape project of lower Cox Avenue was delayed recently due to work on the Highway 72 project, according to Ruth Laforge with Upper Savannah Council of Governments. "The design of the Cox Ave. plans and specifications were delayed until final grading of the Tugaloo area and By Pass area was determined. The plans should be advertised for bid around the end of Oct but probably first part of Nov with bids opened before Xmas. The contract will be approved in Jan and construction should begin around that time with completion by summer."
July, 2007
The Cox Avenue Streetscape Committee recently met with the Wilbur Smith representative to review the preliminary plans.
"We made some minor changes and suggestions that he will go back and incorporate and give us a project estimate by mid July," said Ruth Laforge of Upper Savannah Council of Governments, the agency overseeing the project.
Laforge said final plans could be ready to approve, permit and bid by late August (30 day bid period) with a contract signed in October.
"This is a reasonable schedule provided there is no hold up by DOT approving the plans. Hopefully the low bidder will be within our project budget. We will know by the first of August if this schedule is still good," she said.
May 1, 2007
The contract to begin work on Cox Avenue has been signed by Wilbur Smith Associates of Columbia and preliminary plans should be ready for viewing within five weeks, said Ruth LaForge with Upper Savannah Council of Governments. These plans will be available to review at Town Hall after the committee review. Committee members are LaForge, Stephen Pettigrew, Ricky Holland and Johnnie Waller. The project may be ready to bid by July or August, LaForge said.
"Wilbur Smith was chosen by the committee based on the proposal submitted from six firms--the committee felt they had the best proposal and would be the best fit for the project and town," LaForge said.
April 24, 2007
Town officials and business leaders will meet with the Upper Savannah Council of Governments and Wilbur Smith Associates of Columbia, the firm selected for the Cox Avenue project, on Wednesday, April 25. The purpose of the meeting is to confirm the project scope and timetable, said Ruth LaForge of USCOG. The town has received a $500,000 grant to pay for it.
According to the company''s website, Wilbur Smith Associates is a full-service transportation and infrastructure consulting firm providing a unique blend of planning, design, toll, economic and construction-related services to clients around the world. Completely employee owned, Wilbur Smith Associates has more than 1,000 associates in 56 offices in 8 countries. Since its founding in 1952, the firm has completed projects in all 50 U.S. states and 117 countries on six continents. The firm is headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina.
2006 Engineering News-Record Industry Rankings
April 7, 2007
Upper Savannah Council of Governments is awaiting state approval on the engineer's proposal for the Cox Avenue streetscape project, according to Ruth Laforge of USCOG. A final decision could be made within a week. In the meantime, U.S. Land and Ted Martin Construction have planted pansies around the crepe myrtle trees on Cox Avenue. The crepe myrtle trees are in planters and sponsored by local businesses, churches, schools, organizations and individuals.
March 21, 2007
Six engineering proposals have been received for the Cox Avenue streetscape project, according to Ruth LaForge of the Upper Savannah Council of Governments. A committee will recommend one to the State for approval and then sign the engineering contract to begin design. "That process will probably take a couple of weeks to complete," she said.
Grant funds are now available to request for authorized activities, she said, but no expenditures will be made until a proposal is approved.
March 4, 2007
A search for a consultant to lead the Cox Avenue streetscape project has begun. The Upper Savannah Council of Governments has placed a free request for proposal in in the State's South Carolina Business Opportunities (SCBO) the week of February 26. Submission deadline is March 19, 2007.
Request for Proposal – The Town of Calhoun Falls South Carolina located in Abbeville County is requesting proposals from qualified consultants to provide professional services to begin the implementation of streetscape improvements as part of a 2004 Streetscape Master Plan. This project is funded with CDBG funds. It is anticipated that the consultant will be selected based on the response to this proposal using the following weighted criteria: qualifications 20 percent; similar projects 20 percent; CDBG experience 20 percent; response to proposal 20 percent; and cost of services 20 percent. For a copy of the request for proposal, please contact Ruth LaForge, Upper Savannah Council of Governments, P O Box 1366, Greenwood, SC 29648. Telephone (864) 941-8052 or email rlaforge@uppersavannah.com. Proposals must be returned to the Upper Savannah office no later than March 19, 2007, by 4:00 p.m.
Feb. 15, 2007
by Lee Boggs
Advertisements seeking an engineer to implement the $500,000 Cox Avenue project will begin running next week, and Ruth LaForge, Community Development Director for Upper Savannah Council of Governments, said that March/April is the projected hire date. The engineer will head up the downtown streetscape project that LaForge said is designed to spur economic development.
"We hope it encourages people to open businesses, sells the town and brings in customers," she said.
The project entails the lower half of Cox Avenue only. The upper portion will be a seperate project and require an additional grant. LaForge said it is too early to apply for the second grant since the first one has not yet been used.
The project is funded by a SC Department of Commerce grant that must be spent within two years. But LaForge said the project can possibly be completed in 18 months. The USCOG oversees the money, which can only be drawn to pay an expense related to the project. Town officials will sign the checks.
"We hope to have open communication so that everyone knows what's going on," she said.
A 2004, artist rendering of the project shows a water fountain at the Cox Avenue/Highway 72 intersection. LaForge said that the water fountain is conceptual and could be replaced by some other fixture that would help entice traffic off the highway onto Cox Avenue.
USCOG is working on similiar projects in Saluda, Ridge Spring and Greenwood, and administered sidewalk and housing projects on Washington and Seneca streets about a year ago.
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