ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Director of Public Works with a Request to APPROVE an AGREEMENT with AMEREN ILLINOIS for Modernizing the UTILITY POLES on the East Side of N. UNIVERSITY STREET from Forrest Hill Avenue to War Memorial Drive in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $826,000 for Certain UTILITY POLE REPLACEMENT alongside the Current University Street Project. (Council District 2)
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BACKGROUND: Staff has negotiated with Ameren Illinois to modernize the existing utility poles along the east side of University Street in conjunction with the current reconstruction project in the section of Forrest Hill to War Memorial Drive. The City originally approached Ameren in 2014 to replace existing poles with an underground electrical system. The original estimate from Ameren to underground was in excess of $2 Million and also required existing buildings to rework their service connections, which averaged $20,000 per building.
Staff continued to meet with Ameren in an effort to lower the cost and create a corridor that increased the safety and reliability of electrical service. Ameren recently proposed the following, at a cost of $826,000:
* Raise electric conductor out of sight lines by replacing wood poles on the east side of University Street with 14" diameter composite poles that are approximately 5 feet taller than existing wood poles.
* Replace approximately 8500' of conductor.
* Underground existing street crossings by pulling cable in City provided conduit.
* Underground two 3-phase taps to the East to allow for the removal of span guys crossing University Street.
* Customer services to go back as they are today, i.e., an overhead service or an underground service - no cost estimate included for any change to customer services, including additional overhead wire, assuming existing wire will reach and be re-useable. Coordination of timing of transfer of services to be made with customers, and may require overti...
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