Engineering contract could finally trigger depot bids

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON - City officials will consider a $100,000 engineering contract from Klingner & Associates on Tuesday that should clear the way for a bid letting on the new passenger rail platform at the Historic Santa Fe Depot.

The agreement is one of the final steps in securing a bid letting date for the construction of the platform, a project which has been in the works for close to two decades.

City Manager David Varley said the projected bid letting is expected for this fall on Sept. 17, with the city awarding a construction contract in October and work starting at some point that fall or in the spring.

The project is expected to be completed in August of 2020 with a final review, and audit of the project documentation to the Iowa Department of Transportation before December of next year.

The project has been full of delays, reconfigurations and emotion since it was first suggested under former Mayor John Wright. The project picked up steam under Mayor Steve Ireland, who died before the project could see fruition.

Current Mayor Brad Randolph, who had told Ireland he would keep the project alive, almost gave in to the project being abandoned last winter when funding seemed to be about $400,000 short. With the city finding itself in a revenue crisis, several city councilman suggested the city move on without the project.

Randolph and City Councilman Chris Greenwald then started making calls to state and federal lawmakers to try and come up with the additional funds and were successful in securing an additional $400,000 from the Iowa Department of Transportation's Transportation Commission, saving the project.

All the while, the city had to help coordinate three different agreements to make the project a reality.

Included in the agreements is a platform sublease agreement with Amtrak. This agreement provides for the city constructing the platform and then giving ownership to Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad. Amtrak would then lease the platform from BNSF and then sublease it to the city to give the city responsibility for any maintenance and repair. Under the agreement the city would also be responsible for all utilities and insurance coverage.

Amtrak is contributing $150,000 to the construction of the platform, and picking up $21,000 in custodial fees annually for 10 years.

The second agreement is between the city and Amtrak where the city agrees to construct depot improvements, which have already been done, and construct a platform as well as installing Amtrak approved signage and a wheelchair enclosure.

The third agreement provides for the city leasing Amtrak 813 square feet of exclusive space in the station for operations including a “common area” to be used by passengers. It would be a 20-year lease with two 10-year extensions available. Rent on the space will be $400 monthly from Amtrak.

The city will still be responsible for maintaining the platform.


Amtrak depot, city council, contract, engineering, fort madison, iowa, Pen City Current

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