Schenectady’s first roundabout is coming to an intersection near you next summer.
The city recently received approval from the state Department of Transportation for a roundabout at the intersection of Erie Boulevard and Nott Street.
The Schenectady City Council plans to accept the nearly $2.9 million bid by Rifenburg Construction Inc. of Troy for the roundabout’s construction when it meets next Monday.
With both state and city agreements in place, Rifenburg can then begin constructing the roundabout starting in the summer of 2015. The round- about is expected to take about seven months to complete.
“We’re anticipating starting during the summer of next year,” said City Engineer Chris Wallin. “But there is no set construction schedule. We have to meet with Rifenburg still. It would take about seven months, but it doesn’t have to be seven consecutive months.”
Rifenburg submitted the least expensive of the four bids the city received for the roundabout project. It was 13 percent lower than the engineer’s estimate.
Other bids came from James H. Maloy Inc. for about $3.4 million, Kubricky Construction Corp. for $3.1 million and A. Colarusso & Son Inc. for nearly $3.7 million.
The state and federal governments are paying for most of the project. The city must foot only 5 percent of the total price tag.
The goal of the city’s first roundabout is to improve traffic flow and reduce delays in the area.
At the intersection, Erie Boulevard is 75 feet wide with four through-lanes, two turning lanes and two bike lanes, making it difficult for pedestrians to cross the street. The roundabout would narrow the boulevard to four through-lanes.
Wallin said construction would most likely be done in three phases to maintain traffic flow along the busy roads. Two lanes would probably be open during morning and evening rush hours.
“There are no utilities so it’s just a lot of surface treatment,” he said. “Other than that, it’s about maintaining the traffic. We have to make sure traffic has a way around. There are plans and they are going to push traffic onto one side of the road and limit some of the flow.”
Plans to build the roundabout move forward as the Galesi Group paves the way for Mohawk Harbor at the former Alco site. The development would include housing — including apartments, condominiums and townhouses — a Courtyard by Marriott hotel, and office and retail space to attract business and technology companies.
But the ambitious revitalization of the 60-acre brownfield doesn’t stop there. Galesi is partnering with Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming on the proposed $300 million Rivers Casino and Resort at Mohawk Harbor.
Although the roundabout was planned in 2008, before Galesi’s proposed project, it is expected to help deal with the traffic increase that will result from construction of Mohawk Harbor.
If a casino is built, the site is projected to attract 681 new drivers during morning peak rush hour and 1,615 new drivers during evening peak rush hour, according to a July traffic impact study by T.R. Johnson Engineering.
The roundabout would provide direct entry into the site and onto Front Street off of Erie Boulevard.
The Stockade Association has expressed concerns about traffic from Galesi’s development, especially if the site is approved by the state for a casino. Wallin said the roundabout would be completed before Galesi’s project is finished.
Galesi and Rush Street are waiting for the state Gaming Facility Location Board to recommend up to four sites in the Capital Region, Hudson Valley and the Southern Tier for a casino. The board will meet next Friday, and a decision is expected in coming weeks.
RENDERING PROVIDED
The planned roundabout at the intersection of Erie Boulevard and Nott Street shows new designated lanes for Front Street (top), Erie and Nott as part of the project.