DEADWOOD – Parking anxiety issues will be alleviated to some extent for motorists in Deadwood as the City Commission approved a proposal by Ferber Engineering on January 18 to complete surveying services for a proposed street parking lot Miller for an amount not exceeding $15,000.
Deadwood Planning and Zoning Administrator Jeramy Russell said this project has been underway for some time.
“I think it was in the early ’90s when the city was looking at putting a garage there, and we still have those plans, but obviously they’re completely outdated,” Russell said. “Really, it’s grown over the last two years with how busy we are as a city and most residents and people who work here understand that. There is definitely a need for more parking here in Deadwood, and I think the Miller lot is going to give us the best opportunity to have that.
Investigative services for the project include: Lawrence County Courthouse research of relevant dishes, easements and deeds; locate and survey the monuments of the property to establish the boundaries of the property; complete location of public services; complete topographical survey of Miller Street and the adjacent parking lot; submit the topographical survey in formats for use by the city.
“There’s going to be a lot of work with the utilities there, especially the power lines and things like that, we’re going to have to get them underground,” Russell said. “So they’re trying to identify key places right now, where we could put transformers of some type, an electrical box that helps the equipment run underground.”
Ferber estimates completion of the fieldwork within six weeks of the contract date and completion of the bid to the city three weeks later.
“The city’s goal is to hopefully wrap this up here in the next two weeks and then I think it’s the second meeting in February, we’re hoping to get the RFP approved at the meeting. from the city commission, to come out for bid,” Russell said. “So we’re moving a bit on that. It’s definitely something the city commission has let us know, it’s kind of the top of the list.
Russell said the construction schedule for the new parking garage structure is largely dependent on the results of Ferber Engineering’s investigation and subsequent work.
“Obviously it would have to be something budgeted, so I think the earliest we would look to start construction would probably be 2023, 2024, that would be the absolute earliest,” Russell said.
The Miller Street car park currently has approximately 100 parking spaces.
“I think what we’d like to do would be, probably, a two or three level garage that would at least double or triple, so I think a safe bet would be between 300 and 400 parking spaces would be best,” said Russell said. “The Parking and Transportation Committee, what we’re looking for is something close to the capacity of our current garage, which is over 400 spaces. »
Russell said the Miller Street location had been identified as the place to house the new garage, due to the fact that it had been identified to do so in the 90s and increased activity from Sherman Street.
“We’re seeing a lot more use of this Miller Lot and I think Sherman Street is going to continue to grow, so it makes sense to have, on the other side of town, a larger capacity car park on that side, too,” Russell said. “Parking is always of the utmost importance here in Deadwood and we have explored all parking options and we just think this is the best location right now. Whatever we do, we We have to add more. We certainly understand that as a city.
Survey expenses are a 2022 budget item recommended by the Deadwood Parking and Transportation Committee on January 30, 2021.
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