WA9701-CS040413Ken Gr ffin - Pro~Le~..,.t Update and Inquiry
From:
To:
Date:
Subject:
"Doug Showers" <DShowers@BHCLLP.COM>
<kgriffin@ci.coppell.tx.us>
4/13/2004 2:24:34 PM
Project Update and Inquiry
Good Morning Ken,
I was fortunate to have a meeting with Suzan and Keith this past Friday
to update them on issues related to the three projects ongoing for the
City of Coppell. I believe that it was productive and out of our
conversation there are issues that I need to discuss with you.
I realize that your schedule is quite 'tight' so I have put these into
this e-mail. I would like to gain an audience with you in a couple of
weeks.
A. 121 Waterline:
- We have revisited the alignment and hounded the electric companies to
locate their lines properly. The result is that we have very little
conflict with underground power lines. Therefore, at this time I do not
see the need to locate the alignments outside of the TxDOT utility
corridor, so a conference with TxDOT regarding this issue is not
required.
- Keith stated that he was in contact with the owner of the property
adjacent to the Coppell Road / 121 Service Road intersection and that he
was working on a 15-foot utility easement adjacent to the ROW. This
would allow us to move the line away from the gas line and the tree
line.
- The only underground utility adjacent within the TxDOT utility
corridor is an Advantex fiber optic telephone line. Advantex will NOT
locate the line in the design phase of the project, so I sent off the
plans to their staff for review of the proposed line location to make
sure they did not see a major conflict. To date I have had no response,
even after additional e-mail contact. They stated that the lines are
normally 4-foot below the ground surface. With fiber optic there is
~.usually excessive additional line to allow for alignment modifications.
- The vacant lot between the Community Credit Union property and the
residential development is our last area of concern. We would hope that
we could procure a 15-foot easement to continue from the residential
development to the Credit Union so that the existing underground
telephone, gas and electric lines are not encountered during the
waterline construction. At the time of our last meeting you mentioned
that you would look into the possibility of this easement. When you
have more information we will place this on the plans and move the
waterline alignment to suit.
'"-- The permanent waterline and temporary construction easements for the
property north of 121 have been prepared and will be transmitted to
Suzan today (Tuesday).
B. Water System Master Plan:
- The markups that you gave to me for the master plan have been
implemented. Our meeting with Keith and Suzan answered a couple of
lingering questions.
- The City owns a Cybernet 3.0 with 2000 pipe capacity. We are filling
out the City's pipe layout to include all pipes in developments not
shown on the previous Master Plan map that you updated. The results of
Ken Griffin - Project Update and Inguiry
running the model are not expected to change, so we are completing this
activity in tandem with preparing a final Water Master Plan report for
the City.
- There is a problem with using Cybemet 3.0. Haestad Methods
(software developer of Cybernet) has improved their system over the
past years and is now supporting Watercad 6.5. Unfortunately they no
longer offer technical support for Cybernet 3.0. In fact, within our
office we have had to update the software many times. At this time we
operate on Watercad 5.0. Each update costs money, of course. Thera is
a need for the City to update in order to continue to run and interact
with the current master plan model once we have loaded it onto your
computer system. I made contact with Haestad Methods and because you
are a City and because this is their 25th year they are discounting the
upgrade to $ 2,975 (from $10,000). This upgrade to Watercad 6.5 would
operate with AutoCAD 2001, which I betieve you are using in the City's
Engineering Department.
- So, we need to make a decision on how to get this upgrade onto your
system so that you can interact with it on an ongoing basis. Once we
load the data (part of our deliverables) we will provide training on how
to operate and interact with the Watercad 6.5 system (really no
different than Cybernet 3.0).
- I thought of a couple of options. 1. We could amend our Professional
Services Contract with the City to purchase the software and provide it
as a deliverable to the City with the upgraded Master Plan installed and
operating. We would have to talk to Haestad to make sure that BHC could
pumhase it for you at the predescribed cost. 2. The City could purchase
the software upgrade separately. 3. We have reviewed the status of our
billings on the contract and there is room to purchase the software
under Special Services without amending the contract.
C. Denton Tap Road Water Line:
~ We left the last meeting with you looking at potential alignments to
select the one that suits the City. We are ready to complete the Plans
and Specifications once you advise me to the preferable alignment.
Thank you for your attention to these issues. I will contact you on
April 26 to set up a time to go over these issues in person if this is
appropriate.
Sincerely,
Douglas K. Showers, P.E.
Douglas K. Showers, P.E.
Birkhoff, Hendricks & Conway, LL.P.
7502 Greenville Ave., #220
Dallas, Texas 75231
Phone: (214) 361-7900
Fax: (214) 361-0204
CC: <staylor@ci.coppell.tx.us>