Professional Engineering Services for SR141 / Medlock Bridge Rd Trail

The City of Johns Creek, Georgia, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ #26-013) for professional engineering services to design and engineer a 10-foot-wide multi-use pedestrian trail along SR 141/Medlock Bridge Road extending from the Chattahoochee River to Bobby Jones Drive, with an additional segment planned between Bobby Jones Drive and State Bridge Road. The project scope encompasses full engineering services including concept validation, preliminary engineering, right-of-way plans, final engineering and construction documents, cost estimates, utility coordination, public engagement materials, and stakeholder coordination with GDOT and local agencies. The project will ultimately create a continuous trail network spanning from the Chattahoochee River in Gwinnett County to McGinnis Ferry Road in Forsyth County while providing access to the Medlock Bridge Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Qualified engineering firms must submit technical proposals addressing project understanding and approach, experience and qualifications of the project team, project manager qualifications, project schedule, and references, with the proposal limited to 10 pages of technical content plus appendices; pricing was not requested in the RFQ but was to be negotiated post-award. The proposal submission deadline was extended to January 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time, with submissions required both electronically via BidNet and as six hard copies delivered to City Hall, following a voluntary pre-bid conference held on December 18, 2025, and a written question deadline of January 6, 2026. Evaluation criteria weighted the proposals as follows: project understanding and approach (30 points), experience and qualifications of the project team (30 points), project manager qualifications (20 points), project schedule (10 points), and references (10 points). The anticipated Notice to Proceed is March 2026, with the initial contract term extending until all services are rendered, subject to annual renewal options not to exceed five years.

Consultant and sub-consultants must maintain pre-qualification status with GDOT for specified Area Classes including environmental studies, NEPA compliance, location studies, traffic operations, and facilities for bicycles and pedestrians, and must designate a licensed Professional Engineer as the project lead with the selected firm serving as prime contractor responsible for all subcontractor work. Insurance requirements mandate comprehensive general liability of $1,000,000 per person and $2,000,000 per occurrence, statutory worker's compensation, and professional liability insurance of $2,000,000 per occurrence and in aggregate. The contract is subject to Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goals, and the selected consultant must comply with federal funding requirements including strict adherence to GDOT's Plan Development Process, ADA compliance, GDOT standard specifications, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act. A Notice of Intent to Award was issued on February 4, 2026, naming Barge Design Solutions as the highest-ranked firm to proceed with contract negotiations; the five unsuccessful offerors were AtkinsRealis USA Inc, EFK Moon LLC, Kimley-Horn, Lowe Engineers LLC, and Thomas & Hutton. The project utilizes federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant funding, though specific contract award values are not disclosed in the available documentation. Based on the concept summary prepared by Barge Design Solutions, the probable construction costs for the trail are estimated between $1,026,888.29 (west side alternative) and $1,767,439.67 (east side alternative), both including 10 percent contingencies.