Range Road project will require $4M in borrowing, to be repaid by TIF 
CUMBERLAND — The Town Council Monday authorized borrowing $4 million to help fund the first phase of Range Road reconstruction.
The bond for the project, which runs from Winn Road to Idlewood Drive, is expected to be paid back entirely with proceeds from tax increment financing and should not impact the town’s general fund or property taxpayers.
The second phase of the project, which is not yet under discussion, is also designed to be paid for through TIF money, but the town may need to borrow from the general fund until additional TIF funds come in.
TIF funds come from taxes on new development in designated districts and fund projects chosen by the town.
In this economic climate, Town Manager Bill Shane said he hopes bids will come in lower than expected, bringing the cost of an anticipated $8 million to $10 million total project closer to $6 million to $7 million.
In a time of very little construction, the Range Road project is
rumored to be “the largest building project in Cumberland County,”
Councilor Ron Copp said. A mandatory pre-bid meeting scheduled for Friday morning is expected to bring 25 to 30 interested parties, and the town expects 20 to 25 bids. The competitive climate is expected to keep the eventual cost low.
The reconstruction of Range Road will create travel lanes that are 11
feet wide, with 3 feet of shoulder. In sections using curbs to
address drainage issues, the entire shoulder will be paved. The rest of
the road will have 2 feet of paved shoulder with 1 foot of gravel
shoulder.
Engineers from Gorrill-Palmer Consulting Engineers shared details of the bidding process that relate to keeping the construction as neighborhood-friendly as possible.
Provisions that must be met by the approved contractor include:
• Weekday work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with no activity or deliveries outside those hours.
• Saturday work from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• The option of using rolling closures of consecutive 500-foot sections of roadway that shut the road to all traffic except residents using their driveways. Driveway access will always be maintained and contractors are expected to give closure updates to affected residents and emergency services throughout the project.
• Paying a $500 fine for the disappearance of any trees not approved for removal after site walks with the town manager and/or Gorrill-Palmer.
• Providing pre-construction well yield and quality testing to all direct abutters and those within 1,000 feet of blasting.
• Taking a pre-construction survey of all direct abutters and those within 1,000 feet of blasting against which any foundation damage can be measured.
Bidding for the project will open on March 3 and a contract is expected to be awarded by April 1. Councilors also decided to keep the option open for a local bidder to bid on the full project rather than just the first phase, which is scheduled to last seven months. In the case that an acceptable bid for the full project comes in, the issue of financing will return to the Town Council for approval.