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CIT Y OF SOUTH BEND <br />PE Ser vices for Safe Routes to School <br />Our Lady of Hungary Neighborhood Sidew alks and ADA Ra m ps <br />VS Engineering, Inc. | Letter of Interest 4   <br /> <br />PROJECT APPROACH <br />The VS project approach revolves around ensuring that the <br />City of South Bend and the local community get maximum <br />benefit from infrastructure improvements constructed <br />as part of this project. Our approach is comprehensive <br />right from the start, and will include an initial meeting <br />with City staff to review the scope of work and discuss <br />any critical design elements that may be encountered. VS <br />representatives have working experience with City officials <br />and City design standards. We have visited the site, and <br />reviewed GIS maps to identify the significant pedestrian <br />routes to each school location. As a result, the VS Team <br />has a thorough understanding of the City’s intent for this <br />SRTS project. <br /> <br />UNDERSTANDING — We understand that the proposed Safe Routes to School improvements are focused on enhancing <br />accessibility to Our Lady of Hungary School, with large numbers of students living within walking distance of the schools. <br />We will discuss with City officials to understand the importance of dedicating construction funds toward providing ADA <br />compliant curb ramps, correcting trip hazards, or providing pedestrian facilities in areas which are lacking. <br /> <br />VS understands there are challenges associated with this project. One challenge is to design the improvements so that all <br />construction activities are within the existing right-of way. Our surveyors will research existing property documentation, as <br />well as thoroughly search for property monuments in the field. With this information, property lines and right-of-way will <br />be accurately displayed on the plans, allowing the engineers to design the sidewalks, ramps, and drainage components <br />within the existing right-of-way, eliminating the need for additional land acquisition. Right-of-way acquisition slows down the <br />overall progress of the project due to the many required steps involved. <br /> <br />PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT — VS shall conduct a detailed on-site assessment for all pedestrian facility improvements <br />proposed as part of this project. The preliminary assessment will account for areas that may present specific design <br />challenges that could impact project schedule and/or costs. As necessary, these critical areas will be discussed with the <br />City prior to the design phase in order to verify the project approach and ensure that there are not any feasible alternatives <br />that need consideration. <br /> <br />Having already conducted a preliminary site visit, the VS Team is steps ahead in identifying challenges that may be <br />encountered during design. Our team’s previous experience in handling large SRTS infrastructure projects will be beneficial <br />in assisting the City to avoid common pitfalls with the schedule, cost, and design of the improvements. Below are several <br />challenges the VS Team has encountered on similar SRTS assignments. <br />Cross Slope Reading on the Digital Level