Capital Improvement Program

Location: Savannah River to I-516, MLK to Chatham Parkway	Start Year: 2005	End Year: TBD
Council District: 1,5	Project Manager: Zack Hoffman	zhoffman@savannahga.gov

Scope: To make drainage improvements in the Springfield basin.

Comments:

8/5/2025 9:55:59 AM: Phase I is now preceding plans submitted for SPR review anticipated bidding before end of the year. Phase II final construction plans now look to be completed by end of the year however utility plan and construction to begin fall/winter of 2025. Phase III contract was awarded to EMC as well as survey and design which is underway. 1/30/2025 3:06:44 PM: Phase I design remains at approximately 85%, as it was put on hold pending the overlapping scope of the FEMA BRIC Grant improvements and procurement of those design services. At this time, Phase I is moving forward with environmental permitting and project design completion. Phase II design continues along with a development agreement struck with SCAD for the development of a new student housing building along a portion of the Springfield Canal included in this projects design. With this Development Agreement, SCAD is covering $2M worth of Springfield Canal wall construction for the City. Final Phase II project plans are anticipated by Aug. 2025 and hopefully bid for construction in Fall/Winter 2025. Phase III has been incorporated into the FEMA BRIC Grant project scope and is currently pending Council approval to award the design contract to EMC Engineering. 6/3/2024 10:47:19 AM: Phase I design is approximately 85% complete. This phase was expanded to include Springfield Canal widening improvements under Hwy. 17 bridges. Coordination efforts with GDOT have begun. Coordination with USACE has begun, and additional soils testing is being performed to ensure materials planned to be excavated can be handled appropriately. Phase II design continues with the roadway design of the roundabout at Louisville Road and W. Boundary St., along with the Louisville bridge replacement over the Springfield Canal complete. The USACE permit for this phase was approved and issued in May 2024. Design is at 90% complete. Design is anticipated to be complete by August 2024. Project is anticipated to be bid for construction in Fall/Winter 2024. Phase III has been put on hold as the City was awarded the $30M FEMA BRIC Grant. This phase will be fully incorporated into the overall design improvements associated with this grant. 11/30/2023 10:10:00 AM: Phase I design 70% done, USACOE permit application submitted, we are waiting for the comments coming back. Phase II design is ongoing, a very fast-moving project. Phase III survey is completed, design started. 5/8/2023 3:31:29 PM: City Council awarded design of Springfield Canal Expansion Phase I to EMC Engineering, design started. The design of arch culvert under Stiles Ave. for the connection of S&O and Springfield Canal was rewarded to HGB, design is underway, 50% completed. The construction of the culverts will be included in Stiles Ave Widening phase 2 project. Springfield Improvement Phase 2 - Geotechnical Investigation and Survey work were completed, Wetland permit and Archology Study was submitted to USACOE, the canal widening design work is awarded to CHA, structure engineer is waiting for the additional Geotech information. Phase 3 –design work started, survey completed. Federal BRIC Funding application for Springfield Basin improvement has been submitted, City of Savannah is selected as the final candidate, we are waiting for the award notification. Answer to Questions has been submitted and approved by FEMA. 1/5/2022 4:54:55 PM: Springfield Canal Widening Phase 1 design RFP award is on Council meeting 11/23/21 to be approved. City Council approved sole source request for Bulkhead wall extension construction in City Lot by C.A.Murren for the amount of $3,608,336.00, construction is underway and will be completed in April 2022. Stormwater staff is working on applying federal BRIC funding for $50,000,000 to be used for Springfield Canal Widening Project. 8/6/2021 11:12:26 AM: Springfield Canal Widening Phase 1 design RFP is posted, bids will come back on 9/7/2021. City Council approved sole source request for Bulkhead wall extension construction in City Lot by C.A.Murren for the amount of $3,608,336.00, construction will start in the middle of September. 5/26/2021 12:32:25 PM: Springfield Canal Expansion phase I and Canal District Wetland Park RFP is being drafted and sent to Purchasing Dept. City staff have performed extensive GIS modeling and layout for planning purposes. City staff have applied for various FEMA/GEMA grants (BRIC, FMA, HMGP, etc.) The proposed Buckhead wall along the west side of canal within Arena property will be extend for to the north end of the property line, stormwater will manage the extension of the retaining wall, the existing design will be modified by HGD, the existing contractor for the original wall will be responsible for installing the extension, the sole source contractor request will be drafted and submitted to the City Council for approval by July of 2021. 12/15/2020 4:53:43 PM: Conceptual plans for canal widening and floodplain creation within the Canal District and lower Springfield Canal have been produced. City staff are composing an RFP for procurement of final design, bidding, and construction services phase services. Staff have also been working on an application package for an Economic Development Administration grant. This grant has the potential of providing an additional funding mechanism for further canal improvements. Initial phase improvements are focused on canal widening and floodplain creation between I-16 and Louisville Road. 7/22/2020 5:22:29 PM: Conceptual plans for canal widening and floodplain creation within the Canal District and lower Springfield Canal have been produced. City staff are composing an RFP for procurement of final design, bidding, and construction services phase services. Staff have also been working on an application package for an Economic Development Administration grant. This grant has the potential of providing an additional funding mechanism for further canal improvements. Initial phase improvements are focused on canal widening and floodplain creation between I-16 and Louisville Road. 3/30/2020 3:17:33 PM: City and Thomas and Hutton coordinated on additional services to analysis the lower Springfield Canal existing alignment for improved 100-year storm conveyance. Conceptual exhibits were created and opinion of probable cost produced resulting in an improved vertical sheet pile wall 100' wide channel and large new stormwater pump station adjacent to the existing station. City staff continue to conceptualize the scale of improvements and funding mechanism. Staff is also focused on improvements within the lower Springfield Canal - Canal District. Improvements to the canal consisting of widening to 100' in this area will provide additional storage and conveyance capacity within the drainage basin as well. 12/19/2019 3:57:51 PM: Consultant Thomas and Hutton delivered the post Matthew model update report in November. We learned that GPA has not approved the easement. We learned that GDOT is willing to allow an easement for a canal, but that the improvements within said easement must be relocatable. As this solution is untenable to the City, work continues to work on the main canal as solution. SPLOST was approved, allocating $45 M for improvements. 9/30/2019 1:03:42 PM: We are told that the Georgia Ports Authority board approved the easement for the canal bypass thru Ports property during the quarter. Thomas and Hutton is expected to deliver the hydraulic report for the basin by the end of October. The Arena Canal committee continues to request an evaluation be performed for necessary conveyance width to support development without detention. Thomas and Hutton owes Staff that proposal. 7/2/2019 3:06:58 PM: Negotiations continue with Georgia Ports Authority regarding a requested easement thru GPA property for an alternate outfall for the Springfield system. The alternate outfall will allow upstream improvements to be constructed. Thomas & Hutton is analyzing the entire basin for the future built out condition to ensure lower canal constructed widths are optimized. Canal district development guidelines are being created with recommendations from the basin study by T&H. 3/29/2019 2:22:25 PM: Meetings and conversations continued with Georgia Ports Authority staff regarding a drainage easement thru GPA property near the Talmadge Bridge to enable a bypass canal to help with drainage in the lower Springfield basin. 12/31/2018 11:51:24 AM: Consultant Thomas & Hutton is finalizing the modeling update report. Staff met with Georgia Department of Transportation(GDOT) and Georgia Ports Authority (GPA)engineers requesting a canal easement for an alternate canal across Louisville Road and under the Talmadge Bridge. Thomas & Hutton is working on survey and acquisition plats for GPA's board meeting. 10/2/2018 1:45:58 PM: Council voted to award a change order to Thomas & Hutton for additional modeling for the basin model. A conceptual layout and property acquisition plan was created and shared with Georgia Ports Authority and Georgia Department of Transportation for a supplemental canal that will restore the original alignment of the canal. Construction funding was submitted as part of the SPLOST VII request. 7/9/2018 4:23:19 PM: Consultant Thomas & Hutton continues to work on the hydraulic modeling of the basin. Another change order has been requested to refine predicted flooding conditions in the upper basin. That change order will be recommended to an August or early September Council Agenda. 4/2/2018 11:52:16 AM: Additional information to show built out conditions, and to add the new Georgia Ports Authority re-establishment of the original route of the Springfield Canal was requested of the consultant. A change order is being prepared for approval. 4/2/2018 11:52:16 AM: Additional information to show built out conditions, and to add the new Georgia Ports Authority re-establishment of the original route of the Springfield Canal was requested of the consultant. A change order is being prepared for approval. 12/27/2017 10:05:02 AM: Consultant Thomas & Hutton delivered a hydraulic model and conceptual update in its report dated December 2017. The hydraulic model was calibrated for flows encountered during Hurricane Matthew. The three flood mitigation projects analyzed for the GEMA HGMP application did not show a favorable cost/benefit ratio by themselves, but are critical for upstream drainage improvements in the North Springfield basin. 11/3/2017 10:30:58 AM: Consultant Thomas & Hutton is working under a consultant agreement approved by Council to update and claibrate the hydraulic model for flows encountered during Hurricane Matthew, and to address requirements of the GEMA HGMP application for three flood mitigation projects in the lower North Springfield basin. 6/14/2017 1:46:54 PM: Project funding is presently being leveraged to update hydraulic model, respond to GEMA requests for information in anticipation of a Hazard Mitigation Grant request to fund three canal expansions near the pump station. 3/31/2017 12:08:38 PM: Anticipated City participation funds in new GA Department Of Transportation project to widen and elevate Ogeechee Road/Hwy US 17

Last Project Update: 8/5/2025 9:56:01 AM

Fund(s): Contrbtn Frm Generl Fnd | SPLOST IV (2003-08

Project Financial Data Last Updated On: 5/31/2025 12:00:00 AM

Appropriated Budget To Date:	Expenditures To Date:	Open Purchase Orders:	Project Balance:
$43,825,426.40	$7,387,881.82	$119,160.76	$36,318,383.82