In 1994 the MDC began preparation of a master plan and design for a major section of the Upper Charles River Reservation. The master plan project area travels from Galen Street in Watertown Square to Commonwealth Avenue in Newton and Weston. This area is approximately 5.75 miles in length, over ten miles of river banks.
The scope of the master plan project is multifaceted and includes the following objectives:
* Develop a continuous pedestrian pathway system that links the Upper Charles River Reservation and its surrounding communities (e.g. Watertown, Waltham, Newton, Weston) with the Boston Basin pathway system.
* Restore river banks, edges and channels to promote both increased recreational use and the river's ecological health.
* Decrease non-point pollutants presently entering the river.
* Protect and enhance wildlife habitat.
* Provide interpretive displays and brochures that promote the natural and cultural elements of the river corridor.
* Broaden and strengthen constituency groups, with particular focus on joint ventures with businesses abutting the river.
Implementation of this vision is providing Metropolitan Boston with one of the finest and longest urban river greenway corridors in the country.
As part of the master plan scope of work MDC's Consultant team prepared final construction documents for three key sections within the master plan area. Two separate federal ISTEA grants provided key funding for the construction of these three segments. All three of these sections have been completed and are open to the public. The sections include: Watertown between Galen Street and Bridge Street; The Newton - Galen St. to Bridge St.; and Waltham - Farwell St. to Elm St.. All three have been a great success story in reconnecting the public to the River and its natural resources.
With the completion of three new miles of river corridor greenways along the Upper Charles River Reservation, the MDC is closer than ever to accomplishing the century old dream of creating continuous public access and green space along most of the Upper Charles River Reservation. This Phase 3 Design, when constructed, will bring this vision very close to completion within the above described master plan area (i.e. Commonwealth Avenue to Galen Street).
* Continue development of a greenway corridor that links the new Upper Charles River Reservation pathways in Watertown, Waltham, and Newton to each other and to the Charles River Lakes District.
* Restore river banks, edges and channels, promoting increased recreational use and the river's ecological health.
* Decrease non-point pollutants presently entering the river.
* Protect and enhance wildlife habitat.
* Provide interpretive displays that promote the natural and cultural elements of the river corridor.
* Continue to strengthen constituency groups, with particular focus on joint ventures with businesses abutting the river.
NOTE: Some design work will be simplified, and man hours reduced, by use of drawings from Phase 1A and 1B. For example, design for entry pillars, benches, planting lists, boardwalks/decks, pathway materials, etc. will most likely be duplicated in Phase 3. Numerous additional sections of the technical specifications from Phase 1A and 1B (i.e. soils, gravel borrow, excavation, demolition, etc.) will be available as well.
The primary task for the consultant team is preparation of two (2) concept alternatives and construction drawings for key missing segments along the Upper Charles River Reservation between Galen St. and Commonwealth Avenue. The MDC's consultant team must prepare two concept alternatives and final design documents for the following segments/resources within the Upper Charles River Reservation:
NOTE: All pathways will be a minimum of nine feet wide and designed to meet ADA requirements by using pavement, alternative hard surface material, and/or boardwalks. A new entry featuring four-foot granite pillars with logo engraving, cobble pavers and granite curbing will be constructed at all primary entrances. Supplemental native plantings will be placed throughout the corridor and at entrances.
A-1. Galen Street in Watertown to new Greenway entrance off California Street. Currently people must travel on a narrow, paved sidewalk to get to a new greenway entrance. The task is to locate a path through an existing MDC park, over a small brook, and connect it to the new greenway.
B-1. Bridge Street in Newton to Farwell Street in Waltham (travelling through Watertown). This segment of the Reservation is a key missing link needed to provide the desired continuous linear connections. From Bridge Street to Cheesecake Brook in Newton there is an existing dirt path through a scenic stretch of wooded riverbank. Where this path ends at the Brook, MDC is proposing to build a new footbridge (10 to 12 feet wide, and approximately 125 long) over the Charles River connecting to woodland on the opposite bank in Watertown. At this point a new path would be constructed to Farwell Street in Waltham.
C-1. Elm Street to Landry Park (Moody Street)in Waltham: This segment, approximately 500 feet in length, will travel from the northeast corner of the Elm Street Bridge to the MDC's Landry Park by the Charles River Museum of Industry. This new path will feature a cantilevered boardwalk off the side of the Museum of Industry Mill, and it will intersect with an existing MDC path in Landry Park and go out to Moody Street in downtown Waltham.
D-1. Additional New Entrances: MDC is also requesting that five additional new entrances be designed. Each entry includes cobble pavers, granite curbing, plantings and two four-foot granite pillars with engraved reservation logo (i.e. great blue heron). The proposed new entries are at Moody St. and Prospect St. (the two ends of an existing .5 mile MDC greenway across from Cronin's Landing); on the northeast corner of Elm St. and to the West of MDC's Connors Pool in Waltham; and at Lyons Field adjacent to Commonwealth Ave. by the Newton Marriot.The new entry at Elm Street would involve reclaiming an existing illegal encroachment that blocks access to a scenic, passive dirt pathway. This path will be cleared and improved, but left in its passive (i.e. dirt) condition. The ADA compatible alternative is directly across the river (i.e. Phase 1B - Elm St. to Farwell St.).
NOTE: MDC will resolve all encroachment issues.
E-1. Woerd Avenue Boat Launch. This is the only formal boat launch in the Charles River Lakes District, and it currently is a rutted dirt lot. Restoration plans (i.e. final construction drawings) will be prepared as part of this project.
F-1. Prepare specifications and obtain permits for re-painting Watertown Dam Footbridge.
I. Site Analysis
The consultant will prepare an inventory of the existing conditions of the areas described above including but not limited to:
* existing information sources
* history & archaeology
* existing vegetation
* existing circulation including access points, pedestrian and bike paths, and parking
* water uses including canoeing, motor boating and fishing
* existing public use
* existing fauna levels and habitat conditions
* existing river bank and water baseline conditions
* relevant themes for interpretive programs
* adjacent land use
NOTE: Review of existing information sources (e.g. 1970's Charles River Studies, including schematics, completed for Watertown, Waltham and Newton; and MDC's new master plan) will provide a good portion of required information. It is, therefore, anticipated that inventory costs will be kept low.
The site analysis phase shall include a minimum of one public meeting.
II. Analysis and Alternatives
A. Prepare Visual Analysis of the Study Area
1. Goals and Objectives (e.g. provide continuous greenway corridor along river, protect habitat, enhance public access and circulation, improve docks and portage areas for canoes/kayaks, increase public awareness of opportunities, etc.).
2. Site Program Alternatives (e.g. interpretive programs, proposed activities, etc.).
3. Conceptual Alternatives and Evaluations (no more than two).
4. Public Meeting (if determined to be necessary).
III. Preferred Alternative
A. Final Site Program
B. Concept Plan & Cost Estimates
1. Park corridor elements (e.g. pathways, benches, plantings, wildlife management, vegetation clearing, parking, signage, etc.)
2. Waterfront structures (e.g. new footbridge, launches, canoe portages, fishing docks, etc.)
3. Maintenance Plan
C. Procurement of necessary local, state and federal permits. Consultant team will be responsible for procuring all necessary permits.
D. Public Meetings as agreed between MDC and Consultant
IV. Final Construction Documents
A. Plans and Specifications
NOTE: Required fulfillment of this task shall include, at a minimum, sections A1 - F1 outlined above.
VI. Schedule
It is anticipated that the work described above will require six to eight months to complete, from the date of the Notice to Proceed. This anticipated schedule may change if the selected consultant's proposed schedule justifies a need for more time. It is likely that work can commence by the summer of 1998.
The proposal shall respond to the Scope of Services and shall be presented in the following format:
1. Letter of Transmittal
2. Summary of Proposal
3. Project Narrative including your approach to objectives, specific planning elements and tasks associated with each of the expected project products.
4. Project Management and Personnel - Describe the organization of the project team including sub-consultant participation. Name and provide a resume for key personnel including the Principal-in-Charge and the Project Manager. MDC will consider this a commitment by the consultant.
5. Schedule - Estimate the total time required to complete the work, the total person-days involved and on a separate table show the level of effort of professional and sub-professional person-days per task.
6. Costs - Describe briefly each of the tasks necessary to complete the full scope of services, the level of effort associated with each task and its cost. Provide a total of costs for all services.
7. Related Experience - Present evidence of related experience and references including the name, address and telephone number of persons to be contacted.
Include at least three references from public sector clients.
8. Firm Qualifications - A brief statement or brochure describing your firm's qualifications.
9. Affirmative Action - Include a brief statement of no more than two pages describing your firm's affirmative action program. The selected consultant shall be required to submit a complete copy of their program prior to contract award.
If Sub-Contractors are to be employed, they must be identified, qualifications noted, and the nature of their work and effort in person days must be described. The use of local area, small business and minority firms as sub-contractors is encouraged. Ten percent (10%) of this project must be completed by a SOMWBA Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE).
In accordance with Executive Order 130, Commonwealth of Mass., the consultant contract will contain a provision prohibiting the consultant from participating in international boycotts.
All proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:
1. Quality and Responsiveness of Proposal
a. completeness b. organization and conciseness of the material c. use of contingencies d. deviations from the RFP.
2. Technical Approach
a. identification of problems b. reasonableness of technical approaches c. use of imagination d. logic of project plan
3. Managerial Approach
a. organization makeup b. adequacy of procedures c. use of resources d. adequacy of budgets and schedules
4. EEO Compliance
a. MBE utilization b. affirmative action plan c. design considerations for access by the physically disabled
5. General Capabilities
a. experience (companies & individuals) b. reputation; (quality of work; schedule, cost; degree of cooperation) c. work force (number & skills) d. facilities (size, type, & condition)
6. General Evaluation
If you are interested in submitting a proposal for this work, six (6) copies of your proposal should be submitted no later than 4:00 P.M. on ____________ 1998. Proposals should be addressed to:
Mr. Alan D. Jewett, Director MDC Office of Contract Administration 20 Somerset Street Boston, MA 02108
The MDC may decide to interview some or all of the short listed consultants. Any questions concerning this project should be directed to Mr. Daniel Driscoll at (617) 727-9693 x268.
Very Truly Yours,
Alan D. Jewett, Director