Two bids for Charlottesville’s Barracks / Rugby project appear to be under budget

Charlottesville is finally moving ahead with several projects funded in the late 2010’s under the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Smart Scale process.

One of them is a scaled-back version of a project to modify the intersection of Emmet Street and Barracks Road, a project that also includes a wider sidewalk halfway up the hill to the east toward downtown Charlottesville.

Last December, Council authorized the use of eminent domain to take easements of land required for the project. On April 14 of this year, the city put the project out to bid but the two projects received were above the cost estimate.

The city tried again in early September and now two more bids for construction have and both appear to be within range. According to VDOT’s Six-Year Improvement Program., the construction budget is nearly $6.9 million.

M&F Concrete Inc. submitted the lowest bid of $4,950,982.14. A bid from Sagres Construction exceeded $6.46 million.

A notice of an award has not yet been given. (follow along)

Charlottesville Area Transit seeks firm to provide new software, design new buildings

CAT is Charlottesville Area Transit. What is CAD / AVL? What is ITS? These are four acronyms in the first sentence of a solicitation for new software sought by the bus system.

Thank goodness a reporter can tell you that CAD / AVL is “Computer-Aided Dispatch / Automatic Vehicle Location” and ITS is an Intelligent Transportation System.

“This system is intended to assist in dispatch functions, provide operators on-board knowledge, and provide reports detailing the performance of the transit system,” reads a solicitation that went out on October 1. “Our goal is to create a competitive procurement that allows CAT the flexibility to compose a fluid and competent ITS system that meets the specific needs of our agency’s operations and riders.”

Bids are due November 2.

Charlottesville Area Transit is also seeking firms to provide architectural and engineering services for future projects.

“Specific project types may include, but are not necessarily limited to, transit facilities, administrative and office facilities, maintenance facilities, passenger facilities, parking facilities, and related public infrastructure, and all supporting consultant design and engineering components associated with such work,” reads the request for proposals.

Bids are due October 30.

CAT also seeks a firm to do the work of surveying. Bids are due October 29. (learn more)

Other opportunities and recent notices in Charlottesville:

• A request for proposals went out on October 15 for firms and individuals “to provide as-needed geotechnical services in support of City construction and infrastructure projects.” Bids are due November 17. (learn more)
• Charlottesville’s Capital Development Division is seeking architectural and engineerings firms “to provide comprehensive design, planning, and construction administration services for the renovation of the JMRL.” Bids went out on October 8 and are due December 11. I want to flesh this into a larger story. Want to help me write it? (learn more)
• Companies have until Thursday to submit a bid to supply products to be used in a waterline replacement on Meadow Street. (learn more)
• The City of Charlottesville wants to upgrade the dispatch office for public utilities, an office that never closes. Bigs are due October 30. (learn more)
• Bids are due November 2 for firms to renovate the bathrooms at Washington Park. (learn more)

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Paid subscribers cover the cost of conducting research for this article which was originally published in the October 20, 2026 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement.  You can either subscribe through Substack or make a charitable contribution.