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Ordinance Appropriating $1,635,684 for the Purchase of 560 Advanced Security Technologies Mitigation Barriers and 7 Transport Trailers
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Department: |
City Manager |
Meeting Date: |
9/22/2026 |
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Contact Name: |
Thom Moton, Jr. |
Public Hearing: |
No |
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Contact Phone: |
910.341.7800 |
Advertising Date/Advertised By: |
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Attachments: |
Attachment #1: Ordinance |
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this ordinance is to make appropriations to the Streets and Sidewalks Capital Project Fund, Parking Facilities Fund, Special Tax District Fund, and the Public Improvements Capital Projects Fund to purchase 560 Advanced Security Technologies, LLC (AST) vehicle mitigation barriers and seven transport trailers.
BACKGROUND:
This is a companion item to the Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with Advanced Security Technologies, LLC (AST) for the purchase of a vehicle mitigation barrier system. The City of Wilmington has hosted special events downtown, and the number and scale of those events have grown. Wilmington and its Central Business District (CBD) are becoming an increasingly popular special event hosting site for event organizers, which helps promote economic activity in the CBD. Events that draw people into the public right of way and roadways expose the public, event organizers, and city staff to risks. Those risks include motor vehicle operators driving intentionally or accidentally into unsuspecting people and possibly severely injuring people or worse.
City administration recognized those risks and determined that the traditional wooden sawhorse barriers were an inadequate means of traffic management and pedestrian safety. City staff have analyzed the risks associated with continued use of the sawhorses and believe the threat to the public’s safety can be reduced. Consequently, administration issued an administrative directive requiring all special events occurring in the public right of way must use approved vehicle mitigation barriers. Vehicle mitigation barriers are physical security structures designed to stop unauthorized, accidental, or attacking vehicles from entering pedestrian zones or sensitive areas.
To identify best practices, staff from several departments, including the police department, worked together to identify viable barrier system options. The AST system was deemed to best meet the expectations of the city and to offer a superior user experience when deploying and storing the barriers.
The AST barriers can be deployed by staff easily, and the barriers cannot be removed or repositioned by unauthorized people. The barrier design allows one person to close a single lane of traffic within seconds and are designed to quickly open a lane to traffic in the event of an emergency response need. Unlike bollards or sawhorses, the AST motor vehicle mitigation barriers have no gaps in coverage that will allow small recreational vehicles or two wheeled vehicles to circumnavigate a closed roadway.
These barriers carry a lifetime warranty, do not require any maintenance, and will include LED lighting that can be attached to the barriers. The purchase includes 560 barriers and seven transport trailers. Eighty barriers and one trailer will be dedicated to the Municipal Service District (MSD) and will be purchased using MSD funds. The remaining 480 barriers and six trailers will be stationed strategically in the city. Staff expect the CBD will require the use of nearly all the 560 barriers and seven trailers for high profile events.
Mobilizing staff and deploying barriers consumes staff capacity and other resources. A new fee will be proposed later to cover some of the costs associated with the use of the barrier system by special event organizers.
City staff reported on August 20, 2026, to the MSD Advisory Committee of staff’s plans to recommend to City Council the purchase of the AST barrier system, including the use of up to $300,000 from MSD fund balance to purchase some of the equipment. To facilitate the Advisory Committee members’ understanding of the plan, an MSD Advisory Committee Special Meeting was held on August 31st, in which six of the seven seated members attended. Staff gave members a detailed presentation about the proposed plan, the selected vendor, and the financing plan, which included the purchase of one dedicated MSD trailer and 80 barriers using MSD funds. After some questions of staff and discussion by committee members, the committee passed a motion to support the proposed plan by a vote of 4-2.
budget
BUDGET IMPACT:
The budgetary impact is $1,635,684, of which $235,000 will be appropriated from the Special Tax District fund; $800,000 from the Parking Facilities Fund; and the remaining $600,684 from the Streets and Sidewalks Capital Project Fund.
recommendation
RECOMMENDATION / ACTION REQUESTED:
Passage of this ordinance and the companion resolution are recommended.