After some hesitation, the City Council on Wednesday awarded a
contract to improve crosswalks even though the bid was about
$84,000 more than the city
’s estimate.
After some hesitation, the City Council on Wednesday awarded a contract to improve crosswalks even though the bid was about $84,000 more than the city’s estimate.
In the end, the construction contract for $232,232 was unanimously awarded to Granite Construction Company, the only company bidding on the project.
Public Works Director Jim Ashcraft told the council the bid for the project entails crosswalk improvements at the intersection of Monterey Road and Central Avenue by Britton Middle School. Work will include installing a median on Monterey Road south of Central Avenue, re-striping existing crosswalks, including additional traffic warning signs, installing handicap ramps and two radar speed displays.
Ashcraft said the bidding was held initially in July but only Granite bid the project during the busy construction season. City staff rejected Granite’s original bid of $237,000 because it was significantly higher than the city’s $148,000 estimate on the work.
When the city opened the bid again in August, Granite was again the only company to bid on the project – this time about $5,000 cheaper.
Although the bid was still significantly higher than what the city planned to spend, Ashcraft suggested the council accept the bid so the city could take advantage of a $184,000 grant from the Safe Routes to School program to help defray the costs.
“The cost could go down in six months, but we would lose the $184,000 grant. It’s a competitive grant which we’ve applied for five years in a row. The low bidder did reduce the price and based upon the deadline for the grant, we need to use it,” Ashcraft said. The grant’s deadline is this month.
The total project cost is estimated at $301,000. To fund the project, the city will use the $184,000 Safe Routes to School program grant, Traffic Impact Funds of $47,000, and $70,000 from the Measure C Schools Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Fund, which the council agreed to appropriate toward the project that evening.
Rose Meily covers City Hall for the Morgan Hill Times. Reach her at 779-4106 ext 201 or by e-mail at rm****@*************es.com.
