Bids for Heritage Trail project come in closer to estimates
The Huntingburg Board of Public Works and Safety opened bids for the Fourth Street Heritage Trail project Thursday morning.
This is the second set of bids the city has considered for the extensive project planned for Fourth Street.
The city decided to rebid the project in February when bids came in well over the estimated costs due to varying factors including stringent completion dates and specific aesthetic aspects of the project. The cost was expected to be about $3.5 million but bids came back for about $3.9 and $4.2 million from two contractors able to meet the schedule to start work in March of this year and finish before the Christmas Stroll in November.
After going back to the drawing board and creating a less strenuous schedule for completion of work and adding alternatives for some of the materials in the project, the bids fell closer to the estimates created by VS Engineering and designers Tayler Siefker Williams Design Group.
VS Engineering took into account some cost factors and estimated the base cost on the project would be about $3.772 million.
Today’s bids ranged from $3.74 million to $4.16 million with four companies bidding. The board decided to table the decision on the bid award until its next meeting.
The Fourth Street Project includes creating a more aesthetically pleasing streetscape with planters and trees as well as additional seating and a walking/running/bike path in the city’s iconic downtown. Businesses would have more access to space on the sidewalk for additional outdoor seating and flexible parking spaces included in the plans would allow for the creation of different formats for specific events or functions.
With the update, the street will also be able to be used as a community focal point for subsequent events like street fests and concerts.
Besides the aesthetics and increased functionality of the street, the updates will fix stormwater issues that have plagued building owners for years.
The project is funded through grants from the city’s designation as a Stellar Community as well as city funds and local donations.
This bottom line hardly seems to make (save) much “cents” given an estimate that’s now more than the original (was 3.5M, now 3.7M), and with revised bids hardly any less, especially considering they had 2 contractors willing to meet the first schedule. As it was, the target had it done next month rather than (now) dragging out all the mess and disruption over a much longer time frame, if maybe more consideration and flexibility for the merchants and the Christmas season, et al. A valid concern.