The Valparaiso City Board of Works on Monday approved a contract award for the Steelhaven Road sidewalk improvements project to Newtek and authorized a memorandum of understanding with Porter County that makes the city responsible for long-term maintenance of part of the new sidewalk and associated retaining wall.

Engineering staff told the board that four bid packages were opened and reviewed; one submission had a previously used form (4 96) but staff found the bidder responsive. “Engineering department staff opened 4 bids for the Steelhaven Road sidewalk Improvements project at September 12 board meeting,” the engineering presenter said. Based on the review, staff recommended awarding the contract to the lowest bidder, Newtek, in the amount of $363,507; the board approved the recommendation.

Staff also said a portion of the new sidewalk and a retaining wall fall inside Porter County right-of-way. The city prepared a memorandum of understanding under which the city will assume perpetual maintenance responsibility for that section of the pathway, the retaining wall and the handrails to be installed. The board approved executing the MOU with Porter County before construction proceeds.

The engineering presenter noted the contract price is close to the engineer’s estimate of $368,825. The board’s motions to award the contract and to approve the MOU passed by voice vote (recorded as “Aye”); no roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript.

Why it matters: the project will fill a sidewalk gap on Steelhaven Road (CKV Road between Veil Park and Rock Dove near the outbound states), including a retaining wall and handrails; the MOU clarifies which jurisdiction will maintain elements that fall in county right-of-way.

Next steps: the contract will be executed and construction scheduled; the city and Porter County will finalize the MOU before county approvals are complete and before construction begins.