Council probes $8.6 million SR 104/Fortieth Place NE project financing; construction contract low bid $5.4 million

Lake Forest Park staff and councilors spent the Sept. 11 City Council work session reviewing funding and contract details for the SR 104 and Fortieth Place NE (Brannabough) transportation project, which staff described as an $8.6 million undertaking whose lowest responsive construction bid was $5.4 million.

Director Dickinson told council members that the city's total project cost includes previously incurred design and right-of-way expenses plus the construction low bid and an anticipated contingency. "Previously, when we were going out to bid, that was for the $7,500,000. So there's the $1,100,000 delta," Dickinson said, describing the increase from the engineer's earlier estimate to the bid total.

Councilors focused much of their questioning on clarity about which dollars represent grants, reimbursements and direct city exposure. Staff said the funding package includes:

- a Public Works Board loan originally approved for $2.0 million and eligible to be increased up to $2.5 million pending final approval; - a…