Council awards 2025 street and sidewalk maintenance contract to low bidder; four alternates added

City staff told the Worthington City Council on March 17 that four competitive bids were received for the city’s annual street and sidewalk maintenance program and recommended awarding the base contract and all four alternates to Strauser Paving, the low bidder.

John Moorhead, city staff, said Strauser’s entry into asphalt manufacturing and lower bids in the Central Ohio market made it possible to add all four alternates while remaining under the city's budget and contingency. He said the city’s asphalt specifications follow Columbus standards and that production will be certified by Columbus inspectors before use in Worthington projects.

Council and staff also discussed the sidewalk-gap program. Moorhead said the pilot program that began around 2020 is now an official element of the street program: staff will notify homeowners with identified sidewalk gaps, explain options, and offer city construction at no cost to willing property owners. At the time of the meeting, three property owners were committed and that number had increased to four during the rollout.

Council approved a motion to amend the ordinance to name Strauser Paving as the contractor and then passed Ordinance 8-2025 as amended on a roll-call vote. The amendment motion was made by Council Member Herman and seconded by Council Pro Tem Paulsick; the roll call recorded unanimous "yes" votes from members present.

Why it matters: the award funds repair and maintenance work across the city and formally folds sidewalk-gap closures into the street program, which affects property owners on identified blocks and improves pedestrian connectivity.