Council approves Park Avenue bridge marker; public questioned cost as bids came in under and over estimate

The Waterloo City Council approved project specifications and awarded the Park Avenue Bridge marker contract following a competitive bid process on Tuesday.

Jamie Knutson, city engineer, said the marker is a condition of the federal bridge grant and described the plan to repurpose a segment of the old bridge structure, place it near the bank, add plantings and wiring for future lighting, and install interpretive signs. “We have to have something to memorialize the bridge there,” Knutson said.

Public commenters raised objections to the cost. David Gerard asked whether the city needed to spend $141,000 on a marker and suggested a smaller plaque could serve the purpose. “I can’t see that we need to spend that kind of money,” Gerard said.

The city received multiple bids; the engineer’s estimate was $191,018. Bids reported at the meeting included a $259,500 bid from Boulder Contracting LLC and $353,725 from Peterson Contracting; the low bid was $141,000 from N. B. Co. Construction of Cedar Falls. The council approved awarding the contract to N. B. Co. Construction for $141,000 and authorized the mayor and city clerk to execute the documents.

Council members discussed design choices and federal requirements. Councilmember Simon asked whether the memorial could have been incorporated into an off-site museum, but Knutson said the federal grant requires a nearby memorial. “We are required per the federal regs to have something close by with the bridge,” Knutson said.

What happens next: the city will finalize contract documents with the low bidder and proceed with fabrication and installation according to the bridge project schedule. The council authorized the city to execute the contract.