Brighton council briefed on Bridal Street widening; staff recommends $2.93M contract amendment

City staff told the Brighton City Council on March 25 that the Bridal Street Widening and Utility Infrastructure Project is nearing completion but requires a contract amendment to cover added work and unforeseen underground conditions.

Christopher Montoya, the project manager, said the construction now is roughly 80% complete and cited remaining items including median work, landscaping, final paving and erosion stabilization. “We are about 80% completed with the project,” Montoya said during the study session.

The nut graf: Montoya and staff described multiple sources of added scope — United Power design and construction to accelerate new street lighting, regional pond grading and modifications identified during property negotiations, a ditch crossing that will be modified to a bore operation, widening of 40th Avenue to connect to development, and utility relocations and hazmat removals encountered during excavation. Staff recommended a single contract amendment totaling approximately $2,933,000 to cover these additions.

Montoya summarized the financials: the recommended amendment of about $2,933,000 would bring the total construction contract to approximately $23,820,084. He said the city’s budget allocation for the overall project is about $22,800,000 and that current projections place the total within roughly 5% of that budget allocation; he also noted the construction bids originally ranged roughly $25–33 million and that the city’s final negotiated construction total remains below the original low bid. “Our recommendation will end up being to award, or accept the contract amendment in the amount of 2,933,000,” Montoya said.

Council members pressed staff on contingency, communications and oversight. Mayor Putnam said he would have preferred a longer, more conservative timeline to avoid repeatedly shifting completion targets: “I would have rather promised the residents two years … than go around and dance around an 18‑month dream,” the mayor said. Council members also asked about contingency sizing (staff said an intentionally low 2.5% contingency was included in earlier budgeting), the appropriateness of an owner’s representative on large projects (staff and the city manager acknowledged that an owner’s rep is a lesson learned and recommended for future projects above a threshold), and safety/lighting concerns along the corridor while work continues.

Staff explained a path to council action: the construction contract amendment will be brought forward as a formal contract amendment/change‑order at an upcoming council meeting; the city manager said the required appropriation will be covered from existing fund appropriations across projects (no separate budget amendment for this item will be called for next week). City attorney Calderon confirmed the change order/contract amendment will be presented to council for authorization.

Ending: Staff estimated the roadway could open in a July–August timeframe, with some off‑road pond work continuing after road opening. Staff also said they will notify the council and public when a ribbon‑cutting is scheduled and that staff will return with the contract amendment for council action.