Oswego committee accepts $7.07 million low bid for Route 48 reconstruction; design and oversight amendments approved

The committee voted to accept a low bid of $7,069,115 from Reifenberg Construction Incorporated for the West First Street (New York State Route 48) reconstruction project, and authorized two subsequent amendments for additional design and construction-administration services.

Mayor Robert A. Cordino, speaking for absent City Engineer Jeff Hinderliter, said the project includes replacement of water and sewer lines as well as roadwork and that the city will use a mix of state touring-route funds, bonding and money from the sewer enterprise fund to pay for the remainder. “I’m not a city engineer, and I don’t pretend to be,” Cordino said, adding that he has worked on the project with the engineer and CNS Companies for more than a year.

The project packet shows a $3,383,588.70 award already secured under the state touring-route funds program and notes a likely additional $900,000 if the state budget is approved; Cordino said the remaining roughly $3.7 million would be covered through a combination of bonding and the sewer enterprise fund. The committee also approved two amendments with CNS Companies Inc.: Amendment No. 2 for $25,750 for additional design services related to water and sewer infrastructure, and Amendment No. 3 for $6,000 for construction-administration services to provide on-site oversight typically associated with a clerk-of-the-works role.

Cordino described CNS’s work as extensive, saying the consultant produced a roughly 60-page report that included traffic studies and detailed existing infrastructure mapping. He disputed circulating “rumors” that the plan included a median, saying there was never a median in the plans he has reviewed. The design will reduce a portion of West First Street from four lanes to two lanes with parking on both sides; Cordino said narrowing the roadway is intended to slow traffic and improve safety.

The mayor told councilors the reduction in lanes and addition of parking responds in part to future needs tied to a planned police and community center at the former Shapiro parking-lot site and seasonal fishing traffic in September and October. “This company, CNS, has done an exhaustive research on this road,” Cordino said. He told councilors the plans will be released to the public after the committee’s approval.

Committee discussion emphasized contractor oversight and materials verification; Cordino noted that the construction-administration amendment is intended to provide field oversight to ensure the city receives the materials and workmanship it has paid for. He also said the city hopes to begin work as soon as financing is finalized and anticipates completing the bulk of work by the end of the year.

The committee voted to approve the low bid and to authorize both amendments. The motions were moved and passed by the councilors present.