Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Supervisors to consider awarding county resurfacing and dust-control contracts March 20
Summary
Johnson County staff recommended awarding the annual bituminous resurfacing (chip-seal) contract to L. Pelling Company Inc. and the dust-control contract to Benz & Stevens; supervisors will consider formal awards at the March 20 meeting.
Paul Wittau, the county’s assistant county engineer, told the Board of Supervisors on March 12 that bid results from a March letting showed the low bid for the county’s 2025 bituminous resurfacing program came from L. Pelling Company Inc. of North Liberty for $819,095.50. Varner Asphalt Sealers of Waukesha, Wisconsin, submitted a higher bid of $860,960.
Wittau said the resurfacing program typically covers about 18 to 20 miles of chip-sealed roads and recommended the board consider awarding the project to L. Pelling at the board’s formal meeting on March 20. “We received 2 bids … L. Pelling Company Inc out of North Liberty for $819,095.50 and a bid from Varner Asphalt Sealers … for $860,960,” Wittau said.
Wittau acknowledged the low bid was about 10% higher than the county estimate and said staff is still reviewing reasons for the gap. He pointed to higher-than-expected prices for chips (stone) and oil and noted that contractors are projecting costs for work typically performed in August. “The price for the chips … was higher than what we had estimated by a fair amount. And the oil was a little bit too,” Wittau said.
On the county’s dust-control safety program, which covers roughly 10 miles of gravel road where traffic exceeds 150 vehicles per day or visibility is a concern, Wittau reported the county received a single bid. Benz & Stevens of Oskaloosa submitted the sole bid at $339,612.50, a few thousand dollars under the county estimate. Wittau recommended awarding that project at the same March 20 formal meeting.
Supervisors asked about the low number of bidders on the dust-control contract and the higher-than-expected resurfacing bids. Wittau said staff sent notices to usual bidders, that one firm requested documents but did not submit a bid, and that market uncertainty may be causing bidders to price conservatively.
No formal awards were made at the March 12 work session; the board scheduled both items for action at its March 20 formal meeting.
