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Council awards Oakwood Road box culvert replacement; road to close for up to 12 consecutive days
Summary
The council awarded the Oakwood Road box culvert replacement to Wanasek Corporation for approximately $191,650 after inspectors flagged the structure as failing; the city will close the road for a 12‑day consecutive period and use liquidated damages to enforce schedule.
Oak Creek, Wis. — The Oak Creek Common Council on July 15 awarded a contract to replace a failing box culvert on Oakwood Road to Wanasek Corporation for an estimated $191,650, citing damage identified during a state‑coordinated inspection program and subsequent county consultant analysis.
Matt Sullivan, assistant city administrator and city engineer, told the council the culvert was identified through a Wisconsin Department of Transportation local bridge program and later flagged as failing by the county consultant. The city placed steel plates and imposed a 3‑ton weight limit to keep the road open for general traffic while buses and heavy trucks were rerouted.
Sullivan said the city obtained environmental review clearances before bidding; three contractors bid and Wanasek’s low responsive bid was within the city’s budget. "The box culvert on Oakwood was identified as a failing structure," Sullivan said. "We put steel plates in place and reduced the weight limit while we design and bid the repair."
The contract requires the contractor to shut Oakwood Road for 12 consecutive days to install the prebuilt box structure; Sullivan said a lead time of about six weeks will be needed to manufacture the box offsite. The contract sets liquidated damages of $5,000 for each day the road remains closed beyond the 12‑day window.
Council members asked about notification protocols and coordination with school and bus companies. Sullivan said the city would coordinate with bus companies and notify residents in advance, targeting notice about a month to six weeks before the closure.
The bid and award follow a design and permitting process that included consultation with the Wisconsin DNR to address wetland and environmental impacts. The city plans to keep the corridor closed only for the specified period and to work with affected businesses and the school system to mitigate impacts during the closure.
