Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
St. Louis County awards two public‑works contracts; paving bid under engineer estimate, safety J‑turn project moves forward pending DBE sign‑off
Summary
The county board approved two public works contracts: pavement work at the Duluth maintenance campus awarded to Northland Constructors for about $734,000, and a traffic safety 'J‑turn' intersection project awarded to KGM at about $1.677 million pending final disadvantaged‑business (DBE) review by state transportation authorities.
St. Louis County commissioners approved two public‑works contract awards on June 10, accepting competitive bids that came in below engineering estimates and using a mix of local and federal funds for delivery.
Why it matters: Both projects aim to maintain and improve county infrastructure and traffic safety. One is a campus paving project for county facilities; the other is a high‑volume intersection reconstruction intended to improve safety and traffic flow.
The board voted to award a paving contract for surfacing and grading at the county’s maintenance campus to Northland Constructors. County staff said the apparent low bid was roughly 37 percent under the engineer’s estimate, with the award amount described as approximately $734,000. Administrator Gray said the county combined year‑end savings, building‑capital funds and federal funding to cover the project.
The board also voted to award a contract for a J‑turn traffic improvement in Mountain Iron to KGM for approximately $1,677,000. County staff noted the bid was slightly under the engineer’s estimate and said federal funds are part of the project. Administrator Gray said county staff are awaiting final review and sign‑off on the DBE (disadvantaged business enterprise) target from the state department of transportation before executing the award.
Commissioners spoke in favor of both projects. Several commissioners noted that J‑turns and roundabouts can draw controversy at first but cited local examples where J‑turn installation reduced serious crashes. Commissioner Nelson described traveling to observe a J‑turn at Cotton, Maryland, and said the safety record there had been “not 1 death in that intersection since that J turn was installed.” Several commissioners thanked the public‑works staff and the county’s project managers for competitive bidding and project delivery.
Ending: Both measures passed with voices‑vote approval. The county will proceed to finalize contracts once administrative conditions — including DBE confirmation on the J‑turn project — are complete.
