LaSalle County committee accepts low bid from Universal Asphalt for 2025 patching work

The LaSalle County Highway Committee voted to accept the low bid from Universal Asphalt and Excavating Inc. for a 2025 keep-skip patching project and to forward the award to the full county board for final approval. Committee discussion noted the low bid was listed in the meeting as $274,222.12; Advanced Asphalt Company submitted a higher bid of $297,710.20.

The committee was told the bid is subject to township concurrence because portions of the work lie in township-maintained sections. Committee members also discussed that the accepted bid is roughly 25% above the estimate provided by staff. That discrepancy prompted questions about whether townships would remain on board for their portions of the contract and whether rebidding would attract additional bidders.

Tyler, LaSalle County county engineer, recommended accepting the low bid because the work is needed in advance of the county’s chips/preservation program. “I recommend that we accept it because we need this work completed before our Capes Hill program gets completed,” Tyler said in the meeting. Staff noted only two contractors submitted bids and that geographic logistics likely limit additional bidders for Southern LaSalle County work.

The committee voted and recorded a motion to accept the Universal Asphalt bid and to forward the award to the full LaSalle County Board; committee members cast affirmative votes on the motion during the meeting. The final contract award is contingent on township concurrence for the township portions of the work and any subsequent action by the full board.