Council awards $3.73 million concrete-streets repair contract as part of $17M road program

The New Iberia City Council approved Resolution No. 2556, awarding a $3,734,887 contract to Alonzo LLC for the city’s concrete-street reconstruction work, the second contract in the city’s $17 million roads program.

Councilwoman Brooke Marcotte said the city received eight bids for the work and the low bidder checked all paperwork and bonds required by the city. The vendor is from Kenner and indicated it is prepared to proceed.

Council members asked engineering and public-works questions about reinforcement, curing and testing. Staff said reinforced sections will use rebar where needed, typical sidewalks and regular sections will be 6 inches of stone subbase with an 8-inch concrete section in many locations, and the city conducts cylinder testing (sample cylinders taken at pour) with a 3-day early-strength check and a 28-day specification requirement for final strength. Staff said roads typically can be reopened to traffic once an early strength of about 3,000 PSI is achieved, often within five days depending on conditions.

Staff and council also discussed weather impacts and contract timing. The city expects about 60 days after contract execution before crews mobilize and start reconstruction, allowing for contractor insurance, submittals and sampling. Crew sequencing will aim to limit neighborhood disruption by working small segments and alternating work zones.

Ending: The council approved the contract and staff said they will hold a preconstruction meeting and return scheduling and traffic-management details to council as work begins.