Muskego approves 2025 road improvement program bids; council questions scope, LRIP reimbursement

The Muskego Common Council on April 22 unanimously approved Resolution 21-2025 awarding bids for the city's 2025 road improvement program, a library parking lot project and water utility lateral work.

Council members and staff discussed individual bid totals, the Local Road Improvement Program (LRIP) reimbursement process through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the excavation risks that can substantially increase reconstruction costs.

Scott (staff member), who presented the bid package, told the council LRIP funds require the city to submit invoices after the work is done and that reimbursement is not guaranteed until the state approves the submissions. “We have to tell them what road we're gonna do,” Scott said, explaining why project descriptions are required up front to secure the LRIP allocation.

Council members reviewed bid figures for specific streets. Discussion noted that Scenic Drive bids ranged in staff documents from about $312,755 to higher numbers and that Schultz Lane was listed separately with an amount of roughly $104,000 in the packet. Staff cautioned the council that excavation below subgrade (EBS) can dramatically raise final costs if poor soils are encountered, and the city budgets a contingency buffer for that uncertainty.

The three publicly bid projects consist of the road program (budgeted roughly $750,000), a library parking lot budgeted at $200,000 and water lateral work budgeted at about $125,000; those budgets are held separately by fund. Staff told the council the combined low bids for the three projects came in under the combined budget by roughly $300,000, but cautioned that unknown subsurface conditions and inspection and other costs mean the city retains a buffer.

Council members said they intend to continue focused discussions about roads, including the city’s five-year plan and strategies to accelerate work beyond the current annual funding level.