Council approves consent calendar and awards two annual pavement-marking contracts

The Kent City Council approved its consent calendar and unanimously voted to award two separate 2025 pavement-marking contracts at its March 4 meeting.

The consent calendar (items athrough d) passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Public Works Director Chad Barron summarized two competitive bid processes for annual pavement maintenance. For the 2025 plastic markings (arrows, stop bars and similar thermoplastic roadway markings), the city received four bids. Barron said the low bidder was Construction Ahead, Inc., doing business as Pavement Surface Control, with a bid of $304,130; the engineers estimate had been about $386,395. Council moved and seconded a motion to award the contract and to authorize the mayor to sign documents subject to terms acceptable to the city attorney and public works director. The motion carried on a recorded voice vote, 7-0.

For the 2025 paint line striping and raised pavement marking replacement, Barron reported four bids and recommended awarding the contract to the same low bidder, Construction Ahead, Inc., DBA Pavement Surface Control, for $427,580 (engineers estimate approximately $458,180). The council approved the motion to award and authorized the mayor to sign, again by a 7-0 vote.

No amendments or conditions beyond the standard authorization for final terms acceptable to the city attorney and public works director were recorded. Materials in the meeting record indicate the purchases are annual operations and were presented as routine maintenance; council members commented on the importance of high-visibility markings for safety in wet and dark conditions.