Waukee council approves plans, concurs with low bid for Alice’s Road Phase 1A

The Waukee City Council on March 4 approved plan specifications and concurred with a contract award for the Alice’s Road Improvements Phase 1A project, a joint reconstruction project led by the city of Clive.

At a public hearing, Director Koester told the council the project would reconstruct Alice’s Road from Northeast Horizon Drive to just south of Northeast Yalwood Drive, expanding the roadway from a two-lane rural section to a four-lane boulevard and adding trail and sidewalk paving, a joint utility trench, storm sewer work, water main construction and pavement markings. Koester said the total project cost estimate is $6,000,000 and that Waukee’s share is approximately $3,000,000, which is included in the city’s draft capital improvement plan.

The project schedule presented at the hearing called for tree felling this spring and an opening to traffic targeted for October, with some restoration and turf establishment work likely extending into spring 2026, Koester said. He recommended the council hold the public hearing and approve the resolution establishing plan specifications, form of contract and estimate of cost.

Following the public hearing, the council approved the resolution establishing plan specifications and the estimate of cost. The council then voted to concur with Clive’s recommendation to award the construction contract to Concrete Technologies of Grimes, Iowa, the apparent low bidder. Staff reported Clive received 11 general contractor bids on Feb. 4; the city’s engineer estimate was $5,800,000 and the low bid from Concrete Technologies was $4,294,120.31, roughly 27% below the engineer’s estimate.

Council voting on the concurrence resolution was recorded as: Council member Sinclair — Yes; Council member Crone — Yes; Council member Battenberg — Yes; Council member Grove — Yes; Council member Pierce — No. Staff told the council that Clive had already recommended awarding the contract and that Waukee was being asked to concur with that award.

Director Koester and staff reiterated that construction, public-works and utility extensions are included in the contract scope; the council did not direct any amendment to the contract award. No written correspondence had been received by the city clerk on the public hearing item.

The council’s formal approval of the plan specifications and concurrence with Clive’s award clears the way for the contracted work to begin according to the Clive-Waukee project schedule. The timeline presented anticipates substantial completion and opening to traffic in October, with some restoration work into the following spring.