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Fruita staff update CDOT-funded South Mesa and Maple Street projects; construction bids expected later this year
Summary
City engineering staff updated council on two CDOT-funded projects: South Mesa Street revitalization and North Maple Street (bridge) improvements. Environmental clearance for South Mesa is pending; the projects rely on CDOT grants plus local matches and will go to bid once final reviews are complete.
City engineering staff told the Fruita City Council the South Mesa Street revitalization and North Maple Street bridge project are progressing through the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) project-development process and are expected to go to bid once CDOT clearances and final plan approvals are complete.
John Vasey, civil engineer in the city’s engineering department, said the South Mesa project is at the stage of finalizing plans, specifications and estimates for CDOT review. The project’s funding package includes a CDOT grant of $1,736,000, a general‑fund match of $434,000 and $240,000 from the sewer fund to replace an existing sewer line before surface work. Vasey said the city has a $121,500 design contract and a construction‑management contract with a $595,000 cost‑not‑to‑exceed amount; the final construction contract value will be set by competitive bids.
Vasey said the city has scheduled an open window during bidding that would allow contractors to begin work between June 2 and Sept. 29 to avoid conflict with local festivals and to provide flexibility for contractor schedules. He said the only outstanding CDOT clearance for South Mesa is an environmental review; city consultants are addressing CDOT’s comments.
On North Maple Street (the bridge project), Vasey said the city has received a $1.75 million federal directed‑spending award and a $500,000 Mesa County grant; the city budgeted about $81,400 in local general‑fund dollars for land acquisition and environmental review. Design is under way (design contract about $250,000) and the city expects final plan submittal in late spring with advertising targeted for September and construction in fall or winter of the year.
Vasey told council the Maple Street project will require right‑of‑way contacts with three property owners and that a fourth parcel may be affected by revised safety features; staff will contact that owner next. He said right‑of‑way title clarifications for existing roadbeds are typically resolved without purchase when the roadway already extends to the centerline, and that the city compensates for any additional land beyond existing roadbed if necessary.
Councilors asked about likely construction durations and whether the city had learned lessons from prior projects to shorten disruptions. Vasey said CDOT project specifications and contractor prequalification procedures usually provide efficiencies and that the city has included phasing requirements in specifications to limit the duration that individual sidewalks or business access are closed.
No formal council action was required at the meeting; staff said they will return with bid results and a formal construction contract recommendation when bids are opened.
