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New Iberia approves $13.5 million road-priority list; city to break work into three bids
Summary
City council approved a prioritized list of streets and authorized bid packages for a $13.5 million streets program that will be split into three projects — asphalt reconstruction, concrete repairs and asphalt patch/overlay — with construction expected to overlap into 2025.
The New Iberia City Council on Nov. 5 approved a priority list for the city's 2024 street improvements and authorized consultants to prepare bid packages for three separate projects intended to total about $13.5 million.
The council voted to move forward after a detailed presentation from Public Works staff describing a three-part construction plan: an asphalt reconstruction package (about $1.5 million), a concrete repair package (spot repairs, about $5.2 million) and an asphalt patch-and-overlay package (about $6.6 million). Councilors were told the three projects will likely overlap by three to four months and that the city plans to advertise the first bid in February.
The administration said the $13.5 million target will be used as a jigsaw to group streets into three contracts. Staff said they will try to leverage the city's initial allocation as matching funds to draw additional state capital-outlay and grant money; if matching attempts don't produce extra funds within roughly 18 months, the council was told the city will revert the money to the road program and rebid as needed.
Council members asked about contractor scheduling, cleanup and communication with affected residents. Staff said the contract documents will require a construction schedule as a deliverable, milestone liquidated-damage provisions, and stronger language about door hangers, parking permission and cleanup after work because prior projects left debris and unmarked closures. Staff also said the city will require inspection and project management through the duration of each contract.
Councilors discussed letting contractors propose an internal prioritization but were told contractors must deliver a schedule and that the city expects to manage phasing and quality. Staff said geotechnical work for the first project is already awarded and RFPs for the other two projects are out; the goal is to get contracts in hand so work can proceed in 2025.
The council voted to approve the priority list and to proceed with bid package preparation; the vote was taken on the council's electronic voting machines and a recorded tally was not stated at the meeting.
The approval is intended to get construction moving and to preserve the city's ability to leverage matching state funds, officials said.
