City awards $1.08 million Wellesley Avenue preservation contract; project adds crossings, stormwater work and ADA ramps

The Spokane Valley City Council awarded the construction contract for the Wellesley Avenue Preservation Project to Big Sky Idaho Corporation for $1,077,313.60 and authorized the city manager to finalize and execute the contract.

City project manager Rob Lochmiller described the work as a rebuild of Wellesley Avenue from Tulpord Road to Eisenhardt Road (just east of the Sullivan/Wellesley intersection). The project scope includes stormwater improvements, new pedestrian crossings with refuge islands near East Valley High School, upgraded ADA-compliant ramps and updated lane markings.

Bids were opened May 16 and the city received seven bids. Lochmiller said the Big Sky Idaho Corporation bid was the lowest responsive and responsible bid, roughly 30% below the engineer's estimate. "We had a real great bid on that," he said. Council members noted the competitive bid environment and expressed support for combining pavement reconstruction, stormwater and ADA work to avoid returning to the corridor later.

Funding: staff said the project is primarily funded from city preservation funds (Fund 311) and stormwater funds; Lochmiller reported preservation funding of about $1.1 million and about $450,000 from stormwater allocations for the work.

Public comments included a request from a resident to consider giving additional procurement preference or consideration to local contractors; staff confirmed the low bidder's office is located in Hayden, Idaho, and said the firm previously performed work in the area (Barker Road project in 2019).

The council approved the contract award and authorized the city manager to finalize the agreement.

Clarifying details: scope covers reconstruction to extend pavement life (staff said full reconstruction expected to last 15'20 years versus an 8'10-year life for smaller overlays), PCI scores were cited as 47 and 52 for sections of the road (in the "poor" range).