Minnetonka council awards $1.10 million contract to replace lift-station force mains under I‑394
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Summary
The City Council voted April 21 to award Meyer Contracting a $1,101,258 contract to replace sections of the Sherwood and Birch lift-station force mains, approving project contingency to keep total project cost within the $1.9 million budget.
The Minnetonka City Council on April 21 awarded a $1,101,258 contract to Meyer Contracting Inc. to replace sections of the Sherwood and Birch lift-station force mains, including directional drilling of a new 12‑inch encased force main under Interstate 394.
Public Works deputy/project lead presented the project and bid results to the council. “We opened bids on 04/03/2025. Six bids were received. The low bidder Meyer Contracting has done work in Minnetonka before,” said project presenter Andrew Manchester. The council approved a motion to award the contract and authorized the deputy public works director to expend funds for the project provided total project costs do not exceed the approved budget of $1,900,000.
Project details: the work replaces a section of force main that dates to 1969 (rehabbed in 2023) and a Sherwood Forest segment from 1973. The new installation will use directional drilling to cross beneath I‑394, include an encasement for the 12‑inch pipe as a protective measure, and replace a Sherwood Forest segment with a 6‑inch force main. Manchester told the council the project is planned to begin in spring and conclude in summer or fall of 2025. Staff said traffic impacts on I‑394 are not anticipated; there will be temporary impacts on Wayzata Boulevard, Archwood and local streets, and the work will be timed ahead of a planned county overlay on Hopkins Crossroad.
Funding and procurement: six bids were opened April 3, and the low bid of $1,101,258 fits within the project budget and capital improvement funding in the city’s utility fund for 2023 and 2025. Councilmember Wilburn moved to award the contract; Councilmember Calvert seconded. In roll-call voting the council recorded unanimous approval.
Why it matters: the project is part of the city’s ongoing infrastructure maintenance program. City staff noted the city holds hundreds of millions of dollars in underground utility assets; targeted replacement of aging force mains reduces the risk of service failures and environmental impacts.
Implementation notes: project to be encased where it crosses the freeway to limit risk of damage; temporary closures of local streets will be coordinated with residents; staff may expend budgeted contingency funds without returning to council as long as total costs remain within the $1.9 million budget.