Sandpoint council approves $434,085 contract to repave downtown parking lot

The Sandpoint City Council on April 9 approved a resolution awarding a $434,085 contract to Wink Inc., of Bonners Ferry, to repave the city’s downtown parking lot, with construction slated to begin next week and finish by May 9.

Project manager Eric Bush, the city’s project manager and city forester, told the council the scope includes new asphalt, dark-sky-compliant lighting, improved Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access, additional stormwater treatment, new shade trees and a reconfigured entrance on Third Avenue. “The existing asphalt and lighting are in poor condition,” Bush said, adding that the project will address tripping hazards and increase long-term durability.

The upgrade reduces the lot’s capacity from 127 spaces to 119 because island and tree-island enlargements were added to the plans. The project maintains five accessible spaces, one more than the ADA minimum required, Bush said. He also said four existing tree clusters will be retained and the design calls for additional new trees in several locations.

Council members pressed staff on contractor experience and budget details. Councilor Rick Howarth asked, “Do we have any experience working with Wink? They’re unknown to me.” Bush replied the city has not worked with Wink before but the firm provided positive references from nearby jurisdictions and holds the licensing classification that permits a bid at this dollar level. Bush said Wink plans to use a paving subcontractor and that he would confirm the subcontractor’s name (he said he believed it to be Woods but would verify).

Councilor Schreiber questioned a discrepancy between the city website’s posted budget figure and the contract amount. Bush explained the budget on the city’s fiscal-year page reflected a $150,000 annual rollover number and that the project had been carried in SIRRA funds for multiple years. He said additional revenues and the postponement of a downtown revitalization phase freed funds so the city could complete a longer-lived (20-year) pavement rather than a lower-standard resurfacing.

Bush said the bid opening took place April 3 and Wink Inc. was the low bidder at $434,085, a figure he said is within the project budget assembled from SIRRA funds. He said construction is on a tight schedule: work hours will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday; no weekend work is planned; the downtown lot will be closed to parking for the roughly three-week construction period; and three- and four-hour street parking time limits will be lifted temporarily so businesses can use on-street parking.

Temporary traffic controls may be required at individual drive aprons on Oak, Church or Third avenues when crews remove and replace driveway aprons, Bush said. Any lane closures or temporary traffic control will require a traffic control plan reviewed by the city engineer, Brandon, and approved before implementation.

At the meeting’s close, the council voted on a motion to approve the resolution awarding the contract. The motion, moved and seconded as recorded in the minutes, carried on a roll-call vote with all members present voting yes; one councilor was absent.

The council adjourned at 5:50 p.m.