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Lake Elmo awards $1.25 million contract to replace failing force main and culvert on I‑94 corridor
Summary
Council approved Resolution 2025‑055 to award a $1,248,683 contract to A‑1 Excavating LLC for the I‑94 lift station and force main improvements, and authorized the city administrator to enter into material testing services not to exceed $25,000.
City engineering staff reported that five bids were received for the I‑94 Lift Station and force main improvements; the low bid of $1,248,683 from A‑1 Excavating LLC was recommended for award. Staff said the project replaces a failing 8‑inch sanitary force main with a new 16‑inch HDPE force main to accommodate ultimate development flows and also replaces a failing culvert near Hudson Boulevard.
City staff explained the project cost was higher than earlier estimates because the work was accelerated after a sanitary force‑main break and final design revealed additional site and constructability constraints (upsizing the main, pump replacements, multiple utility crossings and difficulty locating existing mains). Council members asked questions about the scope and were told three low bids were very close to each other, indicating competitive pricing.
The council approved Resolution 2025‑055 awarding the contract to A‑1 Excavating LLC in the amount of $1,248,683, and separately approved a motion authorizing the city administrator to execute a material‑testing contract not to exceed $25,000 for the construction phase.
Why this matters: Replacing a failing sanitary force main and culvert addresses recurring infrastructure failures and accommodates future development in the corridor, but the acceleration and changed conditions increased near‑term project costs and will affect enterprise fund budgets.
