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Blake–Pierce streetscape project draws $399,676 low bid; town staff to hold preconstruction meeting
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Summary
At the April 16 Master Plan Implementation Committee meeting, staff reported five bids for the Blake–Pierce Streetscape project and said the lowest qualified bid was $399,676. The contract has been signed electronically and a preconstruction meeting with CSX and inspectors will set the construction schedule.
At the April 16 meeting of the Master Plan Implementation Committee, town staff reported that the town received five bids for the Blake–Pierce Streetscape Improvement Project and that the lowest qualified bid came in at $399,676, roughly $700 above the consultant estimate. Laurie, who delivered the update, said the contract was received via email and she is awaiting the original signed document to proceed.
The project’s scope includes a new sidewalk on the west side of Blake Street, four pedestrian-scale street lights, a sidewalk connection to War Memorial Park and a small seating area with three picnic tables. Street trees originally planned for the corridor were replaced in the design by decorative grasses after CSX objected to plantings whose branches might reach over railroad tracks, Laurie said.
Laurie told the committee she had checked references for the low bidder, a relatively new father-and-son construction firm based in South Hadley, and said one engineering reference described the contractor as “amongst the best contractors they’ve ever worked with.” She also said the bids showed a wide spread: the highest bid came in at $648,180, giving a span of roughly $250,000 between low and high offers.
When asked about the construction schedule, Laurie said she cannot finalize start and completion dates until the town holds a preconstruction meeting with the contractor, CSX and town inspectors. The original RFP included a working window in which the work could be completed (Laurie referenced a contract period from about May 1 through Dec. 1), and she said she expects the project will be completed in 2026. She warned that lead times for the custom street lights could drive parts of the schedule.
On traffic and access, Laurie said the project will be staged to maintain traffic and “there will be no point in which the ability to drive on Blake will be impacted.” She added that staff will coordinate directly with businesses that abut the work to avoid disruptions.
Next steps: Laurie said she will await the original hardcopy of the signed contract, schedule a preconstruction meeting with CSX and town inspectors, and then issue a press notice with the construction schedule and the project scope.
The committee did not take a vote on contracting at the meeting; Laurie presented the bid results and sought committee questions and input.
