Council OKs $3.1 million contract for Quincy Area street reconstruction

The Blaine City Council on Monday authorized a contract with North Pine Aggregate to rebuild streets in the Quincy Area neighborhood after bids came in substantially below the engineer’s estimate.

Director of Engineering Schoelander told the council that bids received May 7 ranged from $3,059,000 to about $4.1 million, while the engineer’s estimate was approximately $3.4 million. Schoelander said North Pine Aggregate of Columbus, Minnesota, was the low bidder and the engineering department recommended accepting the $3,059,000 bid and approving a 10% contingency.

The project covers streets in and around 106th Avenue, Quincy and Monroe, and includes reconstruction of a Quincy Park parking lot. Schoelander said the street portion is funded from the city’s pavement management funds, public utility funds and special assessments; the parking-lot portion (about $82,000) would be paid from the neighborhood park improvement fund.

Councilmember Newland asked whether the budgeted total included proposed speed humps discussed earlier in the meeting. Schoelander replied that the numbers presented include the speed-hump line items so the council would not need a separate amendment if it proceeds with that traffic-calming element.

Moved by Councilmember Newland and seconded by Councilmember Ford, the motion to authorize the mayor and city manager to enter into a contract with North Pine Aggregate and to approve a 10% contingency carried by voice vote.

The contract award authorizes the city to proceed with design-to-construction work and uses the identified funding sources; council also approved an amendment to the project budget to reflect the low bid. The city did not provide a firm contract start date at the meeting.