Council told low bids under $1.1M for Jubilee sidewalk project that would remove 128 trees

City staff told the council that bids for the Jubilee 2026 sidewalk repair project opened July 9 and returned just under $1,100,000, below an engineer estimate of about $1,400,000.

"We opened bids on July 9, and bids came in at just under 1,100,000. Our engineer's estimate was... closer to 1,400,000 so that we have some really good bids on the project," said Aubrey Collier, the city engineer. Collier said the project includes removing existing trees and root balls, reconstructing sidewalk and curb, installing two-foot root barriers before planting approved replacement street trees, restoring topsoil and irrigation systems, and that replanting would occur over the following winter after construction.

Staff said the council will be asked at its Aug. 3 meeting to either award the contract to the low bidder or reject all bids; if awarded, staff will schedule a preconstruction meeting and expect construction to begin roughly 30 to 45 days after award. Council members asked about the tree replacement list, tree maturity and availability, and warranty liabilities; Kevin McFarland, the city's contracted tree protection professional, said larger-caliper trees are difficult to source and that smaller-caliper trees often establish quickly but take decades to match the current mature canopy.

The project remains controversial in Jubilee: several speakers at public comment urged the city to study alternatives that preserve more mature trees, while HOA leaders said they support the full project and cited safety and long-term maintenance concerns.