Adopt Resolution #23-071 Accepting Bids and Awarding Contract for 2023 Crack Seal Improvements, Improvement Project #23-08

Purpose:
The purpose of this case is to adopt Resolution #23-071 Accepting Bids and Awarding Contract for 2023 Crack Seal Improvements, Improvement Project #23-08.
 
Background:
Crack seal improvements are completed annually, on between 10 and 23 miles of public street segments to cost-effectively maximize the life of the bituminous pavement.
 
Crack sealing protects pavement by preventing stormwater runoff from seeping through cracks in the pavement and joints between the pavement and concrete curb and gutter and utility castings, reducing future pavement damage due to wet subgrade soils, especially during freeze-thaw cycles.
 
The City’s current pavement maintenance schedule calls for public streets to be crack sealed the third, seventh, and fourteenth year following construction, reconstruction, and overlay improvements. However, while this is the typical maintenance schedule it is important to note that Staff reviews the condition of all streets annually and adjusts the schedule of maintenance operations based on actual pavement conditions.
 
A total of 18.36 miles of public street segments is proposed to receive crack seal improvements in 2023. These street segments were selected based on age, pavement maintenance history, and Pavement and Surface Evaluation Rating (PASER) values. Selected streets generally have PASER values between 7 and 10, though a few have PASER values of 5 and 6. All street segments with PASER values of 5 total 4,124 feet (0.8 miles), while all street segments with PASER values of 6 total 9,137 feet (1.7 miles). These street segments are proposed to receive crack seal improvements because they are either within a larger area of streets having PASER values of 7 or higher so Staff is attempting to maintain all street segments within the areas on the same schedule, or because the street segments are not identified within the CIP as receiving improvements within the next 10 years so the intent is to limp these streets along as cost-effectively as possible until they are added to the CIP.
 
Plans and specifications for the 2023 Crack Sealing Improvements were prepared in-house as part of Staff’s normal duties. A copy of the plans is attached to this case.
 
Preliminary Schedule Remaining

• Council Awards Contract to the lowest responsible bidder
  • April 11, 2023
• Contractor begins construction
  • Late April / early May 2023
• Contractor Completes Improvements
  • June 2, 2023

 
The proposed improvements are designated as City Improvement Project #23-08, 2023 Crack Seal Improvements.

Advertisements were published in the Anoka Union Herald and in Finance and Commerce on March 3 and March 10, 2023. Bids were also advertised on-line on Quest CDN.
 
Staff does not mail letters to property owners for crack seal improvements since the work occurs quickly and has little to no impact on the traveling public or abutting properties. Engineering Staff maintains a project webpage, which will be updated as new information is available throughout the project.

Bids were advertised in the Anoka Union Herald and in Finance and Commerce on March 3 and March 10, 2023. On April 3, 2023 a total of five (5) bids were received, opened, and tabulated, and the following bids were found to comply with the advertisement for bids.
 

CONTRACTOR	TOTAL BID
Northwest Asphalt & Maintenance	$176,279.90
FlowSeal Surface Maintenance	$177,623.60
Allied Blacktop Company	$335,466.50
Fahrner Asphalt Sealers, LLC	$336,810.20
Asphalt Surface Technologies Corp.	$406,622.00
Engineer’s Estimate	$208,311.00

 
The bid of Northwest Asphalt & Maintenance of Thief River Falls, Minnesota, in the amount of $176,279.90 for the total bid for construction of said improvements in accordance with the approved plans and specifications and advertisement for bids, is the lowest responsible bidder. Adding indirect costs in the amount of 5-percent brings total project costs to $185,093.90.
 
Per the final plans and specifications, estimated construction costs were $208,311.00. After adding 5-percent for indirect costs for administrative, engineering, finance and legal costs, estimated project costs totaled $218,726.55.
 
The low bid is 18-percent less than the engineer’s estimate.
 
The City annually budgets $200,000 for crack seal improvements. Staff recommends the remaining $14,906.10 be spent on pavement patching or a pavement rejuvenation project.
 
City Staff proposes to administer and inspect construction.
 
Plans and specifications were prepared in-house as part of Staff’s normal duties.

Staff recommends adopting Resolution #23-071 accepting bids and awarding a contract for 2023 Crack Seal Improvements, Improvement Project #23-08.
 
Staff recommends deciding on spending the remaining $14,906.10 budgeting funds in June of 2023, after completion of the 2023 Crack Seal Improvements. This will allow Staff to evaluate if additional resources are needed to keep up on pavement patching, and is before the 2023 Pavement Rejuvenation Improvements is currently proposed to begin (July / August of 2023).

Motion to adopt Resolution #23-071 accepting bids and awarding a contract for 2023 Crack Seal Improvements, Improvement Project #23-08, to Northwest Asphalt & Maintenance for their total bid in the amount of $176,279.90.