Adopt Resolution #23-148 Accepting Bids and Awarding Contract for Improvement Project #23-04, 167th Avenue Reconstruction

Purpose:
The purpose of this case is to adopt Resolution #23-148 accepting bids and awarding a construction contract for Improvement Project #23-04, 167th Avenue Reconstruction, CSAH 5 to Highway 47.   

Background:
City Improvement Project 23-04 proposes to reconstruct 167th Avenue between Nowthen Boulevard (CSAH 5) and Saint Francis Boulevard (TH 47). This street segment totals approximately 6,000 linear feet (1.13 miles) in length, and varies from a 40-foot wide rural section (0.97 miles) between Nowthen Boulevard and Quicksilver Street to a 48-foot wide urban section (0.16 miles) between Quicksilver Street and Saint Francis Boulevard. A full shoulder/parking lane exists on both sides of the street for the entire length of the street.
 
Attached to this case is a street segment summary that includes data from the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Pavement Evaluation performed by Braun Intertec for this segment of 167th Avenue. The GPR data provides bituminous and aggregate base thickness information.
 
On June 14, 2022, the Ramsey City Council accepted a proposal for topographic survey of the project area from Bolton & Menk.
 
On August 23, 2022, the City Council accepted the proposal of Haugo Geotechnical Services to complete geotechnical evaluations.
 
On November 22, 2022, the City Council accepted the proposal of Bolton & Menk, Inc. to prepare final plans and specifications.
 
On March 28, 2023, the City Council authorized entering into a contract with Braun Intertec to prepare a stabilized full-depth reclamation mix design.
 
On May 23, 2023, the City Council approved plans and specifications and authorized advertisements for bids.
 
This segment of 167th Avenue is a Municipal State Aid (MSA) street and must be designed to MSA standards. Plans and specifications were reviewed and approved by MnDOT State Aid staff.
 
The plans generally propose to leave this segment of 167^th Avenue at its current widths and elevations. However, 7-foot wide on-street bicycle and pedestrian facilities are proposed along both sides of 167th Avenue in lieu of standard shoulders with a 2-foot striped buffer area proposed to provide separation between the pedestrian facilities and the drive lanes on both sides. Staff investigated adding off-street trails along 167th Avenue but these facilities would have required the relocation of existing power poles and would have impacted wetlands along the corridor, both of which would have significantly delayed the project.
 
This project does not propose to extend or replace any municipal utilities. Municipal watermain exists along the north side of 167^th Avenue between Quicksilver Street and Nowthen Boulevard. Sanitary sewer does not exist within the project area. The City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan identifies a future MUSA Study Area for extending trunk sanitary sewer to the 167th Avenue/Saint Francis Boulevard land use node.
 
Storm sewer improvements are required on the East end of 167^th Avenue at Highway 47 to provide positive drainage, which requires replacement of a significant portion of the existing curb and gutter.
 
These improvements are designated as City Improvement Project #23-04, 167th Avenue Reconstruction. 
 
Attached is a copy of the construction plans as bid.  

Bids were advertised in the Anoka County Union Herald on Friday, May 26th, and Friday, June 2nd, 2023.  

Observations:
An Anoka County right-of-way permit for work occurring in CSAH 5 right-of-way has been received. One condition of County approval was to remove two concrete pedestrian curb ramps on either side of CSAH 5 as Anoka County does not allow uncontrolled pedestrian crosswalks on their high-speed highways (> 45 mph).  It is important to note that a roundabout is proposed for this intersection when grant funds are received.       
 
Bolton and Menk is currently working on the following required approvals;

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – No loss for wetland impacts. Expected mid-July.
• Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization – Stormwater permit application submitted.
• MnDOT Right-of-Way Permit – Applied for and expected soon.

 
No project delays are anticipated while working to obtain these required approvals. 

Alternatives:
Alternative #1:
Motion to adopt Resolution #23-148 accepting bids and awarding a contract for Improvement Project #23-04, 167th Avenue Reconstruction, and accepting Bolton and Menk’s Construction Related Services Proposal.  

Alternative #2:
Motion of other.  

A total of five (5) bids were received, publicly opened and tabulated on June 20^th, 2023, and the following bids were found to comply with the approved plans and specifications and advertisements for bids.
 

Company	Bid
Asphalt Surface Technologies Corp.	$1,511,455.59
North Valley, Inc.	$1,543,233.72
Douglas-Kerr Underground, LLC	$1,552,011.31
Park Construction Company	$1,620,370.36
Meyer Contracting Inc.	$1,806,853.17
Engineer’s Estimate	$1,392,750.75

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The lowest responsible bid for construction costs was received from Asphalt Surface Technologies Corp. in the amount of $1,511,455.59, which is 8.5-percent more than the engineer’s estimate of $1,392,750.75.
 
Estimated project costs, including 23-percent indirect costs, total $1,859,090.38. 
 
Attached is Bolton and Menk’s bid results and recommendation memo.  Per the memo, bid prices indicate that inflation is continuing to impact pricing.  In general, costs were 5% to 8% higher than the engineer’s estimates across all bid items.  Also, as the construction year progresses contractors and suppliers’ capacity decreases, generally leading to higher bid pricing across the industry.
 
Funding for this improvement is proposed to come from MSA Funds and Storm Water Utility Funds.
 
City staff plan to inspect all construction and process pay requests. 
 
Attached is a Proposal for Construction Related Services received from Bolton and Menk, Inc. on June 22, 2023, in the not-to-exceed amount of $53,699.  The proposal includes an estimated 100 hours of project inspections that may or may not be needed, depending on City staff’s availability to inspect all construction activities on this project.  As with all of the line items in the attached proposal, if some or all of the inspection hours are not needed, this work will not be billed to the City.    

Staff recommends alternative #1. 
 
If the City decides to award the project to the low bidder, Bolton & Menk recommends awarding the contract to Asphalt Surface Technologies Corp. in the amount of $1,511,455.59. 

Motion to adopt Resolution #23-148 accepting bids and awarding a contract for Improvement Project #23-04, 167th Avenue Reconstruction, and accepting Bolton and Menk’s Construction Related Services Proposal.