Adopt Resolution #24-063 Accepting Bids and Awarding Contract for Barthel’s Rum River Acres and White Pines Estates Street Reconstructions, Improvement Project #24-01

Purpose:
The purpose of this case is to adopt Resolution #24-063 awarding a contract for Barthel’s Rum River Acres and White Pines Estates Street Reconstructions, Improvement Project #24-01.
 
Background:
City Improvement Project #24-01 proposes to reconstruct the streets within the Barthel’s Rum River Acres and White Pines Estates subdivisions, generally located between 164^th Lane and 165^th Lane, adjacent to the Rum River. The 2023 – 2032 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) identifies the streets within these subdivisions for street reconstruction in 2024. Street segment summaries are attached to this case.
 
Project History

• 2023 – 2032 Capital Improvement Program – listed as street reconstruction in 2024.
• June 13, 2023 Resolution #23-130, the Ramsey City Council accepted proposals for topographic survey of the project area.
• June 27, 2023 Resolution #23-129, the Ramsey City Council accepted proposals for geotechnical report of the project area.
• August 22, 2023 Resolution #23-197, the Ramsey City Council ordered Staff to prepare plans and specifications.
• October 10, 2023 Resolution #23-250, the Ramsey City Council accepted proposal for sewer cleaning and televising.
• November 21, 2023, the Ramsey Public Work Committee considered recommending City Council approval of plans and specifications and authorizing advertisement for bids.
• November 28, 2023 Resolution #23-297, the Ramsey City Council approved the plans and specifications and authorized advertisement of bids. Bids were publicly opened on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.

 
Pavement History
The streets within the Barthel’s Rum River Acres subdivision were built in 1982. The streets received an overlay improvement in 1997, the only other pavement maintenance was a crack seal / seal coat improvement in 2009. Maintenance crews have performed patching over the last several years, including extensive patching in 2023.
 
The streets within the White Pines Estates subdivision were built in 1977. Pavement maintenance has included initial crack seal / seal coat improvements in 1984 and 1992. An overlay was performed in 2001, the only pavement maintenance project since was a crack seal / seal coat improvement in 2009. Maintenance crews have performed patching as needed over the last several years.
 
Existing Conditions
The streets vary between 24 feet wide rural section and 31 feet wide urban section including bituminous curbing, totaling 1.33 miles in length. Traffic counts have not been taken, but Staff anticipates typical neighborhood traffic due to the location of the subdivision and lack of destinations which would increase traffic above normal.
 
Municipal sewer and water do not exist in the project area, and utility extensions to the area are not proposed. The existing drainage is through a combination of swales adjacent to the roadway, and on street drainage to curb cuts in the bituminous curbing area, as well as street crossing culverts. Additionally, Staff is aware of Northern Natural gas mainlines crossing in one location at 164^th Lane, approximately 600 feet east of Trunk Highway 47.
 
Proposed Improvements
Staff review of the geotechnical report found generally sandy subsoil makes up the roadway embankment throughout the project area. There are areas of silt and highly plastic clay below the roadway embankment zone. These would only impact the project if excavation goes deeper than 3 to 4 feet, generally for storm sewer installation. Where these soils are found during pipe installation, the plans call for subsoil corrections in the immediate areas, and have quantities built into the plans to accommodate such a circumstance.
 
In general, the current swales along the streets within the Barthel’s Rum River Acres subdivision are not proposed to be re-graded as part of this project. Due to the nature of street reconstructions, the in-slopes will be disturbed approximately 6 feet off of the edge of pavement. No changes to the current drainage patterns are proposed. The existing culverts crossing the streets are proposed to be removed and replaced, this is to ensure the culverts will last at least through the proposed 60-year design life of the street.
 
The bituminous curbing within the White Pines Estates subdivision is proposed to be replaced with surmountable concrete curb and gutter. At driveways, a curb cut similar to what is typically placed in B-style curb will be placed to avoid a high transition from the roadway to driveways. Additionally, concrete storm sewer inlets and piping will be added to better drain the urban section streets. As discussed previously, Staff is anticipating some subsoil corrections will be necessary as part of the storm sewer construction. This will consist of removing the poor soils and replacing with select granular sand, which is proper pipe bedding material.
 
Restoration of the impacted boulevard areas will include a minimum of 4-inches topsoil and hydroseed with a residential turf seed mix. Though the pavement is generally going back to the same location and elevation, driveway aprons will be replaced to match into the new bituminous pavement as minor changes will occur. In general, driveway aprons will be going back 8 feet to tie the driveways into the new pavement.
 
The majority of stormwater within these subdivisions drain to a ditch located on 16512 Germanium Street. A significant bump in the pavement exists at the culvert crossing location to this outlet due to the lack of cover above the pipe. This project proposes raising Germanium Street approximately 1-foot at this location to provide additional cover over the new crossing pipe. This will require driveways in the immediate vicinity to be replaced slightly further back than other driveways so they will match the new roadway elevations. However, work is still anticipated to be contained within the right-of-way.
 
Preliminary Schedule Remaining

• Council Awards Contract to the Lowest Responsible Bidder
  • February 26, 2024
• Contractor Begins Construction
  • Spring 2024
• Contractor Substantially Completes Construction
  • New bituminous pavement in-place, topsoil and seed in-place
  • August 2, 2024
• Contractor Final Completion
  • Verify final restoration; punch list created
  • August 30, 2024

 
Permit Approvals
Before construction can begin, Staff must obtain permits from MnDOT for a right of way permit, and Lower Rum River Watershed Management Organization for a grading, stormwater management and erosion / sediment control permit. These permit approvals are not anticipated to impact the proposed project start date.
 
The proposed improvements are designated as City Improvement Project #24-01, Barthel’s Rum River Acres and White Pines Estates Street Reconstructions.

If Council accepts the bids and awards a contract for construction of the improvements, letters will be mailed to property owners with updates on the project status. Engineering Staff maintains City Improvement project web pages with the most current project information under the Engineering Department web page on the City's website.

Time Frame:
Staff estimates up to 10 minutes will be needed to present this case and respond to questions.
 
Alternatives:
Alternative #1 – Motion to adopt Resolution #24-063 awarding a contract for Barthel’s Rum River Acres and White Pines Estates Street Reconstructions, Improvement Project #24-01.
 
Alternative #2 – Motion of other.

Funding for this improvement is proposed to come from Pavement Management Funds and Stormwater Utility Funds.
 
Bids were advertised in the Anoka Union Herald on December 1 and December 8, 2023. On February 21, 2024 a total of nine (9) bids were received, opened, and tabulated, and the following bids were found to comply with the advertisement for bids.
 

Contractor	Total Bid
North Valley, Inc.	$848,577.00
Omann Brothers Paving, Inc.	$877,492.73
Valley Paving, Inc.	$907,768.54
Douglas-Kerr Underground, L.L.C.	$919,881.21
Asphalt Surface Technologies Corp.	$959,766.59
Winberg Companies, L.L.C.	$998,131.50
Park Construction Company	$1,009,842.30
Northwest	$1,014,131.07
Kuechle Underground, Inc.	$1,133,395.65
Engineer’s Estimate	$1,231,577.46

 
The bid of North Valley, Inc. of Nowthen, Minnesota, in the amount of $848,577.00 for the total bid 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 23-percent brings the total project costs to $1,043,749.71.
 
The low bid is 31-percent less than the engineer’s estimate, primarily due to lower than anticipated bituminous, concrete, and grading costs.
 
Funding Source Breakdown:

Funding Source	Construction Costs	Indirect Costs	Total Costs
Pavement Management Funds	$714,078.46	$164,238.05	$878,316.51
Stormwater Utility Funds	$134,498.54	$30,934.66	$165,433.20
Project Total	$848,577.00	$195,172.71	$1,043,749.71

 
Bolton & Menk submitted a proposal for construction staking and as-built survey of the proposed improvements for a total not-to-exceed amount of $37,670.00. The construction staking and as-built survey are included in the indirect project costs.
 
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 #24-063 accepting bids and awarding a contract to North Valley, Inc. in the amount of $848,577 for Barthel’s Rum River Acres and White Pines Estates Street Reconstructions, Improvement Project #24-01.

Motion to adopt Resolution #24-063 accepting bids and awarding a contract to North Valley, Inc. in the amount of $848,577 for Barthel’s Rum River Acres and White Pines Estates Street Reconstructions, Improvement Project #24-01.