Bids opened for first freeway construction contract

Bids were opened Wednesday for utility work associated with Phase 1A of the Carson City freeway, marking the freeway's first construction contract.

Carson City staff estimated the project at $2.3 million split between two phases.

Part A of the project includes relocating water, sewer and reclaimed water facilities in the College Parkway/Northgate Lane area. Part B is the same work in the Arrowhead Drive area. There were 16 bidders between the two projects, most from Nevada.

The apparent low bidder for the project is Gerhardt and Berry Construction of Reno with a bid of $1.896 million.

But the bid may go to Contri Construction of Reno, which bid $1.953 million, because of a state law which states projects can be awarded to a higher bidder if the bidder meets two criteria.

The bidder must have a certificate of eligibility from the state contractors board to receive preference, and the bid must be less than 5 percent higher than the lower bid, said Carson City Engineering Manager Andy Burnham. Contri apparently meets both criteria.

Contri is the apparent low bidder for part B of the project with a bid of $379,928.

"This is the first big step in getting money out on the ground," Burnham said. "The bids fit in with our engineering estimates, so we're pretty pleased with it. There were no big surprises."

City supervisors are expected to approve the bids at their Feb. 3 meeting.

Burnham said construction should start in mid-February and run until August, and that would result in traffic controls and possible delays in utility service.

The utilities must be moved because they interfere with drainage work for the freeway, Burnham said. The Nevada Department of Transportation is adding box culverts under the freeway as part of the city's storm drainage work and the utilities are in the way.

NDOT will open contractor bids for Phase 1A of the freeway on Jan. 27.

Phase IA of the freeway is a $15.3 million bridge construction project which includes bridges at College Parkway, Emerson Drive, Northgate Lane and Arrowhead Drive.

Construction should begin on the bridges in March or April. The contractor will have a year from the time the bid is awarded to finish the bridge construction project.

"The state's following right after us (choosing a contractor)," Burnham said. "There's a lot of coordination between the two agencies, but there will be a ton of construction and a lot of nuisances in the next three years."

Burnham said as the city's contractor completes utility work, parts of College Parkway will be reduced to two lanes. The work could cause some minor interruptions of utility service, but Burnham said people would be notified beforehand.

Construction is slated on the northern leg of the freeway, which extends from Lakeview Hill to Highway 50 East, from 2000 to 2003. The second freeway leg from Highway 50 East to the Spooner Summit Junction is expected to begin in 2004 and be finished in 2007.