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Bids arrive for Coolspring sewer project

Dave Hawk
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The city received four bids Wednesday for the Coolspring Avenue sewer and road reconstruction project, which also includes new curbs, gutters and sidewalks from Wabash Street to Roeske Avenue.

Mayor Chuck Oberlie anticipates construction to begin in August and continue into next year. The street will remain open to local traffic during the work, he said, "although somebody's driveway may not be accessible at a given moment."

Three of the bids came in below the engineer's estimate of $5,941,207. Oberlie said he is pleased bids came in lower than expected, and attributed it to the slow economy.

"A tremendous number of people in construction are eager to work, and companies that manufacture the materials are finding it slow and have excess capacity. All that works in our favor," he said.

Bid are: Rieth-Riley Construction, La Porte, $4,552,534; Woodruff & Sons Inc., Michigan City, $4,686,110; Dyer Construction Co., Dyer, $5,669,166; and HRP Construction Inc., South Bend, $6,724,569.

The bids were opened in Indianapolis by the Indiana Department of Transportation, which is in charge of the project because it uses 80 percent federal funds, Oberlie said. The other 20 percent of the cost comes from Michigan City funds. The Department of Transportation will award a contract, probably by the end of this month, after reviewing and tabulating the bids. Once the winning bidder posts a performance bond and completes other legal requirements, the contractor can begin work, depending on how soon materials can be obtained.

The sewer installation will be done in phases, and the exact work schedule depends on whether the contractor uses one or two crews on site, the mayor said.

Construction will be the culmination of almost four years of planning, Oberlie said. American Structurepoint Inc., Indianapolis, the consulting engineers on the project for the city, have shepherded the process through its environmental phase and land acquisition, which was concluded last winter, Oberlie said. The city acquired some property for driveway adjustments, he said.

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Coolspring Ave. to be repaved

MICHIGAN CITY - City engineer Bill Phelps announced Friday that the repaving of Coolspring Avenue will begin Tuesday, Aug. 18, weather permitting. Pavement first will be milled, and sewer work will begin as well.

Only local traffic will be allowed from the east side of West Mall Court to the west side of Woodland Avenue. A second area closed will be from the east side of Woodland Avenue to a point about 350 feet east.

Phelps encouraged residents who plan to go to the Medical Group or Coolspring Dental Clinic to use the Woodland Avenue entrance.