Posted on

Charley Western bridge cost still higher than estimate, but lower than first bid

Charley Western bridge cost still higher than estimate, but lower than first bid
The Charley Western Recreation Trail Bridge collapsed into the Cedar River in July 2018 morning while a contractor was starting to remove parts of it.
Press file photo by Bob Steenson
By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

The second round of bids to rebuild the Charley Western Trail Bridge again came in higher than the project estimate, but they were enough lower than the first bid that Charles City Council members indicated they are likely to accept one.

Council members could take no official action at their workshop meeting Wednesday evening, but most of the comments indicated a willingness to pay the extra cost of rebuilding the Charley Western bridge, which was demolished two summers ago after having been closed for more than a year over safety concerns.

The city received two bids to rebuild the bridge, the lowest coming from Godbersen-Smith Construction of Ida Grove in the amount of $1.39 million. The other bid was from Peterson Contractors of Reinbeck for about $870,000 more.

The project engineer’s estimate for the cost of the bridge was $1.2 million.

City Engineer John Fallis said Godbersen-Smith’s bid was $206,000 less than the company had bid in the first bid letting, and he said much of that was likely due to a less rigid timeline. The company had been the only bidder in the first round.

The city originally wanted to have the project completed this year when the first round of bids were let in January, but contractors said that was too soon, Fallis said. The current bid listing calls for the project to be completed by October 2021.

“That $1.39 million for the bridge we have designed, for the bridge we want, it’s a good bid,” Fallis said.

City Administrator Steven Diers said with engineering fees and additional fees plus some additional lighting, the total cost would be $1.59 million.

The city has received commitments for $689,000 in public and private funding, including $329,000 from the Iowa Department of Transportation. That leaves $901,000 the city would have to borrow in general obligation bonds, repaid through city property taxes, Diers said.

“It’s a lot of money to borrow for the project compared to what we were thinking before,” he said, but he agreed with Fallis that reducing the price would require removing design elements from the bridge that are important to keep.

Diers and Mayor Dean Andrews said they would continue to look for additional funding sources.

Fallis said the plan is to pass a resolution at the June 1 council meeting to set a public hearing on the project for the June 15 meeting, after which the council could approve the contract.

Also at the meeting Wednesday, the council:

• Reviewed the latest and possibly final draft of an economic development agreement with Mark Holtkamp, a developer from Solon, who wants to build a 72-bed senior living complex across the street from the Floyd County Medical Center that would provide independent living and assisted living units, as well as a unit dedicated to persons with memory conditions.

The basis of the agreement is that the project would get a rebate from the city for 100% of the property tax charged on the new value of the property for 10 years after the project is completed, up to a total of $2 million.

Holtkamp said at the teleconference meeting that he plans to begin construction in 2021.

• Renewed for one year the area transit agreement with Circle K Communications in Charles City to subcontract to manage the system, and renewed the agreement with the North Iowa Council of Governments that provides buses and helps pay for the service.

Ticket prices will stay the same under the new agreements, and Circle K will receive a 4% increase in its management fee, from $5,086 per month to $5,289.

Diers said everyone is happy with the service Circle K is providing. “They do a great job and we’re appreciative of their service,” he said.

Social Share

LATEST NEWS