Humboldt County awards bridge contracts
Numerous road improvements on the docketBy ROBERT WOLF Messenger correspondent
DAKOTA CITY - The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors awarded four bridge replacement contracts to the same bidder at Monday's meeting.
A month ago County Engineer Paul Jacobson recommended the board give contractors the option to bid on all four of the projects in the hopes of securing a more competitive bid. The bridges will be replaced by box culverts.
The bridges are located on:
- 245th Street in section 15 of Norway Township east of Thor
- Quebec Avenue in section 35 of Beaver Township just north of the county line
- 210th Street in section 33 of Lake Township north of Thor
- 240th Street in section 18 of Norway Township west of Thor.
Weidemann Inc., of Dows, was the low bidder out of the seven received Thursday for the combined projects.
Weidemann's bid of $338,176 was lower than the engineer's estimate and $9,700 lower than the next lowest bid.
"The estimate was $397,657 so we got pretty good bids," said board Chairman Harlan Hansen.
Late start dates for the bridges are between Sept. 14 and Oct. 5.
In other business, the board signed an agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation for U.S. Highway 169 improvements near county roads C46 and C49 south of Humboldt.
The DOT will be making improvements on the highway this year and in 2010 from the Webster County line north to Humboldt. The improvements include widening the intersection of C49 and C46. Under the agreement, the county will accept ownership and maintenance of the modifications along the county roads.
"In that time period we will have some responsibility to assign a detour," Jacobson told the board.
Contact Robert Wolf at (515) 573-2141 or editor@messengernews.net
