Council Communication Office of the City Manager	Date	April 7, 2008
	Agenda Item No. 58 Roll Call No. 08- Communication No. 08-196 Submitted by: Jeb E. Brewer, P.E. City Engineer

AGENDA HEADING:

Hearing on Southeast Connector - Des Moines River Bridge with Levee, Sanitary Sewer, and Water Main Relocation: Resolution approving plans, specifications, form of contract documents, engineer’s estimate, receive and file bids, and designating lowest responsible bidder as United Contractors, Inc. and Subsidiaries, Gary B. Sandquist, President, $12,256,914.02.

SYNOPSIS:

This is a public hearing to allow for public input on the Southeast Connector - Des Moines River Bridge with Levee, Sanitary Sewer, and Water Main Relocation and take the necessary actions as required by Iowa Code to authorize a contract for construction of the proposed project. On January 23, 2006, City Council approved the design concept of a basic bridge with enhancements for the new Southeast Connector Des Moines River Bridge. The bridge design was developed with the ongoing participation of the Project Advisory Committee and the Corridor Aesthetic Team. On February 7, 2007, an overall update on the bridge design was presented at a City Council Workshop. As presented at that time, the estimated bridge cost is within the budget and includes approximately $1 million for aesthetic enhancements. The enhancements include: Pier extensions and viewing stations along the pedestrian rails, entrance piers at each corner, lighting and color to enhance appearance and attention to the rail detail. The bridge design also incorporated pedestrian crossings below, adjacent to the river and the use of open arch piers.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Amount: $12,256,914.02 Construction Contract ($9,975,000 City Engineer's Estimate)

Funding Source: 2007-2008 CIP, Page Street-41, Southeast Connector - SW Second to SE Sixth Street, STR214, Being: $12,256,914.02 contract cost being: $1,857,382.81 in TIF, $1,817,783.01 in Federal Transportation earmark funds under NHSX-U-1945(402)--8S-77, $2,970,000 in Federal Transportation earmark funds and $2,292,000 in Federal Surface Transportation Program funds under NHSX-U-1945(403)--8S-77, and $3,319,748.20 in Federal Transportation earmark funds under NHSX-U-1945(405)--8S-77

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The Iowa Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration approved the re-evaluation of the Martin Luther King Environmental Impact Statement on October 18, 2007. This approval allowed the City to begin negotiating with MidAmerican Energy and MidAmerican Group for the acquisition of the one property needed for the bridge construction project. The environmental approval and property acquisition determined the letting date for the bridge project. The bridge construction project includes vibration monitoring to comply with the Programmatic Agreement with the Federal Highway Administration, Iowa Department of Transportation, and Iowa State Historic Preservation Office.

On March 10, 2008, under Roll Call No. 08-365, the City Council received and filed plans, specifications, form of contract documents, and City Engineer's estimate for the construction of the Southeast Connector - Des Moines River Bridge with Levee, Sanitary Sewer, and Water Main Relocation. Before the City Council can enter into a contract, it must hold a public hearing and approve the proposed plans, specifications, and form of contract documents and engineer's estimate for the construction of the Southeast Connector - Des Moines River Bridge with Levee, Sanitary Sewer, and Water Main Relocation, 12-2007-003. The improvement includes construction of the following two improvements which the Iowa Department of Transportation has tied as one single project being:

1. Southeast Connector: Des Moines River Bridge, IDOT Project No. NHSX-U-1945(403)--8S-77 and NHSX-U-1945(405)--8S-77, Activity ID 12-2007-003, being construction of an eastbound 720' x 36' pretensioned prestressed concrete beam bridge, and a westbound 687'x 36' pretensioned prestressed concrete beam bridge, along with all the necessary excavation, structural concrete, reinforcing steel, structural steel, concrete barrier railing, steel railings, bridge deck drains, steel bearing pile, slope protection, concrete rustication, concrete colored sealer coat, roadway lighting, bridge accent lighting, underdeck security lighting, construction survey, and mobilization; all in accordance with the contract documents including Plan File Nos. 481-001/275.

2. Southeast Connector: Levee, Sanitary Sewer, and Water Main Relocation, IDOT Project No. NHSX-U-1945(402)--8S-77, Activity ID 04-2007-010, being construction of approximately 292 LF of 12-inch ductile iron water main and 542 LF of 48-inch concrete sanitary sewer pipe, along with all the necessary excavation, selected backfill, compaction, removals, slotted drains, subdrain, intakes, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, utility access structures, HMA recreation trail, PCC driveway, PCC pavement patches, contaminated soil handling and disposal, slope protection, traffic control, safety closures, fence work, silt fence, topsoil, and restoration; all in accordance with the contract documents including Plan File Nos. 481-276/318.

The improvement is generally located from the west side of the Des Moines River near the intersection of Elm Street and Water Street easterly across the Des Moines River to near the intersection of Raccoon Street and S.E. 3rd Street.

In accordance with a previously approved Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) Agreement, the bids were received and opened by the Iowa DOT on March 18, 2008. The attached tabulation of bids by the Iowa DOT for said improvement should be received and filed. Sealed bids for said improvement were submitted by the following bidders:

· United Contractors, Inc. and Subsidiaries, Johnston, IA

· Cramer and Assoc., Inc. & Herberger Construction, Inc., A Joint Venture, Grimes, IA

The Iowa DOT received bids for the SE Connector Bridge over the Des Moines River on March 18, 2008. This project is the first major component of the SE Connector. The DOT received two bids, with the low bid being United Contractors, Inc. and Subsidiaries, Gary Sandquist, President, 6678 N.W. 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA. The low bid of $12,256,914.02 is above the initial construction estimate of $9,975,000 by about 20%. The construction contract includes sanitary sewer, water main and levee construction in a contaminated area that was not included in our original project estimate for the bridge. The City’s CIP project budget should still be sufficient to cover these bids and future components based upon the original CIP budget allocation of $11.4 million for the bridge and given the City’s decision to build the more economical enhanced standard bridge. There is also potential for savings in the right of way budget for the overall project. If a budget adjustment is necessary, we will present that to Council during the next budget cycle.

Engineering Department Staff has reviewed the bids with the Iowa DOT and recommend award of the contract since the two bidders were very close (within $120,000 of their separate bids). Recent energy price increases and the overall complexity of this project, including the uncertainty associated with river work, contaminated soil and associated protective measures, and protection of the historic balustrade seem to have adversely impacted the bids more than expected. We expected favorable bids since historically this is the best time of year to bid construction work and the Iowa DOT’s freeway bridge work is completed. Rebidding the project would delay the construction by one year and would probably increase the cost over the current bids by 2% to 3% or approximately $300,000.

There will be a future construction project to construct the roadway and bridge approaches. While the bridge construction is underway, roadway construction will begin to the east in 2009. The current schedule provides for completing roadway construction between SW 2nd and SE 6th Streets by the end of 2010. The completed floodwall will be faced with brick as part of the roadway construction project to be completed in 2010.

The City Engineer has determined that the lowest responsive, responsible bid for the construction of said improvement was submitted by United Contractors, Inc. and Subsidiaries, Gary B. Sandquist, President, 6678 N.W. 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA, 50131 in the amount of $12,256,914.02, and said bid should be accepted. The Finance Director has determined that funds are available for said improvement as stated above.

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S):

Date: March 10, 2008

Roll Call Number: 08-365

Action: Ordering construction of the following:

(B) Southeast Connector – Des Moines River Bridge with levee, sanitary sewer, and water main relocation – Receiving of bids, (3-18-08), and Setting date of hearing, (4-7-08). (Construction Estimate - $9,975,000). (Council Communication No. 08-119) Moved by Hensley to adopt. Motion Carried 7-0.

Date: September 11, 2006

Roll Call Number: 06-1829

Action: Programmatic Agreement with Federal Highway Administration, Iowa Department of Transportation, and Iowa State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the Southeast Connector Urban Arterial Projects and Associated Features to define the process for identifying, evaluating and treating historical properties and archeological resources. (Council Communication No. 06-570) Moved by Vlassis to adopt. Motion Carried 6-0.

Date: January 23, 2006

Roll Call Number: 06-124

Action: Approving Bridge Design Concept for Southeast Connector over the Des Moines River. (Council Communication No. 06-037) Moved by Brooks to adopt. Motion Carried 7-0.

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S):

Date: July 10, 2007

Roll Call Number: NA

Action: Urban Design Review Board approved the proposed SE Connector Bridge project. The Board asked that additional information regarding pedestrian circulation and the planned pathway system be presented and clarified when the roadway project is submitted in the future.

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS:

Partial payments to the contractor and final acceptance of work.

For more information on this and other agenda items, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office on the second floor of City Hall, 400 Robert D Ray Drive. Council agendas are available to the public at the City Clerk’s Office on Thursday afternoon preceding Monday’s Council meeting. Citizens can also request to receive meeting notices and agendas by email by calling the Clerk’s Office or sending their request via email to cityclerk@dmgov.org.