Another project aimed at curtailing flooding woes in areas of Bridgeport should begin in the near future thanks to a project where bids were opened this morning at the Municipal Complex. Eight contractors bid to do work on what was estimated to be a project approaching a quarter of a million dollars.

 

The good news is that not only were their eight bidders, but six of the bids actually were under the engineer’s estimate of roughly $220,000. In the end, the low bid was produced by Glen Johnston, a McKeesport, Pa., contracting firm that is getting ready to do the Pennsylvania Avenue sewage project.

 

The company bid $201,283 for the Phase II North Street storm water project. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they will be the company doing the job. As is standard, a review of all the bids will be done.

 

“The bids have to be certified and we need to make sure there are no errors,” said Mike Nestor, P.E., of the Thrasher Group, the company that designed the project. Nestor was on hand to open the bids with City Engineer Tom Brown and make sure the bid opening requirements were fulfilled.

 

Approval of the project will be granted by the Bridgeport Utility Board. Brown and staff will make the recommendation of Glen Johnston, or the next bidder – or down the line – if there are problems with the bid or other issues that would potentially disqualify a low bid.

 

“(Glen Johnston) will have equipment mobilized here and they will have a crew here as part of the other project. That means they can have one person down here as a superintendent handling multiple spreads of equipment,” said Brown. “I may be putting words in their mouth, but it would make sense to do that and it definitely assists in getting the low bid.”

 

Phase II of the North Street project involves upgrading the storm drainage in the areas of North Street and beyond. Kelly Drive is another section, as well as others in the general vicinity that should be impacted.

 

“We’re trying to reduce some of the flooding issues we’ve had in that area,” said Brown.

 

Brown is hoping to see the project start this fall. He hopes it can be completed in time to get it cleaned up before winter. If not, mulching and seeding of the project would be done once the weather breaks early next year.

 

One thing unique about the bidding process is that six of the eight bids were within 5 percent of one another.  After the low bid, the bids were at $208,265; $209,797; $210,180; $212,200 and $212,340. Two other bids were way out of that range as one came in at $345,300 and the final bid was at $397,060.

 

“I don’t remember one time since I’ve been working here that the results were that close with that many bids. That was very surprising and I’m pleased with that,” Brown said.

 

Brown is hopeful to get approval at the Sept. 26 meeting of the BUB. He said he will also ask for a 10 percent contingency fee to be added to the bid that is recommended.

 

Editor's Note: Thrasher's Mike Nestor opens bids, while City Engineer Tom Brown looks on.