It is one thing to plan a project, bid it out and say that it’s going to happen. It’s another thing to get the bids and see if the numbers are in line for that to happen.

 

On Wednesday of this week, Bridgeport Parks and Recreation learned that a trio of projects totaling more than $100,000 will officially take place. Although bids on a pair of paving projects for city walking trails and for major work on a retaining wall were a bit higher than expected, Bridgeport Parks and Recreation Director Don Burton believes that the numbers are in line enough that the funding available will be sufficient to get the jobs done.

 

The bulk of the work will take place at Compton Parks. And the biggest project there involves repair, replacement and removal of the retaining wall that stretches across large portions of the park.

 

Although the Parks and Recreation project only received one official bid for the retaining wall project, Burton anticipates it will be the one chosen for the project. The bid came from Charleston-based Aztec, Inc. The bid consisted of two parts: the main bid and a deductive alternate. The main bid was to construct a new retaining wall behind the restroom covering roughly 70 linear feet. The bid was for $42,320.

 

The alternate project involves roughly 300 linear feet of the retaining wall at the park. The wall would be removed, handle earthwork and gently slope the land. That bid was for $39,630. Combined, the two bids come to $81,940. The city has $75,000 budgeted for the project. But that doesn’t mean that the project won’t happen.

 

“When you have a situation like that you work with the low bidder and if that doesn’t work out we value engineer a few minor things out or go back to City Council and ask for additional funds,” Burton said. “From our experience contractors will work with you, particularly when you’re that close to the amount that’s budgeted.”

 

Burton said he doesn’t believe the price differential in this case would lead to a re-bidding of the project. Although there was only one bid, Burton said a second company’s bid was eliminated due to it not meeting bid requirements/guidelines.

 

Once the bid is approved, a notice to proceed will be given. Work on the wall could take longer than the paving due to unknown variables that may arise.

 

The other project involve paving of a pair of walking trails. The main repair and resurfacing involves the entire walking trail at Compton Park. The rest of the project involves work on 150 linear feet of trail at City Park.

 

Burton said there were two bids received to do the work. Rob Yost Paving was the low bidder at $33,296.00, while North Central Paving came in a $35,853.12

 

“The paving portion for the work at Compton Park was just a bit high, but we have combined funds for the trail repair and will be able to pull that off,” Burton said. “We actually have $34,000 set aside for the work.”

 

The paving work will be done much quicker than work involving the retaining wall. He said one the bid is reviewed and determined to meet qualifications – which he said considering both companies have done work in a positive manner before he anticipates it not to be a problem – that a notice to proceed will being. The work is anticipated to be done roughly two months after the notice is given.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo is of Don Burton, while middle photo shows the retaining wall nearly touching the bathroom at Compton Park, while the walking trail at the same park is shown in the bottom photo.