The city has selected a contractor to construct the Highway 100 beautification project.
During their meeting Monday night, Washington City Council members voted, 5-2, to award the contract to N.B. West Contracting Company on a bid of $665,793.83.
The project calls for constructing three landscaped median strips included in the base bid and an optional fourth median strip from a point east of Highway 47 east to the area near Brookview Drive.
Members Josh Brinker, Joe Holtmeier, Greg Skornia, Steve Sullentrup and Jeff Mohesky voted to award the contract. Walt Meyer and Mark Hidritch voted no.
The council discussed the bids last month and tabled a decision until the contract with West could be reviewed and approved by MoDOT officials who later concurred with the agreement.
The city received bids in November from six construction firms on a base bid and three options.
City Engineer Dan Boyce said the next step will be to schedule a preconstruction conference with the contractor, MoDOT and city officials. No date has been set for that meeting.
Boyce said it’s unlikely that any significant work would begin until spring due to the unpredictable weather.
There is no set date for completion and the contractor will have until next fall to complete planting the new medians, all of which will have irrigation systems.
Project Scope
The base project involves median improvements along these sections:
• Far West — from a point west of the JCPenney store to the east for about 756 feet to Washington Heights Drive;
• West — from a point east of Washington Heights Drive for 250 feet to Camp Street; and
• East — from a point east of A. Roy Drive for a distance of about 760 feet.
The alternate median added to the contract is an approximate 325-foot section to the west of Brookview Drive.
The city was awarded a $604,823 federal enhancement grant for the project. The city’s match is $151,206 in local funds. The grant pays for 80 percent of the project cost, including the engineering and design work.
After engineering and design costs, the city was left with approximately $680,000 for construction expenses, which falls well within the West contract amount.
The project also includes additional signage and bike path markings along the shoulders.
Plans call for most of the landscaped medians to be planted with native wildflowers and grasses that can grow from 1.5 to 3 feet tall. There also are areas where 3- to 5-foot-tall shrubs will be planted.
